Now I like Ann’s picture of this 13th century French tower close to where she lives.
Part of the reason is just because I like other people’s pictures, and their insight into what is interesting.
Added to which it is a beautiful photograph, and conjures up a sense of tranquillity which I don’t always feel and according to Ann the tower “is surrounded by an arboretum, which was planted by a wealthy merchant in the 19th century, and is a wonderful place to walk our dog”.
But the details of the tower offer up a far more grim reality, and remind us that across Europe the Middle Ages were an unsafe place.
The windows on the tower are small and the single entrance is equally small and easily defensible.
Many similar fortifications would have had the added precaution of a door way higher up which would haven accessed by a flight of wooden stairs which in an emergency could be destroyed.
So much for tranquillity.
And having read the draft I sent to her, Ann added that this is the Tour du Guesclin, and "When we first came over our French neighbours took great delight in telling us the story that the English, who were in possession of the tower, allowed some French woodsmen in to deliver wood, as they were very cold.
The French turned out to be soldiers, and slaughtered the English, and 'there was blood everywhere '! So much for tranquillity. Time moves on".
Location; France
Picture; Tour du Guesclin, 13th century, 2018, from the collection of Ann Love.
Part of the reason is just because I like other people’s pictures, and their insight into what is interesting.
But the details of the tower offer up a far more grim reality, and remind us that across Europe the Middle Ages were an unsafe place.
The windows on the tower are small and the single entrance is equally small and easily defensible.
Many similar fortifications would have had the added precaution of a door way higher up which would haven accessed by a flight of wooden stairs which in an emergency could be destroyed.
And having read the draft I sent to her, Ann added that this is the Tour du Guesclin, and "When we first came over our French neighbours took great delight in telling us the story that the English, who were in possession of the tower, allowed some French woodsmen in to deliver wood, as they were very cold.
The French turned out to be soldiers, and slaughtered the English, and 'there was blood everywhere '! So much for tranquillity. Time moves on".
Location; France
Picture; Tour du Guesclin, 13th century, 2018, from the collection of Ann Love.
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