The House Husband

Here’s all that remains of the Scottish manor house which, a mere few weeks ago, stood in the middle of Hankley.

Just some scaffolding

Here’s a close up of the scaffolding. It’s a bit sad, really. Still, we won’t really miss it.

Very big climbing frame

Sadly, the church has also been removed, leaving just the faintest hint that it once stood. I thought they should have left it so the MOD could use it when the young soldiers have their training exercises.

But what happened to the bodies???

Now, all that is left, is for the release of the film so we can see Hankley blown up.

Anyway, that was yesterday…today we had a lovely day planned. We were going to visit The Grange at Northington, an English Heritage place just north of Alresford. We were then going to pop into Alresford for lunch at Caricoli (where we normally have Sunday brunch) followed by a post lunch stroll along the river. Sounds perfect and it may have been had English heritage decided this wasn’t the plan for us.

The road to The Grange is little more than a farm road (which is fine) that meanders through some very scenic countryside but then stops at a big, evil-looking electric gate. The gate has a sign next to it which says the gate will be locked between 6pm and 8:30am every day. I unnecessarily looked at my watch. it was about 12:30 and it wasn’t dark, so I figured we should be ok. I had taken the precaution last night of checking whether the place was open and was assured that it opened on April 1.

We stopped the Sidney and I went and checked the status of the gate. It was securely locked. There was no sign to indicate why it was locked. After some disappointed deliberation, we decided to try and access The grange from the mythical North gate. I say mythical because all we found around the back was another gate (though open this time) declaring it was for residents only and anyone else would be tortured and dumped in the river.

When we’d driven through Arlesford, we were greatly perturbed by the masses of people. We don’t often go on a normal day so it was quite a surprise to realise that, with the shops open, the high street is agog with people. Even when the place is Sunday-empty, there’s often nowhere to park so you can imagine what it was like as we drove through on the way to The Grange.

We decided to go to Winchester instead. There was a sign pointing us in the right direction that said it was but seven miles distant. How could we not go to Winchester after this disappointment?

As it turned out, English Heritage did us a vague sort of favour. There’s a restaurant in Winchester. It’s called the Chesil Rectory and is housed in a building dating from 1450. The building was originally bequeathed to the city of Winchester by Queen Mary Tudor. it’s a pretty little building and we’ve been wanting to go for ages. Today turned out to be the day.

And we had a lovely meal in a lovely setting. (The waiter did ask if it was ok if we sat upstairs. Mirinda asked what was wrong with upstairs. The waiter said nothing, it’s just upstairs.) We’ll definitely be coming back for an evening meal as it’s very close to the car park.

Afterwards we had a jolly long wander up Winchester High Street, giving a cheery wave to Alfred as we walked by.

Take my sword, no-one else will

Being the middle of the Easter weekend, Winchester was pretty crowded but not as bad as Arlesford looked. We walked up as far as the cathedral then came back down the back streets, taking a brief detour along the water meadows where we spotted a few moor hens. One, in particular, had decided to climb a tree – very unusual. This one was far more normal.

In a hurry to get away from me and my camera

Speaking of birds…we spotted this gorgeous little Grey Wagtail as we headed back to the car. He was having a jolly time, popping up and down near the asphalt…as wagtails are wont to do.

Grey Wagtail

And, apart from a brief queue for a lovely ice cream, this was about it. All that remained was for us to drive home in the very considerate rain that waited for us to get out of the open before drizzling down. An unexpected day but still a lovely one. Actually, any day that includes Winchester tends to be lovely.

Another glorious day saw us lazing around the house for the morning. The clocks went forward last night so the old body clock was a bit out at first. Still, it will now be lighter at night…or so it will seem.

After lunch we took the girls up to Hankley to see what progress has been made on the Skyfall set. The last day of filming is supposed to be this week so, hopefully, these will be the last Bond shots.

Actually, there’s not a lot to show. They seemed to have been having a bit of a play with matches as the back of the ‘monastery’ is a bit scorched. There’s a fire engine standing around so I’m guessing it was intentional, in preparation for the big conflagration to come.

Waiting for the end

If I zoom that in a bit, you can clearly see the scorch marks.

Someone left the cooker on

The only new things (apart from the fire engines and other increase in motor vehicles) were these things. They appear to be banks of lights with filters on the front.

Lights, lights, lights

There was still quite a few people around but nowhere near as many as last week with the helicopter action going on. We’re hoping that by next Sunday, everyone will have gone home. Mirinda thinks there may be souvenir hunters but, given the whole thing is made of wood and fibreglass, I’m not sure what value there’d be in keeping a souvenir. Still, people do collect some weird stuff. The one true cross, springs to mind.

I should just mention that the gravestones appear to be finished and they look remarkably real.

Grave stones galore

Mirinda mentioned, on the way home, that we’ll have to see this film when it comes out even though both of us are not James Bond fans (we’ve each of us seen only one), simply because we’ll recognise the terrain. I guess that makes sense because I want to see Snow White and the Huntsman because it was filmed at Frensham!

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Moving along to great moments in food invention…we accidentally saw a cooking show last week (accidentally because we don’t normally like them). The chef is Rachel Koo and she lives in Paris. Her kitchen is very small (smaller than ours) and she uses it to create some amazing food. She also has a restaurant in her flat. It seats two. very exclusive eating.

Anyway, in her programme she showed her take on the French favourite, a croque madame. This is, basically, a fried egg, cheese and ham on toast with a bit of Béchamel sauce. Rachel, however, wasn’t happy with the more traditional method and has gone for a muffin-like version. Watching her make and eat one last week was terrifyingly mouthwatering so I threatened to try them this morning. My threat was carried out.

They were pretty special although they may need a few more attempts before I get them absolutely perfect.

Croque madame muffins

Thank you, Rachel. Genius idea.

We went up to Hankley to check up on the progress of the James Bond film set. A lot of other people had the same idea. Just look at the crowd on the ridge in this shot.

Waiting for the chopper

They were waiting for the helicopter to take off. There were actually two. The big green one in this shot and a small, camera chopper which was filming the green one. Here’s the chopper they were filming in.

Is the director in this?

The entire area had lots of little groups of people watching (including us). It was all quite exciting. There was one guy with an amazing spot directly beneath where the chopper was hovering. I’m not sure whether he was a normal member of the public or something to do with the filming. He had a dog with him.

Chopper buzzes the church

He’s that black blob behind the chopper. The helicopter is directly above the church I featured last week, which, by the way, has suddenly sprouted a load of graves stones. Some of them may not be quite finished because they were wrapped in black garbage bags.

Are these the graves of James Bond's parents?

Here’s a close up of some of the graves:

Seriously...are James Bond's parents buried here?

I am wondering whether the car in the bottom left hand side of this shot is James Bond’s Aston martin (or whatever he drives these days).

Is that his car?

This is a really fuzzy shot of the car on its own. I really have no idea but it could be in shot given the camera chopper was behind the green one which was heading towards the car.

Looks sporty enough

One more photo of the filming. I think this barn looks completely real. If you ignore the other two buildings with the bits missing, this one would look completely convincing sitting there. I think the little tractor helps with the illusion, to be fair. The little group of people seem to be crew.

Filming at dusk

I have to say that the hordes of people watching must be pretty hardy because the wind was bitterly cold. As we left the ridge, the temperature immediately improved. There’s no way we’d be hanging around any longer than a walk required.

The noise was horrendous as the choppers flew back and forth and round and round. At one stage, someone fired a machine gun, making it even noisier. It was so nice when it all stopped and Hankley sounded the way it normally does. It’s all very exciting but it’ll be so nice when it’s all over and we can walk there in splendid isolation once more.

As we neared the path out of Hankley, a small family group, hopelessly lost, asked for directions back to their car. They’d been going in completely the wrong direction. We set them right and headed for home. I hope they’re not still wandering around the woods, lost and cursing us.

At least I think so. I’m pretty certain they are being blown up this week so they’ll probably not be there next weekend. And we weren’t alone in wanting to see the progress!

There were people everywhere! You couldn’t look anywhere towards the set without seeing groups of people. And that’s apart from the people frantically working away, finishing it all off.

Painting on the brickwork

The above shot is of the new church that has appeared. Well, the front door, anyway. It’s clearly going to be filmed from the left hand side because the roof on the right has not been fake tiled.

The trickery revealed

Meanwhile, further down the hill, the building I insist on calling the Scottish monastery even though it’s no such thing, is really looking good. Again you can see from the visible framework that a lot of filming will be from the other side. If you ask me, it looks pretty real.

Almost complete

There’s also a little building not far from the monastery which appears to be a barn. We didn’t walk close enough to get a decent photograph so I’ve taken a small detail from a larger shot of the monastery.

Painting on the barn

I’m sure there’ll be lots of Hankley photographs of the Skyfall set posted somewhere on the Internet today because there were a lot of cameras out! I’m thinking mine won’t be so popular this time.

The set without the church which is to the right and up a hill

AMENDMENT
Actually, I’ve just read that they’ll be filming throughout March so the buildings will still be there for a few more weeks yet. Expect more photographs then…

My last post about the film set being built at Hankley broke all previous USinUK records for number of hits! Let’s see if this one can beat it.

We haven’t been to Hankley for a fortnight. Because we stayed at the flat last weekend, there was no opportunity. Today we returned.

Hankley itself looked gorgeous. The day was very still, quite bright and generally blue. It wasn’t too hot; very pleasant walking conditions. There were a few more people about than we’re used to seeing but then, it was a Saturday and we generally walk on Sunday. Still, it wasn’t as awful as Frensham can get. And virtually everyone had dogs.

At the top of the ridge, we looked down and what did we see? Well, the monastery has acquired a bloody great crane. Right in the middle. It has also been surrounded by scaffolding. They have started making the walls look like either stone or brick and there appears to be a big pre-made hole in the left side of the wall.

No-one will notice the hole when we blow it up

We didn’t wander down to it because, frankly, we don’t really care that much. It also added an hour to our walk last time. Anyone who wants to see photographs will have to make do with the ones I took from the ridge.

The monastery continues

An interesting development is the new area that has been taken over by them. It’s closer to the ridge and appears to be a big network of scaffolding with nothing in it. At first I thought it was rows of seating – well, the framework for it anyway. Actually, I really have no idea what it is but it’s in an enclosed area looking towards the monastery building.

Some more mystery at Hankley

And that was it, really. The rest of the walk was as lovely as the beginning and the dogs managed to accumulate a lot of pine in their terribly overgrown fur.

Yes, Day-z is under there, somewhere

We went for a wonderful (if very long) walk at Hankley this morning. Given the snow fall, we knew it would look lovely and we weren’t disappointed. The bits with snow looked spectacular, the bits without looked just as wonderful as they always do. A real win-win situation.

Snow at Hankley

Above is the burnt bit, where all the heather was lost. While it’s still mostly black, there are some clumps of sprouting grass. Now, all white, it looks fabulous. Pity it won’t last.

We were in for a bit of a surprise on the top of the hill. Looking down the valley someone has started building what appears to be a film set.

Is it a church? Is it a Chateau? No, it's a Scottish monastery!

Mirinda suggested we set off towards it for a closer look rather than just complete our usual circle. After the excitement of the thatched huts at Frensham, I couldn’t think of a reason why not. We set off down the hill, following the snowy paths, getting ever closer to the strange structure.

Even Sherlock Holmes couldn't figure it out

The closer we moved, the more obvious it became that it was an unfinished film set. Rather than proper building materials, the walls are just that. No unnecessary foundations or floors. Nothing like that. Just boards cut to shape with a big scaffolding to hold it all up.

My first guess was that it might become a church. Mirinda thinks probably a chateau. On closer examination, I think she’s right. We’ll have to go back the week after next to see how it’s going.

One of the reasons I thought it might be a church was the fact that the two window openings in the shot below – the ones on the first floor level – appear to have been made at different periods. This would explain why they are not in line.

Hankley set

However, on closer examination of the photograph, I think someone has just put one of the panels the wrong way round. It’s clear that the two openings are in the same position in each of the large panels but one has the smaller bit at the top. Anyway, I hope they notice before they start adding the fake bricks.

Close up of the cock up?

I’m hoping something will crop up in the local paper so I can find out what it is. It’s a question of staying tuned, I guess.

Having walked a few extra miles to get to the film set, we set off up what we call Carmen’s Hill, to take a short cut to the ridge. It was already getting on for well passed lunch time and Mirinda was starting to feel the strain. Carmen’s Hill, so named because she loves running all over it, normally from the top, is quite a steep slope. Having never attempted walking up it, this came as a surprise to us both. Here’s Mirinda almost at the top.

Sherlock nears the summit

In the car, she said I should have taken a few photographs of her odd outfit. She’s probably right.

UPDATE: There has been a lot of interest from the James Bond community with regards this post (none that warrant a comment, I notice). It seems that the building is a mock up Scottish monastery for the new James Bond movie, Skyfall. In case anyone wants to see more photos of the set, I’ve uploaded an album of all the shots I took here.

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I just want to add a photo I took yesterday but didn’t see until today. I’m quite happy with it. I’ve been trying for something like it for a while.

Magpie flies above the snow

For our last walk of 2011, Mirinda decided we’d all go to Hankley. Although grey and grim, it was still very beautiful. Oddly, a lot of other dog walkers must have thought the same thing because we saw more people than we normally do.

Sadly we also saw (and, even sadder, heard) a couple of trail bike riders ruining everyone’s day but their own. Still, what can you do. In a free society, those that wish to ruin have as much right as those that wish to enjoy. Personally, I think the army should use them for sniper practice.

It was also Carmen’s first long walk and she managed very well although a good deal slower and more considered than of old. I think Day-z was a bit frustrated at the lack of pace.

Speaking of Day-z, Mirinda spent an hour with the dog brush, making her look like a huge, black cotton wool ball. She looks more like a Bichon Frise than a poodle! Mirinda described her as looking like a big puddle of fluff.

Day-z shows off her bouffant

She now looks twice the size of Carmen who is normally the butterball around here.

This morning I was in the dining room, looking out at our wonderful path. There was an awful lot of action around the bird feeder. Gold finches, blue and great tits, green finches…they were all going crazy. I raced upstairs for the camera and telephoto lens. By the time I returned, they’d all gone off somewhere else.

I was a bit annoyed. Still, I stood around for a bit, just in case they decided to unexpectedly return. The big mob didn’t but this little fellow did.

Siskin coming into land

I had no idea what he was but I knew I hadn’t photographed him before so I just went mad and snapped away. He was quite helpful and stuck around for a bit.

He is a siskin which is a type of finch. Mirinda tells me that they are quite frequent visitors during winter.

Siskin in portrait pose

It’s New Year’s eve as I write this, which reminds me of something I read the other day. I’m presently reading Agincourt (a book about the lead up to the battle, the battle and the aftermath) and I read the following in a section where the author was explaining the difficulties giving precise dates for historic events.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Church, which preferred to start the year with one of its major Christian festivals, successfully opposed attempts to revert to the pagan Roman practice of beginning the year on 1 January. Even though the spread of Protestantism in the sixteenth century gave it renewed credibility, it was not formally adopted in England as New Year’s Day until 1 January 1752.
[Barker J 2010, Agincourt, Hatchett Digital, p213-214]

Here’s a cheeky robin, unsuccessfully trying to hide behind the chain on the floating table.

Peek-a-boo

Though today started off quite dull, the afternoon was gorgeous. The sky was blue, the temperature cold, the sun was big. A perfect winter’s day.

In the afternoon (Mirinda had a guitar lesson in the morning) we took the dogs to Hankley. We timed it well as we enjoyed the fantastic afternoon light as the sun descended. Though, had we been a mere ten minutes earlier, we would have witnessed a Montgolfier landing very close!

Montgolfier at Hankley

When we first spotted it, the balloon was still quite full but the closer we drew, the flatter it became. Until eventually, the passengers were starting to fold it up. Fortunately Carmen didn’t know what it was because she totally hates Montgolfiers ever since that big scary one tried to attack her in East Worldham.

As we sauntered passed, the pilot (I assume) was trying to tell the ground crew where they were. Eventually he just climbed the big hill onto the ridge where they picked him up.

Pilot and basket

Actually we saw more people at Hankley today than we’ve ever seen. I think a lot of them had just waited around as the Montgolfier landed and was packed away.

There was a pair of horse riders, sitting in their saddles, watching. When they left and climbed the hill they actually galloped. We see a lot of riders walking but I think this is the first time I’ve seen them gallop. It was quite exciting though at a great distance.

When we reached the wooded area of the ridge, a whole army of soldiers was sitting around being instructed (apparently if they see a church in the distance, they must not say “Oh, look, there’s a church.” Rather they must yell out “Reference church!“. I don’t know why. Mirinda thinks it saves someone blowing up the church.), their faces painted, their firearms looking lethal. It was all a bit intimidating until one of the soldiers started making a fuss over the girls. They were all pretty young and we figured they were maybe cadets from a local school.

We managed to get by them all unscathed and made our way back to Sidney. Somewhere in the last bit, Carmen hurt her back leg. I couldn’t find anything in her paw and there was nothing obvious on the leg itself so I have assume she’s just twisted it or something. We’ll see how she is on Monday and take her to the vet if there’s no improvement.

Here’s Barry again. One day, I swear I’m going to take an in focus photograph of a blue tit!

Barry on the floating table

The late afternoon light at Hankley is beautiful. Everything looks washed with warm watercolours. The views welcome you, beckon you onward.

Hankley access road

We took the poodles for a lovely run around, something they don’t get with me any more…until the cast comes off anyway. Carmen went delirious. I now think it wasn’t the bog last week so much as she was just overjoyed at being off the lead. If today was anything to go by.

Not that she had a chance today. There’s no bogs at Hankley; just a cool, clear stream. And lots of sand. Which means she brings a beach home with her but at least it doesn’t smell like the pits of hell!

Soft autumn light at Hankley

As we managed to fit three days into yesterday, we decided to take it easy today and spent the day at home. Mirinda with her studying, me with…well just pottering, really.

We did go for a walk at Hankley late on. It looked lovely in the late afternoon sun.. The heather was all out, looking fresh and pinkish purple. This week, I made sure I had a card in my camera!

Heather at Hankley

As we walked we spotted, what looked like, two cheese scones in the path. This was a bit odd. I bent down and realised they were actually a couple of fungi, to all intents and purposes, out for a day in the country. We were quite amazed that someone (or thing) hadn’t kicked them over, squashed them or otherwise disturbed their progress across the path – given that fungus travels so slowly.

Scones or mushrooms?

They are actually a type of puff ball fungus which have shot their loads, which is how they spread their spores. That’s why they are open at the top.

The heather from the ridge, Hankley

We also watched Fire Walk With Me, in two parts today. It is the prequel to Twin Peaks and is seriously disturbed. Because it’s over two hours long, we watched half at lunch and finished it with dinner. It filled some holes but then created a whole lot more. David Lynch does like his obscure puzzles. Mirinda is not so keen.