Tattershall Castle. Lincolnshire........

..............pictured during a run out that way - a change from flowers!
Brick castles are more uncommon in England than stone or earth and timber constructions; when brick was chosen as a building material it was often for its aesthetic appeal or because it was fashionable. The trend for using bricks was introduced by Flemish weavers. There was plenty of stone available nearby, but Cromwell chose to use brick. About 700,000 bricks were used to build the castle, which has been described as "the finest piece of medieval brick-work in England".
It has its origins in either a stone castle or a fortified manor house, built by Robert de Tattershall in 1231 This was largely rebuilt in brick, and greatly expanded, by Ralph, 3rd Lord Cromwell, Treasurer of England, between 1430 and 1450. Tattershall was put up for sale in 1910. Its greatest treasures, the huge medieval fireplaces, were still intact. When an American bought them they were ripped out and packaged up for shipping, Lord Curzon of Kedleston stepped in at the eleventh hour to buy the castle and was determined to get the fireplaces back. After a nationwide hunt they were found in London and returned. He restored the castle and left it to the National Trust on his death in 1920's. Lord Curzon had undertaken restorations on it between 1911 and 1914. It remains today one of the three most important surviving brick castles of the mid-fifteenth century.

I had a phone call at about 8.30am from the decorator - could he start today!! Rather short notice but what could I say but YES please. So I left him to get on with it. He seems to have worked hard and the room is now stripped ready to be lined prior to painting. We were both surprised how good the plaster work is considering the property is 126 years old - no cracks whatsoever. With good luck and a "fair wind" he hopes to be finished by Wednesday night. All I now have to decide is if I want him to do some more in other rooms! Depends on the pennies!

A day of sunshine and showers but temperature is at 71 Deg.F now at 4.0pm. so not bad at all.

Hope you all have had as good - if disruptive - a day I've had.