Dragons at Hindringham Hall

It was another beautiful day here today, so I decided to pay my annual visit to Hindringham Hall. I don't think I've ever seen the gardens looking so beautiful. I also love exploring the medieval fishponds, and, of course, at the moment trying to photograph the many dragonflies around. This is the first time I've managed to capture them mating. I've also added two collages to Extras, one of dragons and one from my phone photos of the gardens. Again, I haven't even looked at my flower photos yet! If you're in the area, Hindringham is well worth a visit when it opens on a Wednesday morning and Sunday afternoon in season, and is part of the Historic Houses membership if you have it, but you can just pay at the site. 

The information boards say that the ponds were dug around the same time as the moat, in around 1150. They are fed from a spring and cover about 3 acres. It is estimated to move the c50,000 cubic metres of soil would have taken 100 men approximately 3 years using only spades, wheelbarrows, horses and carts. Eel, perch and pike would have been farmed in Medieval times. The Benedictines at Binham Priory and the Augustinians and Friars at Walsingham required a regular supply of fish for their diet, not to mention the thousands of pilgrims from all over Europe that visited Walsingham.