Wednesday 1 August 2012

ABC Wednesday - C is for...

Castle Park... (and you thought I was going to say 'cat'...).

At the heart of the modern, vibrant, multi-cultural city of Leicester (the nearest city to where I live) lies Castle Park. This 'Old Town' is a scheduled monument with beautiful old buildings, the cathedral, guild hall, riverside walks, museums, and ancient walls and gateways.

(All photos shot in colour then processed in LightRoom with an Infra Red High Grain treatment).

Castle Park, Leicester
Statue of Richard III in Castle Gardens... 
I like the fact that we celebrate the chap who lost...

Castle Park, Leicester
Castle Gardens...

Castle Park, Leicester


Castle Park, Leicester
...which contain this May Pole...

Castle Park, Leicester
... which has this Green Man
lurking at the bottom of it...
(frankly, this gives me the heebie-jeebies...
didn't even have the nerve to convert it to b&w!)

Castle Park, Leicester
Lavender in a garden...

Castle Park, Leicester
Ye Olde Englishe doorway
 (That's St Mary de Castro Church behind it...)

Castle Park, Leicester
A bit more of the church...
Founded in 1107, it is said that
Chaucer got married here, and it is the place
where Henry VI was knighted in 1426.
It also allegedly has its own ghost - 'Black Annis'
who is supposed to haunt the church and
the surrounding area...

Castle Park, Leicester
... street at the rear of the Church...

Castle Park, Leicester
...I so want to go back here in the Autumn/Winter 
with one of my minions and make them pose for 
slightly spooky photos...
If fog could be arranged that would be great :O)



Linking to ABC Wednesday.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just may have visited this park back in 1988,looks very familiar. The Black and White is beautiful on these (I would not have messed with that Green Man either.He would be extra creepy without his green!).
What I remember most about Ye Olde English doorways at least the ones of stone were the dents at the top with a small"Mind your Head" sign posted!

callmemadam said...

Saucy angle there on Richard III!
I love the way you've made Castle Gardens look like Narnia.
So glad I'm not the only one who finds the whole green man thing terrifying.

Roger Owen Green said...

love the B&W , and yes, "saucy" angle indeed!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Barbara said...

There are some very dirty minds about :O))) It's a codpiece people...

Laloofah said...

Another Crude and dirty mind, Checking in... and wondering why you missed the tantalizing opportunity to work "Codpiece" into your narration in honor of the letter C! LOL

Now I know you're Currently Captivated by Infra-Red, and Castle Park is Certainly Conducive to the brilliant use to which you've put it. But if you don't post a Color version of the lavender photo soon, there's going to be Contentious Caterwauling from me! ;-)

I'm not sure whether to be Charmed or Creeped out by the green man peeking out from the May Pole, but that is pretty Clever! As is your idea to go back to Castle Park with your posse for some more haunting shots in Autumn/Winter. I'm looking forward to that, because this is sure one beautiful place, perfect for your photography!

Speaking of haunting, I must now find out more about Black Annis (and whether s/he is related in any way to Black Adder. LOL)

Btw, got you Covered on Cats. ;-)

Barbara said...

Don't think codpiece didn't cross my mind... but I erased it as being too lowbrow for the intellectuals likely to visit my page :O)) I will endeavour to find a colour pic of the lavender as there are enough yelling cats around here as it is... Yes great setting isn't it? A shame that Fiona and her 18thC dress don't live nearer - that would be a hell of a photo shoot... The green man DEFINITELY gives me the willies!!!
Black Annis... snork!

carol l mckenna said...

Magnificent photos ~ well done ~ Great for ABC and I love the Green Man ~ Have a copper one on my front door~ thanks, namaste, (A Creative Harbor)

Wanda said...

Oh my what stunning photos. I love wandering through a park we have called Descanso Gardens. Lots of landscaping, ponds, flowers, but no statues.

momto8 said...

oh my! the black and white and angles...wow..you are very talented!!!

Chubskulit Rose said...

I love your first shot. Catching up with ABC.

C is for...
Rose, ABC Wednesday Team

PS.. COMMENTS makes me happy!

Laloofah said...

Ha, and here I thought that knowing what a codpiece is helped set the intellectuals apart! ;-)

Barbara said...

I thought it left things open for too many double entendres!

William Kendall said...

Very vivid shots. Thanks for sharing.

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