Warwick Castle

I went off on a 2 day coach trip last weekend, to see Warwick Castle and Chatsworth House.
Okay - am sure Warwick Castle would be great for kids, especially with the Horrible Histories performances there - but I hadn't realised that the castle was, to all intents run as a sort of theme park.
 It's owned by the same folks who run Alton Towers, was formerly owned by Tussauds and I went, judging it on National Trust and English Heritage standards - so my bad I guess!
Anyway a few pics to give you a brief flavour - AND - some pics of the most flaunty (ridiculous) lampshades, EVER!

 I went looking for textiles but for some reason patchwork seemed to jump out at me, shapes that is - an impressive ceiling -

love that shade of green

This painting, of who ever she is, was interesting,

although its a crap photo sorry!

The lass looks young and in her right hand is a white feather, presumably symbolising innocence and purity ( maybe even virginal?).

However, her left hand is holding her skirt ruched up and it was suggested that she may have been posed like that,

to symbolise fertility!

I guess the painting was an early method of advertising your

daughter for dating!

Smart pelmets -

and these windows made me think of fussy cut fabrics -

and how about this below for a frame!!

This pendant light was actually rather pretty, doesn't it remind you of those little 1950s English pottery flower broaches?

Okay about those lampshades - heres one -

Like I said, it was formerly owned by Tussauds so there were waxworks dotted about ...

I quite liked this bathroom scene, but only because the wall tiles are hexis and I've never seen tiles that shape in any other old houses.

Okay, now here you get more of a feel for the design of the frothy lampshades lol

 

 

Having exhausted interest in the castle, a wander in Warwick and low!  The Quilters Den in Smith Street called out to me.

I found some nicely patterned white on white fabrics and the lady in the shop was making a dolphin in 3/8" hexis.

It's a copy of something she had seen on the Isles of Scilly.

 

Loved the colours in this quilt hanging here -