23 February 2008

Photo Hunt - Wood



The theme for this week's Photo Hunt is wood so here (for once!) I've chosen some subjects that are wood (and not just an excuse for a cat or a flower photo...)

This is a Black Poplar taken at the Chase nature reserve in Dagenham near where I live. Balck Poplars were once a common sight in England but became very rare. There are six Black Poplars at the Chase
This is St Andrews in the Essex village of Greensted. It is remarkable for being the oldest surviving wooden structure in Europe.

The oldest wooden part of the church (the nave) dates back to the time of the Norman conquest. The steeple is 17th Century

78 comments:

Anonymous said...

St. Andrews is amazing. I love these old structures. I was thinking people were still posting early for photo hunters. I have such little time on the weekend for blogging I was happy to find early entries today. have a great weekend.

Liz Hinds said...

Gosh, and is it still the same wood? Lovely old building.

I've never seen a black poplar, thank you.

Susan Demeter said...

Excellent choices for the theme :) We are similar with that first one. Happy photo hunting!

MaR said...

Great choices and wonderful pics as always. We have company from Ireland this weekend. American young ladies spending a college semester there, one of them is my friend's daughter. They took off in Shannon...
Happy PH and happy weekend :)

SnoopyTheGoon said...

A fabulous church and great shots too.Have a great weekend!

SnoopyTheGoon said...

Oh, and I did use an excuse for a cat pic, which I rarely do, but he is a diabetic old geezer now and needs every bit of spoiling.

Anonymous said...

It looks really nice from the photos! Happy Weekend;)

jams o donnell said...

THanks everyone. Aww Snoopy there's alaways a good excuse for a chat photo! He's a handsome fellow and bigger than our beastie (Robyn)

Carver said...

Great choices for the wooden theme. The poplar looks like the beginning of an enchanted forest and then the beautiful old church keep the fairy tale feel going or perchance it's my over abundant imagination. In any event I love these photographs. Have a great weekend.

ipanema said...

what great subjects! these are precious!

happy weekend! :)

Katney said...

Thank you for the nature and the history. I will have a wooden post up later this evening--it is still Friday afternoon here.

Rach said...

Brilliant selection of pictures and the black and white makes them so emotive :-)

Anonymous said...

Black poplar trees look great. And the church looks wonderful too.

Have a great weekend! :)

Sean Jeating said...

The Black Poplar for the first time let me think I should join in the photo hunting. But then: I won't. :)

Chapeau, Jams!

The Lone Beader® said...

Wow! That is quite an old church!

jmb said...

Great photos for this theme Jams. See there was lots of choice after all. The old church looks interesting. I don't even know what a black poplar is. Have a good weekend

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

I would have thought that was a house if wasn't for your information that it was a church.
I love the B&W effects of the pictures :)

Natalie said...

Those are really great pictures. I like the bit of history with them.

Heather said...

SO beautiful. What a wonderful place. Thank you for sharing these.

eastcoastlife said...

Some really old buildings here, but they are beautiful structures. And you chose to have them in black and white. :)

Anonymous said...

The tree is quite beautiful. I'm amazed the the church is around.

Juliana said...

I like the tree photo you have.

Mine in here Have a nice weekend

Anonymous said...

Nice photo of those building.

Will you visit my “wooden“ Have a nice weekend

Corey~living and loving said...

really lovely photos for the theme. love the old church.
happy weekend.

Barb said...

Lovely old buildings such as these are just so much more interesting than the cookie cutters built today, aren' they? The only thing different about them may be a subtle hue of color.

Anonymous said...

great black and white shots!I love them!

happy weekend!!
Mine`s up,too!

thanx,
ghee

Amazing Gracie said...

As an American, I marvel at the antiquities you are entrusted with in the UK. We see something 50 years old and think it's an antique. Ha!
Once again, you've shown us your prowess with the photo.
~~~Blessings~~~

YTSL said...

Interesting pics. So, did you go for a black and white theme to highlight the black poplars? :b

Anonymous said...

I actually like that picture of the black polar. Makes good for a halloween shot.

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

Wonderful photos! It's incredible that the wooden nave has lasted that long. It's a beautiful old church!

Anonymous said...

Charming structures. I've never seen any of that here.

Anonymous said...

Great choices! I love that church, you can just feel the history there, though the photo.

LogicYuan said...

love'em

Mine's up too!

Anonymous said...

very interesting entry!

thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

All great shots - I love them in b&w.

Happy Weekend.

jams o donnell said...

Thanks everyone. I thought the poplars looked better in black and white rather than colour YTSL

Anonymous said...

The wooden church is a good one - educational also. I did not know of it. I have recently reread Richard Hughes 'Wooden Shepherdess' - apt.
A.

Chris said...

What a beautiful church! Don't know Essex all that well (shame on me!) but have now decided that it must be explored before too long.

Thanks for your pictures and your visit.

Have a great weekend and love to the cats. xx

Harajuku PearL said...

The church is made of wood and still standing today? Really impressive!!

The black and white photos makes it very very nostalgic.

Have a good weekend!

PEarL

Bengbeng said...

these can last for such a long time. :) wow considering that they r not concrete

Daisy said...

I really like the photo of the tree. Where I live, they do not make structures out of wood. I guess because of the hurricanes.

James Higham said...

Superb, atmospheric - you certainly have the eye, Jams.

Anonymous said...

That's interesting about the tree, and I love that architecture.

Hootin Anni said...

Amazing photos. And I so want to thank you for the historical facts behind your pictures....I learned something. Very sweet. Thanks.


Happy Hunting, I hope you'll find time to drop by and visit with me too today.

Love Bears All Things said...

Love these photos. I've always wanted to visit Ireland.
Mama Bear

elasticwaistbandlady said...

Wood, eh? You could have taken that theme to a really bad place, jams!

Anonymous said...

I don't think I've ever seen a black poplar. Did they become scarce becuause they were used to build these old structures?

I love to see these old buildings. Thanks.

Gattina said...

Amazing ! the oldest wooden building in Europe ! I wish I could see it I think Essex is not sooo far from the south east coast (Eastbourne) where I usually go.

Dragonstar said...

What an incredible age for a wooden church! Both lovely moody shots.

jenny said...

These are delightful photos---like a fairytale, as Carver said above. I'd love to see that building. I wondered if they had to replace certain boards from time to time-----and maybe all the wood is actually new! I wonder how they keep it preserved.

I also have a church in one of my photos. And a windmill! ;-)
Have a Nice Weekend!

Unknown said...

beautiful pictures and unique old architecture :) defenatly good choices for the theme have great weekend :)

Rajson said...

Intresting history!
Old churches are amezing!
Happy weekend!

Cats~Goats~Quotes said...

Wonderful photos!!
Would love to see inside the churches.

mjsterling said...

all the photos are pretty. I only seen like on TV.
Wooden Doorway
Wooden Staircase

Anonymous said...

Great photos, I like the first one very much - wood in its original form! :) It's almost miraculous that the wooden church has survived for so long... I shudder to think of what careless smokers in the surrounding area could start off there!!

Utah Mommy said...

Wow great job in photo hunting! Very old looking photos or you just edited those? I love the black and white effect. Happy weekend!
MY LIFE MY WORLD
SWEET PARADISE

SabineM said...

Very nice photos! I love the tree, it looks like a scene out of a scary movie!

CherryPie said...

Being in black and white really makes these photos atmospheric. I really love the top one of the Black polar with the light peeping out from behind the tree.

sammawow said...

Those photos look very cool in black & white. I was agreeing with Carver that it's like a fairy tale story. And I do love old churches.

bonggamom said...

Lovely photos! I'm just wondering, is it rare to see wooden structures in Ireland because it's so damp?

Anonymous said...

Beautiful old church. Happy weekend.

LibertyBelle said...

All your photos are beautiful!
Incredible that a wooden structure can last so well through time, weather and pollution!
Great choices!
Happy weekend
L

Jen said...

These are all such BEAUTIFUL pictures! Have a great weekend. These deserve to be displayed up on a wall!

Lisa said...

Beautiful shots and the history is amazing. The fact the church has lastest so long, particularly the nave is a testimont to the great workmanship back then. They don't build now like they used too!! Enjoy your weekend.

Jientje said...

A wooden church! Hard to find these days ... Lovely pictures!

maryt/theteach said...

Great B&W photos! Very impressive! I just love how old things are in your country! The Norman Conquest - 1066. Yikes! Happy PH! :D

☆ MsK ☆ said...

Wow, those buildings are made of wood? I love old architecture. Photohunting here!

Anonymous said...

wow! those are lovely!

Kimo and Sabi said...

Furry nice examples!

Tokenhippygirl said...

What great history to go along with some really nice photos. Happy hunting!

Anonymous said...

St. Andrews is amazing. Lovely shots.

dixymiss said...

Amazing this incredible structure has been so well preserved. An eXcellent series of handsome piX for today's theme.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that first one looks so tranquil. I have never seen a black polar either. Love the church photos too. Fabulous job. Have a wonderful week.

Anonymous said...

That is unbelievably old. It's hard to believe that anything would last that long. It's a beautiful photo, and so historic.

Anonymous said...

Wow Jams, those are wonderful shots of amazing things/places. I would love to see that church. I like to visit really old things. The poplar is beautiful.

Hope you had a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

wow..that's pretty interesting. thanks for sharing the fact - who would have thought it could last that long! ;) thanks for stopping by

Sreisaat said...

WOw, that's a pretty tree! I wish people here from people there so they'd stop cutting trees :D Hope you are having a great weekend, Jams :D

Ritchelle said...

thanks for the information.The church is lovely.