Wednesday 25 January 2012

Do you have a special place?

Do you have a special place? I have several, I know what you're thinking!  I'm greedy! But throughout my forty three years I've been to a lot of places, some better than others admittedly, but a lot all the same. So heres a couple of my special places and one I detest.
The dentist is definately not one of my special places, in fact it has to be in my top five of worst ever. And why oh why is the appointment always at two thirty (tooth hurty). In fact me and hubs have an appointment in April and I hope he forgets-don't remind him! 
When I was a child I recall, quite vividly, our day-trips to the seaside. Dad and I would make sandcastles and paddle in the sea looking for seashells. Lunch would be either a picnic that mum had put together or dad would fetch chips (fries) from the fish and chip shop (why do they always taste better at the seaside?). After playing all morning and with a full tummy I'd lay on the blanket between by parents, lay a large towel over myself and fall asleep. I remember feeling very content and safe. I loved it!  I was lucky to be raised by happy, fun but sensible parents who taught me good values. 

We'd often have a sunday afternoon out at a park called Boultham (pronounced boot-um) Park that was about seven miles from home. My parents and I, two older brothers (12 & 14 years older than me) and their girlfriends would all go together. The park had everything, a bandstand which had a brass band playing, plenty of grassed area to lay a blanket out to laze in the sunshine or eat a picnic. The lake had boats for hire, obviously dad did the rowing! There was swings, slides, a seesaw and roundabout and also plenty of woodland with pathways throughout. It was idyllic.
 When I'd left home and had my son, I'd often take him there. We'd pick up the autumnal leaves, watch the
squirrels scuttle about climbing the trees. He'd play on the swings etc and we'd feed the ducks.
I live a five minute walk from the park now and visit often with hubs to feed the swans and ducks and reminisce about how my family and I would play French cricket, then eat ice-creams and ride on the miniature railway.
Hubs lived a couple of miles away while he grew up and would often visit the park himself with his family. So our paths may of crossed all those years ago!
The park makes me very nostalgic. I love the place, remembering playing their as a child and then years later playing there with my child. Now I walk there hand in hand with my husband 

The Boultham estate originally belonged to the Ellison family.
The hall was rebuilt during 1874 and was often thrown open for garden parties, galas and fetes.
After 1909 the house became vacant due to the owners death.
During the First World War the house was used as a convalescent home for soldiers. After the war much of the land was sold for new housing.
The remaining grounds were finally secured by Lincoln City Council in 1929. The grounds were laid out as a public park with the hall being demolished in 1959.


 The park is steeped in history and now it's part of my history. It's without a doubt my very special place.
So, dear readers, do you have special place?

5 comments:

  1. Did you know your house is actually built on land which originally belonged to the Ellis Family and was part of the Boultham Estate?

    Frances xx

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  2. Yes I did! I've been doing some research on Boutham Park and it's history. I find it very interesting. X

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  3. You might want a nosey at the title deeds for our house, it exolains a lot of how the land was broken up and how much it was sold for. It's really interesting x

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  4. Yeah I'd like that. Next week sometime if that's ok? X

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  5. Can we do it the week after. Hubby is home all next week and we are planning to do the back garden - not sure where to start but its got to be done!

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