Hastings Battleaxe

This post is not quite chronological - our visit, with friends Bob and Alison, was before our trip to Bristol. Back then (it seems ages ago now...)  the weather was still hot and sunny. Hard to believe....  We had a lovely day in this beautiful, peaceful place.Michelham Priory is just by Hailsham, one of those places where we have passed the signs loads of times but never been.
     It was originally an Augustinian priory - a daughter house of the Augustinian priory in Hastings.  At first, in the thirteenth century, it was quite important - the substantial gatehouse and moat show this. Edward 1 and the Archbishop of Canterbury even came to stay, but over time the priory fell into disrepair and dissolute ways, and was a prime candidate for disposal during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in 1536. Initially, it passed to Thomas Cromwell, then to Anne of Cleves, and after several more changes of ownership, to the Sackville family.  By this time, it was overlooked, half-fo…

Down to Bristol again this weekend to stay with Anna and Gareth.  Watery in the sense that for the first time in weeks we might have had to encounter rain, and involving a boat trip and touching the fringes of the big Harbour Festival.

Last time we came we spent time exploring Clifton, Anna and Gareth's new neighbourhood, this time we went further afield.
    First, we went to an exhibition of studio pottery at collector Ken Stradling's Design Study Centre, near the University. The pieces on show came from his collection.  A piece of family history here: Philosopher's first wife, and Anna's mother, was the daughter of the studio potter Marianne de Trey (she died in 2016, aged 102). Marianne's husband, Anna's grandfather, was the potter and painter Sam Haile, who died tragically young, in 1948. Ken Stradling, an old friend of Marianne, has built up a remarkable collection of glass, ceramics and furniture design classics. Through her mother, Anna made contact wit…

Battleaxe hadn't intended to write about Pirate Day, but of course down we went today, and have got some great pictures. Then, last week, went to two Car Boots at opposite ends of the exclusivity scale. Firstly, the high-end Classic Car Boot Sale on the end of Hastings Pier, and secondly, the much lower-end Elm Tree Boot Sale at Icklesham.
    Last year, for Pirate Day, the WI did a tea-room event at the Jenny Lind - see this post. However, we decided it wasn't busy enough at that end of the old town. This year, Philosopher and I just got dressed up and went down to people watch and greet people we know. As ever, plenty of pirates of all ages, shapes and sizes but we did feel the event still lacks focus - they need a big parade, or a record-breaking attempt - something to pull all the pirates together in one place. They did try to put on something for everyone... even the Hastings Sinfonia playing classical Pirate favourites...
       Here are some Pirate pictures. So many …