Chinese bridge, Croome Court

When, in 1751, Lancelot "Capability" Brown was engaged to re-fashion the landscape around Croome Court, Worcestershire, he decided to keep the Chinese bridge that had been designed by William Halfpenny in the 1740s. "Chinoiserie" was fashionable during the eighteenth century and many British country houses still retain wallpaper, furniture, mirrors, tableware etc that was influenced by this taste for the oriental. Being made of wood the original bridge has not survived the intervening centuries. The National Trust, now the owners of Croome Court, recently had this replacement built. It is based on Halfpenny's original drawing that features in an eighteenth century book, and on Richard Wilson's painting. The National Trust website tells and illustrates the fascinating story of the building of the new bridge.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Victorian letter box

Tall, cylindrical, red and black letter boxes (also called post boxes and pillar boxes) displaying the monogram of Queen Elizabeth II and the words Royal Mail, are common throught Britain. Visitors to these shores see them as symbolic of our nation. However, it took some time from their introduction in 1852 for a settled design to be used widely across the country. Quite a few of the different Victorian precursors can still be seen, still in use. One such is the so-called "Penfold" named after its designer, that was installed between 1866 and 1879. Its ornate character and octagonal shape made it popular with the public. But, its relatively small capacity and its tendency to jam, necessitating design changes inside, led to its abandonment. The Penfold in the photograph can be seen outside the Shire Hall, Monmouth, where its colourful contribution enhances the historic setting. The painting of the royal coat of arms may be by a local civic group.

Lower down the column (out of shot) is the simple VR (Victoria Regina) monogram.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Landscape gardening

One of Britain's contributions to gardening is the "landscape garden". This eighteenth century development is best summarised by that era's succinct description of it as "nature improved". The example in the photograph is a part of a landscape at the stately home of Croome Court, Worcestershire, which was first worked over in this fashion by Lancelot "Capability" Brown. Neither the lake or the plantings are original to the site - it was described as a "morass". Nor are the stone grotto, bridges, sculptures, tiny classical pavilion, large stone, brick and glass orangery or massive "eye-catcher" rotunda. The parkland is currently being restored by the National Trust.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Alabaster tomb effigies

When the Puritan iconoclasts took their hammers to the carved tomb effigies of the parish churches of Britain they must have been particularly pleased to come upon those made of alabaster. This soft, slightly translucent stone, a marble-like variety of gypsum, would yield very easily to their blows, and noses, hands and any other decorative protrusion would easily be detached. You can visit churches throughout the land and find examples of this kind of assault. Sometimes restorers have rebuilt that which was lost: elsewhere the vandalism remains for all to see. The photograph shows two such effigies in the Priory Church of St Mary, Abergavenny. They are Sir Richard Herbert of Coldbrook d. 1469 and his wife, Margaret. They can be found in the Herbert Chapel alongside six other tombs dating from the early C14 to the late C17.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Moorhen

Familiarity, it is said, breeds contempt. As far as birds go there is some truth in this observation: common birds are not looked at with the attention that is given to those that are less familiar. Consequently few see the "stars" and beautiful iridescence of the starling. The humble house sparrow is given only the most cursory of glances and so the similar but clearly different tree sparrow is unknown to the man in the street. Most stretches of water provide a home for the familiar moorhen and therefore its charms go unseen. This bird was on the narrow ribbon of water known as the New River where it is above ground in Islington, London. The camera allows us to study its striking beak, colourful legs and subtle brown, blue-grey and white plumage.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Terrace, Amwell St, London

London has magnificent and historic houses a-plenty, but, being a major city of long standing it also has a wide variety of lesser houses, buildings for middling and lower incomes. On a recent walk through streets I've never been down before I came across this Late Georgian terrace in Amwell Street, Islington. It is on a slight slope, dates from 1828-29, and is the work of William Chadwell Mylne, Surveyor for the New River Estate. Like many houses of this era they feature yellow stock brick in Flemish bond. Each is three storeys with a basement and the roof hidden behind a parapet. The iron railings and balconies look original, as do the fanlights of the two leftmost houses, and most of the glazing bars. It is unremarkable housing, not without utilitarian charm, and still providing homes nearly two hundred years after they were constructed.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

The Soul Fixers

On a recent trip to Blackheath, London, I tried my hand at what I think of as "minimalist concert photography". We had gone to see the rock/blues/soul band, "The Soul Fixers". Why these London-based part-timers? Well, the bass player is not unknown to my wife and I! The camera I used was the Sony RX100 (the first of the series) and I was grateful for its bright lens that allowed me workable shutter speeds in the dark

concert environment. Had there not been professional photographers at work I'd have moved from my seat to get some shots. But, I didn't want to add to the distractions for band and audience so I took my shots from my front row seat. They are better than I expected, though I'm sure they would have been eclipsed by my Olympus camera and lenses. Perhaps I'll use these next time. And the band? Excellent as ever!

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

Fog, frost and sun

On a frosty, foggy morning we set out for a brisk walk over the nearby hills. As we walked down a lane the sun was starting to disperse the fog and reveal the nearby landscape of stubble field, pasture, hedges and woods. A diffuse shaft of light worked its magic on the scene and turned the unprepossessing features into something of greater interest.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Up and down the City Road

In recent years I've been "up and down the City Road" many times. However, it wasn't until recently that I discovered it is the very same City Road that features in the children's nursery rhyme, "Pop Goes The Weasel". The Eagle pub is round the corner that is below the two new towers on the left of the photograph, on a bit and on the right near the top of the street named Shepherdess Walk. The character in the nursery rhyme wouldn't recognise City Road today, nor would he encounter many shepherdesses. On our recent visit I quickly snapped this shot because it seemed to represent everything that is London in the evening rush hour.


photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Newton at the British Library

The British Library is on Euston Road, London, between Euston railway station and St Pancras railway station. It opened in 1998 and is unusual for that time in that its exterior is predominantly orange brick. In the library's piazza is Eduardo Paolozzi's large bronze sculpture of Newton. It is based on William Blake's famous monotype illustration of the great British scientist. Passing the building recently I stopped to photograph the sculpture and got this shot incorporating the figure and some cut-out signage.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

The Shard from below

Over the years, during my visits to London, I've documented the construction of the skyscraper known as The Shard. From the appearance above its neighbours of its services core, to its growth to a prominent skyline "under construction" feature, to its completion as a constantly changing, well-named tower, I've regularly added to my stock of photographs of the building. I've photographed it at night, from the streets, in low cloud, from below etc. But one view I hadn't got until my recent visit is a shot from below taken at night. The need to use London Bridge Railway station to travel to Blackheath put me in the right position for the photograph above.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony RX100

Shell Centre, London

The 27 storey Shell Centre was built in 1957-62 and was the first London building to exceed the height of the Victoria Tower of the Palace of Westminster. On completion it was the UK's tallest building, surpassing the Royal Liver building in Liverpool. It is faced with Portland stone, has bronze framed windows, and is the work of the architect Sir Howard Robertson. At the time of its construction it was derided by modernist architects who saw it as echoing the pre-war style of other London buildings. However, though it may be dull and backward looking its exterior has lasted better than most of the buildings erected during those years.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Blurred carousel

This colourful fairground carousel seems to be a permanent fixture on London's South Bank. In the past several years I've photographed my wife and grand-daughter on it a few times, and, if my memory serves me well, have ridden it myself on one occasion. On the recent day that we passed by it was spinning and playing its music with no passengers at all. Perhaps the operator was showing it off in the early evening half-light to drum up some trade.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Gothic Revival

The nineteenth century revived the use of the Gothic style of architecture. Probably the two UK buildings that most celebrate the "Gothic Revival" are the Houses of Parliament (though this has a classical plan onto which Pugin applied Gothic decoration) and the railway hotel at St Pancras. The latter, which opened in 1873 as the Midland Grand Hotel, was the work of George Gilbert Scott. He was one of the most prolific of Victorian architects, known mainly for his churches, but also for many notable public and commercial buildings. My photograph shows one of the pedestrian tunnels that connect the outside front of the hotel with the platforms of the station. It is a splendid example of Scott's mastery of brickwork, terracotta detailing and light.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Gadwall drake

The gadwall (Mareca streptera) is a subtly coloured, reasonably common duck. It can be easily picked out among other surface feeding ducks of similar size by the grey/brown/black/white combination of colours and particularly by the white speculum. It is first recorded by a similar name (gaddel) by Merrett in 1667. This is thought to be onomatopoeic, referring to its incessant chattering. Old regional names for the gadwall include the insulting ("bastard" - Sussex), the unimaginative ("grey duck" - The Fens) and the lazy ("sand wigeon" - Essex). This drake gadwall was standing in the shallows of The Serpentine in Hyde Park, London.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2