Towards The Hill - # 89/10

First, I should thank those of you who so kindly replied to my message on yesterday's posting.

Today, let's continue the very simple return to old fundamentals.  This is the view towards the famous Richmond Hill as seen from the footpath alongside the old St. Peter's Church, which dates from Saxon times.  A Christian church has stood here for about 1,000 years, and even before that men were dwelling around about close to the river and on the heights above.  Even 400,000 years ago during the interglacial Paleolithic period the precursors of modern man were right here.

I like the view for the rooflines and of course the Autumn colours enhance it.

For the technically minded, the photo was taken on the Olympus E3 using the remarkably sharp and clear Olympus 50mm f2.0 lens.

Oh merrie Thames! See......... - # 09/22

………..how broad-shouldered Rhone and Rhine do thrust and jostle their rumbustuous way to South and North, seeking by sheer superfluity of volume to make their mark upon this tiny globe.


But thou, oh bright, happy stream, dost flow, modest and gently sparkling, beguilingly from West to East, thus capturing with cunning wit the wisdom of all the universe in thy sun-arced track.

Richmond Bridge under grey November skies - # 08/261

Well, we go from Birkett-Foster ( http://www.postershop.co.uk/Birkett-Foster-M/Birkett-Foster-M-Richmond-Hill-Surrey-2501391.html ) and my interpretation of his "Richmond Hill" - (thank you Richard of Zurich: I do indeed sometimes kid myself that I am a far better artist - Tee Hee!) - to this view, equally true, but on another day and looking East towards the old bridge (1778) and Richmond Hill instead of West from the top of The Hill.

The spectacular sunset and reflections on the water, yesterday, were indeed real, just as the grey overcast here, today, is real.

The "fault" in yesterday's splendid artefact is a degree of "over-sharpening". I was playing in my trial version of Adobe Lightroom 2.1 - a magnificent archiving and post-processing tool. But in spite of the over sharpening, the rest, colour, sunset, general scene are REAL!!! How lucky I am to live here.

Travelling through - # 08/260

It's always nice to have friends drop in.

A month ago Julie from http://plumbingthedeeps.typepad.com/sydney_eye/ came to Richmond upon Thames and we were able to show her "The View" from Richmond Hill. Four "narrow boats" (standard British Gauge canal barges - narrow because our canals were mostly completed by 1810) put on a show for her and a "Turneresque" sunset played itself out in the west as a violent-looking storm cloud approached from the east and north behind us.

Any CDP blogger passing this way is always welcome to drop in.

Towards Richmond Hill - # 08/146

This shot was taken back in March '08. Looking through the elegant span of Richmond Lock (here, the portage slips for canoes and skiffs) we can see the 1933 by-pass road bridge, the railway bridge, and in the distance the apartments along the terrace at the top of Richmond Hill. The original 1778 Richmond Bridge is just visible at the very back if you look hard at the left hand far end.

Cow heaven - # 08/88

The cows have returned to Petersham Meadows after their winter in covered quarters.

Yesterday the cows returned!!! They rushed out of the wagon into the meadow and did a circuit at the gallop around the whole field. They have been in wintering sheds for 6 months and have returned for their 6 months on open grass.

The calves were born in January and have not seen grass or the open meadow until today. See here how they kick their heels and frolic around the meadow alongside their mothers.

Cows on the meadow are an integral part of "the View from Richmond Hill". See: http://www.petershammeadows.org/

Take a balanced view of things - # 08/47

There's always a nice shot, even on grey, damp, apparently featureless days. Coming up over the crest of a slope on Richmond Hill I saw "the Hotel", "the Tree", and "the Church Tower" (lower down) - a nice threesome: I was in the right position to see the symmetry.

Camera: Olympus E3

The sunset that yesterday's Post was looking at - # 310

A few days ago the weather forecaster predicted some stunning sunsets. He wasn't wrong!

I took 34 shots on Richmond Hill, and this is one. We are looking due west from Richmond Terrace and you can see the river curving away as it forms the "View from Richmond Hill" (protected by Act of Parliament in 1902).

Autumn sunset on Richmond Hill - # 309

I liked the lovely glow cast by the setting sun on this lone figure enjoying the last minutes of daylight on Richmond Hill.

Richmond Hill, at night from across the river - # 282

....another unusual shot, looking towards the famous Terrace above the river on Richmond Hill. I am standing on the opposite bank to catch the reflections in the river. The white streak in the sky is an airliner on its descent path to land at Heathrow, 15 miles away. The large building on the right is the Star and Garter home for wounded ex-servicemen, (still full today even after its foundation in 1920). I wonder what Karl Moritz would have made of this "Vision of Britain" had he seen it on his visit to Richmond in 1782.
http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/text/contents_page.jsp?t_id=Moritz

Autumnal refelction - # 245

As nights draw in and the weather gets chillier it's time to seek the cosier atmospheres of "the great indoors", but also to appreciate the natural colours of frosts, mists, damp air, and the colours of autumn leaves. This is an opportunity to experiment with reflections and colours discovered around Richmond upon Thames.

The Queen Victoria is a small, intimate "one room" pub on Hill Rise - being in the bar is like being in your own cosy livingroom 100 years ago. I prefer the colour photo, but found it hard to choose, so I've also included the B&W version and left the decision to you. Which one do you like? Assuming you like them at all!

Time to move on - # 155

It's Karl's last evening in Richmond before he moves on. We will be following him for a short distance.

I have succeeded in finding one inn that Karl Moritz really did see (but did not stay in), and he would recognise it even today. The Roebuck on Richmond Hill has held that name at least since 1729 - probably longer - and the building looks much the same as it did then.

Here we are, watching the sun set over the famous "view from Richmond Hill". Karl waits patiently while I tweak my camera and get a well balanced exposure as the night draws in.

Over our drink, Karl and I chat about Britain and Europe and the unending conflicts of interest, the ongoing conflict between the "Celtic fringe" and the English, "globalisation" as unstoppable English capitalism seems to be accidentally encircling the world, the amazing openness of Britain and problems of old tradition in modern society, corruption in politics, the stresses caused by industrialisation and the move to the cities, climatic catastrophes and floods, the loss of the American colonies, but the immense value of the growing Indian trade, and the growing importance of education and science, and the importance of the modern financial system that is making London so important to world trade.

Obviously, very little has changed since 1782, and Karl and I could communicate easily.

German guest suffers British weather: true! - # 148

(some readers have made special requests which are noted and will be handled as "off piste" extras in due course).

So, Karl rises very early to catch the sunrise over "the view" from Richmond Hill. We then have a piece of comedy in his letter where he describes his total frustration being locked into the inn and unable to rush out for about 2 hours. He laments the "late rising" of the English inn staff. Arriving on the hill he is greeted by cloud, and deeply disappointed. But, in spite of the cloud, this picture looks good to me.

This photo is therefore pretty well the sort of snap that Karl would have taken. The white building down among the trees was already there forty years before Karl came. The hotel, built in 1865, more or less replaces other buildings he would have seen on the spot in 1782.

But, OH SHOCK AND HORROR....a Victorian business man, who owned the island in the river, proposed putting up huge advertising hoardings in 1898 to catch the eyes of the visitors on the hill! This was the last straw, and the movement to protect the view gained strength, forcing the Act of Parliament in 1902.