Friday 6 January 2017

Some Entertaining Lamp Posts

(I was updating some information on this post and for some reason it's re-published itself with today's date. I've no idea why it did that, or how to change it, so here (with apologies to those who've read it all before) is a rather ancient post for your delight!)

.....the world seems so amusing everywhere that it is hardly worthwhile to travel. When I start out for the ends of the earth, I am stopped on the road by an entertaining lamp post.....
                                                                                                                              G K Chesterton.

That seems to be my problem sometimes. I keep having to stop and investigate something that any normal person would pass by. Here are just a few more things that I have encountered on my travels.


The Clock Tower


A well-known feature of the Cambridgeshire village of Fenstanton. It started off as a Market Hall in the 17th century. Later the building was converted to the parish lock-up, that is a cell where local miscreants could be detained until they could be dealt with by the local magistrates or, where appropriate, until they'd sobered up! Can you imagine that? Being locked up with a big clock ticking above you and chiming every hour - when you've got a hangover! Now that's what I call making the punishment fit the crime. Now of course it's just used for telling the time, not doing time.


Ron's Farm Shop


Quite nearby the clock tower is this establishment selling locally-produced vegetables. No supermarket shelves ever looked this attractive. The doors at first floor level suggest that the building was originally a hayloft.


Digging for Dinosaur Dung??


Well, no, not quite. But that's what the men who dug this hole thought they were doing. In the mid-19th century 'coprolites' were discovered throughout a large part of Cambridgeshire. These were rounded nodules of rock which were high in phosphate and which occurred perhaps 8 to 20 feet below the surface. These rocks could be ground down to make an excellent artificial fertilizer. It was suggested that they must be fossilized dinosaur dung and the word "coprolite" was coined, derived from the Greek for "dung-stone". It was later proved that this was not their origin, but the idea has persisted.

The method of mining was to dig a deep trench, then to dig away at one side of the trench and fill in from behind - much the same as digging the garden but on a much larger scale. Gradually the trench crept across the field and the coprolites were removed. Once they'd reached the other side of the field, of course, nobody could be bothered to fill the trench in, so several water-filled trenches are still to be seen in the landscape today, though very few people know what they are.

The industry formed the basis of the agrochemical industry in this part of the world. But the coprolite mining itself ceased as quickly as it had begun when guano (seabird droppings) began to be imported from the tropics.


An Old Sign


Up on a wall, beside a narrow alley in Cambridge is this sign. It catches the eye of the occasional tourist though most walk straight past. The age of the sign is somewhat debatable; it's been repainted at least once in my memory. But the name of the lane is perhaps more interesting. It recalls the time when the women of Cambridge could earn extra money by doing the laundry for the colleges. Laundress Lane is one place where they worked. Nearby Laundress Green, now a riverside park, was where the washing was hung to dry.


Henry VIII's Wooden Leg


High above the entrance to Trinity College stands this statue of the founder of the college. Look closely - in his hand, instead of a mace, is a wooden chair-leg. It was put there many years ago by students intent on an end of term prank. More recently another group of students climbed up and replaced the chair-leg with a bicycle pump. The authorities took a very dim view of this and arranged for a replacement chair-leg to take its rightful place in the monarch's right hand.

Take care.

28 comments:

  1. I would have to stop off at Ron's farm Shop definitely more interesting than a supermarket!

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  2. John, the "open cast" mining used for the phosphate is similar to the way coal was mined in western Kentucky and southern Illinois. The resulting lakes have mostly been dedicated to wildlife habitat now.Loved Henry's wooden leg. Jim

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  3. You are obviously one of those people John who goes about with their eyes wide open rather than wide shut.

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  4. Wonderful GKC quote! You find some great treasures to share - words and photos.

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  5. I enjoy your outings--your eye for interesting details and your fine photography make each visit to your blog very pleasant.

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  6. Great post and photos. Thank you for stopping by my blog and for your comment.

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  7. What a wonderful collection of photos and I love the stories behind each one - I went into Trinity college last time I was in Cambridge:)

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  8. Many thanks for all your comments. The world is full of interesting things, much of it never seen on TV.

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  9. Hi John – what a wonderful few eccentricities – I’m happy for you to keep stopping off and investigating! Henry VIII’s chair leg … so glad it was replaced – a bicycle pump is a little infra-dig … then the Laundress Lane .. fascinating – well away from the town … as ours were here in Eastbourne.

    Coprolite – and the trench … how interesting … what was the origin of the “dung stone” if it wasn’t dung? Even dinosaur dung at that …

    Love the clock tower too – while I do hope you have a peaceful year ahead – with thoughts for 2017 - Hilary

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  10. Oh that's funny John.. wouldn't you think when they replaced the bicycle pump they would have taken the opportunity to put the mace back instead of the chair leg which was itself a prank 😊 or it could be that I'm over thinking the situation 😀😀

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  11. If it hadn't re-posted itself I might have seen these wonderful photos ;)
    Love the clock tower, what a nice construction, John.

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  12. Great quote for a marvelous post. Happy New Year, John.

    Hope your mother has recovered nicely.

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  13. I'm a big fan of old ghost signs and have tried to record all the ones in Newark I've come across. It's a very charming village.

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  14. I'm so glad this happened to re-publish itself today as I have seen and learned lots of wonderful new things! I would definitely prefer to shop a Ron's!
    Happy New Year and may you may many more interesting lamp posts etc to share!

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  15. You are marvellous John at finding little quirky things to fascinate.

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  16. I love how you notice the interesting little things, photograph them, and then give information about your photos.

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  17. I love your photos, the clock tower is lovely.

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  18. Sometimes there is no reason for the things that happen. I'm glad this got re-posted by itself because I never seen it. What a wonderful post it is and that clock tower with its history is gorgeous.

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  19. An interesting if motley collection of things to see. I'm the same, always wanting to stop and check things out on a hike. So I end up exploring on my own.

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  20. I cannot imagine hearing a big clock like that tick, but I used to like the sound of a regular clock ticking. It sure is a wonderful place though...

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  21. It was very nice that this mistake happened, for otherwise I would never have read this excellent post. For me the winner is the replacement chair-leg :-)

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  22. It's a new post for me so glad you posted it. Now I'll have to google coprolite and find out why they're not dinosaur eggs. Fun story about Henry's chair leg. Ron's Farm Shop looks very inviting. Hope he's still in business.

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  23. A nice collection of oddities, especially Henry's wooden leg!

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  24. Who or whatever was responsible for republishing was right on the bit! Great and intriguing post.

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  25. loved the last story the best. It is possible to put what ever date you want on your posts. See if I can explain. Go to edit post. On the side bar it says Published on. Click on that and you can change the date. Good luck.

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  26. I completely enjoyed this re-posting. If I read it before I do not remember it. What great stories. I liked the coprolite one--how exciting it must have been to dig after the stuff, thinking it was a gift of the dinosaurs. And the chair leg! English humor at its best.

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  27. Your wooden leg tale is hilarious!

    Lord knows how some of these things happen in blogland. Fortunately, I know nothing about technology, so no one is going to be asking me why things like this happen.

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  28. Your posts are always entertaining and informative John. The intricate carving and embellishments in that last shot are wonderful. Thank you for sharing. Your mother is blessed to have such a caring son.

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