On our trip north we were to pass through Fortrose on the Black Isle, so we stopped to look at the remains of the cathedral:-

Reverse view (stitch of two photos):-

Diagram of mediæval layout and ghost hint of how the cathedral looked then:-

Effigy of a former bishop in the precincts:-

Earlier this year we attended a book launch event in Edinburgh at the headquarters of Historic Environment Scotland.

The book in question was Art Deco in Scotland, Design and Architecture in the Jazz Age written by Bruce Peter.

Laid out in the building’s rooms were various illustrations of Art Deco designs, models, architectural plans and magazine illustrations as well as a screened photomontage of reminders of Scotland’s Art Deco past, some of which are now sadly gone.

On Saturday last I finally got round to buying a copy of the book. (Who could resist a cover featuring the Tower of Empire from the Empire Exhibition 1938?)

Among many sumptuous photographs of cinemas, public, commercial and industrial buildings and fabric designs the book has a chapter dedicated to the Empire Exhibition.

I have not yet read the text but look forward to it.

More from the house in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, built from designs by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Wood Panelling:-

Hall and balcony:_

A fireplace:-

Another fireplace:-

Window and lantern-style light:-

Window seat, candleholder, and external detail:-

The Seaton family at Seaton Delaval Hall had their own chapel. It now acts as the Parish Curch of Our Lady, Delaval.

Entrance:-

Side:-

Other side:-

Interior. Lovely carved arch:-

Altar, behind another carved arch:-

Prince of Wales window. A Victorian stained glass window dedicated to Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII:-

Colonnade:-

Basement corridor:-

Wall of eyes and mirrors:-

So-called “Civil War” coat. This is of course a “Wars of the Three Kingdoms” coat:-

Hand puppet Kasparli, made by a World War 2 POW:-

China cabinet:-

Portraits of Henry VIII and Catharine Parr:-

The main room as you enter Seaton Delaval Hall has no ceiling having been devastated by a fire . Neither has the floor above  and you can see right up to the roof:-

The room itself was once grand, as can be observed from the statues in niches on the walls:-

And the fireplace:-

This spherical steel ball was hanging from the ceiling:-

The Delavals made most of their money from local coal deposits and this table displays that material under glass:-

The family’s maritime heritage is commemorated by this anchor:-

Plus this ship in a bottle:-

Seaton Delaval Hall is a stately home in Northumberland near the village of Seaton Sluice. It was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for Admiral George Delaval in 1718 and is now owned by the National Trust.

The Hall:-

Side view:-

Courtyard:-

Entrance:-

Paintings of the historical Hall:-

Model of Hall frontage:-

Blanchland is the site of an old Abbey which nowadays acts as the local church.

Blanchland Abbey:-

Rear of Abbey:-

Blanchland’s War Memorial sits beside the Abbey’s entrance pathway:-

It commemorates the village’s Great War dead. Dedication and names with inscription, “All they had they gave.”:-

Blanchland is a village in Northumberland (just.) We visited it because it was featured in a book of picturesque British villages which we have. (Titled the AA Book of British Villages.) Its buildings are lovely, all built of stone.

The village’s focal point is a kind of square whose entrance is on the left below:-

The Square. Note The Lord Crewe Arms on the left:-

The Lord Crewe Arms:-

The Square:-

The Square’s entrance porch building houses the village shop:-

One of the buildings has a stream running under it:-

An old church:-

Castle from car park:-

Main building:-

Walls to left of above:-

Walls to right:-

Model in grounds:-