Monday, 29 October 2012

The Bowes Museum


Last Friday I met up with a couple of friends I used to work with. I retired 5 years ago, one retired about 3 years before me and the other one is still working. We only live about 40 miles from each other but trying to arrange to meet seems to take us ages. We all have commitments of one sort or another however finally we made it last week.



We decided to do an indoor get together as the weather has been so awful and we chose Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle. It is a beautiful place and has some amazing collections. The French style chateau was built in the 19th Century and was the first building in Britain to be designed using metric instead of the usual imperial measurements. Seems odd seeing a French chateau in the middle of County Durham but it is a beautiful building.

It has a formal parterre  garden at the front and is surrounded by acres of parkland. The fountain has been restored but wasn't working when we were there. Couldn't be due to any water shortages!



The day turned out to be cold but there was glorious sunshine so we started the day with a coffee in the museum and then decided it was too nice to be inside so we went for a walk around Barnard Castle. I'll save those pictures for another day. We went back to the museum for a delicious lunch and talked so much we didn't have time to tour the museum. We'll have to go back another time!

My photographs were taken with my husband's camera as mine is broken and I'm not that familiar with this one so the light isn't too good. Also the pictures taken quickly as my friends were keen to get on with their walk and I didn't get as many photographs as I would have liked. 

7 comments:

  1. What a beautiful building!

    I think your photographs are beautiful.

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  2. Barnard Castle looks very beautiful Winifred. I enjoy looking at Museums. It kind of reminds me of Downton Abbey a little. Getting together with friends sounds fun also, especially when you haven't seen them in awhile.

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  3. Great post, Winifred. I love the photos.

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  4. Dear Winifred ~~ I enjoyed seeing those great photos and the museum looks very interesting, and those gardens are terrific. Thanks for sharing my friend.

    Thank you for your comments and I guess your weather has got colder, while here we are having some lovely days around 30 C which is around 87 F. So I don't want it any hotter than that, but it will be as Summer approaches.

    I am glad you enjoyed the jokes, especially the grandchildren's sayings. Kid sure do say the funniest things without meaning to. Take good care, Love, Merle.

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  5. Wow your husband's camera, and you of course, take great photos. I love the details you can see on the buildings.

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  6. Many thanks for your kind comments about my photography, I'm just a point & clicker. I think the building is very photogenic!

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  7. Cannot believe I missed one of your posts and such a beautiful one at that. This was the day I had my surgery that ended up being two. Great castle. Very good photos. Thanks for sharing,

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