Reverting to the "Alternative Subjects" Agenda - Rufford Abbey, Part One

Hello once again.  Isobel in charge of this week's post, with pictures and description of another family sortie to another nearby Place of Interest - also with a link to the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury of yesteryear (the latter being as well known by the title "Bess of Hardwick").   

Bess of Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury, looking not unlike her Queen!

Rufford Abbey is now owned and preserved by Nottinghamshire County Council but in its heyday was the property of the same Earl of Shrewsbury, husband of Bess, whose family name was George Talbot. 

The first view a visitor gets as one drives into the park setting

 A fact I didn't include in my two posts about Hardwick Hall (published on 28/03/2016 and 04.04.2016 respectively) is that George Talbot was responsible for the care and custody of  Mary Queen of Scots on behalf of Queen Elizabeth 1 until she was beheaded at the Queen's command. 

A portrait of George Talbot, Earl of Shrrewsbury himself!  There are similar portraits at Hardwick Hall of  the Earl and his wife, but they would not have reproduced half as well as these do.

 (The grand daughter of  Bess was Mary's niece by marriage by virtue of being the wife of Mary's nephew Charles Stuart and therefore a strong contender to be a successor to Queen Elizabeth I - but lost out, as well as her head, when Charles died before the Queen!)  Such was the incestuous relationship of the wealthy in Elizabethan times - really not that much different to that carried on in modern times really!

Daughter Clare and Grandson E walking from the Car Park

Anyway back to Rufford Abbey - which is situated in 150 acres of lovely parkland (Rufford Abbey Country Park), just a few miles north of  Nottingham itself.  The site is among the top 10 Country Parks in England and is open to the public all year round.  One just has to pay for parking and one can walk around at one's own pace.

Approaching Rufford Abbey's Main Entrance

The Abbey was founded as a Cistercian Foundation over 800 years ago.  The Order still exists. and is known as a "Closed Order":  which means the members live in their monastery - spending their lives praying and working to maintain their properties and don't mix with the general populace.  After the Reformation (King Henry VIII's legacy to English History) it was transformed into a grand country estate (as part of North Nottinghamshire's "Dukeries" - Hardwick Hall, Welbeck Abbey (another nearby Stately Home still exists and is somewhere worth a visit! - in other words, watch this space!)

Entrance to the Abbey Remains

On the right hand side of the walkway to the door, one sees the current Rose Garden.  (The buildings in the background house  the Orangery and Apsidal Gallery - which we left for another visit - possibly when the seemingly ever-present rain makes an indoor visit more acceptable!). 

Then, as one walks up the steps, through the door and hallway, one is faced with a space with strong walls, but now without a roof.

The picture above is taken about mid-way in the room, which has a basement - now used as a  -Restaurant and a Library.  There are "interesting looking steps down to ground level from this space.   (We decided not to try the stairway at the other end - not shown - of this space:  particularly as they didn't appear that easy to negotiate:  at least for a Little Person and his Granma!  To be fair to them, Mummy isn't that keen on claustrophobic spaces either - and these certainly gave that impression!) The walls surrounding the space are in pretty good condition for their age, and have their fair share of windows (without glass - unlike Hardwick Hall's collection!) and an interesting feature are the decorative gargoyles to be seen at the top of many of the openings.

Well, what with all the illustrations, and descriptions to date, think this post is long enough.  So, I'll close for this week, and I can show you just part of the beautiful parkland setting in which Rufford Abbey lies next time around. Meanwhile, the Baby Rabbit replacement list has been reduced somewhat - as I've been able to sew more easily back home this week.  All the elements required are in the same room!  I'm also embarking on a new range of  Nursery Toys which I hope to be offering shortly.  Yesterday, I purchased the materials I'm thinking of using to make Nursery Mobiles - which seem to be pretty popular toys at the present time, and will be using my current Plush and Fleece Baby Rabbits, as well as three new Cuddlies.  I've re-discovered the patterns I've had all along for Baby Teddy Bears and am going to have a go at Baby Monkeys and Baby Lambs as well.  (I've had the patterns ever since I first began making Cuddly Toys in the 1950's).  Am thinking that perhaps its about time I actually made some!! See you all next week - God willing!  Meanwhile, have a great one Everyone. Isobel

The Replacement List Grows Longer

Greetings once again, Everyone. Cy Bear back on duty once more.
Isobel has not yet moved back home on a permanent basis, but for a sufficiently long time for her to allow me back here to post this week's bulletin from the Coldham Cuddlies World.  While she's been away, the Shops in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, where some of the Cuddlies have been on display have been busy on our behalf, and been able to find Forever Homes for one or two of us.  

One of the Baby Hedgehogs was sold from The Ark, and Isobel took down a replacement yesterday, together with an example of our Red and Grey Squirrels (the Black one will form the vanguard of the next Cuddlies "invasion"!!).  That means that ten per cent of this Baby Hedgehog sale, (together with a donation from MsDM - who gave our two Baby Bunnies their Forever Home as we wrote about in our Blog "Baby Bunnies en route to Florida" - 13/03/2016) will be added to the third tranche of funds which will soon be sent to the Two Hedgehog Hospitals we're raising funds for.  (To remind you who they are - Tiggywinkles Hedgehog Trust and West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue).    Our Black and White Plush Kittens were also taken down to The Ark

and the new delivery was completed with Percy the Penguin being sent down to see if someone would like to give him a Forever Home.   MrsSQ, who is the person Isobel deals with at The Ark says that lots of folk like Penguins, so we're hopeful that Percy will not be on display for long.  Actually when the handover was taking place, a lady having a cup of coffee in the Shop got quite excited by the White Kitten, and almost purchased it there and then.  Don't think she had enough cash on her though, so the sale fell through.  But Isobel feels the lady might well come back ere long!  Here's hoping. 
(The Ark sells teas, coffees and biscuits every weekday and Saturday mornings between 0930 and mid-day. They also offer all sorts of religious books and kids games - the toys being a recent addition. They are being targetted at people who are organising baby showers, christenings and so on.  Toys have only been on offer since the beginning of the year, so the Cuddlies are hoping to "start something").   Isobel also met the lady who bought Barney Barn Owl the day after the first batch of Cuddlies were introduced in January.  (She said she'd bought him because she not only loved Owls - of any kind - but also couldn't resist "his facial expression"!!)  We're not sure which one of these is the lucky Owl, but the other Barney representation is sitting "pretty" on a shelf at the side of one of the Shop's front windows, so hopefully, he will be finding a Forever Home soon too. At the end of the week before last - the days are going by so fast this year! - Isobel got an email notification that Cuddlies had been sold from The Artful Buttoner, the Kirkby in Ashfield Shop we'd originally had Cuddlies on display.  We still have them there, but because the shop is a bigger one than The Ark, but very many more crafters seek to display their wares there, than there is space for them, Isobel and MsCL, proprietor of The Artful Buttoner have agreed that our Baby Bunnies and Koalas will continue to be sold there, while our Dressed Rabbits, Foxes, Teddy Bears and larger Toys will come home.  We've got some of the Dressed Rabbits in The Ark, and they will be exchanged on a regular basis there, but we're going to rely more on our Shop www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com to find homes for them.   (Having Cuddlies on display in shops undoubtedly helps to raise their profile:  but shops tend to be places where the dust of cars, people and other road users can prevail, and Isobel is not keen on her Cuddlies getting dustier than is absolutely necessary!) While Isobel was in Kirkby yesterday, and because The Ark and The Artful Buttoner are not that far from each other (although they are far enough for them not to encroach on each other's customers too often) she called in to find out who had found their new homes - to be told that a Baby Koala was one, and that a deposit had been paid for Big Koala - who is presently sitting in the back of The Artful Buttoner waiting for its Forever Friend to get better from an unexpected ailment.   Four more Baby Koalas were taken in to "The Artful Buttoner" to replace the one sold, and while she was there, Isobel purchased 12 pairs of eyes for the new Baby Bunnies she's working on.  She likes to ring the changes with the eyes for these guys:  making some of them with double knit yarn, as well as using the plastic safety eyes.  That gives our potential customers a choice when it comes to purchasing our Baby Rabbits.  She's been using her plastic eye stocks of late because she's found making the yarn eyes tricky with her fingers getting stiff and painful.  However, with the onset of warmer weather (hopefully!), she's hoping to be able to make more of them as she continues the Rabbit replacement programme.  (She's been able to use the safety eyes, thanks to help from son-in-law, Alan - who has come to the rescue when even these have proved difficult!  Thanks to Alan!) Meanwhile, having returned home for most evenings, Isobel is now able to settle down and get on with that replacement sewing for the Baby Rabbits who found homes over Christmas and the New Year.  That replacement list has now been swelled by the need to replace these Cuddlies I've told you about here today.  The stories about the local Stately Homes and Historic Buildings will be added to in the next couple of bulletins, because Clare, Isobel and GrandsonE went for a long walk during last week - and several photographs were taken of another local landmark.  Folks apparently have been responding well to this change of  topic, and as the Baby Bunnies come along, we'll be telling you about them too.  There are plans for them to used in Nursery Mobiles, too - a new departure for this Shop.  That means more Baby Rabbits than would normally be made at one time, in any one colour.  So, folks, just watch this space - Isobel is going to be very busy!. Good to be back chatting with you.  See you soon.   Your Friend, Cy Bear.