Postcard Friday #10: Ferry Meadows

Ferry Meadows is the 200ha (500acre) Country Park located at the heart of Nene Park in Peterborough.

Postcard Friday #9: Guildhall

Guildhall (1669-1671) is located in Cathedral Square, Peterborough city centre.

According to Wikipedia, Peterborough's magnificent 17th century Guildhall was built shortly after the restoration of King Charles II. It is supported by columns to provide an open ground floor for the butter and poultry markets which used to be held there. The market place was later renamed Cathedral Square.

Postcard Friday #8: Town Hall, Bridge Street

This postcard shows Bridge Street during winter, which is located in Peterborough city centre. In the middle of this old picture is the iconic Peterborough Town Hall, which was built in the early 1930s. This building is still being used by Peterborough City Council as offices and also includes the ceremonial parts like the Mayor's Parlour and the Council Chamber. I have been to the Town Hall a few times, most memorably when our family took oath as British citizens two Decembers ago in the Council Chamber.

Postcard Friday #7: The Custom's House

Here's a description of the Custom's House according to The City Scene for Peterborough magazine (pp 4-5 of December 2011 issue):

Postcard Friday #6: Peterborough Cathedral Cloisters

This postcard shows the Peterborough Cathedral Cloisters. You can go to it via a huge door from the Cathedral's right side. If you wish to go directly to it there is a pathway to the right of the Cathedral in which you can go to.

Postcard Friday #5: Peterborough Cathedral from top

Peterborough Cathedral is one of the finest Norman buildings in Europe today and is a UK landmark.

As seen from the top, you will see that Peterborough Cathedral is shaped like a cross. Personally, this postcard is very interesting to look at. I'm imagining myself hovering at the top and looking down below. The cathedral is just as amazing from the top as below.

The origins of the Cathedral can be traced back to King Peada of the Middle Angles who founded the first monastery on the site in 655AD. The monastic settlement was almost entirely destroyed by the Vikings in 870 and rebuilt as a Benedictine Abbey between 960 and 970. The Abbey church then survived Hereward the Wake’s attack on the Abbey in 1069, and remained intact until an accidental fire destroyed the second Abbey here in 1116. It was rebuilt in its present form between 1118 and 1238. It became the Cathedral of the new Diocese of Peterborough in 1541 and it is now known as the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew.

Source: Peterborough Cathedral



Postcard Friday #4: Bishop's Gardens

Bishop's Garden in Peterborough is a small ornamental garden just south of Peterborough Cathedral and north of The Lido. Bounded by Bishop's Road, the garden was created as part of the Bishop's palace in the 14th century. The gardens, unlike the palace, is open to the public and is nicely laid out with rose beds and various other features.

Postcard Friday #3: Rivergate

Rivergate is one of the smaller shopping centres found in Peterborough city centre. I don't go to this place very often these days. From memory national retailers like Comet and Peacocks are just some of the shops you can find in Rivergate.

In the postcard, the picture was taken from the door that leads to the supermarket Asda. When I was new to Peterborough I used to go to Asda to buy groceries and Georg products. However, since it is some distance from where I work I soon got tired of going to it. My visits to Rivergate are getting sporadic these days.

Postcard Friday #2: Grimeshaw Wood, Bretton: Autumn

Grimeshaw Wood is a local nature reserve that is managed by Peterborough City Council. This patch of ancient woodland now stands beside a built-up area that is North Bretton. The north-south road, Bretton Way cuts through it, thus, creating two patches of the wood.

Grimeshaw Wood, also nicknamed the Grime, is home to an array of forest creatures. Pipestrelle bats live here and nettle-leaved bell flowers are particularly evident in the summer.

I live about 10 minutes walk from Grimeshaw Wood. I'm familiar with the place because I sometimes took a bus that pass by it when going to work. But I have not been to the wood and it would be nice to check it out one of these days.

Note aside, a blogger gave this rather interesting observation on the areas near Grimeshaw Wood, which I also noticed:

The north-south road that cuts through the various parts of the Grime also provides a geographical 'tracks' with dense housing, no pavements, and a certain number of chavs on the east, with giveaway coloured road signs. To the west are big houses, open lawns, silence bar birdsong and black writing on white road names.

Postcard Friday #1: Ullswater

Ullswater is described as England’s 'most beautiful lake'. It is the country's second largest lake, which sits amidst the splendour of some of the finest fells in Lakeland. It is located in the Lake District National park in Cumbria. It is also the setting for William Wordsworth’s famous “Daffodils” poem.

My family went to Ullswater in summer of last year together with some family friends. From Glenridding, we went cruising with one of the Ullswater 'Steamers', the Lady of the Lake to enjoy the very beautiful scenery surrounding the lake. We dropped off at Pooley Bridge to have a relaxing lunch before heading back to Glenridding. Ullswater is one of the lakes found in the Lake District and is only one of the few we went to during our holiday.

Our kids had a great time communing with nature and away from the bustling city life. I was just awed by the beauty of Ullswater and the rest of the Lake District.

If you're interested to know about Ullswater here's a few links to go to:

• Ullswater
• Ullswater 'Steamers'
• Ullswater - Wikipedia entry