Photographing stairs

I've always liked stairs, and like many others, I've always liked photographing stairs. Stairs vary from the utilitarian to the highly decorative, from those designed to impress to those built with the minimum cost and materials that simply aim to get people from one storey to another. Over the centuries architects have come up with ever more inventive designs for stairs and they are a subject I've posted on this blog reasonably regularly. The example above is in the museum and gallery in Cheltenham. I like the materials used and how the stairs' change of direction is handled. I also liked the pair of legs visible at the ground floor level!

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5

Great Castle House, Monmouth

Great Castle House in Monmouth was built in 1673 for Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquis of Worcester and Lord President of the Council of Wales and the Marches. It is a grand "town house", a secondary dwelling to his country estate, a residence suitable for him to occupy when busy with his official duties. The building is located near the ruins of Monmouth Castle and is constructed of pink and grey blocks of local Old Red Sandstone. The main elevation is symmetrical: the almost symmetrical wings are nineteenth century additions. The house became superfluous to its owner's needs relatively soon in its life, and it subsequently became an assizes, a judge's lodgings, a school for young ladies, headquarters of the Militia Regiment and the museum of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, a function it still maintains.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Broad Street, Hereford

Broad Street, Hereford, features a number of interesting and distinctive buildings. Prominent in the view above is the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery housed in a Venetian Gothic building of 1872-4 by F.R. Kempson. The adjacent buildings, with the exception of that on left, share nothing in common except the same gutter height which is enough to hold the composition together. The modern building with blue tinted glass is faced with a brown stone that helps it to sit fairly comfortably next to its venerable neighbour. Thereafter it is the pale colour that links a sequence of new and old buildings before the street view is "closed" by the medieval tower and spire of All Saints on the High Street.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

The Geffrye Almshouses

The Geffrye Almshouses in Shoreditch, London, were built in 1714 by the Ironmongers Company with a bequest left by Sir Robert Geffrye. He was twice master of the Company and a former Lord Mayor of London. For nearly two hundred years the almshouses provided homes for about fifty poor pensioners. In the early 1900s the buildings and site were bought by the London County Council who wanted the land for a public open space in this densely populated area of the city. However, they were persuaded to develop it as a museum and it continues to be one today - The Geffrye Museum of the Home - describing Britain's homes from 1600 to the present day. It also has a restored almshouse, gallery, cafe and herb garden, as well as the extensive lawns and trees before the imposing three sided facade.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100