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Saturday, July 19, 2008

PhotoHunt: What IS that?


Oh no! I'm late for again. Oops!

All the following shots were taken at St. Fagan's National History Museum, near Cardiff, the Welsh capital. I uttered the words 'what IS that?' many times during my visit. This first image shows an ancient bed-warmer, from the 1700's, I think. On a cold, winter night, a person would stick the round, metal end of it into an oven or fire, wait for it to heat up a bit, and they would then pop it into their bed for a few minutes, to warm it up.


So what does the next image show? Well, there's a clue on the roof of this old building. It's a cockpit. No, not the kind you find on an aircraft, but one which was used during medieval times, to carry on the barbaric sport of cock-fighting.


No, this isn't a giant, moss-encrusted, medieval polo mint. It's an old millstone, which millers would use to grind wheat and other cereals into flour. Of course, this grinding is all done by machines nowadays. It must have taken a long time to grind enough wheat for a bag of flour.


This next shot shows an old toll house, which used to stand at Aberystwyth, on the West Wales coast. Like all the buildings at St, Fagan's, except St. Fagan's Castle, the toll house was carefully dismantled at its original location, transported and restored to its former glory, at its current home.


Here's a close-up of the old sign which is attached to the other side of the tollhouse. Click the pic if you want to read it.


Oh well, that's my PhotoHunt for this week. I hope you enjoyed seeing a little bit of Welsh history. Have a lovely weekend!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Long while since we were there. I am sure I remember that toll house in its original setting.

Dragonstar said...

Oh, Siani - a walk down memory lane! Usually hot coals were put in the bedwarmer, which was then passed between the sheets to warm them. Must have been dangerous to carry, and you wouldn't dare rest it down for any time for fear of setting fire to something. Those were the days!

Carver said...

I enjoyed this post a great deal. Very interesting and great shots. Happy weekend.

Baker Watson said...

Cool shots and a bit of culture and history. Nice combination.

Colin Campbell said...

I love those historical shots. Not so many really old things in this part of the world.

Anonymous said...

aahhh....i remember seeing that bed warmer in a movie i watched recently but can't remember what it was. ;)

Gemma Wiseman said...

I certainly did enjoy a bit of Welsh history. I knew the bedwarmer, but had no idea what a cockpit looked like! It looks a bit like a kraal!

Loved this post!

Liz Hinds said...

I love St Fagan's! Great photos.

 
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