Life Observed

Back in the days when pubs were full of cigarette smoke (remember that?) you could get pictures with "atmosphere" like this from around 1990. These days they seem to think that a stage performance needs "atmosphere" adding from hidden smoke machines. I hate to think what is in the atmosphere.

The Earl of Keynsham planned to keep ordinary people out of his toilets by introducing a stiff one penny entry fee. Eventually there came a time when even a common journeyman Hedge-Scrounger could command this sum for a day's light Birch weaving, so the Earl had to adopt stronger measures.

It is a little known fact that Leonardo da Vinci's ideas did not always work. Extensive secret archaeology has uncovered this early siege engine experiment. Leonardo was attempting to make a big hole in the castle defences by gathering a large number of small holes together. The unfinished nature of the works indicates that on this occasion, better counsels prevailed.

Imagine having a place where you could put all the stuff you want to forget about. An Oubliette. Imagine having an estate so large that you had a choice of Oubliettes...

We had a holiday at Tyntesfield recently. When the hoardes have gone home, you have the place to yourselves and can get a people free picture of the property at sunset. How must it have been to have owned all this?