You can often hear woodpeckers in the trees around Parlington, knocking seven bells out of a branch or bough, but you rarely see them. However, “Woody the frequent flyer to the peanut island on a pole” has become a garden favourite but less so to the more common birds queuing in the surrounding bushes awaiting their turn on the feeders.
Archive for the ‘The Hall’ Category
“Woody” Recent visitor to Parlington
Monday, June 2nd, 2008Spent Cartridges
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008Recent excavations in the area of the Dining Room at the old Hall have uncovered some spent 303 calibre cartridge cases. Thus far two have been unearthed, one in much better condition than the other, the picture below is of the two cartridges.
A very cold February day
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Aberford House
Sunday, January 20th, 2008
Aberford House, Main Street, Aberford, a former Gascoigne property, is probably the best example of how the stonework of the main elevation at Parlington was constructed, the window details are very similar, particularly the string course formed with the window cills. Also quoins are almost identical. The stonework is of the same colour and texture, so it makes a convincing match.
The elevation at Parlington was part of the extension added in the 1730′s by Sir Edward Gascoigne. So the property in Aberford could be of a similar age. Little else is known of the origins of the property.
Painting of Parlington Hall
Monday, January 14th, 2008A painting, by an unknown artist, from around the mid eighteenth century, another contribution by David Teal
A Picture of the Stables
Sunday, January 13th, 2008Towards the end of 2007, I was contacted by a lady who is the Granddaughter of the last gardener to be employed by the Gascoigne family. He lived in the house which lies north of the old hall, termed the “Gardens House”. Naturally his granddaughter enjoyed playing in the vicinity in her early years when visiting her grandparents, in fact visiting right up until the death of her grandfather in the 1960′s.This has brought to light some of the most informative pictures yet found and over time, as with the stereo images discovered early in 2007, will be the subject of a more complete analysis. But to wet the viewers appetite here is a picture taken in front of the now demolished stable block. The only known image of this structure! 
Stained Glass
Sunday, January 13th, 2008The Gascoigne sisters were known for their interest in stained glass and the nearby Almshouses built in the early 1840′s at the behest of the two heiresses is a monument to both the skills of local stonemasons and the artistic talent of glaziers of the day. It is thought that the stained glass however is not the work of the sisters, but believed to have been commissioned by them. However traces of stained glass have been unearthed at Parlington, which could be described as “craft work”, rather than the more formal pieces found in the Almshouses. During excavations in the early autumn of 2007 fragments of glass, only 2mm thick were discovered in the area once adjacent to the Drawing Room and rear of the conservatory.
The Rose is particularly interesting, it seems similar stained glass has been identified at Castle Oliver in Ireland.