I will be away for a few days - I'm sure there will be a lot to write about when I get back!
Wednesday, 5 February 2025
Saturday, 1 February 2025
Snowdrops
I've seen a few snowdrops in people's gardens already this year, but these are the first ones I've seen in the wild - down on the Riverside Walk when I was taking photos of the renovations:
Friday, 31 January 2025
Renovation of the Bailey Walk
The lower footpath along the river has been closed for a couple of weeks - and there's been a lot of hard work going on down there.
Now the path is open again, I went to have a look:
Steps have been rebuilt, with the guard rails, railings renewed around the places where benches look out over the view, and lots of planking replaced to keep the banks in place. It all looks very impressive!
Funding for the work came from Brecon Beacons Local Nature Partnership, and the work was done by Joy Contracting and Groundworks.
Thursday, 30 January 2025
Craft Centre Toilets
Sadly, the decision has been made to close the public toilets at the Craft Centre. I'm not sure whether this is intended to be permanent. Apparently there has been a long term problem with vandalism, and the damage has been severe enough to need engineers (and presumably plunbers) to put right. Also, the cost of running the toilets is higher than the takings from them, and since the Town Council makes up the shortfall in funds, this means there is less money available for other projects around Hay.
The rather tatty little sign visible in the picture has more information:
The lower note, in a different hand, says: "There's also free toilets available at the Castle, through the gift shop, 1 at Cinema Bookshop, 1 at Richard Booths bookshop, or go into any cafe, honestly the locals are nice enough, don't care."
The unisex toilet on the other side of the block is still open (opposite the St Michael's Hospice shop) and the toilets by the Clock Tower are still open.
Sunday, 26 January 2025
Visiting the Hoard
I was lucky enough to arrive at the Black and White House in Hereford just as one of the guides was taking a party round, so I could tag along as she talked about the Herefordshire Hoard.
It's not one of the most impressive hoards that have been discovered - the pieces on display only filled a small case. It was originally much bigger, though. When the metal detectorists found the hoard, they decided not to declare it to the Coroners Court, which is the legal route. Instead, they decided to try to sell it on the black market. By the time they were caught, roughly 300 coins had dwindled to about 20.
So, instead of getting 50% of the value of the hoard granted by the Coroner's Court, which would have been a very substantial sum, (possibly over 4 million pounds), at least one of the men involved is still in prison. Recently, the Museum service has managed to track down and retrieve part of the hoard.
It's a great pity that the coins were split up, because the ones that were left told a fascinating story. One of them was a silver dirham from Persia, showing just how far trade routes stretched in Viking times.
The prize of the collection, though, was a Two Emperors coin, so vanishingly rare that only two other examples have been found - one in 1840 and one in 1950. The coin depicts King Alfred of Wessex sitting next to King Ceolwulf of Mercia, giving valuable evidence of an alliance between the two which is not mentioned in the historical record - and the coin is also extremely valuable in the monetary sense, to collectors. That would be why we were only seeing replicas at the Black and White House, the real thing being safely under lock and key.
My favourite piece, though, was the crystal ball - not the modern sort used in fortune telling, but something much smaller, about an inch in diameter. Made out of pure quartz, and bound around with gold, it would originally have hung from a woman's belt - they have only been found in women's graves. It was great to get a really good look at one.
Thursday, 23 January 2025
Storm Eowyn
Only the hardy stalls were out at the market this morning - basically the Sock Man and the Fish Stall in the square, the usual bread, veg, baked goods and meat in the Cheesemarket, and Alex Gooch's bread with a couple of other stalls in the Buttermarket. Still, I managed to get everything I needed from them and the other shops round town - and I treated myself to a ticket to the Norwegian folk concert at the Globe on 15th February. There's also a concert the next afternoon in St Mary's Church, but I will be at work then.
Tuesday, 21 January 2025
Herefordshire Hoard
I'm quite excited about this, as the last time the Hoard was put on public display I wasn't able to go.
The Herefordshire Hoard (or at least, replicas of the Herefordshire Hoard) will be on display at the Black and White House Museum in the middle of Hereford on Saturday 25th January, from 10am to 12.30, and from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Entrance costs £3.50.
There will be Viking themed craft activities throughout the day.
I kind of wish I still had my Viking re-enactment kit.