Day 16 : Hall's Croft and stitching.

Yesterday and today were days I had planned to spend with my cousins Penny and Mark however Pen's doctor suggested she not travel at the moment so we cancelled. It's a shame, and a blow to both of us, but the only possible thing to do. We're already plotting for next year. It left me with a couple of extra days in Stratford so I've revised my plans. I am now going to Hampton Court on Sunday, three days earlier than planned. I will, by Sunday, have done all I want to do here in Stratford and the Mitre has better light for embroidering than the Mercure does here in Stratford. And of course, there's the river. 

After my mammoth writing effort yesterday, I stitched for a bit to empty my head of words.  I effectively finished the Midsummer Pillowe. I say 'effectively' because there are, of course, a few embellishments I have lost. I am not good with little packets of beads, sequins and crystals. I am missing one large transparent sequin for Moonbeam, plus three tiny clear beads for the same, and one crystal bead for Titania's roses. I will find replacements when I get home.  I know I could ask Nicola for replacements, but she doesn't need that in her life. It is my job to look after them.Next time I shall bring a couple of those tiny screw-top containers to put beads in.  I am a bit of a klutz with beads and sequins in kits.











I have taken over a corner of the lounge/bar area in the last two days. It's away from the bar, so not as in demand as other areas, and has a window behind my chair, so good light.

It's a bit removed from the main area. I often share it with elderly men reading the newspaper or old timers meeting up for a drink in town. There are also the odd women (usually in pairs) who stand and watch me through the window.


This is the 'finished' piece, now out of its frame.

I have decided to make it into a purse/pouch in which I am going to keep my silk threads. It needs, I think, some silk lining and a back in a colour to match the writing behind the embroidery.


That finished, I set off this morning to Hall's Croft, the home of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna and her husband . This is where I missed dinner on the second day of the retreat.
This time I found the entrance with no trouble. I'm not sure what my problem was the other night but the entrance was very clear today.









This is a Shakespeare Trust property and signage and curation is excellent. There is a great graphic at the beginning of the displays showing the changes to the house over time.









The rooms are not overcrowded and there is opportunity to see how the home would have worked for a family.



















It has a long connecting hall
and glimpses into the garden.













Unusually, steps and stairs are kept to a minimum.








John Hall was a physician, so dispensed medicines from home. There is a space set up as a dispensary.

The kitchen is full of the latest technology, including a smoke jack, which used smoke from the chimney to turn a fan which in turn slowly turned the spit to cook a roast. There is no evidence than John and Susanna's household used a smoke jack but they were available in their lifetime. This is a slightly later model.



The museum has done quite a bit of work in reproducing clothing of the time and has a group of volunteers who put in a lot of time learning and making. They are about to start another major project and the cloth is laid out ready in the Exhibition room.












I bought a copy to the book the Museum has helped to publish. It would have been a great book to have when I was helping Brigid make her Tudor Costume in 2014!













There was also a nicely stitched coif in the room designated as Elizabeth's bedroom as well as some examples of Elizabethan needlework in progress.

I thought it very sensible that the Trust has not attempted to reconstruct the house as it was in any particular era, but rather set it out to display elements.

I really like the grate surround depicting St John the Evangelist. I wonder if John Hall identified with it? It would make a great embroidery.














The restoration of Hall's Croft has sensibly created a large exhibition space out of two or three bedrooms. There is currently an exhibition on health and medical beliefs and practices of the time. I was particularly interested in the claim that medical practice in the Tudor period saw physical and mental health as inseparable and the outlines of consequent practice. I was familiar with much of this, but found the presentation and contemporary connection very clear.





It was a bit chilly in the garden today as there was a bit of cold wind. There were also a lot of schoolboys.
















I liked the use of terracotta pots to label the vegetable rows.

It must look spectacular when the wisteria is out.

The magnolia is just bursting into flower.

Outside in the edging garden there was a wonderful tulip in bloom.



Back at the hotel I went back to my corner of the lounge with Kate Barlow's coif design and got stuck into the Elizabethan braided knot stitch.

It took a while to get into my stride, but it did come. It is far from perfect but I got the stitch. I even figured out how I got the twist in my first circle and eliminated a similar twist from today's work. I completed my second loop and finished off the last two blackwork leaves.






At the moment I am thinking I might turn this into a pouch for my goldwork/metalwork tools.

Tomorrow I'm thinking I might go to visit the Art Centre. I'd like to take a river cruise, but they don't run until after Easter.