Brief Outing on a Cold January Morning

[Grandad]

A cold morning outing
The forecast promised sunshine for this morning but, they got that wrong. It was quite cold and grey with overcast cloud but determined to stretch our legs we went off to Kearsney Abbey, near Dover, for walk in the parkland and morning coffee in the little tea room.

Kearsney Abbey is a misnomer. It was a country house built in 1820 largely from materials recovered from old demolished buildings. These gave the house an old abbey style appearance and it was given the name Kearsney Abbey as a result. The house was built in extensive open landscaped grounds with two lakes fed by the river Dour. The building was demolished many years ago and all that remains is part of the west wing, formerly the billiard room, now the little tea room.

On the outside the tea room is uninspiring with castellations atop the outer walls which hide the pitched roof. In the centre of the roof is a stained glass skylight protected by an outside glass canopy. The inside of the tea room is something very different. The walls are completely clad with fine oak panelling and the exposed timbers of the roof are supported by roof trusses that sit on concealed corbels. Below each truss is a plaster console with the head of some animal like creature and a painted coat of arms.
The tea room with castellated walls.


One of the 12 plaster consoles.


The parkland grounds have many evergreen and deciduous trees and two lakes. One ornamental with a fountain and the other used by model boat enthusiasts.
The fountain in the ornamental lake.


Roots of an old yew tree that caught my eye


Needless to say both lakes have many water birds including swans, ducks, coots, moorhens and lots of seagulls who know it is a good place to find food.....everyone feeds the ducks.



As I said, it was a gloomy morning and not the best for photography but these are those that I have kept from the small number taken.

[Horus]

Oh I don't know Grandad, those are all really nice sharp pictures, the swans look very crisp and that new camera is doing the biz.
The outside of that tea room looks a little austere, but that panelling and mouldings on the inside looks very nice. At least you managed to get out and about today which was more than I did.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Looks lovely and I particularly like the swan photos Building looks nice for a tea room too. Thanks for sharing with us

[Grandad]

Thanks H. You quessed right, I mulled over which camera to take and decided on the HS50. It really is very good and at the price I paid, excellent. My comment about the weather was really about the poor light after the met office promised lots of sun.

PS. Just seen your post LLL. Glad you like the pics. Get your HS50 clicking soon.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Yessss - I definitely need to get the HS50 going. In some ways I've just been too caught up with other stuff but I definitely want to try and get it dusted off and clicking away at the swans before they leave.

BTW - I quite like the photo of all the tree roots too. Interesting photo

[Kiya]

Lovely photos Grandad I'm sure that parkland must look super during the summer months

Wouldn't mind having a coffee & cake in the coffee room

[Horus]

Yes I forgot to mention the tree I think that the old Yew trees make great subjects, there is one in a churchyard near to me and it has fantastic coloured bark and must be very old as it is thick and gnarly. I must see if I can dig them out, (the photo's not the tree) or then again another trip out with my camera on a sunny day, assuming we ever get one.

[Jayway]

What a boring square building, outsiders would never know about the lovely inside, must cost a fortune to keep up. The birds on the lake are lovely, there is nothing like that here. Reminded me of my hometown, a lake and a river, I used to ride thro the park most days to go to the stables after school. One Sunday I remember, they said the lake ice was thick enough to support a horse and carriage and they arranged for one from the local knobs ...... it was ok cos the lake was only waist deep anyway - - and no, Horus the horse didnt sink-

[Grandad]

Thanks folks, always nice to know you like some of my pictures.

A member on the local photography group liked the fountain picture best.....said he could imagine a hand holding a sword emerging from the fountain.

[LovelyLadyLux]

I like all the wood paneling on the INSIDE of the building. Must be lovely in there.