Before Christmas I finally got around to taking Wendy to Nottingham Castle. There's not much left of the Castle itself, except the walls and gatehouse:
Opposite this stands a wonderful old tudor house now used as the Lace Centre. Nottingham is traditionally famous for its production of lace (despite now only being famous for gun crime), having been the centre after the 16th Century for machine production of lace. We took the opportunity to buy a little lace bib for Madeleine's baptism!
But there is a more modern building now on the castle mount (the Museum and Art Gallery, 1875) inside which there are an interesting collection of artifacts. This picture shows what miserable foggy weather we were having that week:
My favourite bit was the medieval religious relics, carved from alabaster, and preserved from before the reformation (some under floorboards)! Of particular note was a huge reredos with wonderful carving of different scenes from the Passion (right). How wonderful it would be to still have our modern churches adorned with these treasures... The guard there reluctantly gave me permission to take these photos!
Miserable? Britain looks absolutely lovely to me! I wish the U.S. had such elegant & stately architecture covering our landscape.
ReplyDeleteIs this the Nottingham Castle of Robin Hood fame?
ReplyDeleteWhere the Sheriff used to live? =)
I thinks its real funny that our forefathers, with their limitations, could produce such marvelous things for the glory of God while we, with all our technology and riches, can only come up with such poor and appalling stuff.
Yes, Robin Hood country indeed. I must write a post about Robin Hood sometime, and how it relates to Catholicism, especially after the latest dismal dramatisation by the BBC.
ReplyDelete"I thinks its real funny that our forefathers, with their limitations, could produce such marvelous things for the glory of God while we, with all our technology and riches, can only come up with such poor and appalling stuff."
ReplyDeleteI respond: for the excellent reason that modernity worships itself. Self-worship and great architecture go together like Robitussin and porterhouse steak.
Histor (who hates Robitussin)