Some of you may remember my enthusiasm for the delightful English town of Lewes in Sussex as shared in my posts Historical Lewes and A Walk In Lewes. For those of you who love all things Tudor, you can view a few photos of ‘Anne of Cleves House‘ and read a few words about her brief marriage to the one and only King Henry VIII. And believe me, it was brief.
Packed full of history, Lewes is also filled with beautiful homes, quaint cafes and antique shops, and the most wonderful pet shop that hearkens back to the days when dog biscuits were sold loose from big, open sacks placed on the shop floor. I remember those biscuits tasted pretty good. Moving swiftly on.
In January, Lewes beckoned once again with more to explore, including spending a winter’s afternoon wandering around the old Priory. I’ll show you around, if you like, but I warn you, wrap up warm, it’s bitter out there.
Founded in 1078, the Priory of St Pancras was one of the largest and most important monasteries in England (and linked to the Abbey of Cluny in Burgundy, France), until, on Henry VIII’s orders, its destruction some 500 years later in 1538 during the Reformation.
It is almost impossible to imagine the sheer scale of this once magnificent Priory when you look at the remains of these old ruins today.
This is what the Old Priory looks like now as you approach from the front:
First sight of the front of the Old Priory on approach from the trail
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
And this is how it once looked, in its heyday:
The bitter wind of a January afternoon whipped across the open expanse of lawn and winter-bare trees as I stopped on the path to take a few photos:
And then, as I walked further on, the sunshine broke through the ever-darkening clouds:
Sunny view of the Old Priory, Lewes, Sussex
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
These ruins are mere remnants of the once wealthy and powerful monastery…
Looking through this archway, I tried to imagine what it must have been like
all those hundreds of years ago as the monks went about their day…
praying; eating (barely); working.
A Priory with a view. What ghostly apparitions appear in this archway, whispering their stories of an age long gone?
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
Not only do the ruins echo ghostly whisperings through their cold, dark walls, but other secrets lurk, buried deep within the grounds.
On the 14th of May, 1264, the Battle of Lewes was fought here between King Henry III and the barons led by Simon de Montfort. The barons wanted the country governed by a council, not a King.
When the soldiers encamped on the grounds on the 12th of May, two days before the battle, the monks suffered great disruption as this was the eve of the feast of St Pancras, an important religious celebration.
Simon de Montfort won the day, but the battle deeply divided the monks with some sent away to France, and others who stayed behind at Lewes punished. It wasn’t until 1845, during excavation for a railway line, that the discovery was made of a burial ground filled with hundreds of bodies from the battle.
Peaceful now, but not when war raged on these very grounds.
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
This monument was created to mark the 700th anniversary of The Battle of Lewes:
Leaving the Old Priory as the day grew ever-chillier – but nothing that a cup of tea and toasted teacake wouldn’t cure – one more place of great historical interest beckoned: None other than The Round House, built originally as a windmill in 1802 and purchased in 1919 by Virginia Woolf:
The Round House
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
View of the front of The Round House with historical plaque – a quick shot before I got told off by the present day owner!
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
View through the leafy archway from the garden gate to the back garden.
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
And with Valentine’s Day almost upon us, I thought what could be more romantic than the words penned by the author herself describing her sentiments upon her discovery of The Round House:
Historical plaque on The Round House, Lewes, Sussex
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
‘We’ve bought a house in Lewes, on the spur of the moment…’
How could anyone be afraid of Virginia Woolf after reading that?
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I hope you enjoyed this little tour of a different part of Lewes. This post is linked to the Weekly Photo Challenge theme of ‘Scale’ as well as Jo’s ‘Monday Walk’. Lovely Jo is away on her hols at the moment but will be back soon. Meanwhile, if you would like to join in with her, and she would be delighted if you do, click on the logo below for more information:
A View From My Summerhouse 
LOVE this!
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Thank you Sarah…so glad to show you the sights 🙂
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Wow! Fascinating post. Sherri – loved the photos too. By a weird coincidence (or maybe not!), book I am editing, and will publish in March (I hope), is all about Virginia and Leonard Woolf, Vanessa Bell, Vita Sackville-West and the rest of Bloomsbury! Thanks for sharing the images!
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Hi Ali! Thanks so much for coming over and leaving your wonderful comment, so glad you enjoyed this little tour! I think we have both had coincidences wtih our posts 😉 Your book sounds fascinating, I look forward to hearing more about it and I do wish you every success and publication in March 🙂
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Oooooh! Yum!! I am such an ‘Old English History’ buff!! I never went to either of these places in my time in the UK, but so longed to see EW’s ’round house’!
When I first arrived I was utterly amazed how the locals walked past their ancient buildings and monuments with never a second look……… while I, obvious new arrival/tourist, went about with my mouth open, oohing and aaahing and touching everything! I lived in Canterbury and ended living in an old converted barn on a Manor property associated with Thomas aBecket. It was pure heaven to me!! 🙂
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I’ve been to Lewes a few times now Pauline and always wanted to see The Round House, so it was good to finally do it! Oh what a beautiful place to live for you, I would love to live somewhere like that! But you are right, I think we all do that, not pay much attention to the history and beauty right on our own doorstep. When I lived in California I was determined to share my English history and roots with my children and I like to think it worked as they are all love history now 🙂 Great to share this little corner of Lewes with you Pauline, have a lovely weekend 🙂 x
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What a wonderful tour you took us on Sherri! I remember you posting about Lewes before, and it seems like the perfect quaint little town. I’d love to visit and of course make a quick stop to get some doggie treats 🙂 Your photographs and description paint a vivid picture of what life might have been like hundreds of years ago! What fun to think about!
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Haha, yes, must stop by the pet shop for those doggie treats 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this little tour, thank you Heather, and yes, I love to try to imagine what life was like, so I’m thrilled to know that my photos conveyed that in some small way. BTW, I’m looking forward to making the Valentine’s treats tomorrow, got my melts and everything! Have a great weekend and a very Happy Valentine’s Day to you 🙂
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This was wonderful,. I felt like I was walking with you, arms linked (except when photos were taken), strolling along, marveling at all that took place on such historically significant grounds. Shame on that owner for telling you off. Didn’t they know you were providing important visual cues to help us be there with you?
Love,
e
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Ahh…what a lovely thought that is Elizabeth, that really warms my heart and I’m so glad you enjoyed the walk, despite the cold 🙂 Haha…yes, well, I hope I haven’t mislead anyone with my wording, as I didn’t actually get told off, what I meant was that I took it before I was told off as I saw a man peering out of the window at me and I sneaked behind the bush, then popped out again to make sure he wasn’t looking and then snapped the shot!!! Maybe we should have a special sign around our necks when we take photos for our blogs, making sure that we get special priviliges, as with the press 😀 Love to you too Elizabeth, have a great weekend xo
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I must have been dragged round Lewes as a boy but I can’t say I’ve been back since; still a toasted teacake? Well that settles it, doesn’t it? And I could feel the cold seeping into your bones; brrrr
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Haha…that settles it Geoff! Time for a return visit 🙂 And yes, it was bitterly cold, the wind caught but when the sun shone it really took the edge off…for a short while!
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I’m there in a flash…
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🙂
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When DFD and I come for a visit, we’ll go there…okay? 🙂 What a beautiful tour, Sherri. I’m in love with the Round House. That wasn’t very nice of the homeowner telling you to “scram.” DFD said you should have told her to “shut your cake-hole.” 🙂 Thanks for the tour…we loved it! xoxo
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OKAY!!! Most definitely Jill, absolutely, you’re on 😀 And remember Lewes is where your favourite pub is, The Snowdrop, where we’ll sit outside on a balmy, English summer’s day and drink a nice cold beer together after our walk 🙂 Haha…I’ve even been saying that now, I can’t get it out of my head!!! Although I didn’t get told off as such, I saw a man looking through his window and I thought I was about to get told off, but I wasn’t going away that easy, I had important work to do!! So glad you and DFD enjoyed the tour Jill…and now I’m over to you 🙂 xoxo
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Beautiful mini-tour, and great pictures. They do not, however convey the fridgid air you speak of, especially with the lawns looking so green and healthy. M 🙂
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So glad you enjoyed the tour Marty, thanks for coming along! Haha, yes, I can see your point, but trust me, it was very cold, due to the wind-chill factor. We’ve had some frost but no snow in the south to speak of. Hope you have escaped a polar vortex this winter 🙂
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Awesome photos Sherri.
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Thanks Sandra, so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
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I am just working on my http://www.quirkycoaching.co.uk site. Mega busy like yourself. xx Hugs
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Yes, I need to come and check out your other sites, will do asap! Have a great weekend Sandra and hugs right back to you 🙂 xx
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Thanks Sherri. A short while ago, i had a guy from India wish me a Happy Valentine’s Day, it was random and out of the blue, but nice though. He makes Plugins for WordPress.org.
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That’s really lovely Sandra. Hope you had a super Valentine’s weekend 🙂
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You did an amazing job taking us on a tour of Lewes! The pictures are beautiful.
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Thank you so much Amber, so glad you enjoyed the tour 🙂
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Well that was fun! And I didn’t feel the cold one bit! (Said the Armchair Tourist!)
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Haha…well, I did warn you to wrap up warm so you obviously did just that! Thanks Shel, so glad you enjoyed the walk and mini-tour, great to share it with you 🙂
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Looks like an amazing place Sherri I lived, worked and travelled through England for two years and yet I never found this place. It looks so moody under that grey sky. Your photos are wonderful too. Shame about the grumpy owner wouldn’t he or she be use to tourists by now?
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Thank you Kath! My boys live in the area and I grew up not many miles from Brighton yet I didn’t go to Lewes until a couple of years ago It is a truly lovely English market town and I love being able to share little walks here 🙂 The history there is really quite something. And yes, I love taking photos on ‘moody’ days such as these, I just love the lighting. As for the owner, I didn’t want to mislead anyone by the way I wrote about getting told off, but I saw someone looking out the window at me and thought I was about to get in trouble for taking a photo, but it is right off the footpath in full view so as you say, I would have thought that they would be used to it!!
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Lovely as always. France and England are so similar through some of your photos. And of course their history is tied together. I love the Round House and buying a house on the spur is so romantic. Virginia knew something! I absolutely love the ivy and the wrought iron gate. So romantic to my French heart. Thank you for sharing the beauty of your native land, Sherri, and Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Yes, I loved that link between the old monasteries Evelyne and thought of you! Virginia certainly did know something, I sense her playfulness in her quote upon her discovery. Imagine being able to buy a place ‘on the spur of the moment’ like that, must be lovely 🙂 Yes, I love the gate too with the ivy, just had to snap a shot of that…and I’m thrilled you enjoyed the photos. Thank you for your, as always, lovely comment, and a very Happy Valentine’s Day to you too…I look forward to reading your post shortly!
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A lovely walk Sherri. Loved buying the house on the spur of the moment. You’ve shown us a bit more of the lovely old town of Lewes. Perhaps one day we will get back and walk it with you. 🙂
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Oh Irene, wouldn’t that be so much fun? I love being able to share different parts of Lewes and I do think of you of course knowing your ties with the area and all the lovely walks we could do. And to buy a house on the spur of the moment…isn’t that so romantic? And so I dream… *sigh*… have a lovely weekend my friend, and I’ll reply to your email too! ❤ 🙂
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Yes we’ll dream on and walk on in our dreams. and wait and see. ❤ 🙂
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❤ ❤ ❤
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Thank goodness I wore an extra sweater and brought along a long scarf. B-r-r. Glad of the warning to bundle up. It’s cold out in the open like this.
This is a delightful walk with you, Sherri. What a shame the priory is gone. That Henry sure was a brute. 😀 Your pictures are so wonderful. Made the tour more vivid. Thank you.
The round house. Oh my. I love it. How adorable. I wish you’d told us more about being shooed off from taking picture of the round house property. 😀 ❤ ❤
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Yes, I did warn you to wrap up warm Tess, and so glad you did. Hopefully the walking kept you warm, that wind cut across the open expanse like nobody’s business 😮 So glad, of course, to share this little tour with you, thank you so much for coming along 🙂 And yes, I would love to live in the round House! As for being shooed off, I think I mislead everyone, as I worded it in such a way, but as I was about to take a photo, someone appeared at the window so I ducked behind the hedge and then quickly popped back out when the coast was clear to take the photo! I did think I was going to be told off though, but thankfully nothing happened 🙂 After all, a girl has to do what a girl has to do for her blog, this is serious business, right? 😀 ❤ 😉
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Memories must be preserved digitally at all costs. 😀 😀 😀
I’m sure you wouldn’t have anything to worry about even if the owner were huffy. All you’d need to do is s.m.i.l.e. ❤
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Haha..at all costs Tess, lol 😀 😀 😀 And a smile does go a long way no matter the grumpiness of the person on the receiving end. I hope your day is filled with smiles today 🙂 ❤ ⭐
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Hi Sherri – this is a great tour of Lewes – the Priory pictures are fabulous. I have to say that I’d never heard of Simon de Montfort – you see, my history knowledge is appalling!
I cannot believe the owner of Virginia Woolf’s house told you to scram – what do they expect – If you buy a listed property or one with a plaque surely you realise that other folk are going to be interested. Were they expecting payment, perhaps?!
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Hi Jenny! Haha…yes, here we go again, with all that history!! But I didn’t know about Simon de Montfort either until I read the local info, not good with battles and dates and all that. I’m not as obsessed with all that as I am with old Henry, ha! Thanks for coming along, so glad you enjoyed this little tour 🙂 As for the owner, I didn’t get told off as such, but thought I was about to when someone appeared at the window just as I was about to take a photo and stared at me! So I hid behind a hedge until the coast was clear, but yes, as you say, they would expect that as the Round House is right off a public path and of great historical interest…not to mention very important for sharing on a blog!! Have a great weekend Jenny 🙂 xx
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Beautiful peaceful photos, Sherri. Thanks so much for the fascinating tour. it must have been so magnificent back in the day. The battle memorial is quite impressive, and I love the wording on that wall placque. 🙂 Happy weekend to you. xx
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So glad you enjoyed the walk,thank you so much Sylvia. Hopefully it cooled you down after the finger-printing fiasco
A happy weekend to you too…and Happy Valentine’s Day 🙂 xx
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That is just so cool! Sorry you got told off by that person who “thinks” they own a part of history but they should know they’d have to share. Wonderful pictures, I can imagine the stories those ruins could tell if they could talk.
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Yes, what stories those ruins could tell indeed Donna, quite something with all those hundreds of years of history. It was truly fascinating to walk around, thank you so much for coming along too, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Ahh…well, the way I worded it was not too clear, I didn’t get told off as such, but I thought I was about to when someone appeared at the window, but then, it is a place of historical interest and right off a public path, so I just had to snap away 🙂
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Hello! I greet and invite you to watch the new winter photos on my blog.
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Hello Marko! Thank you, I will be over as soon as I can!
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Thanks for that tour of my old stamping ground, where I used to bunk off lessons from Lewes Technical College and chill out amongst ruins, ensuring I’d fail all of my exams except for English Literature!
By the way, Sherri, have you read “The Boleyn Inheritance” by Philippa Gregory? It’s a wonderful novel that covers the short reign of the plucky, clever Anne of Cleves, and her ousting by that naughty imp, Katherine Howard. I didn’t know much about this particular Anne but, after reading this book, I found so much to admire in her.
I would recommend reading “The Other Boleyn Girl” first, which is told from the point of view of Ann Boleyn’s sister, Mary.
Philippa Gregory is such a brilliant writer.
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Well naturally I thought of you Sarah with this post! Haha..bunking off eh? Well, at least it didn’t harm your English Lit exam! Now, you know I love all things Tudor (and I have read Allison Weir’s The Six Wives of Henry VIII about six times) but although I’ve read The Other Boleyn Girl and loved it, I haven’t as yet read The Boleyn Inheritance, so many thanks for the reminder as I adore Phillipa Gregory. Good to know I’m reading them in the right order though! I lap up this stuff! Great to share this part of the world with you. I hope you had a better week, and many thanks for your email, sorry I haven’t had a chance to reply yet, it’s been a bit crazy here too, which I’ll tell you about when I reply over the weekend. Until then, I hope you have a lovely weekend and time for some well needed R&R 🙂 xx
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I was only in Lewes this morning, Sherri, and just love all the history there. I love all the antique shops as well which I can visit while my parents get his haircut. He hates antique shops as much as I hate going to a garden centre with him.
I’ve never experience the torch parade they have in Lewes on 5th November, but must do it sometime as I hear it’s an incredible experience.
I took my sister, nephew and niece to Lewes last March while they were over from Australia and they were so cold, even though I thought it quite mild. They loved the castle and reading all about its history, and toasted teacakes with hot chocolate went down a real treat.
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How lovely Hugh! Lewes is a beautiful little town isn’t it? Haha..sounds like you have a good balance then, visiting your favourite shops while he gets his hair cut! Now I do love garden centres, I have to admit 🙂 My eldest son and his girlfriend recently joined a Bonfire Society (they live in Lewes) and have so much fun. It gets crazy on 5th November though in Lewes, my younger son went once and he said it took hours for him to get back home that night! How lovely to take your family on a visit, I bet they loved it – despite the cold – and yes, the castle is wonderful isn’t it? Must go again actually…! Haha…and yes, mustn’t forget the treats, nothing like a lovely toasted teacake with lashings of butter! Have a great weekend Hugh, and again, thanks so much for featuring me in your ’50 Shades of Blogs’…great title that 🙂
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It’s a delightful town, Sherri, and I visit as often as I can because of all those antique shops and its history. Dare I say that even the prison on the outskirts of the town looks quite decent (for a prison).
You’re very welcome at being featured on my blog anniversary post, and you to have a great weekend.
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Haha…yes, I know you mean Hugh…for a prison! A lovely weekend thank you…and here’s to a great week ahead for us both 🙂
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How lovely to stumble upon the cozy little abode of Virginia Woolf! It seems the current owners have kept it in all its countryside glory, at least on the outside and in the garden.
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Yes, it really is quite beautiful, so much so that I really, really want to live there! Lovely to have you along BT, thank you 🙂
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Sherri, you are the most delightful tour guide. These pictures are wonderful. The ghostly arch is a writing prompt if I’ve ever seen on.
A beautiful post.
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Ahh…well, thank you Marylin, it is my pleasure, I am delighted to share this little tour with you 🙂 And yes, isn’t that the most wonderfully ghostly arch? I stood there for a little while, the wind whistling through it…hmmm…you’ve got me thinking 😉
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Great Scotland Yard Sherri, I remember those posts you refer to at the start like it was yesterday! The cool croc and everything! And quite a while back I impressed a Virginia Woolf enthusiast with the curio that she lived in a windmill… so I must thank you for allowing me to do that 😉
I always enjoy it when you take me out for a walk, and of course enjoy your photographs… the ruins look amazing. Ghostly is right; there’s as much fodder here for a haunting story as our dear Abbey on the Broads (which I still have yet to draw!!!) As for getting ‘told off’, hahaha… oh dear, Sherri. The lengths you go to to keep us adoring Summerhouse dwellers happy. I expect they’re quite often getting cameras pointed at them… wouldn’t mind living there, though, tourists or not (sighs)
Great stuff!
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Haha…GSY!!! Oh, I’ve missed that JG!! Thank you you so, and yes, I thought of you and so glad you enjoyed these pics, of the Round House especially remembering our discussion before about Virginia Woolf’s ‘windmill’ and I first learned of your loved of them and that kicked off our whole thing about St Bennet’s Abbey!! And who can forget the croc 😀 Ahh…great to know that you were able to impress in such a way, love it when that happens 😉 It does seem like a blink of any eye doesn’t it though since those posts…and as for those ghostly sightings, well, maybe I could write a short ghost story and you could illustrate it with your magnificent Abbey drawing? Something to ponder for the future…! A collaberation, yay!!! Haha…’adoring Summerhouse dwellers happy….’ Oh JG, you do make me laugh 😀 Well, you know, this is serious business, so if it means I have to hide behind a hedge waiting for the owner to disappear from looking out of the window, then that is what I shall do. Perhaps I should have weilded my brolly? I was determined to get those photos…surely they realise what’s at stake here? And yes, I’m with you…I really would love to live there too… *more sighs*
Hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Weekend…be over to you shortly 😛
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I love rambling about the countryside with you! I’m adding to my list…Priory of St Pancras, Roundhouse, toasted teacakes…So deep in history, yet it looks like a pleasant lawn for picnicking (wee’ perhaps not on a chilly day). Have a lovely weekend! Thanks for the tour!
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And I love rambling about the countryside with you right there too Charli! Yes…the list is growing ever-longer and I know just the perfect Riverside Terrace cafe where those toasted teacakes are served 🙂 Actually, I’m sure plenty of people picnic on that grass in the summer, it really is lovely and peaceful there. So glad you enjoyed the tour…thanks Charli and I hope you had a lovely weekend too…a bottle of something fizzy perhaps for Valentine’s? I’ll be over to you soon, warmed by a little compassion… ❤
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I am still cactching up – and shall be back later but for now wanted to say great combo walk…
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Oh Y, I just adore this!! Thank you so much!! Haha….’…But I’m a good egg with a heart of gold’ 😀 And you are that and more, much more mon amie ❤ I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's and see you soon 🙂 ❤ 🙂
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hugs
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I also really loved the history in this post and especially the before and after of what the Old Priory looks like….
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Thrilled you enjoyed it Y…thank you greatly as always ❤
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<<<>>> and good day to you amiga
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❤
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☕
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Beautiful photos. Lots of history in your part of the world.
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Lovely to have you along as always Sunni, delighted you enjoyed the photos, thank you very much 🙂
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What a beautiful history lesson! Very serene imagery.
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Thank you so much Lilka, so glad you enjoyed this little tour 🙂
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Thank you for taking me on this fantastic journey with you 🙂
I always think that Anne of Cleves was better off with a short(est) marriage and a life full of respect and purpose afterwards 😉
And I just love Virginia Woolf’s house! Adorable!!!
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Yes, Anne of Cleves definitely got off light compared to the others and lived as Henry’s ‘sister’ and as you say, went on to live a good life. Phew 🙂 I’m thrilled you enjoyed this little tour Ilka, thank you so much for coming along, my pleasure 😀
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I echo simplyilka! What a wonderful journey, amazing! And I loved the photos, the stories and the imagination (yours and mine) that go with them. Once again felt I was there through your gift of writing. Loved learning more about Lewes through your words and insight. Great way to start my Saturday morning! 🙂 xoxo
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Ahh…thank you so much dear Diane, I love sharing these posts with you…you’ll know Lewes pretty well by the time I post these, lol 😀 So lovely to have you along for the walk, this Valentine’s weekend my wonderful friend 😀 ❤ xoxo
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Sherri, it literally takes my breath away to see such inspiring history and beauty. You are so blessed to live among the ruins, so to speak. Well, a car trip away ;). And Virginia Woolf! What a beautiful house! So jealous, truly. But I am so curious (what’s new): what’s “original toilet block” on the drawing? hahaha
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Haha…I love that Luanne…’live among the ruins’…!!! We’ve got a few ‘ruins’ much closer to home…as in that’s how I feel when I first wake up in the mornings, haha 😀 But seriously, yes, ruins are wonderful aren’t they? Never get tired of them and the way they fire up the imagination 🙂 And yes, I’m so jealous too, what a wonderful place to live…I didn’t feel guilty taking those photos, not one bit! You are very observant Luanne! Original toilet block…they were obsessed with the toilets as part of history, very innovative they were, apparantely. Part of the top walls in these photos once belonged to a row of some 50 toilets for the monks, the hole of which dropped down into running water…but quite what happened to the contents after that, well, I’m really not sure … the mind boggles
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Thanks for the tour, Sherri! I have to admit being excited about The Round House. I’d be a nuisance to the current owners if I were in walking distance 😉
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Hi Marie! Thanks so much, I’m delighted you enjoyed this little tour, lovely to have you along. Haha…yes, glad I’m not the only one 😀
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Another fabulous walk, Sherri, and I could do with a toasted teacake myself now… but garlic naan bread will have to suffice… toasted, of course!
I LOVE history, and finding out new snippets. Whenever I’m in such an old place, like you, I imagine the folk who lived then and how they went about their day. I’d love to be able to touch the walls, though, and be able to pick up scenes from the past. Until I develop that skill, my imagination will have to do the job for me.
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Garlic naan bread sounds pretty good I have to say…but maybe next time it will be a toasted teacake 😉 Oh I’m with you about history Tom, I love imagining what life was like so long ago Thank goodness for our imaginations! Great to have you along Tom, thanks so much as always 🙂
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Loved this, Sherri. Photos are beautiful and I can feel the cold, crisp dampness in the air. You have such lovely history all around you and gorgeous greenery and trees. Makes the walk refreshing with a spiritual feeling lingering from the energies of those who walked the same land years ago.
Reminds me of an Emily Dickinson poem I shared not too long ago taken from “The Single Hound” (https://archive.org/stream/singlehoundpoems00dick#page/80/mode/2up) . . .
“This quiet Dust was Gentlemen and Ladies,
And Lads and Girls;
Was laughter and ability and sighing,
And frocks and curls.
This passive place a Summer’s nimble mansion,
Where Bloom and Bees
Fulfilled their Oriental Circuit,
Then ceased, like these.”
Thank you for sharing your history with us. Truly enjoy it. 🙂
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Oh how beautiful this poem is Pat, and I do remember you sharing it before, and thank you so much for sharing this verse with me again, it captures the essence of the history of such places such as these, how once they were full of life and vigour, and then all ceased, and is now peaceful, quiet, still. I am delighted to share this walk with you my friend, always a pleasure as I know how much you enjoy the story behind those cold, dark walls, yet carried through the crisp, winter’s air 🙂
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Hi Sherri — so glad you enjoyed the poem once again. It makes me think who may still be present in spirit and dust as we walk in these places. I can’t help but feel them among us wherever we are. They’re never that far.
I always enjoy taking these walks with you and seeing your photos. Feels like I’m right there. Thank you for sharing them with us. 🙂
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That’s so good to know Pat, thanks so much again, I’m thrilled! Have a wonderful week my friend 🙂
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Sherri, this is a beautiful post and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The serene pictures of Lewes Priory don’t suggest it had such a tragic past. Which perhaps is the case with any monument of historical significance. In fact wherever we are today may have a past too, dating back hundreds of centuries — then, the thought that several centuries may come after we depart, making our present their past. The round house is captivating and I got creative vibes from it — the kind I got from your summerhouse 🙂 So in future – centuries later – when generations will look at their past literature and authors, Summer House will be in the same league as Round House, I pray.
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Oh Mahesh, what an incredible thought that my Summerhouse should be in the same league as The Round House! Wow 😀 As for those creative vibes, well, that is quite something to share,haha 😀 But I did tell you I am obsessed with little, wooden huts – although of course, The Round House isn’t wooden, although the windmill sails posts would have been once upon a time! Ruins are so peaceful aren’t they, but yes, as you say, they so often hold a violent and unhappy past. The day we visited it was so quiet, it being very cold, and so even more atmospheric and much better to be able to just stand still, let the senses roll and the imagination go wild! Thanks so much my friend for your great comment, I love it 🙂
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So glad I saved this to read with a cuppa this morning, Sherri. I get so much pleasure from an old ruin, and I even enjoyed the dog biscuits 🙂 Thank you for sharing your beautifully composed thoughts and photos with me. I hope you’ve been happy and well in my absence? (I dare not mention that ‘productive’ word 🙂 🙂 )
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Hello dear Jo! So lovely to have you back (although I’m sure you would much prefer to be back in all that wonderful sunshine 😀 ). Haha…yes, nothing like a nice dog biscuit with a cuppa is there 😉 Ahh, thank you, I was so happy to have this walk ready and waiting for you, as things have calmed down somewhat. Productive..? Well…that’s another story…but actually, better than it was! Now over to see what you’ve been up to these past couple of weeks… 🙂
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I always love a good tour that is grounded in history, you should be a tour guide and dress up in period costume as well! I feel the need for a wander to some place like this now!
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Haha..well,you know of my obsession with all things Tudor, so perhaps I should don an Anne Boleyne costume and waft through the ruins. Actually, I would love that… Loving Wolf Hall too..are you watching it? Anyway, great to have you along Ste, I know you love a good history tour, with a little magic thrown in for good measure…
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I tend not to watch much TV, other than Doctor Who or the football, although there have been some interesting documentaries of late, like the coping of Indian railways during monsoon season but other than that, I am normally busy with other things. Perhaps I should treat myself a bit.
As for dressing up, well that always encourages attention to be paid during history tours hehe.
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It’s good you have other things to keep you busy…TV is good some of the time…and dressing up is even better. Whch reminds me a Murder Mystery we attended inbetween Christmas and New Year. I was Candy Cane…don’t ask…ha!
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How on earth did I miss this post? I swear it didn’t appear on my Reader! Thank goodness for Jo’s link. Anyway, thank you, you know how much I love wandering around these sorts of places. That Henry VIII has a lot to answer for destroying all these amazing monasteries and priories – what would life in England have been like if his brother hadn’t died? Different I’m sure.
And I quite fancy Virginia Woolf’s house – I can see why one would buy it on the spur of the moment but I’m not sure why the owner should disprove of you taking a photo when there is a ruddy great plaque on the wall!! But then I’m so used to tourists flocking into our courtyard to photograph the houses here (not mine, mine is the least interesting being Georgian style).
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I was hoping you would come over and read this Jude, as I know this is your ‘thing’ and no walk like this is complete without you 🙂 I’ve had a few people say lately that my blog posts aren’t showing up in the Reader. Hmmm… hope I haven’t been blacklisted!!! Anyway, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Yes, that Henry (are you watching Wolf Hall btw? I’m loving it…). Haha…I laughed out loud at your ‘ruddy great plaque’ comment 😀 I really thought he was going to send me off, but then, as you say, it isn’t exactly private is it? And as for your house, I adore Georgian as you know, so I would probably be annoying you there too, snapping away 🙂 Thanks for coming by…
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You know that you can’t keep me away Sherri 🙂
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And I’m very happy to know that Jude 🙂 ❤
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Interesting info about Simon de Montfort here: http://mortimerhistorysociety.org.uk/index.php/the-rise-of-the-mortimers
I thought I recognised his name with Ludlow.
xx
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Just read your link, how absolutely fascinating, thanks Jude 🙂 xx
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Oh that Round House! what a treasure! Thank you for this fascinating tour (I am particularly drawn to monasteries/nunneries). Your field trips always leaving me wanting to visit – desperately 🙂
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So glad you enjoyed this little tour Yolanda, thank you for coming along, always a pleasure to share some of our history with you…and if you ever do visit, you know where to come if you want a tour guide 🙂
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Just plain wonderful . And you’ve got one huge well deserved following. I feel so lucky to be included.
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So glad you enjoyed it, thank you very much for the read 🙂
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The photos are amazing, Sherri. Loved the history in this post. Hugs.
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Thanks so much Teagan, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it so much. Hugs right back to you too 🙂
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