Returning to Where I Began - Blog Year 2

So, on with year number 2! As my title says "returning to where I began", well it was in fact my second post!  Back in June 2012 I went to the Peterborough Heritage Weekend and was blown away by absolutely everything to do with this event.    If you are a regular reader you will know that I work within the precincts and enjoy capturing shots of the architecture that surrounds the Cathedral, but this event really makes you look at the environment in a different light.  To think that this Cathedral has seen most of the costumes in the correct century is mind blowing.  I'm going to keep the words to a minimum and just take you around.  Some areas are private but the Bishop and the Dean open their gardens for this event, so it is a bit of a blog garden party thrown in.  However you will probably agree that this is a Dr Who adventure and we will be travelling in the tardis back through the centuries.

So where to start?  Let's start with the grand building itself.  Beautiful, splendid and constant.

Now, see the archway to the right?  This is the Knights Chamber and also the entrance to the Palace which is private but for this event the walkway and gardens are opened to the public.

Once through the leafy driveway you enter the Palace gardens.

Here, in the perfect Medieval surroundings, camps were set up where lunch was being cooked.

Further round the walk you end up at the Monks Kitchen, the oldest part of the Cathedral grounds.  To think how old these walls are, probably 900 years old, is staggering!

The vaulted ceilings are so simple, no embellishments, but have stood the test of time.

Then we go round to the orchard.  The wall is the other side to the cloister wall that I took you around a little while ago (post here).  

The walk takes us full circle and we are back beneath Knights Chamber.

Before we went around the rest of the grounds, we headed for the Cathedral Square where there were re-enactments.  These actors were depicting the arrest of King Charles I.  The muskets were fired...

...and the protesters were shot...safely!

 Now, apparently when King Charles was about to be sent to London to his execution, he spent one night in the room above the Norman Arch as you go towards the Cathedral.  This is the window to the left.

So now we go under this archway and start looking at the living villages.  I would love to tell you what this contraption is but didn't get a chance. I would love to think it was a medieval flying machine!

The Roman village was busy with soldiers getting ready for their turn in the re-enactments.

I think they were glad to make their way back for some refreshment.

Along with the next village which consisted of more characters chopping wood and preparing lunch in the authentic way.

The smell of smoke was thick in the air.

We then entered a little gate in a walled garden which took us to the Dean's garden, which had been taken over by the Vikings.  

Now this Viking was magnificent and I am so glad I managed to capture him up close.

There were crafts being demonstrated.

And the patience of this dog was a sight to behold!

After me and Hubby had a go at the archery, we then went back through the little gate and into World War II.  Here was Churchill with friends...

...and some soldiers recruiting for World War I.

Around we continued going through all the different centuries, sometimes they were jumbled up.  Here's Churchill again skipping through the centuries.

Not as bright and sunny as last year's day, but still a lot to learn and see.

Now you may have noticed some changes to my blog.  I fancied a bit of a change of colour and with the demise of Google Reader, I have changed a few things around.  So if you would like to follow me there are some icons at the top of my blog with all the different ways.  My particular favourite out of all of them is Bloglovin and it is so easy to transfer your reading list to this.  I have also added my Twitter box, I'm only just really getting into this.  I have had 'fun' all day changing things so I hope you like them.

Have a wonderful week.

♥ Chel ♥

This week I am sharing with:

Weekly Top Shot
Our World Tuesday