Apostle Wood

Looking north-east at the sweeping bend with Haugh Wood on the horizon. A tranquil scene on an August evening.

Rapeseed also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed, is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family). The name derives from the Latin for turnip, rāpa or rāpum, and is first recorded in English at the end of the 14th century.

Rapeseed also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed, is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family). The name derives from the Latin for turnip, rāpa or rāpum, and is first recorded in English at the end of the 14th century.

The mansion of Holme Lacy built by Viscount Scudamore remained, until 1909, the family seat of the Earls of Chesterfield.

In the fields at Holme Lacy.

A postie is having a quiet skive here hidden from the road and village by the sports centre. When I say quiet skive I mean carefully planning out his itinerary, re-prioritising his morning, taking a well earned allocated break, responding to customer needs, communicating with colleagues on a matter of urgency etc.

The flood plain is starting to get covered with water, more from persistant rain than the flooded river.

The flood water has nearly cut them off.

Hotel and restaurant, recently refurbished.

Grade I listed Holme Lacy is mentioned in the Domesday Book, the name means "low lying meadow belonging to the Lacys". The church is located 400m from the river Wye some 2km from Holme Lacy village. An old medieval village may have been located nearby, but no trace now remains. The church was built in the 13th C. and developed until the 17th C. It was extensively repaired in 1924. It consists of a west tower, six bay nave with square piers and two bay chancel, with south aisle (almost the same width as the nave). There is a north transept, south chapel and south porch. The oldest part of the church is the south-east corner which is 13th C. The church was altered and enlarged in 14th C. when the chancel, nave, south aisle and tower were built, although the upper stages were not completed until later. There are 8 bells. The north transept was added in late 16th to early 17th century. A font was provided by the Scudamore family in 17th C. with cherub's heads and acanthus leaves. Continuous plaster barrel ceilings were added around 1660. Repairs in 1924 centred on strengthening and straightening the nave arcade, an additional pier was inserted in the easternmost bay. The nave has a modern dormer window above the westernmost nave window. The chancel has a 13th C piscina and several 14th C windows. It is separated from the south aisle by a 13th C. 2 bay arcade. There is another piscina here; it was possibly a chantry chapel. There are several monuments to the Scudamore family here including effigies of John Scudamore and his wife Sibell on a base with Scudamore and Vaughan coats of arms. On the north wall of the chancel is a monument to James Scudamore and may be the work of Grinling Gibbons. The monument to his wife Jane is next to it. The south chapel contains a monument to James, 3rd Viscount Scudamore with cherubs and skulls. It is said to be a copy of the monument to James II of England in Paris. There are 9 vaults beneath the church. John and Sibell Scudamore, the first second and third Viscounts and other members of the Scudamore family are buried there. There is a small set of medieval misericords from 15th C. in the south aisle, and an organ by Norman & Beard of 1913 in the north west corner of the nave. Outside the church is an old churchyard cross, possibly 14th C. only the lower part is original.