Yes I have been sightseeing again but this time east across Peckforton Hills to Beeston Castle. Looks like i'm going to be doing a lot a running round for this final project! Phew.
Anyways all I did on Monday was take pictures and sketch the ruin I thought to be intriguing and inspiring to me and my work.
Background Information:
Beeston Castle is a former Royal castle in Beeston, Cheshire, England, perched on a rocky sandstone crag 350 feet (107 m) above the Cheshire Plain. It was built in the 1220s by Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, (1170–1232), on his return from the Crusades. In 1237, Henry lll took over the ownership of Beeston, and it was kept in good repair until the 16th century, when it was considered to be of no further military use, although it was pressed into service again in 1643, during the English Civil War. The castle was slighted (partly demolished) in 1646, in accordance with Cromwell's destruction order, to prevent its further use as a stronghold. During the 18th century the site was used as a quarry.
The castle is owned by English Heritage, and although in ruins, enough of the walls and towers are still in place to provide a clear picture of how it would have looked in its prime. It is open to visitors and has a small museum and visitor's centre. A lodge house was built by Tollemache in the 19th century, and was expanded in the 20th century. The lodge is two storeys high, with two circular towers either side of a central archway. It has been designated as a Grade II listed building.
Beeston offers one of the most spectacular views of any castle in England, stretching across eight counties from the Pennines in the east to the Welsh mountains in the west.
Below are some of the photos I took that day:
This week I'm planning on doing a variety of experiments that will help me determine what i can introduce to my work and of course my final piece.
I hope to have achieved this by Friday! If not there's always the weekend!
The materials I am planning on using are quink, bleach, and sand to get the texture of the eroded bricks and stones. As well as my usual techniques such as paint, ink, color pencils, watercolor etc...
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