Monday 29 August 2011

Sightseeing in Bristol

Saturday 27th August - I was in Bristol on my own
and after visiting the Cathedral I was off to the Georgian House
I found out later that the torrential rain we had last night had come through the roof - I hope that the repairs will not prevent it from opening again soon.
Now off to the Red Lodge - this is what it would have looked like in 1824 (demolished in 1860)
... and today from the same angle ...
... at the bottom of the very steep Lodge Street
... and from the side
... the current entrance to the museum does not look very auspicious at all
... but inside is a different story altogether  - staircase constructed c 1730
The Great Oak Room with its original plaster ceiling ...
... fireplace and oak panelling also 16th century
... reckoned to be one of the finest examples of Elizabethan rooms in the West Country
Portrait of Elizabeth I, which is on loan to the museum hangs in the Oak Room
Another original 16th century room - the bed dates from around 1600
... a great view of the Elizabethan Knot Garden from here, unfortunately it's is no longer open to the public
The Lodge has had many uses over the years and in 1854 Mary Carpenter established the first girls reform school in this country and possibly the world. In this picture the girls are learning to sew, it has been taken in the Oak Room - most of these girls would have left the school to go into service where sewing would have been a main requirement

Reputed to be a painting of Mary Carpenter with the first reform girl to be enrolled in the school
Mary Carpenter, reformatory schools and education - very interesting reading
The Print Room with its Bristol Long Case Clock
The Reception Room - a lovely fireplace with pretty delph tiles
... and the parlour, again with its original plaster ceiling.
Off now to find ...
The Christmas Steps - I walked up these ...
BBC - Bristol - History - Christmas Steps: Ghosts, myths and fish 'n ...
... and looked down them, but
... I decided to give the 'other' half of them a miss today!
On my way back home to Rock n Roll I pass these beautiful Alms Houses
A good day!
To end a perfect day we had a fantastic meal at The Pump House - we took Molly with us so we didn't have to rush back - brilliant!

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