Paddy and Plunkett – Page 9

Plunkett at Samphire Hoe - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

White Cliffs and Teeny Trains

Posted on August 5, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Knitted Beasties, Paddy and Plunkett

Paddy and Plunkett’s tour of the southeast of England continues! Today they’re down by the famous White Cliffs of Dover, which are shining brightly in the sunshine. In fact, Plunkett seems to be quite dazzled by them!
While they were here, the boys decided to have a look around Samphire Hoe Country Park. It’s a relatively new attraction in these parts – when work on the Channel Tunnel began in the 1980s, this area was given the (questionable) honour of being the dumping ground for all the chalk they dug out of the sea bed. The soil was used to reclaim 30 hectares of land from the sea, and a wall was built offshore to create an artificial lagoon. Then Mother Nature was left to recolonise the park as she saw fit!
There are a variety of different habitats to explore, and the lads even met a sunbathing adder on their travels – unfortunately they just weren’t quick enough with the camera to get a picture!

Then in the afternoon, it was time for something completely different!
Oooh, look at that lovely old train! But all is not as it seems…
Welcome to New Romney station, on the Romney, Hythe and Dimchurch heritage railway line – home of Britain’s largest model railway! Even Paddy and Plunkett felt like giants among these miniature landscapes!
They especially liked this part – well, who wouldn’t want to enjoy a monster day out for all the family?
But what really got Paddy’s attention was waiting just outside – real trains, scaled down to one third their usual size! Perfect for a little woolly monster… Let’s just hope Plunkett managed to stop him from taking one for a test drive!
We’ll be back on Tuesday with more monster antics! In the meantime, have a super weekend… and please get in touch immediately if a small green monster in an Aran sweater careens past you in what looks like a stolen miniature train!

The Beastie’s Tale

Posted on July 15, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

“Yes, we’re still on holiday! See if you can guess where we are today…”

Paddy and Plunkett started their tour by getting lost in this Beastie-sized lavender labyrinth. Mazes like these used to be laid out in tiles in front of the city’s cathedrals, and walking the paths supposedly helped you to rack up extra “pilgrim points”, which would fast-track you to the good parts of heaven.
This place really was a hotspot for pilgrims back in the day… people came from all over Britain, and even further afield, to visit the shrine of Thomas Becket. In fact, although it’s is now one of England’s smallest cities, in pre-Plague times it fell just inside the top ten largest, and was known throughout Europe as the “home town” of a number of recently-canonised saints of the era. The flood of pilgrims making this journey even inspired one of the earliest examples of real English literature, at a time when most literary works were in French or Latin.

Did you figure it out yet?

We’re in Canterbury! Here are the boys posing in front of Canterbury Cathedral, their first port of call after Plunkett managed to extract Paddy from the maze…
Canterbury Cathedral was founded in 597, and is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city itself dates right back to Paelolithic times, and contains landmarks left behind by a pick’n’mix of past residents – it seems like everyone from the Romans to the Normans made their mark on Canterbury!

While the cathedral is mostly a hive of activity, where a pair of Beasties risk getting trampled underfoot, there are quiet spots nearby where they can spend time exploring and posing for the camera. This shady herb garden has been planted in the old dormitory of the Cathedral – perfect for a picnic lunch!
And then they took a stroll to help settle down their hearty meal of… salad leaves. Well, if you want to spend the entire summer travelling, it’s important to save money where you can!

Plunkett spotted eight of these incredible lumpy plane trees as they wandered around the city.
He wanted to photograph all of them, but someone kept getting in the way…
Now boys, no fighting please!

Hopefully they’ll be back next Friday, with the next instalment of their magical monster mystery tour. And I’ll have more new Beasties to share on Tuesday too!

Enjoy your weekend!

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Paddy and Plunkett have a Picnic - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

A Quiet Stroll in the Countryside… Or is it?

Posted on July 8, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

At last! The sun has broken through the clouds and it feels like summer again! Not that it matters to Paddy and Plunkett, whose extended holiday is still ongoing… let’s find out where they are today!
It certainly seems nice and peaceful, anyway. And look, Paddy’s spotted some distant Beastie relatives – well, they are all made of wool, right?
But all is not as it seems!

“Hey Plunkett, what’s that building up there?”
“Glad you asked, Paddy – I’ve been reading up on this! That’s part of the remains of Battle Abbey. Can you believe that we’re standing on what is believed to be the site of the Battle of Hastings? Look, there’s a stone slab here to mark the spot where the English leader King Harold is supposed to have fallen!”
“Yikes! What happened to King Harold?”

“Arrow through the eye, apparently – the famous Bayeux Tapestry captured the whole thing…”

The Death of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings - Photo from historytoday.com — The Death of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings – Photo from historytoday.com

“In fact, Paddy, forget what you’ve been seeing on Game of Thrones lately… The Battle of Hastings was a pretty gruesome episode in English history! Casualties on both sides were so numerous that the leader of the victorious invading Norman army, who later became known as William the Conqueror, was ordered by Pope Alexander II to atone for this immense loss of life. So he built a church here – it was finished in around 1094. Then in the late 13th century, it was remodelled into Battle Abbey.”

“Wow, that’s some history! How on earth do we follow that?”

“How about some lunch?”

“Good thinking, Plunkett!”

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Paddy and Plunkett Reach Beachy Head - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Life is Beachy for Paddy and Plunkett!

Posted on July 1, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

It’s back to Blighty on the BeastieBlog today! As it turns out, Paddy and Plunkett are still in beautiful Sussex, and they’re finding plenty there to keep them entertained. We’ll join them on the beach in a minute, but first they wanted to share a couple of photos from the village of East Dean, which they passed through on the way… Check out the famous former “resident” of this picturesque cottage!
A little further along the road, the boys came to Birling Gap, where they got their first glimpse of the stunning white cliffs known as the Seven Sisters.
And they really are WHITE! Plunkett was kicking himself for not thinking to pack his sunglasses!
The cliffs maintain their shiny brightness thanks to natural erosion – the soft chalk rock is constantly being nibbled away by the sea, which means that plants and lichens never really get a chance to take over the pristine white surface. Because of this, the Seven Sisters are often used as a stand-in for the more famous White Cliffs of Dover in films and TV… The Dover cliffs are so close to the huge international port that they’re no longer allowed to erode naturally, so they’re a little less white than they used to be!

Let’s follow the boys down onto the beach!
With all those white pebbles lying around, it would be quite easy to lose them down here – they’re surprisingly well camouflaged!

After a few games of hide and seek among the stones, the lads decided to spend the afternoon strolling along the clifftop path which links Birling Gap with Beachy Head. On the way, they passed the wonderfully-named Belle Toute lighthouse… Although it was never considered a particularly good lighthouse (according to Wikipedia, its position on the clifftop meant that sea mists often obscured the light, and those people who most needed to be able to see it – sailors venturing too close to the rocky shore – had their view blocked by the cliffs), it is a well-known local landmark, and it’s even appeared on the silver screen a couple of times! And it’s lucky that it’s so popular – in 1999, the cliffs Belle Toute stands on threatened to crumble away from under it and drop it into the sea, so the whole lighthouse was picked up and moved inland! It’s now enjoying a comfortable retirement as a B&B, safe from the ravages of the tides, and its job has been taken over by a much younger, better positioned lighthouse.

Here it is – Beachy Head Lighthouse, which greeted the boys at the end of their wander!
Where will you be spending this weekend? Be sure to share your adventures with us in the comments!

Paddy, Plunkett and the Sundials - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Kings of the Castle!

Posted on June 17, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

Hmmm, who’s that lurking in the undergrowth outside Arundel Castle? Paddy and Plunkett picked the perfect day to explore this mediaeval castle in West Sussex – just look at that sunshine! Let’s join them as they take a trip around this incredible place, which has been the home of the Dukes of Norfolk (and their predecessors) for nearly a thousand years!

Given the most un-British weather that day, it made sense for them to start in the rose garden…
There were a only a few roses out, but the boys found a sundial to keep themselves entertained! That said, it wasn’t long before they were overcome with curiosity… Time to explore the castle! Let’s go!
Arundel Castle is a bit of an architectural hodge-podge – the oldest parts were built in the late 11th century and subsequent generations left their mark on the building, both inside and out. In the late 16th-early 17th century, the 14th Earl of Arundel (nicknamed “the Collector Earl”) went on a bit of an interiors shopping spree, and many of his purchases can still be found in the castle today! Although the castle was damaged in the English Civil War, repairs were eventually carried out in the early and late 1700s, and a further round of restoration, completed in 1900, produced the remarkable building that stands today.

All this means that architecture buff Plunkett is in seventh heaven! However, Paddy maybe isn’t the most willing audience for his musings…
…Not when he can hang out with the man-at-arms and his cat, anyway!
At least it’s given Plunkett a chance to brush up on his Latin.
They also met a former castle resident in the private chapel – well, kind of.
But the bright sunshine soon lured the lads back outside. It would be a shame to miss the opportunity to see the gardens in all their glory! First stop was this formal garden, created as a memorial to the “Collector Earl”, which was full to bursting with beautiful tulips. Then they headed to the Stumpery – a novel concept garden where native woodland plants are encouraged to grow over the stumps of felled trees. This creates a really unusual and artistic display… and a great habitat for local wildlife!
The boys also encountered a few curiosities on their travels… A whole family of scarecrows, and a rather unusual sign!
Paddy thought it might have been the first cryptic clue in a treasure hunt… He spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what it meant. Perhaps he’ll have something to show for his mental exertions next time we catch up with these two!

What have you all got planned for the weekend? For any yarn-lovin’ folks out there, don’t forget that tomorrow is World Wide Knit In Public Day – what better excuse to grab your needles and make a start on a fun new project?

Enjoy!

Paddy and Plunkett, Centurions - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Roman Around With Paddy and Plunkett!

Posted on June 10, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

It may have been a while since we last caught up with Paddy and Plunkett, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t been up to their usual tricks! Last month they set off to the south east of England, hoping to escape the decidedly un-spring-like weather we were enduring here in Ireland at the time. Luckily for them, they were greeted by sunny days, and lots of fun things to do!

Plunkett got to choose the first port of call – Fishbourne Roman Palace – but as you can see above, Paddy insisted they get into character first! Plunkett soon retook the lead though… here he is admiring the famous “Cupid and Dolphin” mosaic inside the palace.
Fishbourne Palace is considered the largest Roman villa discovered in the UK to date, and some of the decorated mosaic floors are in perfect condition. Plunkett asked a passing human to take a picture of this one for him as a souvenir – look at the detail!
But not all of the villa is in this pristine state. Other past inhabitants of this area have left their mark on Fishbourne too – look what the boys found here!
According to our trusty friend Wikipedia, Fishbourne burnt down in around 270AD, and was subsequently abandoned. Apparently they were doing extensive renovations at the time, so perhaps the builders decided to focus their energies on building a new villa, instead of fixing up an old one. Paddy is reasonably sure that this could have been the first recorded instance of an insurance scam, but Plunkett, as usual, needs more convincing. Anyway, many years later, the site was used as a Saxon burial ground – some of the graves cut right down through the mosaic floors! A few of them, like the one above, have been left in situ… But some of the Saxon remains have been exhumed for closer inspection by curious visiting Beasties.
Once the lads had seen everything inside the villa, they headed outside to have a look around the grounds. The gardens have been restored and filled with the kind of plants the Romans would have had here back in the palace’s heyday, and also included a “Triclinium”, or outdoor feasting area.
This would have been covered in sumptuous fabrics, allowing the family to sprawl around in the sunshine and enjoy tasty treats. Here’s Paddy demonstrating how to get the best out of your Triclinium.
“I think I could get used to this, Plunkett! Pass the stuffed dormouse!”

After they’d enjoyed picnic-ing like Romans, Paddy got to choose the afternoon’s entertainment. He decided on a trip on the Chichester Ship Canal… the passenger boats are captained by volunteers, so all the proceeds from the hour-and-a-quarter-long cruise go towards the upkeep and restoration of the canal. There was plenty to see along the way…
…Or was there?
Uh-oh! We all know what happens when Paddy takes the wheel… I wonder where they’ll end up next?

Be sure to join us on Tuesday for more monster antics! And in the meantime, have a super weekend!

Paddy and Plunkett Enjoy a Hot Whiskey - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Paddy and Plunkett in the City of Many Names

Posted on May 13, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

Last time we caught up with Paddy and Plunkett, they were enjoying a bit of fun along the shorelines of northwest Northern Ireland…
Perhaps for the best, Plunkett took the wheel for the next leg of the journey – a trip to Northern Ireland’s second-largest city. Depending on which route you take, you might see a sign welcoming you to “The Walled City”. This place has also been called “The Maiden City”, after it withstood three separate seiges in the 17th century… the most famous of which lasted 105 days. Here’s Paddy inspecting one of those famous city walls!
Have you guessed where the boys are yet?

You score full marks if you said “Derry”. You also score full marks if you said “Londonderry”. And there are bonus points for anyone who went with Derry-slash-Londonderry, the even-handed semi-official renaming that led local broadcaster Gerry Anderson to coin the nickname “Stroke City”. Derry/Londonderry’s name dispute is such a contentious issue that it has its own Wikipedia page. And although “Derry” has been around longer (it’s an Anglicisation of “Daire”, the Irish for “oak wood” or “oak grove”, a name first definitely recorded in The Annals of Ulster in 1121) and is used on signage in the Republic of Ireland, the British name “Londonderry” is still the official, legally-recognised name, since Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom.

Then again, not everybody agrees with that. And sometimes signs are adjusted accordingly.

Road sign, Derry/Londonderry - Photo by SeanMack, via Wikipedia — Photo credit – By SeanMack – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3652350

But whatever name it goes by, it’s a great place to visit! In 2013, it was the first city in the United Kingdom to be awarded the title “UK City of Culture”, and its beautiful buildings, buzzing city centre and vibrant nightlife make it a perfect getaway for two adventurous little Beasties. Plunkett was super-impressed by an incredible piece of urban knitting he found…
Look at the size of it! It almost completely covers two of the old townhouses on this street!
One place history buff Plunkett was particularly keen to see was the recently-refurbished Bishop’s Gate Hotel.
This stunning building was once a private members’ club called the Northern Counties Club. The Club first opened its doors in 1902, and over the years welcomed notable visitors such as Winston Churchill and WB Yeats, among others. But times change, the Club closed, and the building fell into disrepair. Fortunately, in 2012 the Inner City Trust stepped in, and renovation work began. The Bishop’s Gate Hotel opened earlier this year… Let’s have a look inside!
Nice!

Apparently, it’s already proving popular with tourists, locals… and Beasties! The lads thought they deserved a hearty lunch in the bar after all their wanderings. And they treated themselves to a hot whiskey as well.
Although maybe they shouldn’t have…
Perhaps they should have ordered a smaller one! We’ll catch up with these two again when they’ve had a chance to sleep it off.

In the meantime, enjoy the weekend… Explorer Beastie and I will be back on Tuesday to share the tips and tricks we learned at our product photography lesson last night, courtesy of the good folks at Etsy Ireland! See you then!

Paddy and Plunkett Were Here - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Beach Beasties!

Posted on April 26, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Paddy and Plunkett

It’s been a while since we last caught up with Paddy and Plunkett! But it looks like they’ve been off adventuring again… Let’s see what they’ve been up to as they travel along Northern Ireland’s north coast!

Mussenden Temple was originally a private library, built by the 4th Earl of Bristol in memory of his cousin, Frideswide Mussenden. These days, it’s open as a visitor attraction – or you can book it as a wedding venue!

It looks like this holiday is off to a great start, despite Paddy’s motoring “skills”! We’ll be back to check up on the lads again soon… and next week tune in to find out where Antonello Beastie and Tiziana Beastie went for their Beaster break!

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