More Tombs, Antiques - and a Skateboarding Dog!

 Salvage yard, Dunster
The third day of  five in Somerset, a day upon which I met The Truly Amazing Skateboarding Dog!    I kid you not, gentle readers - There I was, quietly wandering around a salvage yard, imagining what the dear old fireplaces must have looked like in their heydays, still installed in Edwardian houses, polished up with love and care, instead of here, gently rusting away until someone came to rescue them.
Heard a barking and a rushing, and feared the worst. A German Shepherd hurtling towards me - was I in a forbidden part of the yard? Did he think I was an intruder? Then I saw why he was approaching so fast...the blessed beast was skateboarding!!!
It was obviously his toy, and the fuss and noise were merely meant to tell me to get out of the way as he stepped on one corner, did an excellent three point turn, and sped off in another direction. The things you see in a salvage yard!!!

This was a day in the medieval market town of Dunster, and yes, you have guessed it, it was raining. The most moist day of all the week, and myself considerably under the weather, so not so many photos to choose from...but here are a few images of how I spent my time.

Back to the salvage yard. O Happy Day when I have the chance to wander around a place like this. I am sure there are good homes waiting for all these items, but it is such fun to just see them in their 'raw' state and hope that they are soon taken away, cleaned up and installed somewhere to enhance a house or garden. Old stone sinks, a wrought iron fire-basket, several eel-traps, a dove-cote, coal hods, an ancient washing machine -(the barrel shaped item) and a trio of windows that would grace any renovation once they had been cleaned up and painted. All the items somewhat overpriced, I thought...but if you are looking for just exactly one of those items, who is to say what the 'right' price really is, apart from what you are prepared to pay for it?

Took refuge in Dunster church during the worst of the downpours - where I discovered this very grand Luttrell tomb -look at trouble taken to show the detailing of the woman's petticoats... 

and a 'Memento Mori' triptych, bearing all the reminders of time and mortality - the sand-timers, the skull and crossed-bones, and the cherubic little ascending souls, carved somewhat naievely into the black slate slab.

 

Lunch in the cosy old kitchens of the 15th century Lutrell Arms, just visible on the right, behind the old Yarn Market here in the centre of Dunster,

and then back to Porlock, to visit the church of St Dubricius with its distinctive truncated tower. Inside, the early 15th Century tomb of Lord Harington - who fought with Henry the Fifth in France, and his Lady, her hair coiffured in an elegant embroidered head-dress, her head upon a pillow supported by two angels.

 

It was only a short walk back from the church to the apartment, passing another 15th century building, the Ship Inn, at the bottom of the notorious 1 in 4 Porlock Hill, before I was able to get warm and dry again.

I feel I have hurried you through this blog-post in rather the same way that I hurried through the day in Dunster...but once again, wasn't it worth braving the weather for all the interesting things I managed to see?

Comments

[Margaret Lambert]

Why is it that some shops value their wares so highly that they'd rather own them for years than sell them? Too bad the stone sink was pricey, that would have been a temptation for me if I were gardening there...more fascinating little villages!

[Sonja Poor]

I found your blog, I'm pretty sure, through a link from Britt Arnhild's Norway blog which is another I so enjoy. I don't expect to ever get to travel to England or Norway and both just happen to be places I love and have always enjoyed reading about.

So when you two post so many wonderful pictures, it is just a treat for me to travel vicariously. And it is not the same, no it is much better, than reading and seeing pictures in library books, because there is, seemingly at least, a more personal connection. You aren't just showing pictures, but also describing emotions which always seems to give a broader perspective.

Anyway, just wanted to say how much I've been enjoying the trip! My little atlas is beside the keyboard so I can get a better idea of the geography.

[Sue]

I've been to that salvage yard but missed the dog! Incredible! Will spend a little time reading more of your posts. Always good to meet a fellow Somerset-dweller.

[Carolyn]

Roz, I enjoyed so much catching up with all your posts here this morning that I have missed. My favorite was this post, oh how I love these sort of places to enjoy,hence the comment coming with this one for all. And my favorite picture was the one with those three gorgeous windows. How could you resist that vintage birdhouse for your lovely garden or for down near the summer house? The dog skateboarding was a hoot also. Happy New Year to you friend, good health and prosperity to you.