Bodiam Castle

Bodiam Castle in East Sussex is an imposing and forbidding place. It was build in 1385 for the purpose of defending the surrounding area from French invaders, political enemies, civil unrest, and plague. It's also exquisitely proportioned and very beautiful, the quadrangular design being of French origin, and well suited to the incarceration of wealthy dignitaries (made popular following the collapse of some banks).

When we arrived the skies were dark and heavy, and the odd spit of rain heralded some afternoon downpours. Luckily it doesn't take long to walk around the moated building, and to visit the ruined interior, with its various chambers and archways. The moat itself is well populated with very tame ducks - their size and robust health is a testament to the attention they receive from visitors, and this is even more entertaining in the summer months, when the enormous carp who also live in the moat come to the surface to compete for the tidbits the visitors throw to them. I've seen some terrible squabbles, but the carp take the pecks and kicks from the ducks on the chin and everyone seems happy. The carp are quite huge and I understand they were rescued from a warm water outflow close to a power plant, and transported to Bodiam to live happily thereafter.

My assistant is far braver than I am, and made it onto the battlements - I'm the tiny speck on the ground:

Visit our main site here.

Batemans

Batemans in East Sussex was formally the home of the writer Rudyard Kipling. The house is closed in November, so we weren't able to explore the rooms and see something of how he lived (I understand he had fairly exotic tastes). However the gardens and tea room remain open and are lovely to visit. At this time of year it's pretty tranquil and the warm and very welcoming cafe affords some respite from a chilly winter day. It was strange to see some summer flowers still in bloom, amidst all the colourful autumn foliage.

Visit our main site here.

Tangmere and Goodwood

Time off is a rarity in my profession so grabbing a few hours for a drive around Sussex with my uncle was something I'd really been looking forward to. Since I had a keen and knowledgeable historian in the passenger seat we decided to call in at Tangmere Aviation Museum, just outside of Chichester. There are always a selection of decommissioned jets outside of the hangars, and today we saw some beauties. The technicians were busy with maintenance work and we were able to get a close look at some familiar aircraft. I spent much of my formative years on Air Force bases around the world and a family member is currently flying fast jets for the RAF.

Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit is five minutes away from Tangmere so we stopped off for some lunch - a track day provided great entertainment and a visual feast of classic cars. You can probably guess which one is my favourite. The driver very kindly suggested I locate a crash helmet and take a few laps with him - talk about being tempted. As usual the best offers happen when one has the least time to enjoy them, and sadly on this occasion I had to dash back to my office. But not before I'd grabbed some shots of what is undoubtedly a stunning car.

See our main site here.

 

Scotney Castle

The light was pretty ghastly today - incredibly flat and overcast, and it was drizzly too. It's difficult when you've got a 'white out' going on in the skies, so I tend to employ a graduated ND filter, just to break it up a bit. And given that my assistant absolutely loves vintage photographs, I promised I'd process the first few pictures with a flatter, aged look to them.

Scotney lies in East Sussex, not far from Tunbridge Wells. It has been the home of the Hussey family since 1778. The estate comprises the castle, which lies on a small island in a valley, about a quarter of a mile from the main house. The architect, Anthony Salvin, and the garden designer, William Gilpin, worked together to create a new house and garden set above the castle. In 1970 the estate was left to the National Trust.

I couldn't photograph the main house today since it was covered with scaffolding.

As is the case with all National Trust properties, you can't shoot them professionally without the consent of the Trust. This means that your images are for your personal enjoyment only.

See our main site here.