Alison Uttley Society - Guestbook

Submitted by
Name: Jane Blackie
From: Edinburgh
E-mail: jnblackie1@gmail.com
Comments:
Q. Is it known who lived in Castle Top Farm between Harry's leaving
and the Clays' acquisition ?
Added: February 6, 2012
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Submitted by
Name: Joanne Blake
From: Southampton
E-mail: dawn.scarlett@hotmail.co.uk
Comments:
I have had a copy of stories for christmas ever since I can remember (over 20years) and although I am 29 I still read it every christmas and am still transfixed by the stories in there because I love it so much I want my nephew to share the enjoyment but I cant bear to part with my raggedy old copy I cant find it in any bookshops and have been told it is out of print. Does anyone know where I can get a copy?
BTW I have to thank Alison Uttley for enriching my childhood with her books
Added: February 2, 2012
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Submitted by
Name: Louise Brennan
E-mail: louise.brennan@english-heritage.org.uk
Comments:
Well, a few discoveries since August:

we picked up a pottery handle by the cartshed on the side of the wooded hill - turns out to be Midlands Purple Ware - approx 1450-1650, so potentially
our earliest piece of pottery yet.

The stairs and landing - I have been decorating - the earliest paint scheme is a brown oilpaint, but this could be a builders finish - I have also found several fragments of a lovely 19th century turquoise and gold wallpaper all over the stairs and a very funky 1950s wallpaper with a border. Also, part of a servants bell system, which seems to go from the Dining Room to the kitchen.
Added: November 20, 2011
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Submitted by
Name: Louise Brennan
From: Castle Top Farm
E-mail: louise.brennan@english-heritage.org.uk
Comments:
A big Thank You to everyone who came up to Castle Top on Sunday afternoon. The weather smiled upon us and hope everyone enjoyed wandering around the garden. We had a good time chatting to people and running frantically back and forth with cream teas (scones courtesy of my mum and Jam by me). All funds raised will go to the recreation of the weathervane. An especial thanks to Margueritte who gave me a lovely posy of dried lavender and sent a thank you card.

We hope to do it again next year for an afternoon.

Best Wishes

Louise
Added: August 31, 2011
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Submitted by
Name: louise brennan
From: Castle Top Farm
E-mail: louise.brennan@english-heritage.org.uk
Comments:
Gorgeous day at Castle Top Farm. James has been busying scything the field - less noisy than a strimmer! I have collected various pieces of pottery during my gardening and asked a couple of colleagues for their view in terms of date - some are very obviously 19th century and 18th century in my view but I took my 4 earlier contenders to see my archaeological colleagues. I have a piece of a 17th century bellarmane and two pieces of 16th century pot - so it seems likely that people were living at Castle Top then.

In the house it is clear that the lounge joinery was originally grained in imitation of oak with the mouldings picked oput in black. I have exposed a couple of sections.
Added: July 31, 2011
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Submitted by
Name: jude
E-mail: davies_p11@sky.com
Comments:
I have two little grey rabbit tapes and wonder if they are available on cd
or not?? I used to listen to them as a child and my daughter now loves them!

Thanks

Admin reply: Hello David.
Thanks for your message. Sadly, they LGR stories are not available on CD at present. However, Templar Publishing will be re-issuing some of the series next year in book form, with other lovely things to follow. I will see your
suggestion is passed on. Please keep an eye on the website for developments.

Look on the children's page on the website to download pictures for your daughter to colour/cut out.

Best wishes,
Sheila
Added: July 23, 2011
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Submitted by
Name: louise brennan
From: Castle Top Farm
E-mail: louise.brennan@english-heritage.org.uk
Comments:
In answer to the last ladies queries:
I am not sure regarding the rose - there is a climbing rose up the front of the house which we pruned back hard and is now sending out lots of branches (but no flowers). I am a bit doubtful that the trunk is big enough to date from Alison's time. But teh pear tree is still there.

White field no longer belongs to the house.I believe it was sold off in the 1950s when Mrs Clay bought the house.
Added: June 27, 2011
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Submitted by
Name: Jane Blackie
From: Edinburgh
E-mail: jnblackie1@gmail.com
Comments:
Dear Louise,
All best wishes for your new & enviable home, which I have known intimately from the age of 9, when I first read The Country Child, Ambush &
Country Hoard, and re-read ever since. Every detail of those buildings is so vividly depicted, in so many of the books, and never contradicted. I can't think of any other writer's home which is so minutely described.

Q. Is the "Glory" [Gloire de Dijon] rose still growing up the C19 extension wall ?

Q. Does White Field still belong to the farmhouse ?

Q. for Sheila :
Tunnicliffe's illustrations : Is it known whether he visited & photographed
Castle Top & Cromford himself, or did he work from A.U.'s own photos ?
Added: June 25, 2011
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Submitted by
Name: Louise Brennan
From: Castle Top Farm
E-mail: louise.brennan@english-heritage.org.uk
Comments:
We are making progress on the bathroom and I am busy decorating. We have found a strip of Edwardian floral wallpaper in the bathroom (which was a bedroom in Alison's time)- very pretty Arts and Crafts type pattern with big pink flowers. My vegetable garden has been seriously munched by the rabbits who seem to eat everything but the potatoes - rather disheartening. The waller is coming in late June to repair some collapses in the dry stone wall by the footpath.
Added: June 17, 2011
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Submitted by
Name: John Nurcombe
From: Leics.
E-mail: ann.nurcombe@sky.com
Comments:
Most interesting.As a child(I am now 73) I enjoyed and so did my sister,all her books.We had a few 'Little grey Rabbit'books and many Sam Pig and Brock the Badger ones.When I last stayed with my sister I managed to smuggle 'Sam Pig and Sally' out,which I hope my grand-daughter will read.Incidentally,I like the illustrations in the books almost as much as the stories.
Many years ago we gave my daughter 'Magic in my pocket'which she loved.I have also read 'Country Hoard'.Somehow her characters seem real! :)
Added: June 8, 2011
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