Solomon's Temple

Solomon's Temple, Buxton

(Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 17-70mm @ 22mm,  f/6.3, 3 images HDR tone mapped in Photomatix)
Solomon's Temple (or Grin Low Tower) is located on a hill to the south of Buxton. It isn't really much of a temple being simply a tower, 20 feet tall, with nothing inside but a staircase leading to the viewing platform on top. No altar, no stained glass windows, no virgins being sacrificed (possibly happens after dark!). The weather today wasn't particularly inspiring but at least the rain stayed off while I was there.

The tower was built in 1896 on the instructions of a local publican named Solomon Mycock

Buxton Billerettes

The Buxton Billerettes at Cheddleton Carnival

(Panasonic Lumix TZ10)
Not the run of the mill majorette troupe, the Buxton Billerettes have been providing hilarious entertainment at local carnivals in and around the Peak District for 36 years!

Here's what is says on their website:

"The Billerettes are a majorette troupe with a difference, apart from the occasional girl the rest of the team may dress like girl majorettes, may even look like girl majorettes, but they are most definitely men.

The guys have been proving for years that when it comes to majoretting the guys can show the girls how to give it that special ZING, well at least they hope to bring a smile to the faces of the onlooker and preferably a good old belly laugh."

Plague Cottages, Eyam

Plague Cottages, Eyam Village

(Canon EOS 60D, Tamron 10-24mm @ 16mm, 1/800s @ f/6.3)
Eyam village in the Peak District National Park has an amazing but sad history. In 1665 one of the residents of this row of cottages, George Viccars a tailor, sent for some cloth from London. The cloth arrived somewhat damp and was hung in front of the fire to dry out. The heat activated the fleas carrying the plague virus from London, in the grip of the Bubonic Plague at the time. Within days the man that had sent for the clothes was dead. Over the next days several more succumbed and it became obvious that this wasn't just a normal disease epidemic. The Rector of the village, Rev. William Mompesson, persuaded the villagers to put themselves into a form of quarantine from the surrounding area to avoid the spread of the plague. Over the following months 260 of the 350 residents of the village died from the plague, including Mompesson's wife, Katherine.

Today the village is a thriving and attractive place but its dark history is still remembered.

British Summer!

Summer!

(Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 17-70mm @ 22mm, 1/30s @ f/4)
We have just had a violent and torrential thunderstorm. This summer must go down as the worst I can ever remember. At least we got a rainbow at the end of the storm (below)!

Tittesworth Reservoir from The Roaches

Tittesworth Reservoir

(Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 17-70mm @ 40mm, HDR from 3 images)
Another photo from my walk last week. Dreadful weather today so I didn't go out! The bump on the horizon  (near the right hand side) is The Wrekin, about 50 miles away in Shropshire

Odeon Building, Leek

Odeon Building

(Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 17-70mm @ 17mm, 1/320s @ f/8.0)
The Odeon Building in Leek. I guess that at one time this half-timbered, "magpie" building at a major crossroads in Leek housed the Odeon Cinema. It now houses a large antique centre.

All Saints, Leek Flower Festival

Arrangement on the font

(Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 17-70mm @ 25mm, 1/100s @ f/5.0 ISO 800)
This year is the 125th anniversary of the completion of the Grade I listed All Saints church in Leek. The church was designed by Richard Norman Shaw, one of the leading architects of the Arts and Crafts movement. As part of the celebrations for the anniversary the church is holding a flower festival and embroidery display this weekend. The displays are very well done by the Leek Floral Arts Group and members of the church. The embroideries include both modern works and past works from the Leek Embroidery Society, part of the Arts and Crafts movement established in 1879 by Elizabeth Wardle whose husband, Thomas Wardle, was a silk importer and an associate of William Morris. The photo below shows a detail from the "Arts and Crafts Stole" designed by Thomas Wardle Jnr. and created by Lady Gaunt, daughter of Elizabeth Wardle.

Detail of the Arts and Crafts Stole