Culture in a Cold Climate

Ram's Island

2017-09-12T22:13:00.000+01:00

It has been a dream of mine to visit Ram's Island, a small island in the middle of Lough Neagh. For years it was almost impossible to reach, unless one had a boat, and even then the island had become overgrown and neglected. In recent times, Michael Savage has been at the helm of a conservation project and along with a band of volunteers and charity funding he has lovingly restored the island to its former glory.

We set sail on Saturday 9 September on Island Warrior, the ferryboat used to take visitors and volunteers to the island. The weather was dreadful, but it was a smooth crossing. When we arrived Michael invited the group into a renovated barge, which now serves as a clubhouse, for tea and coffee. The island is around one mile long and one mile wide, and so it is very walkable. It belonged to the O'Neill family, and in the 19th century it served as their summer retreat. As I said before, it is a woodland, and as such it is well sheltered from the elements. A lot of the ancient trees were vandalised by American soldiers during WW2, and you can still see their carvings in the bark (they were stationed at Langford Lodge in Crumlin). Although I was attracted by the wildlife and nature aspect, I was excited to visit the ruins of the O'Neill summer house and the remains of a round tower, dating back to an ancient monastery settlement.

We'll definitely be back!

Cairndhu House

2017-09-10T17:59:00.001+01:00

Our visit to Cairndhu House consisted of two trips, which you can see from the photographs below. A lot of stories surround the house itself, ranging from 'the most haunted house in Northern Ireland' to the actual purpose of the building - Victorian country house, WW2 base, asylum - only two of which are true. While I've heard it was an asylum, I believe this has been embellished throughout the years - it was a convalescent hospital from the 1950s until its closure in 1986. Of course its main purpose, when built in 1875, was to serve a country house for a rich textile industrialist, a Scotsman named Mr Stewart Clark. I don't believe Stewart Clark actually commissioned the main building of the house (as you can see from the photos it is fashioned in a semi-circle) but he certainly added to the building in the late 1800s, adding several blocks to the back of the house. Locals will be interested to know that his daughter, Edith, married Sir Thomas Dixon, and she and her husband became the latter day owners of the house. Lady Dixon gifted the property to Larne council in the 1940s. Today the house is a shell of its former glory, and although the exterior is still intact, the interiors have been ransacked by vandals and looters.

On our first visit the atmosphere was very spooky. I, personally, did not know what to expect, having heard the old story of an abandoned asylum. The house itself surprised me, as I have not seen a structure like it in Northern Ireland. It is typically Victorian without any Edwardian touches (despite having been added to in that era). A porch wraps around the front, its metal work a nod to the Gothic design so popular in that era, along with oriental touches. It looks like an American mansion, which is probably why it was used in Ridley Scott's horror film, Morgan. The security gates have been opened, and so it was easy to approach the building. We heard voices (Cairndhu Golf Club is next door) and were astonished to see a group of young people walking around the corner, dressed as skeletons. I should add that Cairndhu House attracts a lot of people, from curious explorers to individuals interested in the dark arts (as the graffiti outside and inside can attest) so please do not visit or enter inside on your own!

To enter the house we walked around the corner and discovered two windows which had been opened - the others are either boarded up with wood or bricks. The windows are very high, despite being ground floor, but there were shutters and other things underneath for us to stand on. At first we climbed through the second window, which leads to the back of the house, as that was easier to negotiate. If you are too scared to go inside, you can easily look through the window and see a few rooms. Most of the interiors have been stolen or torn apart. The back of the building was the hospital wing, and a former servants quarters, and so the walls and floors are clinical. The led on the roof has been stolen, so water dripsonto the floor and the noise is disgusting, along with ferns growing out of the walls. It is very dark in this part, so do bring a torch. On our first visit we did not venture very far. We climbed out and walked around the grounds, and could hear a brass band from the neighbouring Carnfunnock Country Park playing Edwardian tunes. This added to the spooky atmosphere. We spent a lot of time exploring the grounds, which are very overgrown, sitting on the porch looking out to sea (you can see Scotland) and then staring at the opened windows upstairs, thinking every smudge and flicker of light was a ghost! We then plucked up the courage to enter through the first window, leading to the front of the house. The room which we climbed into has fake blood splattered on the walls and some menacing writing underneath the sill. This room was light but as we walked through the hallway it became very dark and we decided to leave.

Part of the spooky atmosphere came from not knowing what to expect. It can be very disorienting and so I advise you to research the layout before going inside. We did a bit of investigating and decided to return.

On our second visit we had much more success. We brought a torch and dressed appropriately (remember, the floor is wet, there is glass everywhere, litter etc). We decided to enter through the first window and explore the front of the house, and I am glad we did. It is dark for a moment, but once inside the great hall it becomes light, thanks to the ledless roof! Some side rooms are pitch black, because the windows are bricked up. There is a phonebox, and some reading material, along with abandoned baths.The main staircase no longer exists, but there is a small wooden staircase close to the front window, so we went back and climbed up it. Please be careful when doing this, there are pieces of wood missing and no banister, so we stayed close to the wall. Parts of the landing has floorboards missing and the floor is also damp, so again that is a hazard. We explored some of the bedrooms and were surprised to see some of the original wallpaper still intact. The third floor is very dangerous, so I don't advise you walk on those floorboards. There are massive holes in the floor and the drop is very high. We left the front of the house and went into the second window to explore the hospital wing. This part has a sinister feel, there are occult symbols on the walls and the rooms are very dark. There are wooden stairs, some in better shape than others, and we walked up as many as we could, leading to the attic bedrooms which would have been servants' bedrooms.

On this second trip we also found the stables and a way to get inside. You must walk around the side (closest to the golf club) and fight through various brambles and bushes before seeing an opened window. The stables are quite interesting, but again they have been looted.

As for the overall feeling of the house. I don't think it is haunted, and we never felt scared on our second visit because we knew our way around. It definitely has an energy about it and I feel very drawn to the place. We will be returning closer to Halloween, which should be fun! Like I said, the house itself is fine, it is the people it attracts.

We're Back

2017-09-10T16:24:00.000+01:00

Hello! After four years of not posting a single thing (that can't be right, can it?!) I have decided to revive Culture in a Cold Climate. For a few years I have been doing excursions, but they have often been repeat visits to the places posted on this blog. However, all that has changed. The excursions have become more adventurous (think breaking into abandoned buildings, slipping through railings of national monuments) and I thought you would enjoy reading about the places and seeing photographs that, perhaps, you might not see on websites and Google images. My brother and his girlfriend accompany me on the excursions (we're the Hellion Battalion, no really!) and so this blog will chart our days out.

Although this blog has not been active in a long time it has served as a guide for other adventurers, including two travel writers who are working on a book entitled Secret Belfast. The queries I continue to receive inspired me to share my latest photos and info regarding heritage sights in Northern Ireland, and some in the Republic of Ireland.

I tend to visit a new place every Sunday, that is - when I am not swamped by writing projects. Since our last meeting, I have become a full-time writer and historian. I feel very lucky indeed! Recently I have been commissioned to write a biography on Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, so that is keeping me busy. I also write book reviews for The Lady magazine, as well as writing features for other publications and sometimes advising on historical projects. And so, that, along with my blog, is a marriage of my work!

I hope you will enjoy the posts!

Lyndsy xxx

The Mitford Society's annual

2013-12-12T13:56:00.000+00:00

The life of a writer!! This blog has been quite dead as of late...as of 6 months or more to be exact. If you're interested in The Mitford Girls or that era in general then please do head over to my other (and more active) blog www.themitfordsociety.wordpress.com

The Mitford Society has just released its first annual which should be of interest to anyone who loves the inter-war era, aristocratic families, Evelyn Waugh, Parisian fashion, horoscopes and a little mix of academia and fun! The proceeds of the annual will go towards maintaining an official website for The Mitford Society. Click here to have a look.

My article on the Mitford girls in Vintage Life magazine!

2013-09-04T15:02:00.001+01:00

Media

2013-08-04T11:06:00.000+01:00

I'm ecstatic that my book The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life has been featured in a gorgeous 6 page spread in Social & Personal Magazine: "Ireland's most unashamedly stylish magazine." Click on the photos to read some extracts. The photos used have been taken from the book also.

Castle Ward

2013-06-17T17:09:00.001+01:00

Last week I visited Castle Ward with my grandparents. It's been my dream to visit here for such a long time and luckily we chose a beautiful day to do so. You can only tour the house at certain times, and unfortunately our allocated slot wasn't until 3.30pm (we arrived just after 12) so we spent the afternoon relaxing in the court yard. There is a fantastic antique book shop located at the opposite end of the courtyard (right across from the tea shop) and I was ecstatic to find an original copy of The Green Hat- I've wanted to find a copy of this book since I read The Bolter last summer. Also, I found an original copy of Lytton Strachey's essays and Mrs A, a biography of Gertrude Lawrence, the foreword is by Daphne du Maurier. Gertrude's bio is advertised on the back of Margaret Lockwood's 1955 autobiography Lucky Star. So you could say it was a dream find! Finally, we went into the house and unlike most stately homes, photography is permitted provided you turn off the flash. I managed to snap quite a few photographs as we toured the property, our tour leader (an English lady) was very amusing and told us a lot about the previous and present owners, Lord and Lady Bangor. Lady Bangor happens to be the Royal biographer, Sarah Bradford, and her books are dotted about the house, resting mainly on the Georgian writing tables. How is that for product placement! I loved the anecdotes about nursery life and how the previous Lady Bangor had a glass ceiling installed above the corridor so the children could wave to mummy as she went to dinner (See pix). I should mention that at the time Castle Ward was constructed, Lady Bangor adored Gothic but her husband did not, he wanted to keep the house in tradition with the Georgian style. They reached a compromise, one half of the house (the half facing Strangford Lough) is Gothic and the other half (facing the road) is Georgian. The tour guide summed it up when she said: 'It's probably the only schizophrenic house in all of Ireland.'

"Hot New Releases"

2013-04-24T23:51:00.002+01:00

It has been an exciting few weeks as I prepare to receive the proofs of my Mitford book. First of all, I was thrilled that my book was on display at The London Book Fair as part of their Autumn 2013 highlights. Mark, my editor, explained there has been a lot of early buzz about the book. What excites me most of all is that my book featured in the top 100 historical bio charts on amazon! This is exceptionally good news! Also, today it was no. 1 in amazon’s hot new releases, next to Jonathan Aitken’s forthcoming bio on Margaret Thatcher. I am extremely pleased and very grateful to those who have pre-ordered my book. I’ve also learned that the book will be released on Nov 1 in America, already it is doing quite well in their Irish history charts.

In the meantime I’ve been writing my biography on Margaret Lockwood, it has been going very well and has been a lot easier to write than the Mitford book, I suppose this is because it is in chronicle order. The first draft is complete and has gone off to the publishers for their review (fingers crossed!)
I’m planning my next project which will make use of the Mitford info I couldn’t use in my book The Mitford Girls’ Guide to Life. It is of Diana & Bryan Guinness, so I am planning a bio on their life together which will also explore Diana’s early life. I feel a lot of bios gloss over this part of her life to (as one friend put it) “get to the good stuff” i.e. Mosley, prison, Hitler etc.

I’m very busy indeed but I’d love to hear from any of you regarding the new Diana project. If you have any info, material, stories that you’d like to share please email me at mitfordsociety@gmail.com

Glenarm

2013-02-25T22:04:00.000+00:00

Today we headed off towards Larne direction and stopped, by chance, at the Ballygally Castle hotel where we stumbled upon a small beach. Lola loved it there and she ran along the sand and into the sea. I've been dying to go to Glenarm Castle for ages, mostly because (and I read this...) Princess Mariga, aka Mrs. Desmond Guinness, lived in a gatehouse on the premises. Although, a recent commenter on my post about Mariga seemed a bit baffled by this. However, the castle is closed until May but I decided to have a look around the parts of the grounds which are opened to the public. I walked further down the lane and noticed the imposing castle, it is magnificent and I snapped a photo. There is a sign next to the gates saying 'Private' and I didn't go any further. I'll definitely return to Glenarm Castle in the summer to have a proper walk around the grounds. I drove onward to Glenarm Marina which is beautiful and then to Carnlough and home to Antrim via Broughshane. All in all, it was a great day with lovely views along the coastal road!

Book Cover!

2013-02-22T11:58:00.001+00:00

I am so excited! My publisher has allowed me to share a preview of my book cover- Mitford blue!! 2000 copies are being printed in hardback, and if you ask me, this is going to look divine! The artist behind the gorgeous Acton-esque sketches is Tessa Simpson- who by popular demand from The Mitford Society-is selling copies of her sketches: http://society6.com/TessaSimpson/Mitford-Sisters_Print

Write up in the Antrim Guardian

2013-02-08T01:22:00.000+00:00

The Antrim Guardian gave me a splendid write up in this week's paper. I chatted to them about my book (available for pre-order on amazon.co.uk) and my forthcoming film 'The Flower Girl' which will debut at the international film festivals this year. Click on the images to read the article (hopefully it is clear enough).

The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life

2013-01-30T03:05:00.000+00:00

I've been hiding away in The Hons' Cupboard AKA my work station for the best part of 3 months now, but the good news is that I've submitted my manuscript and the next time I see it it'll be in book form! My book, 'The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life' is already available for pre-order on amazon.co.uk! Click here to see more.

Some News

2012-11-25T19:07:00.001+00:00

I have been very busy as of late with odd projects & my day job but I do have some exciting news!! My new book, The Mitford Girls' Guide To Life has been accepted by a mainstream publisher in the UK. It will be a leading title next Autumn. I will update more info when I am allowed to!! Off to meet my writing deadline!

Hello

2012-10-17T23:25:00.000+01:00

Thanks for the well wishes & welcome back messages! We've had some lovely Autumnal days here in Antrim but the weather has taken a turn for the worst. Today I woke up to a sea of leaves, I love leaves but unfortunately they were followed by never ending rain and strong winds! My little cat has been dying to leave her cabin all day.

I'm currently working on my dream project with a great group of creative individuals, so that is beginning to take up a lot of my free time but I hope it is worth it. I've also just finished writing my book which I've been working on for the past year and a half- the subject matter is probably very predictable...my idols, all six of them ;-)

I'm off to Prague in two weeks for a little trip so expect Culture In A Cold Climate, Czech style!!

Autumn in Antrim

2012-10-12T21:18:00.001+01:00

Good News!

2012-07-05T13:19:00.003+01:00

I've been taking a break from my excursions because of two reasons, the first reason is this awful weather, rain doesn't bother me but torrential rain combined with strong winds is a recipe for disaster when you're treking through a field or forest! The second reason is that I co wrote a script and it has gone into production in LA, today is the first day of principal photography- that is industry speak for filming (I didn't know that until recently!) So, as you can imagine I am very excited, and pinching myself because it just seems extraordinary to me!

Anyhow, once everything calms down I'll be on the go again!

Friendly Cows

2012-06-13T20:38:00.001+01:00

I used to be terrified of cows, that is, until they were placed in a field right next to the horses, then I had no other choice but to walk past their field. It always scared me how they charged toward the fence and then stood uniformly in a line, pushing and shoving. Until a few days ago I used to approach the field very slowly and then sprint past. Slowly I've been getting used to them, but tonight I left Lola at home (she'd instigate an animal to attack her) and I stood at the fence and watched them run toward me, it was sort of that fight or flight scenario and then I veered toward the fence, and bit by bit I began to pet them and feed them some grass. I got used to them and was sort of able to judge their behaviour, although, they were all dairy cows and quite small in stature, so that wasn't so bad. And then I realized they're very friendly!!

Jubilee Celebrations!

2012-06-05T22:53:00.000+01:00

I ventured down to the newly renovated Castle Grounds today to see the Jubilee celebrations, the grounds were crowded with people picnicking and listening to the live band (Royalists or enjoying a freebie?) There was also an exhibition of the Queen's portraits.

And then we returned that evening to watch the lighting of the beacon which accidentally set the grass on fire! Some Non-U people were moaning that it was quite mediocre, but they failed to realize what it symbolizes, their loss!

All in all it was a good show! The rainy weather kept me indoors today so I watched the Jubilee coverage and enjoyed the spectacle from the comfort of my house! Tomorrow I am going to see a screening of one of my favourite movies A Streetcar Named Desire at the Old Courthouse.

The other night Mark and I slipped through the railings to take these photos of the Italian tower, moat and newly renovated gardens.

Home To Roost

2012-06-02T23:36:00.001+01:00

Today I received an autographed copy of Deborah Devonshire's memoirs "Home To Roost" needless to say I am thrilled!

The Mitford Family Album...

2012-05-20T13:09:00.000+01:00

I've scanned some rare photos for The Mitford Society from the out of print The Mitford Family Album by Sophia Murphy (Debo's youngest daughter). And also some photographs from Decca, The Letters of Jessica Mitford. So, if you're going to steal these please do credit where you found them because you won't find them anywhere else on the net!

Merry Christmas from the Treuhafts! Dinky, Bob, Nicholas, Benjamin & Decca, 1950s

Pamela

Pamela & Tom

Pamela, Nancy, Diana & Tom, 1914

Decca & Dinky

Lady Redesdale & Debo at The Grand National, 1937

Unity

Diana & Bryan Guinness

Diana & Bryan Guinness, 1932

Debo in Switzerland, 1931

Diana & Sir O at Tullamaine Castle, 1951

Lady Redesdale & Debo

Debo, 1934

Sir O & Diana, 1936

Nancy & Peter Rodd in Brighton

Debo, Decca & Unity on a cruise

Unity, Decca, Lady Redesdale & Debo

Unity & Diana in Munich

Pamela

Decca in Portugal, 1936

Debo signing up for National Service, 1941

Debo on her wedding day, 1941

Pamela & Derek Jackson

Decca & Bob

Unity & Decca, 1930

Decca

Nancy & Decca in Paris

Decca & Lady Redesdale on Inch Kenneth, 1959

Decca the pop star, 1996

Debo with Aly Khan

Debo with Kick Kennedy

Debo, 1950s

Debo in an unsual hat gifted by Evelyn Waugh

The Cat Garden

2012-05-19T22:21:00.001+01:00

The weather has finally cleared up!! Today I visited Belfast Castle with the intention to visit the quirky cat garden which is very beautiful with spectacular views of Belfast lough. Please note, you cannot take dogs into the garden, so Lola had to watch from afar, however, you can take your dog everywhere else around the castle grounds which has lovely walks along the cave hill.

Because we had Lola with us we couldn't venture inside the castle, which was very busy with a function anyway, but I'll return for lunch and to visit the Cave Hill visitor centre which houses an authentic replica of a 1920s bedroom and other interesting information about Cave Hill and all that inhabited it from the stone age until the present day, also there is an antique shop in the basement.

Lola's waiting for a five gun salute

Underneath the stairs

If you're wondering how to get to Belfast Castle (a mystery to me for such a long time) take the road for the Zoo and it's the next few entrances up, just keep driving toward the lovely Edwardian townhouses and then you'll see the signpost. Prepare to be dazzled as you drive up the long and winding driveway toward the castle.

The castle isn't exactly a castle but a massive country manor built two centuries ago. To find out more click here

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The Summer House

2012-04-24T15:27:00.000+01:00

We were surprised to see the horses back in the field at Greenmount! Unfortunately we couldn't stop to greet them because Lola was barking like a maniac, but we'll return when the weather clears up, leaving Lola at home. We walked up the side of the field to the nature trail area and Mark lead me down a path which we've not taken before, it sort of just cuts off into a dead end, but we found some ruins along the way and I am wondering if they're the ruins of the summer house?

The ruins are sheltered in the woodland and even though it's only bricks it does give off a creepy vibe! I swear I can see a face in one of the photographs, I'll label which one below.

Look at the bottom right hand corner...ghost!!

The Postcard

2012-04-21T22:27:00.000+01:00

Some of you have been messaging me via The Mitford Society to hurry up and post a photograph of the postcard that we received from Debo's secretary, Helen. Well, here it is!

A lovely photograph of Debo's garden.


Helen glued this letter to the back of the postcard.

I wasn't expecting a reply, so when I received this I was over the moon. It arrived on Friday the 13th and what a lucky day that was! I have it proudly on display in my alcove amongst the Mitford paraphernalia!

A Day Away

2012-04-19T22:57:00.001+01:00

As of lately things have been a bit haywire, so it was nice to get away for a few hours to a secluded spot with little Lola and Mark, who tagged along for the trip, and surprisingly he was happy enough to run around the ruins and climb along the banks of the lough. The sun was out, I sense I might have to dig out the SPF50 any day now, and we spent a few hours at Cranfield. One canoeist was paddling far off into the distance, and he was the only human presence.

A mysterious cat lurked at the foot of the old graveyard and wouldn't come over to greet us, it wasn't even fazed by Lola's growling. Some birds hopped around and we let Lola off her leash to run across the fields, until one minor mishap happened and she became stuck in some brambles. I sat on the rock of St. Olcan's tomb watching Mark and Lola explore the marshlands.

And then we decided to go home, stopping off at the Lough Shore park on our way through. It was quite busy with children and animals, and Lola, as per usual, went nuts, so we brought her home.

But I haven't been able to settle all day. I can't stand being indoors and I'm feeling restless. Hopefully tomorrow is another nice day and we can head off somewhere, or maybe just spend the day in the back garden.

Regulation 18B

2012-04-17T00:18:00.001+01:00

The weather is making a prisoner of all of us! So, rather than rush out and snap lots of photographs, I've had some quiet time to process and play around with some photographs from past excursions. I am also working on a flickr account to accompany this blog.

I hope you enjoy these...

Lola at Holestone, Parkgate

My brother approaching Holestone

St. John's Parish, Donegore

Clotworthy House, Antrim

Mussenden Temple, Co. Londonderry

Downhill House, Co. Londonderry

Portglenone Forest

The Causeway School, Bushmills

Templeton Mausoleum, Templepatrick

The old graveyard, Castle Upton, Templepatrick

Randalstown Forest

Lough Neagh, Antrim