Another Day, Another Castle

At Chiddingstone Castle

Fly Fishing at the Castle Pond

Castle Interior

This morning I went to church in nearby Tonbridge, and along the way I saw a sign that there was a Country Fair at Chiddingstone Castle today, so of course, that's where I headed after the service. Chiddingstone is less than 5 miles from my house (still not the closest castle!) The castle can be traced back to the early 16th century. From 1955 it was the home of Denys Eyre Bower, who was a passionate collector of art and artefacts, many of which are on display in the castle today. There is a Japanese Collection, an Anciect Egyptian Collection, a Royal Stuart and Jacobite Collection (I'm starting to piece together the Stuart thing, still a little muddled on that one) and a Buddhist Collection. There are lovely gardens and a fishing pond on the property as well. The Country Fair seems to be mainly focused on different categories of dog shows. And falconry--the British seem to have a thing for falconry.

Dog Show at the Castle

Falcon

I've seen Shawshank Redemption at least 50 times (it's my scrap-booking movie) so I kept thinking of this quote from Morgan Freeman, as Red,  "I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are best left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can't be expressed in words, and makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a gray place dares to dream."

Cricket on the Village Green

On my way home I drove past the Village Green where there was a cricket game going on.  I stopped by and got a rudimentary cricket lesson.  I like the part about knocking the bales off the wicket and think maybe that could jazz up baseball a little.  When I heard how long a cricket games goes, however, perhaps we had better keep baseball the way it is.

The home team has a lot of catching up to do, the opposing teacm has 185 points!