Gawsworth
- Part II
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Gawsworth New Hall across
the next higher lake from the causeway ...
... leading to the entrance
to Gawsworth Hall itself, where Tim Richards, the Lord of the
Manor, is manning the gate and collecting tickets from visitors/audience.
The New Hall from across
the highest and largest of the lakes, now a trout fishery.
The Old Hall, north elevation
and entrance with gentleman's carriage (mine, courtesy of Skoda).
The south and west elevations
...
....
... with individual entrance
doors and their individual guardians. The rubric over the door
records the rebuilding in 1472 by Sir Thomas Fitton Knt. and the
restoration in 1951 by Raymond and Monica Richards, parents of
the present owner.
....
A decorated well-head or
font in the garden and sundial high on the brick west gable. I'm
not sure how the legend translates - maybe 'only work belittles
time', ie - makes it fly?
A performers-eye-view of
the theatre's covered seating with the prime seats being reserved
already, some three hours before the performance.
"All the world's a
stage" said Shakespeare but here all the visible garden viewed
from the seating area is available for a stage and no more apt
backcloth for many of his plays can be imagined. Tonight we are
presented with 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' by the Wilmslow Green
Room Society of amateur thespians who perform here every summer.
....
The lawn is steadily filling
with picnickers, the wine is starting to flow and an expert hand
fillets the salmon.
No Prologue to this play,
straight into the action and a quick picture before I could be
in danger of breaching the no-flash rule - Sir John Falstaff (l)
confronts Justice Shallow.
The view SE from the rear
of the stand at the interval with the threat of rain still a possibility
and the light of the setting sun making the farmhouse glow and
starting to colour the clouds.
The last applause has died,
the players departed and the audience shuffles contentedly from
the stand. A few last tries to capture some of the magic of the
place at this time allowed this lucky hand-held shot.
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