Jane at Levant: Skywatch over the Wrekin in Shropshire

Friday 15 July 2011

Skywatch over the Wrekin in Shropshire

We watched the evening sky drop away into a fantastic sunset as we climbed towards the 1335ft summit and I thought of Skywatch.

The header shot was taken looking through the trees towards the Welsh mountains

The Legend of the Wrekin
Wellington, Shropshire

A Welsh Giant, bearing a grudge against the people of Shrewsbury, set out one day with a spadeful of earth to dam the Severn and thus drown the town. But he took the wrong road and, meeting a cobbler near Wellington, enquired of him the way. Now the cobbler, hearing the Giant's intention, decided he could not risk losing so many of his best customers. So he tumbled the boots and shoes from his bag. "I've come from Shrewsbury, and I've already worn out all these boots and shoes, so far away is it." In despair, the Giant dumped his spadeful of earth where he stood, and returned home. The Giant's load is the hill which people now call the Wrekin.

The Wrekin has long been the subject of many a myth and legend

Turning around and looking to the east , the harsh reality of the chimneys of the Ironbridge Power Station at the head of the Ironbridge Gorge was visible

Then a last look at those skies over Wales

5 comments:

Molly15 July 2011 at 12:40
Those views are breath-taking! I'd not heard that story about the giant before - interesting!
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EG CameraGirl15 July 2011 at 13:02
Love the legend! And the view is lovely.
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jane16 July 2011 at 01:52
Forgot to mention the Wrekin allegedly was the inspiration for Tolkeins' Middle Earth in the series of books 'The Lord of the Rings' J.R.R.Tolkein grew up in Edgbaston Birmingham
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Bernard16 July 2011 at 11:39
I was born in Wake Green Rd., Moseley, just up from where JRRT lived. I did a blog some time back. He based a lot of his work on local places. Sarehole Mill was was just off Wake Green Rd. too. He used this for his Mill at Bywater. I didn't know about him using the Wrekin though. I guess it was the idea for 'Weathertop' perhaps?
As children we were taken out for picnics all around that area, and we had a saying "Going round the Wrekin".
It meant going all 'round the 'ouses' instead of going in a straight line.
Lovely pictures Jane. In fact I thought that header picture was a view of the Malverns rather than 'Molly's mountains'. (Welsh mounts).
Cheers.....Bernard
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CherryPie16 July 2011 at 14:45
That is a delightful sunset and I love your Wrekin View.

Quite a few of your links and views in the sidebar are familiar to me,it seems we like the same places :-)

Bernard directed me to your post. Thank you Bernard ;-)
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FAIRY -LED

The fairy people flouted me,
Mocked me ,shouted me
They chased me down the dreamy hill and beat me with a wand
Within the wood they found me ,put spells on me and bound me
And left me at the edge of day in John the miller's pond
Beneath the eerie starlight;
Their hair shone curd -white
Their bodies were all twisted like a lichened apple tree
Feather -light and swift they moved,
And never one they loved,
For all were full of dreams and dark designs on me.

With noise of leafy singing
And white wands swinging
They marched away amid the grass that swayed to let them through.
Between the the yellow tansies
Their eyes,like purple pansies,
Peered back on me before they passed all trackless in the dew.

Mary Webb - from the Spring of Joy

Three softly curved white sepals veined with light,

Three green-lined petals,guarding frugal gold,

And all so strong to fold or to unfold!

Snow thunders from the bending pines.How slight

This frail,sheathed stem! Yet all unbent it springs,

So swift in stoopings and recoverings.

In the pale sunshine,with frail wings unfurled,

Comes to the bending snowdrop the first bee.

She gives her winter honey prudently;

And faint with travel in a bitter world,

The bee makes music, tentative and low,

And spring awakes and laughs across the snow.

Mary Webb

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