Flashback : Staying at the Old Granary

Self Catering at the Old Granary 

Since I have been writing about Derby this week, I wanted to bring this article back about a house we rented which we loved in Derbyshire. 

While searching the Internet I came across a site called peakdistrictonline.com. It was here that I first read about the Old Granary. Okay, I’ll admit it, the fact that it had a four season hot tub did influence my decision but it really was the picture of the kitchen that convinced me that this was the house for us. 

We needed three bedrooms and not only does the Old Granary have three bedrooms it also has three bathrooms. What could be more perfect?

I followed the link to the Old Granary website and after looking at all the photos we knew we had found the place we wanted to stay. I emailed the owner and after several emails we had a bank draft drawn for the full amount done in British Pounds and sent off to Amanda Brown.

The Old Granary is just that, an old granary conversion. Martin, Amanda’s husband, did the conversion himself and is justifiably proud. The house is lovely, way beyond our expectations. The kitchen has every modern convenience, a five burner stove with two ovens and a grill, a microwave, hot pot, washer and separate dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator and freezer. The center of the room is dominated by a farm table and six chairs. There are plenty of dishes and everything else you might need including dish soap and washer soap. A bottle of wine was left for us as a welcoming gift, you can see it on the table.

The living room is very comfortable with a couch, loveseat and wingback chair. Amenities include a wood burning stove, satellite TV (also in all the bedrooms and the kitchen) and a stereo that allows you to play your DVD or CDs in any room you want; there is even a PDA –MP3 docking station. A powder room is located on the main floor so you don’t need to run upstairs when you need the facilities. We really appreciated that powder room!!

Upstairs there are three bedrooms. We choose the king room with the half tester bed. It had a wonderful light and bright look with white bedding. The room has a vanity with a three-part mirror, an armoire that holds the safe, blow dryer and plenty of hangers. The window looks out to the back of the house and has stunning views. In the distance, you can see the towers of Hardwick Hall and Bolsover Castle. Our bathroom had a shower and was ensuite.

The twin room had blue toile bedspreads and had a large bathroom with a humongous tub but it is located in the hallway. The other king room has a French style bed with red toile spread, embroidered pillowcases and an ensuite bathroom with shower.

Everything about this house is 5 *, the floors are tile and are heated. It was a wonderful treat to feel really warm and cozy. Not only are all your physical needs cared for but the house is aesthetically beautiful.

The Old Granary near Matlock, Derbyshire

The house has plenty of information about what to see and do in the area and of course the hot tub is just as beautiful as it looks on the web. Yes we did bring our swim suits and yes we did use the hot tub. It was amazing looking across this beautiful landscape while sitting in the steamy water with snow flakes falling. 

We absolutely loved The Old Granary, it was and still is our favorite among the many homes we have rented in England.

Old Granary

Beech Farm, Wheatcroft Lane Wheatcroft

Matlock, England, DE4 5GU

+44 (560) 2931292

Christmas Village at LOVE Park In Philadelphia

Get into the holiday spirit in the heart of Philadelphia

LOVE Park is gorgeous during the holidays.

Dates:
November 21 – 22, 2015
November 26 – December 27, 2015

Philadelphia will once again transform into a European wonderland for the annual Christmas Village at Love Park.

Modeled after traditional European open-air Christmas markets, Christmas Village in Philadelphia is a daily an outdoor holiday market located in Love Park, right in the heart of Center City.

And for the first time, the market will make its debut the weekend before Thanksgiving on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22.

Shoppers can expect more than 60 vendors in more than 90 wooden booths, along with two large tents, all offering a wide range of international holiday gifts, ornaments, jewelry, toys and high-quality arts and crafts.

But Christmas Village is more than just an outdoor shopping center. Love Park gets bedecked with thousands of lights, a giant Christmas tree in the center, as well as frequent performances and special events. Plus, it’s adjacent to the Rothman Ice Rink at Dilworth Park, making the two parks holiday happening central in Center City.
 
New For 2015

In addition to the new-this-year preview weekend shopping dates, other embellishments to market experience include brand-new lights — Herrnhut or Moravian Stars — all over the park, a relocation for Santa’s hut to a more central spot, new vendors and and more food.

This year, too, guests can arrive not only to shop the market, but also to hang out in a new food-and-wine garden behind the Fairmount Park Welcome Center at Love Park.
 
Hours and Getting There

Christmas Village officially opens for its first-ever preview weekend November 21-22. Stop by for opening celebrations and the chance to be some of the first guests to shop the holiday market.

The regular season commences with daily hours between Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26 and Sunday, December 27 with daily market hours Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. On Christmas Eve and Thanksgiving Day, the market will be open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Christmas Village is closed on Christmas Day.

To arrive at the holiday market, follow directions to City Hall and Love Park in the heart of Center City. Plus, the Philly PHLASH Downtown Bus Loop resumes daily operations starting November 27, and runs every 15 minutes 10 a.m.-6 p.m. with a stop adjacent to Love Park (stop number 5).

For a complete listing of participating vendors, events and information, click the button below.

Read more: 

http://www.visitphilly.com/shopping/philadelphia/christmas-village-in-philadelphia/
 
Follow us: http://facebook.com/visitphilly  |  http://twitter.com/visitphilly

Derbyshire: Amazing Visit to Derby Art Museum

Unfortunately, even a photo permit couldn’t help me here, you are not allowed to publish the photos so for my own use only. It is too bad because this is a great little museum and there are lots of things that I think would have made excellent subjects.

I began my visit in the Origins of Derby Exhibit. The first few cases have to do with the Bronze Age. There are several cases of items such as knives, ax heads, and spearheads. Most of them were found in rivers and marshes. It is not known why these valuable metal items would have been deposited in the Rivers but it may have been part of a ritual.

There are also items found in a Bronze Age barrow. The Bronze Age is 4200-2200BC. People were buried in log coffins and there is a whole display of pottery from this period. Many of these pieces of pottery are from Stanton Moor and others are from Stoney Middleton Dale.

The next section is the Roman period. Jars were used to hold beans and it was the beans that were the important part in this time period. I liked a very pretty Simian Bowl with a hunting scene from the 2nd century CE. The remains of the graves of two children have been preserved; there are two bronze bangle bracelets and a bronze finger ring. 

An interesting find was people in this period were buried with shoes on. These are followed by a case showing a Romano-British kitchen and one with Roman and Medieval Coins.

I personally was fascinated by the bust of a Viking whose grave was discovered outside St Wystan's Church. The artist used the skull to give us a very good idea of what this warrior would have looked like. He died in 873-874. Repton was a mass grave with at least 249 people of which only 5 are women; there are no evident injuries so it was a disease that took their lives.

An Anglo Saxon gravesite reveals lots of information about the lives of these people, an amber necklace, iron knife, silver finger ring and bronze buckle.

The Repton Stone dominates this portion of the Museum; it is what remains of an 8th Century Anglo Saxon Cross. One of the figures on the cross may be Aethalbald, King of Mercia who was murdered and buried at Repton.

One of the most amazing exhibits is in the next room. The Hanson Longboat. This is a Bronze Age Longboat that was discovered in a quarry at Shardlow. It is 3500 years old. Also in this room are several works by George Turner called the Derbyshire Constable.

Up a short set of stairs is the Wright Gallery and it won’t disappoint. Joseph Wright has an amazing way with light and there is a room full of his works, some portraits, and some landscapes. I loved “Cottage on Fire” and Grotto in the Gulf of Salerno.

Derbyshire: Why You Should Visit Derby Cathedral

The first things you will notice as you enter Derby Cathedral are the wrought iron gates. These were made by Robert Bakewell but not for this church, the ones he made for this church were sold in the 1870’s, why, no one knows. It wasn’t until 1927 that the Parish Church of All Saints became the Cathedral for the Diocese of Derby. 

A church has stood on this site for over a thousand years. Credit for its founding is given to King Edmund in 943 and in the twelfth Century it was gifted by the King to the Dean of Lincoln Cathedral. That Saxon Church no longer exists; it was replaced at some point in the fourteenth century.

That church had a rectangular tower at the west end which must have become unstable because it was replaced by a new tower, which is the one that you see today between 1510 and 1530. Even though Derby is quite a good sized city today, you will have no problem finding the cathedral even if you just use your eyes to locate the tower, it soars above the city still. 

During the Reformation, the rich vestments and trappings were destroyed. Later during the reign of Queen Mary a parishioner who could not accept the doctrine of transubstantiation was burned as a heretic, she was blind and only 22 years of age.

During the Civil War the church seems to have avoided some of the destruction that affected other churches, though the records report an excessive amount of glass replacement expense. In 1723 the old church was demolished and a new one was added to the 16th century tower. It is simple and built in a classical style. 

You will notice as soon as you walk in how light and bright it is and so different from what you expect having seen the exterior. The interior has a wonderful wrought iron screen extending across the whole width of the church, also made by Robert Bakewell.

One of the problems with tearing down the old church was that many of the old memorials were lost. One however, which wasn't was that of Bess of Hardwick. She was an amazing woman, contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I who had four husbands, each one richer than the last. She is associated with Hardwick Hall and Chatsworth.

Another of the unusual details in the church is the mayor’s pew. It is decorated with a Robert Bakewell ironwork medallion which has the City badge, a stag enclosed palings, know as the Buck in the park.

Another thing to look for is the alabaster memorial slab of John Lawe one of the sub deans in the fifteenth century. This was a floor slab but now is standing upright. Also look for Wright of Derby’s tombstone which was moved from St Werburghs Church-yard.

Virginia: Visit to the Frontier Culture Museum Staunton

The Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, Va.is a living history lesson of the settling of the frontier in the Shenandoah Valley. Each of the groups who was instrumental in the development of the area is represented. You also get to visit homes from the 18th and 19th centuries. 

Home from England

House from Ireland

The German Homestead

Really big pigs

Mid-19thh century American farm

Inn to Inn Cookie and Candy Tour 2015

This year marks the 19th year that the inns in the Mt. Washington Valley will be celebrating the "Taste of Christmas". On Saturday and Sunday December 12 and 13, from 11 a.mm to 4 p.m., eleven inns will open their door and offer cookies, candy and refreshments and a tour of their inn.

We did this tour several years ago and it was a blast. You book a two night stay at one of the participating inns and your tickets will be provided along with a delicious breakfast by the inn.You will also get a potter ornament and a copy of the all the recipes. It you visit all 11 inns, you get a brass ornament.

This years participating inn are    include the Darby Field Inn in Albany; Inn at Crystal Lake and Pub in Eaton; ; Notchland Inn in Hart's Location;Cranmore Inn Bed & Breakfast in North Conway Village; Glen Oaks Inn in Intervale; Inn at Ellis River in Jackson; 1785 Inn,  Eastman Inn, and Old Red Inn & Cottages in North Conway, Snowvillage Inn in Snowville, and Admiral Peary Inn Bed & Breakfast in nearby Fryeburg, Maine.
   

Tickets can not be guaranteed without the an inn package. Those not wishing to reserve an overnight package may purchase tickets December 1-7, 2015 for $30 per person by calling the Old Red Inn at 800-338-1356 or 603-356-2642. Tickets reserved by phone will be available for pick up at designated pick up locations. Tickets are limited. 

Be sure to bring along a container to hold all your delicious cookies and candies.  

Virginia: December Delights Winchester

Save the weekend of Dec. 4-6, 2015 for a visit to Winchester, Va. Located in the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley,Winchester has a lot to offer for those who are looking for holiday activities to celebrate. 

We did this last year and really enjoyed ourselves. There is a festive feeling all over town. 
 

Holiday Open House

On December 6th five homes will be decorated and open for tours from 1-5 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Historic homes to visit are located at:
608 South Stewart Street
226 Amherst Street
530 Amherst Street
220 West-Boscawen Street
24   South Washington Street 

Candlelight Tour and Open House  December 4&5

Abrams Delight House Museum

Abrams Delight  he oldest house in Winchester built 1754, is decorated with holiday floral arrangements by local garden clubs. There will be a recreated colonial tavern in the 1780s log cabin. Plan to visit the Hollingsworth Mill for cookies and cider!

Dec.4:  6-8 p.m.
Dec.5:  3-7  p.m.

George Washington's Office

George Washington's Office Museum interprets the early years of Washington's life through the exhibit, George Washington's personal effects, surveying equipment, and interactive exhibits such as a scale model of the town of Winchester c. 1755.
Dec 4: 6-8pm
Dec. 5: 3-7pm

Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters

Experience a Confederate Christmas at Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters Museum. The house is decorated for the holiday season and living history interpreters will be throughout the house and museum grounds. Enjoy some Southern hospitality in the house that General Jackson’s wife called their wartime home.
Dec 4: 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 5: 3-7 p.m.

Also in the area are Belle Grove Plantation, The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley and Long Branch Plantation.