Buried treasure – the Cheapside Hoard

In June 1912, some labourers excavating the cellar of an old building in Cheapside in the City of London, struck gold – literally. Under the floor they discovered a tangle of 16th and 17th century jewels and gemstones including delicate finger rings, cascading necklaces, Byzantine cameos, jewelled scent bottles, and a watch set in an enormous Colombian emerald (below).



They’d been there for some 300 years, probably the stock-in-trade of one of the jewellers who had premises on Cheapside.. Who was he and why were they hidden? It's still a mystery. But conservationists preparing them for exhibition at the Museum of London have found a clue as to when they were buried. One of the gemstones (left) is engraved with the heraldic badge of the first and only Viscount Stafford. He received his coat of arms in 1640, while the blackened layer above the hoard dates from the Great Fire of London in 1666. Those 26 years were a time of great upheaval, with civil war and plague taking the lives of many and forcing others to flee their homes. Perhaps the jewels were hidden for safekeeping and the owner never returned. The museum is hoping someone may know more – perhaps a descendant of one of the labourers, or even a person with a family story of lost jewels – and they’ll come forward to shed more light on the discovery.


There are almost 500 jewels in the hoard and this exhibition is the first time they've been displayed together since they were found  - some have been housed at the British Museum. The display is dramatic, with dark walls and spotlights making the pieces gleam and sparkle. Magnifying glasses are provided for a closer look at the delicate workmanship such as that in this emerald, diamond and enamel salamander (left) and gold enamelled chain (below).

 Portraits showing how such jewels would have been worn, such as a ring pinned to a ruff, explanations of the supposed powers of some of the stones and a replica of a jeweller’s workshop of that era add to the vistor's appreciation.




All photos © Museum of London
The Cheapside Hoard – London’s Lost Jewels is at the Museum of London until 27 April 2014.
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/london-wall/whats-on/exhibitions-displays/cheapside-hoard-londons-lost-jewels/

A last burst of summer at Hinton Ampner

This tortoiseshell butterfly was making the most of the sunshine at Hinton Ampner last week. It was one of hundreds, flitting from dahlias to buddleias and back again.
 
 












The property, now owned by the National Trust, has 12 acres of gardens, characterised by a series of linked ‘rooms’. There's a lily pond that Monet would have loved, a Long Walk, rose borders inspired by Sissinghurst and plenty of topiary. The result has been described as one of the great gardens of the 20^th century.

 

This, and the house, reflect the tastes of Ralph Dutton, 8^th and last Lord Sherborne. He inherited the property in 1935 and rebuilt it after a devastating fire in 1960 which started in the library. He remodelled the rooms and filled them with his collections of fine Georgian furniture and 18^th century paintings. Of the garden, he wrote: "I have learned during the past years what above all I want from a garden: this is tranquillity".

The property has magnificent views across the rolling Hampshire countryside. The Battle of Cheriton, a major encounter of the Civil War that ended in a Royalist defeat, took place nearby in 1644.  Local inhabitants are said to have looked across at the battle from Hinton Ampner’s grounds.  

Petersfield Rd  Hinton Ampner, Bramdean, Hampshire SO24 0LA

01962 771305

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hinton-ampner/

A Paris garden in the sky

Green walkways: a brilliant way to link and rejuvenate inner-city areas. In 2009, New York opened the High Line park, using a 1.5-mile stretch of abandoned elevated railway, while Chicago has plans for a nearly three mile-long Bloomingdale Trail, again along a disused rail line. In London, two architecture firms have won a competition to design a landscaped walkway just south of the River Thames, joining galleries, public works of art and an open-air auditorium.There’s also a proposal by Thomas Heatherwick, the designer behind the stunning Olympic cauldron, for a floating garden to bridge the Thames from Covent Garden to the South Bank.

But the project that started it all is in Paris - the Promenade Plantée, an aerial nature walk opened late last century (above and left). It snakes through the 12e arrondissment, using a derelict 19th c railway viaduct that once took passengers from Bastille, in the city centre, out to the leafy Bois de Vincennes. When the line was closed in 1969, the structure became a decaying eyesore. But instead of pulling it down, the authorities transformed it into a garden. The arches below became the Viaduc des Arts, with shops showcasing crafts such as cabinet making, tapestry restoration and interior design.

It’s easy to find. Walk south-east from Opéra Bastille along Rue de Lyon, into Avenue Daumesnil and you’ll see the walkway arches, surrounded by apartment buildings and offices. It runs for more than two and a half miles, later descending to street level and into tunnels. At times the path widens to formal parterres with trellised arbours, at others it becomes a narrow corridor, edged with trees. It’s a favourite with joggers, office workers on their lunch breaks, and parents with energetic youngsters. (At one point it overlooks a playground.) Local residents use it as a meeting place while garden enthusiasts linger over the planting. I saw one father using it to teach his young son about the way things grow. For tourists, it's a welcome contrast to the more usual sights. Even if you walk just a small section, you’ll never forget it. Take a picnic and prepare to be inspired.

Strawberry trials - an update

I’ve been experimenting with two different ways of strawberry growing. One used a traditional strawberry planter (left).

The other (below) was with a growing bag supported by planks and raised on bricks – a method inspired by the National Trust’s kitchen garden at Polesden Lacey, near Dorking in Surrey.

So, as promised,  here are my results.

Each method used the same number of plants and has produced around 45 strawberries (some still green). But interestingly, the grow bag fruit (on the left) - as well as the plants - are noticeably larger.This may be because the bag holds more water than the pot, even though I put a perforated bottle in the middle of the latter to try to regulate the flow. One plant in a lower hole of the pot has no fruit at all. Perhaps the bees missed it, or the water didn't get through. It might have helped if the planter was raised off the ground a bit.

The fruit from both is delicious, and I’m thrilled with the results. Nothing beats nibbling a strawberry, warm from the sun, while wandering round the garden. I’ll be potting up as many runners as possible and next year perhaps have two grow bags instead of one. But I will persevere with the planter - it looks so pretty on the terrace.

Gifts for a new baby

How to mark the arrival of a new baby? Kate and William will be innundated with gifts, despite asking that instead, donations should be made to St Mary’s Hospital, where Prince George was born. They’ve already received a charm bracelet with a tiny pot of nappy cream attached, a backpack baby carrier from the Scouts, a maternity package of essentials from Finland that goes to all new mothers there, and a handwritten notebook of quotes and sayings from an Italian grandmother.

But if you're planning a celebration for a new arrival closer to home, how about whipping up some baby-themed biscuits? I love these cookie cutters from Squires Kitchen. Choose from a bottle, booties, a vest, dress, pram, and even a little foot. And for a royal touch, there's also a crown. To make life easy, they come with decorating ideas.  Happy baking!
http://www.squires-shop.com/uk/catalog/cookie-cutters

Adopting a tree pit

While some people adopt stray cats or rescue dogs, two weeks ago I took on this tree pit, at the base of a old plane tree by our street corner.  It was a sorry sight, attracting cigarette butts and litter, and a favourite stopping place for local dogs. Now, a bag of compost and some plants from a green-fingered neighbour (thank you, Margaret), have transformed it into an embryonic garden.  The current heatwave means going out with a watering can every evening, but the plants are starting to flower and the rubbish hasn’t reappeared.  There’ve been some encouraging comments from  passers-by, so who knows, perhaps by next year we’ll have a sucession of mini gardens along the street, as there are in nearby Blenheim Gardens (below) – my inspiration!

Wimbledon sweet spot

Wimbledon excitement seems to be everywhere. I spotted this mouthwatering display by Lola's cupcakes at the Brent Cross mall in north London. Shoppers were stopping in their tracks for a closer look at the beautifully crafted cakes. So, tennis fans - even if you don't have a ticket for Centre Court, these should hit the sweet spot.