Lost Houses of Derbyshire – Brimington Hall
I have a feeling that, had Brimington Hall survived the rapid industrialization of early 20th century Chesterfield, it would by now be listed grade I or II*, for it was, judging from our limited knowledge, a house of exceptional interest architecturally. An estate at Brimington was held from the earliest times by a family which took their name from the place, the heiress of which eventually married Robert Le Breton who was lord of Walton-by-Chesterfield, another lost house – probably a rather large one, too – but one of which we have no known illustration; its site is now occupied by a good 18th century stone farmhouse. The Breton family, too, ended with an heiress who brought the estates of Walton and Brimington to Sir John Lowdham of Lowdham, in Nottinghamshire, but he too, left only a daughter, who married the younger son of one of the grandees of the Derbyshire Peak, Sir Godfrey Foljambe of Tideswell, Darley and Wormhill MP (1399-1371). This younger son was Thomas, who settled at Walton, and whose younger great grandson Godfrey was settled for life at Brimington Hall. He died without leaving any legitimate issue (a natural son, Godfrey Foljambe alias Brownlow went off to live in Staffordshire at Croxden) and the house was then granted to his nephew, George Foljambe (1532-1580). He seems to have been the builder of the house as we know it, but quite what his predecessor, Godfrey had left is unclear. The date of George’s building was around the time of his marriage to Ursula, daughter of Richard Whalley of Screveton, also in Nottinghamshire: c. 1554, making it just about Elizabethan. George’s tenure seems to have been for life, for when he died, the house and land, instead of passing to his daughter Troth, Lady Bellingham, reverted to his elder brother Sir Godfrey Foljabe of Walton, in whose line it descended, being used intermittently for younger sons and dowagers, until the time of Sir James Foljambe of Walton who, despite having been made a baronet in 1622, was facing considerable financial difficulties and was obliged to sell Brimington hall and estate in 1633 to Col. Gill, of a gentry family then recently settled further north in the county at Norton. Built of course rubble of Ashgate sandstone, probably culled from an adjacent outcrop, with ashlar dressings of the same stone. Its irregular plan is probably explained by slightly disorganized growth over the years from its first phase of building in the 1550s. The entrance front was particularly irregular, the entrance itself being set in a modest portico with a room above topped by a shaped gable and sandwiched between a tall gabled range set at right angles with an attic dormer and a lower range with the gable facing the front but embellished by a very charming two storey canted bay with a little hipped roof over. To the left was another gabled range, parallel to that flanking the left of the door, and the right ended with a gabled range parallel to that flanking the right hand side of the door: the effect was, nevertheless, one of great charm, with three and four light mullioned windows and paired diamond stacks rising from the stone slate roof. The tall range to the left of the entrance was echoed by a similar range on the garden front, embellished by a stone orial window at first floor level. This joined awkwardly to a pair of straight coped gables with chimneys rising from their apices and with eight, two mullioned windows seemingly distributed at random. To the right, a low single storey range with attics ran from one side of the house to the other. As the two large gables to the left of the garden front were of differing sizes and not set flush with each other, we may presume that they were built at marginally differing dates, but without the structure to examine in the flesh, disentangling the various alterations would appear to be a thankless task. Inside all we know is that there was a fine oak staircase, and that the main rooms had fine Sheffield School plaster ceilings, such as to this day survive at such places as North Lees (Hathersage), Cartledge and Brampton Halls. This exuberant plasterwork included a superb overmantel in the great chamber on the first floor replete with biblical figures, quotations from the Vulgate Bible and enclosed by terms at either end. One of the aspects of all this that makes me suggest that it would have received a pretty high statutory listing had it survived, is that it was never seriously rebuilt and seems to have retained its essential semi-vernacular Elizabethan fabric largely unaltered. The Gill family ended with an heiress who married into the local coal owning family of Heywood, the last of whom, George, was childless but left it to an heiress Hannah. She married D’Ewes Coke, who also had local commercial interests, despite having an inherited estate at Suckley in Worcestershire. In fact he was the representative of a junior branch of the Cokes of Trusley, whose ancestor George had been Bishop of Bristol and then of Hereford (1636-1646), where he had bought an estate. Joseph Wright painted a celebrated triple portrait of D’Ewes, and Hannah Coke with their cousin, Derby radical Tory MP Daniel Parker Coke, grouped in a landscape – either Brimington or Brookhill (Pinxton) – looking at a plan, presumably of an intended landscape, perhaps by William Emes of Bowbridge Fields (1729-1803). The picture dates to 1781-1782 and one version is in the collections of the Derby Museums Trust. Hannah looks pretty determined, and indeed, the family history records of her that ‘she was spoilt as a child’, which led to her becoming ‘rather disagreeable as an adult’! D P Coke, on the other hand, was well liked in Derby as being ‘animated, public spirited and honest’. I suggest that the landscape in the portrait might be Brookhill, for after Brookhill was rebuilt (probably by Joseph
Taste Derbyshire – Yummy Mummies
As childcare costs rise, two thirds of mums surveyed* said they would love to run a business from home. Taste Derbyshire spoke to three mums who have made the dream a reality by turning their passion for food into a family-friendly business. Sitting in a sun-drenched café in Derbyshire, Michelle Belsom and I are talking about our love of food and whether to indulge in a cookie with the giant Maltesers, the brownie with the cherries on top or plump for our mutual favourite; the fruit scone. Michelle offers to treat me as she’s not had time to eat. “I work lunch-times as a cook at a nursery school. I do 18 hours a week so I’m around to do the school pick-up and drop-off for my five-year-old son Jack,” she smiles. “It also gives me time for my side-hustle.” The side-hustle is her fledgling business Pickleberry Preserves, inspired by her son’s baby nickname ‘pickle’ and the berries she packs into her jars. Michelle, of Mickleover,is one of the increasing band of mothers attracted by the flexibility of becoming their own boss. The mum economy has grown by 30 per cent since 2013 according to a survey commissioned by eBay. Far from being a side-hustle, mums are helping to generate £7.2bn in revenues and support 204,000 jobs. “I always wanted to have a business related to food – it’s something I’ve loved doing ever since I was a child cooking with my nanna June. She was a game-keeper’s wife who made everything and when I got married in 2010 she gave me her preserving pan,” says Michelle (36), who was originally from North Yorkshire. “I’d always made cakes for family and friends and people were always telling me how much they loved the jam and curd fillings. When Jack was due to start school last September, I launched Pickleberry Preserves and realised I’d found my true passion – and a use for nanna’s pan.” As Michelle describes the process of perfecting her range of jams, marmalades and chutneys – she often rings the changes seasonally so look out for a summer special flavoured with Buck’s fizz – it turns out she must be the only woman in the country happy to spend Saturday nights in a hairnet slaving over a hot stove. “I spend a lot of time over steaming pans of sugary fruit, I’m not sure it will catch on as a facial but I love every minute,” she laughs. “I studied criminology and I’ve had corporate jobs but, throughout everything, I’ve had that deep connection with cooking and food. It’s at the heart of every family event, happy or sad – it’s what makes those occasions memorable. When I’m cooking, I’m at my most relaxed. If you’re going to run a business around your family, it may mean a lot of long hours – so make sure it’s something you really believe in.” She claims not to mind the packed time-table. “I get such wonderful feed-back and it’s great when customers send me pictures of my preserves on a table at someone’s Christmas dinner or party and I realise something I made was part of their life,” she says. “Running my business means I can plan my hours around Jack. He’s such a sweetheart. At one of the fairs, he stood by my stall yelling ‘It’s red so buy the jam’. I call him my helper-elf. My husband Rob is also a great help with my labelling, accounts and setting up at food fairs. He’s also there to say ‘You’ve got this’ when I’m having a wobble.” “Support from family, friends and a network of business people can make the difference between success or failure,” says Jenny Ryan, mum-of-two and founder of the Derby-based Women Rocking Business social networking group. “There’s a misconception that working from home means sitting on the sofa in your PJs and playing around on social media. The reality is lots of early starts and 2am finishes and it can be very isolating. I meet women who’ve only spoken to their children, partner and the postman all week. It’s not the easy option.” Jenny, a self-employed photographer, has been there and suffered burn-out as a result. “I think women are still seduced by the idea of ‘having it all.’ It’s tempting to think you can run a home, family and a business and have the house perfect again when your partner gets home. You have to make peace with the fact you can only do one thing at a time. If that means turning down work so you can help the children with homework or go to the park – that’s fine.” Ali Wand (38), who runs the Beautiful Food Company from her home in Quarndon, can testify to the benefits of Women Rocking Business meet-ups. “They are very informal, often held at coffee shops, and it’s great to feel part of a community,” she says. “Working from home can be isolating.” Although her mum is an ‘amazing cake-maker’, Ali discovered her talent for baking almost by chance. “My mum was retiring and her colleagues were talking about getting her a ready-made cake and I just thought a badly baked homemade cake would be better than a shop-bought one,” says Ali who is mum to Charlotte (14) and Lucy (12). “I used mum’s old Mark and Spencer recipe book to make a fruit cake and it worked beautifully. From then on, I always made birthday cakes for my girls, and friends started to ask if I’d make ones for them. But I was too self-conscious to charge very much and I realised selling to friends was a non-starter as a business.” When Ali moved to Quarndon in 2017 with her partner Chris Hands and his children Lexy (12) and Madison (10), she realised all those years perfecting her baking and sugar-craft techniques presented a ‘now or never’ opportunity. “We moved from South Normanton to Derby just before Charlotte was due to
RHS Chatsworth Flower Show
Brian Spencer looks back on 2018 when describing what will be on offer in 2019 Unlike Show Gardens at Chelsea, those at Chatsworth are far more practical, giving ideas for what can be created in the average domestic plot. Now in its third year at Chatsworth, the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) newest Show, RHS Chatsworth Flower Show partnered by Wedgwood Pottery will return to the magnificent 1,000acre Chatsworth Estate. Following the popularity of 2018 themes, the show will be bursting with exciting new content including a mass planting of thousands of Dahlia (Dalina Maxi) ‘Salinas’; an impressive Power of Trees feature and a spectacular floral immersion experience, to wow visitors and thrill the senses. The main theme of this year’s show celebrates the five senses of horticulture with the taste and smell of edible herbs, plants and flowers, the touch of a variety of natural textures, the sight of high summer colours and the sound of bees, grasses and tree listening. Inspired by the resounding success of last year’s Cosmos display when banks of that delicately colourful flower complimented the warm hues of the freshly cleaned stone of Chatsworth’s venerable walls, a mass planting of thousands of dahlias will create a striking vision of lilac and white. Designed to echo the iconic parterres of Chatsworth House, visitors will be able to walk amongst the blooms to fully enjoy the beauty of this vibrant summer flower. Well placed alongside Chatsworth’s magnificent woodlands, the important role trees play within our world will be explored in the new Power of Trees feature, showcasing some of the great ways trees enhance our lives. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB and Forestry Commission will showcase the vital and extensive role that trees have in our lives. Visitors will be encouraged to plant them at home in a bid to help battle climate change. There’ll be a tree nursery, storytelling, woodland crafts, carving, arborist talks and even tree listening in this exciting new zone. A virtual reality experience created by 3D expert and VR designer, Simon Mabey will engage visitors further in tree display as they experience the wonder of wildlife from the trunk to the treetop. Unlike show gardens at Chelsea, often far more suitable for the entrance to a top company’s head office foyer, those at Chatsworth are far more practical, giving ideas for what can be created in the average domestic plot. One of the highlights will include a show garden inspired by one of the RHS founders, John Wedgwood in ‘The Wedgwood Garden’ by horticulturalist and RHS Ambassador Jamie Butterworth. This colourful garden celebrates the power of horticulture and plants to connect people and unite communities. A special feature ‘The Brewin Dolphin Artists’ Garden’ will showcase the skills of a variety of artists from across the UK, including textile art, Japanese porcelain and basket weaving. Many of the themed gardens should give ideas for someone wanting to transform a domestic plot into a feature that will give pleasure and pride to its maker for years to come. If last year is anything to go by, there will be no over the top designs, such as the upside-down monstrosity one year, or concrete blocks rather than flowers. Local BBC listeners can see their station’s winning designs, the results of a competition across radio waves of the east Midlands. Judged by award winning designer Lee Bestall, the region is represented by three winners: BBC Radio Derby’s Haydon Vernon’s – ‘The Brewery Garden’ uses water as the theme which helped make Burton Upon Trent a prosperous brewing town. BBC Radio Sheffield’s Emily Barnes’ – ‘Elements of Sheffield’ celebrates the links the city has with the nearby Peak District. BBC Radio Stoke’s Colin and Mary Bielby’s – ‘An Imagined Miner’s Garden’ commemorates the Minnie Pit disaster on 12 January 1918 when 155 men and boys were killed – 2019 marks the 100 years since the last body was taken out of the mine in 1919. Experts will be speaking in the Potting Bench and Dig theatres at advertised times, alongside commercial growers on individual stands. Not to be missed will be the Floral Marquee bursting with the best on offer from 80 growers and nurseries throughout Britain; included alongside these will be RHS Chatsworth’s Master Grower Pennard Plants. There’s shopping galore and great community and schools competitions; there will be something for everyone at the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show from 5-9 June. 00
Walk Derbyshire – Thor’s Cave & The Manifold Valley
7 miles (11km): moderate trail and field-paths. Two steep climbs. Muddy sections. RECOMMENDED MAP: Ordnance Survey 1:25000 scale Outdoor Leisure Sheet 24, The Peak District, White Peak Area. BUS SERVICES: None beyond Hulme End. CAR PARKING: At Wetton Mill. REFRESHMENTS: at Wetton Mill café. This walk criss-crosses the Manifold Valley, climbing its steep sides twice along the way. The Manifold seems to be lesser known than its more popular neighbour, Dovedale, but this factor, if nothing else should encourage walkers to explore its beauties. For thirty years from almost the beginning of the twentieth century, a light railway followed the valley bottom all the way from Hulme End to Waterhouses on the Leek/Ashbourne road. Toy-like locomotives with huge headlamps below their tall funnels, hauled attractive yellow-liveried coaches three or four times a day up and down the dale. Originally intended to move milk in churns from farms in the upper valley, its business was soon taken over by road transport and although still popular with walkers and sightseers, its passenger trade was never enough to make the railway pay its way and, as a result the service closed down in the 1930s. With foresight the local authority took over the remaining track bed and turned it into an all-weather trail for walkers and cyclists. An exciting diversion early in the walk climbs up to Thor’s Cave where hyenas and sabre-toothed tigers had their lairs in pre-historic times. Later when Neolithic people came along, they used the cave as their home in times of danger. Centuries later on, during the unsettled years following the retreat of Roman administrators back to their homeland, the cave offered a safe place for Britons left behind in order to hold out against marauding land grabbers. Hidden treasure has been found in the area of the Manifold Valley. The walk starts and finishes at Wetton Mill, the only source of refreshment along the way. Originally water-powered the mill ground corn for the inhabitants of farms and villages on the surrounding uplands. Now owned by the National Trust, Wetton Mill is a popular stopping place for walkers and cyclists alike. Leaving the mill, the route follows the Manifold Trail as far as a footbridge on the left, crossing the frequently dry river bed at this point. A steep climb reaches Thor’s Cave before returning to turn left along the trail. This is then followed, swinging right with it to follow the River Hamps, upstream past a caravan site. After about half of a mile, a stile on the right is crossed before climbing a path, uphill to Grindon. Field paths following a side stream lead back down to the valley bottom and a left turn along the trail back to Wetton Mill. 1. From Wetton Mill turn left along the trail (surfaced). 2. Cross the Wetton/Butterton road at Dafar Bridge and continue along the trail for about half a mile, The River Manifold at this point frequently begins to disappear below ground, following a series of fissures downstream almost to Ilam. 3. Look out for a footbridge on your left and cross it to climb up to Thor’s Cave, returning to the trail in order to continue the walk. The portal of Thor’s Cave makes an excellent frame for the view across the dale. Bram Stoker, author of ‘Dracula’, used Thor’s Cave as the imaginary setting for his lesser known work, ‘The Lair of the White Worm’. A film made in 1988 loosely based on the novel used the cave in the dramatic blood-drenched opening sequences. 4. Retrace your steps back down into the dale and re-join the trail. Turn left and follow it for a little over a mile, crossing Weag’s Bridge along the way. 5. Where the Manifold is joined by the River Hamps, turn left to follow the trail, upstream along the Haps as far as a bridge over the river. 6. Do not cross the bridge, but turn right and cross a stile. 7. Follow the path, uphill roughly parallel to the trail and then bear leftwards still going steeply uphill. 8. Go through a gate beside the muddy remains of a pond and continue by path uphill with a wall on your right. Aim for the prominent spire of Grindon church dead ahead roughly a mile away. 9. Keep to the left of Buckfurlong Farm and out along the farm road. 10. Continue along a walled path, then right and immediately left when you reach the public road. Follow this lane as far as Grindon church. – No 11. refreshments, but the village and its church are well worth exploring. In 1862 the lord of the manor of Grindon went to Staffordshire Assizes in order to establish the rights of the rindle below the village. A ‘rindle’ is an intermittently flowing stream, why the squire should go to the expense of making such a claim on a very minor stream, albeit one which can dry up from time to time is unrecorded, but it was so important to him that he placed a stone making this claim near the church gate. 12. From the church go back down the side lane, almost to the road and turn 13. left on to a field path (signposted). 14. Go through stiles and cross a field, heading downhill towards a stream (the ‘rindle’). Cross it by a footbridge and bear right. 15. Still going downhill keeping the stream and a wood on your right. 16. Entering National Trust woodland at Ladyside, cross stiles all the way downhill back to the Manifold Valley Trail. 17. Turn left along the trail and follow it for a little under a mile, as far as Wetton Mill. Rambler +30
Restaurant Review – M.A.D.E @ No. 18
To spend 2 or 3 hours in one restaurant it has to be good. To spend the entire Friday evening at M.A.D.E.@No.18 it has to be exceptional and something different. It was early on a Friday evening that our taxi delivered us to M.A.D.E. @ No 18; a café-bistro at the top of the old market place in Alfreton. It has a unique style that is reminiscent of the fashionable bistros of the mid 1970s. It’s the place to enjoy scrumptious freshly made breakfasts, lunch with both traditional and Mediterranean dishes or afternoon tea. You can eat in the fully licensed cafe-bistro with its eclectic décor or dine alfresco on the terrace amid a cottage style garden. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, there’s a new venture to accompany their bistro style menu. We arrived at 6.30 in the evening to enjoy the bistro’s tapas and ‘take in a movie’. The interior of the bistro is deceptively spacious. We introduced ourselves to David, the owner, who showed us to a corner table where we could take in the atmosphere and study the tapas offerings. We nibbled on appetisers of olive oil, diced tomato and aioli on crispy toast while we lingered over our first glass of wine. Susan and myself chose 3 dishes each that we could share. They arrived in earthenware pots on 2 wooden platters. This is the sort of spread that you want to linger over. There was a dish of sliced, spicy Chorizo and cherry tomatoes in a honey and red wine dressing. This is a dish to be nibbled between sips of wine. Susan had ordered the calamari: 2 pieces of soft and succulent squid, dusted with flour and lightly grilled which was served with a Jerusalem artichoke purée. I’d selected the gambas al ajillo: seared prawns in a mild chilli and garlic oil. Full of flavour and very indulgent. Another of my selections was the albonbigas: meatballs in a smokey paprika based tomato sauce. A joint choice was the traditional Spanish dish of patatas bravas: potatoes served with a spicy sauce of tomato and mild chilli. Finally, every tapas has to have tortilla Espanola: a slice of a Spanish omelette. This generous portion was light and packed with the flavours of garlic, onion, potato and peppers. David was busy all evening; chatting to customers, dispensing wine and taking bookings for M.A.D.E. @ No 18’s very popular, mid-morning breakfast. There’s something magical about going to the cinema. The thought of enjoying a beautifully crafted piece of entertainment, surrounded by a few like-minded people, uninterrupted; all there and of one mind to enjoy the evening. As 8 o’clock approached we made our way, along with some of the other diners, to the ‘cinema’. With only 30 or so seats, split into 6 rows, the cinema isn’t large but the screen fills the end of the room and so occupies almost your entire field of vision. We settled in to our seats, re-claimed theatre seats from a London venue, with our popcorn and a bottle of chilled sauvignon blanc. There’s a lot of legroom between the rows; we had room for a narrow table to put our glasses on. This evening the film was Widows; a popcorn heist flick with a feminist soul. The original story was written by Lynda la Plante and serialised, many years ago, on ITV. Although the action in this up to date American version, has moved from London to Chicago director Steve McQueen has retained the original story’s concept of powerful female lead characters. There has been a screening of a diverse selection of films from a matinee showing of Mary Poppins Returns, aimed at a younger audience, to an early evening James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause and one of my favourite’s: the original Blade Runner, The Director’s Cut; another Friday evening treat; all parceled up and delivered in one place. It was 10.30 before we climbed back into our taxi. We’d enjoyed a memorable 4 hours of fabulous food, hospitality and entertainment. +30
Modern Collectibles – Royal Crown Derby Paper Weights
The Royal Crown Derby (RCD) china factory on Osmaston Road had been going since 1878 and received a Royal Warrant to prefix its name with ‘Royal’ in 1890. In 1935 the firm absorbed the King Street China factory, thereby acquiring a virtually unbroken ceramic tradition going back to the foundation of the original factory on Nottingham Road in 1750 or thereabouts. Since the later 20th century it has endured ups-and-downs, changes of ownership – some good, some less beneficial – and so on. The problem has always been to maintain sales at a level commensurate with keeping the company profitable. This has involved the marketing men, one of whom in 1981 suggested that to launch a range of anthropomorphic Imari painted paperweights might be a good idea. A modest range was introduced from that September and indeed, collectors liked them, although the first series were a little fragile and, being filled with sand, were heavy to post and leaked. The leakages were because the base was fitted with a gilt-metal stopper which could come loose. Consequently, the bodies were made stronger and were made more robust. The stoppers for the first seventeen of this revised range were ceramic and fired on, with a hole beside the position to aid firing. This, too was found to be unsatisfactory – the marketing men discovered the collectors did not like ceramic false stoppers. So from this point the gilt stoppers were re-introduced and the paperweights sold empty of sand, allowing the punter to install his own makeweight. The models were also boxed, and if you decide to collect these modest but attractive and colourful items, buying one with its box is absolutely essential. To date there seem to have been some 488 different models, mostly birds, animals and mythical creatures, but occasionally a building (a model of a typical pub called The Admiral Lord Nelson to commemorate Trafalgar’s 200th anniversary in 2005 for instance) or other less animate object, like crowns. A miniature range numbering some 50 different designs was also introduced, although how effective these would be at holding down one’s papers in a stiff breeze is open to question. Models were ‘retired’ and replaced by new ones regularly, thus ensuring rarity and other commemorations made. Indeed, to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the entire paperweight range in 2002, a special seven-sided gilt metal stopper was introduced on a limited basis. To buy these paperweights new from RCD tends to be expensive, for each one is hand-decorated by one of the company’s china painters, so no two are exactly alike. Hence today prices range from a modest £100 for a Blue Tit, through to a gilt butterfly for £180, a golden eagle (close) for £335, to the giddy heights of the Old Imari gold band limited edition swan which will leave you with but a fiver in change from a £600 punt. If you are going to collect, you have to buy second hand; at auction is perhaps best. Bamford’s recently had a howling wolf on offer estimated at £40-60 (boxed) and an unboxed lama at £25-35 with gold stopper. For smaller ones, we tend to lot them in groups, especially if lacking boxes. On e-bay too bargains may be had. I noticed one called Boris on offer at £70, and clicked upon it wondering if it was a caricature of a well-known blonde politician, but – alas! – it turned out to be a rather nice badger introduced in February 2006 and priced at £70, although when I was young, badgers tended to be called Bill and were friends of Rupert. A popular paperweight from 2003 was a limited-edition Derby County ram decorated by Sue Rowe which retailed at £95. Only 200 were made, so today that would turn out to be a good investment, with prices ranging recently from £120 to an eye-watering £275. Another popular one is the well-known meerkat from a certain TV advertisement and named (ironically) after a member of a Russian Princely family. From an initial price of over £100, examples with gold stopper and box are turning up ranging from £55 to £95 – clearly you need to buy second hand: simples. Incidentally, you will encounter examples with silver coloured stoppers – sometime quite difficult to distinguish from certain gold coloured ones, so care is needed when examining them. These are to distinguish ‘seconds’ from top quality examples, and command somewhat lower prices. If you want to collect them for the sheer enjoyment of their varied forms and vivid colours, then silver stoppers might suit your taste and pocket. But if you require quality, and something which will, if you keep it long enough, represent a reasonable investment, you need to buy examples unchipped with colours uncompromised, with gold coloured stoppers and with box of sale in good condition. Furthermore, some limited editions, like the Derby County ram, do appreciate well, although not much movement on The Lord Nelson as yet, I’m afraid. They are always marked on the underside and carry the usual RCD date, so you can date your acquisitions, too. Nevertheless, if you buy on-line or at auction, you can if you are lucky pick up items at a very reasonable cost and indeed at auction you might catch one of the rarer ones at an affordable price. 00
All About The Eyes – Clarins
New 4 Colour Pen £28 Fun, practical and innovative, Clarins multi-use make-up pen, loved by women the world over, is back! New shades, new packaging and all the magic of an all-in-one, these easy to apply automatic pens feature 3 eye liners and 1 lip liner using a retractable function meaning you can wave goodbye to sharpeners. Half skin care, half make-up, all colours are enriched with sunflower wax complex, jojoba and black acacia to nourish and comfort eyes and lips. Introducing two NEW harmonies: Harmony 1 Deep Black eye liner Blue Marine eye liner Forest Green eye liner Rosewood lip liner Harmony 2 Deep Black eye liner Platinum Grey eye liner Essential Brown eye liner Clarins Red lip liner The four retractable colours are easy to apply and perfect for any complexion. Mascara Supra Volume £22 Clarins has reinvented its volumising mascara, with a blend of plant waxes at the heart of its formula that will coat and shape each lash, leaving them perfectly supple, for exceptional and long-lasting volume. The Clarins revolutionary ‘Volume Booster Complex’ Proven ‘Lash-Thickening’ effectiveness Clarins laboratories have developed a new ‘Volume Booster’ Complex: an unprecedented combination of key ingredients that help thicken lashes. With repeated application, your lashes increase in volume. Lash volume increases +17.6%* after 4 weeks of use. Volume: At the heart of the formula are carnauba wax powder and cassie flower forming a film on lashes to coat and shape each lash. Strength: Lashes are strengthened through the action of the panthenol contained in the formula. Definition: Ultra-supple brush fibres gently hug lashes to help even application and intense clump-free colour. The conical tip provides precise application to the inner and outer corners of the eye. Supra Volume Mascara is dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested. *Clinical Study: evaluation of lash care effect on bare lashes – 30 women – 4 weeks For more information and to buy online visit www.clarins.com Mascara Supra Volume This mascara has a lovely full brush which makes application nice and easy, it also builds length nice and smoothly without having lumpy bits. In all, I found it to be a great product as always from Clarins. JP Colour Pen Great idea to have 3 eyeliners and 1 lipliner in one applicator. It’s really easy to use, colours are great and blend well. A really quirky product. VP. 00
Celebrity Interview – Sergei Podobedov
A strand of his wispy hair falls over bushy eyebrows as Sergei Podobedov, dressed in a dark T-shirt and casual trousers, makes coffee. There’s nothing unusual about his demeanour as he goes about everyday tasks without taking undue care of his hands. But this isn’t a manual labourer or someone who’s been thrust into the uppermost echelons of celebrity without having a talent. This is a Russian-born classical pianist who’s given concerts all over the world – and he’s living in Belper. He admits he doesn’t do any heavy lifting. Otherwise he just gets on with life, paying little attention to the dynamic digits that have catapulted him to the top of his profession. His hands aren’t even insured. I first came across Sergei when some friends invited my wife and I to a concert he was giving last September at the Strutts Centre in Belper where he also practises. Everyone who experienced it was captivated by his dexterity, natural ability and mastery of the piano. I also wondered how someone with his virtually unparalleled talent had made his home in Derbyshire and was playing at the former Herbert Strutt School. “I don’t know. It has something to do with the laws of the universe!” he told me. “I had a studio in London but I had to move because the house was going on sale. I wanted a change. So a friend in Bonsall invited me to stay on her farm for a couple of months. “I thought ‘I really like it here’ and eventually I ended up with friends who invited me to stay long-term. It’s all their fault!” During our chat 46-year-old Sergei laughs a lot. He speaks confidently and eloquently. On occasions he takes his time answering questions but that’s not because he has problems with the language; he’s thinking deeply about what he wants to say. He’s obviously content in his new surroundings which are unlike London: “It’s really nice here. Everybody is so friendly – it’s a different world.” When he was in the capital he enjoyed practising at night. He can do the same in Belper. But if you drive past the Strutts Centre in the early hours, don’t expect to see lights on in the building when he’s playing his piano – he likes to practise in the dark. “If you see lights it’s probably because someone forgot to switch them off! But to me the atmosphere in this building is very positive. He says those who attended last September’s concert were “fantastic”. They were “a very warm audience and I feel that I’m somehow useful to the community, which for me is important.” The programme included Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 14, the “Moonlight” Sonata, as well as Schumann and Chopin. He maintains that he tries to practise “as efficiently as possible” and doesn’t want to do too much. But he confesses he had to work hard on the Chopin Mazurka that he played for an encore. “It’s a very short piece, it’s very simple. But basically I practised the last two lines for a whole night. I sat down around one o’clock in the morning and by the time I felt that I owned those last two lines, I think it was around nine. But then once you’ve done that you own the piece.” Sergei Podobedov was born in 1972, growing up in Moscow and spending three summer months in a Black Sea resort. He started playing the piano when he was five or six. “My mother was a first violin in one of the major orchestras in the Soviet Union. I grew up in an orchestra because she took me to all the rehearsals and concerts. And I listened to a lot of records when I was a kid. “I was fond of every possible instrument. I think she was a bit apprehensive when I was near the violin because she always said it’s torture for a child to start playing it.” He chuckles loudly before explaining what drew him to the piano. “I went to a concert where my mother’s orchestra was playing. There was Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1 on the programme and I came back home and started listening to it obsessively. “My uncle came for my birthday and he brought a recording of the concerto by Emil Gilels (regarded as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century). He told me ‘this is better than the pianist you are listening to’. “I listened to it and I didn’t like it at first. But after listening to it a few times I thought ‘it is better!’ Gilels has amazing sound which was uniquely his own. In terms of musical breath it was completely different. Other recordings weren’t so alive. “Since then I’ve heard many recordings of the concerto. Some of them are great but there’s still nothing like Gilels. I guess you can’t really explain it but it will always remain something very special.” Sergei made his orchestral debut when he was 12. Shortly afterwards he went to the Moscow Central School of Music. “We got a sense of what it’s like to be on tour and what it’s like to play on all sorts of instruments in all sorts of circumstances. It was fun.” Six years later, in 1990, he came to London to study at the Royal College of Music which he describes as a “great experience”. He and another pianist were the first two Russians ever to study at the College. Its patron was the Queen Mother who that year celebrated her 90th birthday. Sergei played for her and was invited back the following year to do a joint concert with Sir John Gielgud who read poetry. It’s another event which Sergei remembers as being “very special”. Since then Sergei has played all over the world including the United States, Paris and, surprisingly, Turkey where he says audiences for classical music are “amazing”. He has performed at London’s Wigmore Hall, the Tchaikovsky
Stowe Gardens
One of Capability Brown’s earliest works, Stowe Gardens in Buckinghamshire was looking at its best when Brian Spencer visited it during a recent autumn break. The gardens of Grade 1 listed Stowe House are the idyllic setting for Stowe School. The public school sits at the top of rising ground overlooking grounds that are, as the master gardener Capability Brown probably said, now looking at their best, having matured over three centuries. Our visit coincided with the sturdy beeches being decked in colours ranging from varying shades of yellow to brightest orange; their fallen leaves made patterns on the still waters of ornamental ponds dug by the hands of eighteenth century navvies. The original estate was built by Sir George Gifford (1498-1557) whose wealth was based on wool. Very early in the fortunes of Stowe, the place became a popular venue for visits of the great and the good. This interest prompted later owners to expand the garden, making it an ideal retreat for politicians looking for somewhere to meet and plot with their confrères, and maybe meet up with their lady friends on the odd occasion. Throughout the years the different owners all seem to have been able to extend the work of their predecessors, bringing in the top architects and garden designers of their day. Throughout the 1700s the house and its grounds were a hive of activity, starting with architects of their day, such as Charles Bridgeman and then Sir John Vanbrugh, designer of Blenheim Palace. He worked on Stowe for six years until his sudden death in 1726 and was followed by James Gibbs whose speciality was the English Baroque style – a feature that shows itself in both the house and the garden’s stone-work. Most gardeners will agree that gardens take time to develop. In the case of Stowe, the time lapse was decades, almost running into centuries. Most of the work on Stowe Gardens took place in the mid-1700s. It was during this time that the young Lancelot Brown who had moved to Buckinghamshire as a free-lance garden designer, came to the notice of Lord Cobham at Stowe. He became head gardener, working closely with James Gibbs the architect responsible for the house and William Kent who had already laid out features such as the Elysian Fields, Temple of Ancient Virtue and also the Temple of English Worthies. It was while Brown was developing Stowe’s gardens that he developed the style which was to give him the nickname ‘Capability’. Continuing Kent’s work, he laid out the garden making it look as natural as possible, in what became known as the Serpentine, or English style. As can be seen at Stowe, the central features are inter-linked winding, or ‘serpentine’ lakes joined by bridges and cascades; all this is surrounded by follies, encircling carriage drives and clumps of trees. All of his work has now grown to maturity, confirming Brown’s opinion of the garden’s ‘capability’. It was during Capability Brown’s tenure at Stowe that his ideas and skills came to the notice of the fashionable elite of the country and so in 1751 he left Lord Cobham’s employment at Stowe, to spend the rest of his working life advising the owners of great estates of the ‘capabilities’ of their properties. At the zenith of its popularity, Stowe became the ideal meeting place where politicians came to unwind and discuss strategies with their fellow MPs. Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger rented the estate at one time, making it an early version of Chequers the grace and favour residence of future prime ministers. Like many grand houses and their estates, Stowe has passed its usefulness as a place where the great and good of society could use their wealth. Due to escalating maintenance costs, Stowe had to be found other uses. The result was that the house became a public school and the gardens given over to the care of the National Trust. While the house and the school’s sports facilities are not open to the public, visitors can stroll round the gardens and parkland on any day of the year. Like visitors from earlier times, the entrance to the 750 acre estate and its 40 listed historic monuments and temples is past the imposing Corinthian Arch and the Oxford Gates; the latter incidentally are built of wrought iron salvaged from a World War One German battleship. Long before Stowe gardens became a National Trust property, the then current owners realised that it was necessary to provide somewhere for visitors to stay, or at least rest and take some refreshment. The New Inn close by the entrance was built to provide this and it now serves as an entry and information point at the start of a tour round the gardens. Although no longer providing overnight accommodation it does offer excellent meals and light refreshments, all to the usual high standards of the National Trust. The New Inn also houses a useful information section where, along with a note detailing the birds currently seen around the grounds, as well as being the start of walks guided by experienced National Trust staff. The short Bell Drive leads down to the start of the graded paths that meander over the gently sloping land on either side of the lakes and past monuments and temples. Children are well catered for with the choice of three walks, non-more than 1.3 miles in length. Even for adults, a walk around the garden need not be too exhausting; the following is just one of the strolls on offer and because we did it on our visit, we can say it was most enjoyable. 00
Restaurant Review – Alfreton Golf Club
The carvery is a brilliant concept; a meal served in a pub or a restaurant where cooked meat is freshly sliced to order for diners, served in a buffet style for a fixed price. It lends itself, in a casual way, to the traditional Sunday lunch. But all too often we associate it only with the large pub and hotel chains and their corporate style of cooking. Myself and Susan had been invited to try the Sunday lunch carvery at Alfreton Golf Club where everything is cooked from fresh and served by husband and wife team Steve and Sharron Slater. The Sunday roast dinners of my childhood were huge, drenched in gravy and always accompanied by Two Way Family Favourites on the radio. So, with the promise of home cooking, how would this, our first visit to a carvery, measure up? You don’t have to be a member to visit Alfreton Golf Club and it isn’t large. It’s only 11 holes, and for that reason it’s very friendly. The car park is in front of the entrance. A few paces up to the door, through the foyer and you’re into the club house bar. From the bar area there are pleasant views of the manicured greens. The carvery has it’s own space; beyond the bar area in more intimate surroundings. We had been greeted at the well stocked bar, where I ordered our lunchtime drinks, and shown to a beautifully presented table for 2. I noticed that the other tables were a mix of sizes catering for couples and families: small and large. Unhurried, we made our way over to the carvery counter and picked up our ‘proper’ size dinner plates. There were 3 meats on the carving platters: a boned out turkey joint that was all meat and very moist, a blush pink gammon joint with a roasted finish and, my choice, a large piece of roast beef, still a bit pink in the middle, complete with just enough dark yellow fat. Steve carved me 2 generous, thick slices. All the meats are supplied by local butcher, Owen Taylor. Next to the meats was a tray of pigs in blankets and sage and onion stuffing balls. Susan chose the 4th mains option: a serving of beef casserole that was rich with meat and had a deep beef flavour. It was topped with a cheese, scone style, cobbler that was beginning to absorb the meaty juices. The cheese didn’t overwhelm the cobbler but lightly seasoned it. All the vegetables were beautifully cooked. The carrots still had a little bit of bite to them, the cabbage was green, vibrant and the flavour had not been washed away. There was cauliflower and broccoli in a tangy cheese sauce but my favourite was the cabbage and smoked bacon in a cream sauce. There was a hint of the smoky bacon in the savoury sauce that coated the tender cabbage and by the way the dish was disappearing it was a real crowd-pleaser. There were two potato dishes on offer: a buttery mash that was seasoned with a hint of pepper and a large tray of roast potatoes; golden brown with crispy edges. The stuff a generous serving of beef is crying out for. And finally, the roast parsnips. A much maligned root crop that has attracted some unpleasant folklore; but not here. This sweet, healthy, nutritious vegetable had been roasted to perfection. Yorkshire puddings are the make or break ingredient of a good Sunday roast and these ticked all the boxes. They were whoppers and served with lashings of gravy. They’d been cooked in beef dripping and were crisp on the outside with a soft inner that melted in the mouth. Something that big would fight for space with the vegetables on the plate and so, for that reason it adorned, like a crown, the very top of the meat and veg. There was a choice of 3 homemade puddings to finish the meal: a syrup sponge and 2 cheesecakes. We shared a slice of the fresh fruit cheesecake. It had a crisp biscuit base, a smooth filling and topped with a generous helping of fresh fruit. It had been a ‘proper’ Sunday roast complete with all the ‘comfort food’ vegetables and lashings of gravy. The only things that were missing (for those who remember) were the voices of Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe. The restaurant service is available for most of the time that the golf club is open; with a later finishing time during the Summer. However, the carvery is only available on Sunday. For the rest of the week there’s a varied menu; from afternoon tea to the usual pies, salads, filled baguettes, steaks and of course, fish and chips. The Golf Club can cater for a range of events and special occasions: weddings, birthday parties, christenings, baby showers and is a peaceful setting for a respectful funeral reception. 00
