Against the setting sun

A busy day today, but also very pleasant. The sky has been a deep blue, though in the shade the ground has stayed frozen all day. Apparently another day like it is forecast for tomorrow.

I began this morning taking photographs of Thurgoland Church at the request of a neighbour. Rather unsuccessfully I have to add. The sun was behind the church (much more than than I expected) - so back-lighting the building and there are lots of very mature trees that create further obstruction and shade.

This afternoon we've been to Wentworth village and have walked past the east side of Wentworth Woodhouse Country House. Today's blip is a silhouette of the roof line against the setting sun. Unusually the building is still in private hands and not open to the public. There's lots of information on the web about the house. It was rebuilt on a much grander scale than our local house at Stainborough and there was quite a bit of rivalry going on among relatives who were each trying to outdo one another. This relative won!

Built over a 25 year period from 1724 for Thomas Watson-Wentworth, Marquess of Rockingham, it is twice as wide as Buckingham Palace and boasts over a 1,000 windows, 365 rooms and five miles of underground passageways. The stable block appears to be a large country house but is merely the lodging for up to 100 horses. Inside the main house, the Earls FitzWilliam enjoyed a priceless art collection which included works by Titian, Van Dyck, Guido, and Raphael. The Country Seat

You Tube video >>>

Wikipedia >>> - its East Front, 606-foot (185 m) long, is the longest country house façade in Europe