The soul is indestructible and its activity will continue through eternity. It is like the sun, which, to our eyes, seems to set at night; but it has in reality only gone to diffuse its light elsewhere.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The clock-tower was put up on the inner face of the Adam’s Tower in 1609. The belfrey however was added as part of later alterations.
6 Comments CherryPie on May 6th 2010
Chirk Castle is a border fortress which was designed to subdue the Welsh. It was built between 1925 and 1310 by Roger Mortimer who was one of Edward I’s warlords.
In contrast to the unwelcoming exterior, the interior is a lot more homely. The castle has been almost continuously occupied for 700 years.
Among Chirk’s often immensely powerful possessors in the Middle Ages were the Earls of Arundel, Cardinal Beaufort and Sir William Stanley. At least five of its medieval owners were executed for treason, their estates being seized by the Crown. In the Wars of the Roses, Chirk was tossed about between the rival houses of York and Lancaster; after 1495 it was firmly in the hands of the Tudors. For the tenants who lived on the Chirk estate it meant years of turmoil and high taxes.
In 1595 the estate was sold to a prominent merchant adventurer, Thomas Myddelton, whose descendants have lived here ever since.
During the Civil War, the castle was captured in 1643 and again 1659, when it was partly demolished by order of Parliament. This was in the time of the second Sir Thomas Myddelton, a famous Parliamentary general who later declared for Charles II and whose son was rewarded with a baronetcy. In the 1670s the second Baronet repaired the castle, built the Long Gallery and brought many treasures to Chirk. *
*From the guidebook.
14 Comments CherryPie on May 5th 2010
This is the sequence of photos that led to my latest 100 photos post.
In the last photo the cat and I are almost paw to toe before he rubbed around my legs and moved on.
13 Comments CherryPie on May 4th 2010
Bank holiday Monday meant a further pause on sorting out details for my Dad’s funeral etc. The day was so beautiful so there was no point stopping at home doing nothing so I decided a day out was in order (well just going out for lunch and the afternoon really 
). It is the time of year for bluebells so I picked a National Trust property that advertised their presence.
Chirk Castle was close enough not to be a chore and there are some very nice scenic routes to get there. I found the guidebook in my collection, it looked rather old fashioned and when I opened up the covers I noticed the pictures were in black and white. When I checked the publication date it said 1985, which got me wondering when exactly was the last time I visited!
The garden was lovely, I don’t remember seeing it before, but there again it is only in recent years that I have started to enjoy gardens so much. Parts of the house are currently being renovated so some of the rooms weren’t open, I particularly missed being able to see the chapel.
The weather was lovely all day despite the forecast of rain showers. When I got back home I noticed it had been raining and when I spoke to my brother he said it was raining on his journey back here.
You will have to wait for the bluebell pictures, I won’t be posting them until after Friday.
PS: I bought the new guidebook and garden guide so I could be up to date.
10 Comments CherryPie on May 3rd 2010
During my recent visit to Sunnycroft, a cat took me by surprise when it peered out from behind a tree and looked at me. After a while the cat walked towards me, rubbed his body around my legs as cats are wont to do, then moved on to make his own unexpected discoveries in the undergrowth.
10 Comments CherryPie on May 3rd 2010
Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
James M. Barrie
11 Comments CherryPie on May 2nd 2010
