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So begins Becky’s month of square format photos – of things geometrical. So here goes.
There’s almost too much geometry in this shot: triangles, rectangles, circles, semi-circles, octagons. It is was taken at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire, a medieval fortress transformed in the 1570s into a grand Tudor palace, wrought at huge expense by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and with the sole purpose of entertaining his queen (and rumoured lover) Elizabeth I.
More of that story here: Greater love had no man…
The photo shows a slice of the pleasure garden and ornamental aviary constructed in 1575, specifically for Elizabeth’s visit. This is how she would have first glimpsed it, descending from the royal apartments to a loggia terrace, whence she could view the whole extravagant horticultural confection. For this particular visit, it is said Elizabeth arrived with thirty-one barons and four hundred staff.
And they stayed nineteen days. (Just imagine!)
Robert Dudley pretty much bankrupted himself to keep them all amused, not only with lavish banquets, but also with hunting, pageants, plays, bear baiting and fireworks.
And after all this, Elizabeth still could not be persuaded to marry him.
As to the garden, it was lost for nearly 400 years. English Heritage have reconstructed it using an eye-witness account of the visit by one Robert Langham plus archaeological and historical investigation.
You can read Langham’s account HERE. He speaks of ‘fair alleys…green by grass…and some (for a change) with sand…pleasant to walk on, as a sea-shore when the water is availed.’ He mentions too (and not an inconsequential attribute in those times) ‘the sweetness of savour on all sides, made so respirant from the redolent plants and fragrant herbs and flowers, in form, colour, and quantity so deliciously variant’.
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And the ruins of the erstwhile royal apartments:
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Wishing everyone an all round happy New Year
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#GeometricJanuary You can join Becky’s square posting every day this month. The only rule is the photo must be in square format. How you interpret ‘geometry’ is up to you.
Best wishes to you and yours, too!
And all the very best to you and yours, too, Sarah.
HAPPY NEW YEAR Tish..looking forward to your blogging again this year.
Many thanks, Beverly and happy new year to you too.
Happy New Year, Tish
Cheers, Thom. All the very best to you.
so cool
Thanks, Beth. All best wishes to you.
Welcome to 2025, Tish, and thanks for reminding me of the Squares challenge. All those people for 19 days?? Yikes!
It’s utterly impossible to conjure the scale of cooking necessary. And they seemed to eat far larger quantities of food per sitting that we do.
And you couldn’t just run to the store to get food! No catering either.
Lots of bread ovens, methinks, and scores of kitchen wenches.
Yes!
WP threw a wobbly with one first comment, so back again to say wow – what a garden, how incredible they’ve been able to recreate it. Was she wise to turn it all down?!
I’m thinking she was rather good at having her cake and eating it. There always seemed to be someone eager/ or cooerced into entertaining her and her mighty entourage. Am also thinking now of the sixteenth century road block into Kenilworth, all those 400 courtiers and their carts.
oh crikey – the poor ones stuck at the back. At least I guess the locals could hear them a way off and get out of the way.
Wonderful. I never did get to visit this particular garden. One day, maybe! Sending you and TMTCBS all the best for 2025.
Wishing you and OH a brighter new year, Jude.
Lovely geometry!
We wish you a wonderful New Year full of happy moments, lots of joy and perfect health, Tish
💙💫🌟✨🌟💫💜
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
All the very best to you, Fab Four. May 2025 be very kind to you.
Fit for a Queen, though a bit draughty in its present state! The photo encompasses so much, Tish.
Draughty indeed. I think it might’ve been pretty chilly even when intact. Lots of fireplaces to compensate.