Aylesbury, England

Sundae · 12-12-2008, 07:29 AM

Okay. Third of my location threads. I do move around, don't I?

I've always been interested in what my fellow Dwellars see every day anyway - I just happened to live somewhere tourists visited last time.

No longer. So at least the title of the thread should stop anyone not interested in becoming intimately acquainted with a market town (County Town!) in Buckinghamshire from wandering in. FTR, any Dwellars are welcome to a tour of Bucks if you happen to visit here. In fact I'd offer a tour of London if the existing walking tours weren't so damned good.

Right. We start with two pics of the clock in the Market Square. I'm afraid I am of the point and shoot school of photography, but when I saw how the first shot came I thought it was suitably gothic, so I kept it. The second is so you can see it properly. It is draped in lights at present, which gives the lighter picture a blurry appearance - they're not on, but they are hung in strands in the middle third.

Taken from two slightly different locations, but both Market Square.

Sundae · 12-12-2008, 07:41 AM

Again, two pictures of essentially the same place.
The first is taken with the (sinking) sun behind the County Offices - of which more later - the second from the long shadows.

In the first you see the clock as before. The cobbled square is Market Square, there are markets four days a week - I just caught it on an off day. The building on the lower left is the County Court. Gorgeous building. The thing looming in the right is the County Offices - evidence that Aylesbury fully embraced the style of brutalism in the 60s. I love it because it was always there in my childhood, because I think we should learn from our mistakes and frankly, because other people hate it.

The second simply shows the view up Market Square if you stand in front of the Court.

Sundae · 12-12-2008, 07:49 AM

A better view of the County Court. We have it because Buckingham (the obvious choice for County Town) refused to have a railway station back in the Victorian era of industrialisation. So we're County Town, and we have the County things - courts, museum, library etc. Like State Capital, but smaller.... way smaller.

Again, first pic is from the entrance of the main shopping centre. If you swing round 45 degrees (ish) you'd have the view of the clock in the lighter picture above. You can also see - barely - the arch through which you go to get to the next picture. And if that gingery fellow in the glasses wasn't there, you'd be able to see the lion which I will show in another photo.

The second pic is through the arch (built to honour the visit of Queen Victoria). It's the back of the County Court and used to be part of Aylesbury Gaol. Again, the concrete of the County Offices loom brutally over the soft red brick. I love them.

Shawnee123 · 12-12-2008, 08:22 AM

Beautiful. I always perceive your towns as quaint and homey. Can't wait to visit.

I should do something like that, since you said I've always been interested in what my fellow Dwellars see every day anyway - I just happened to live somewhere tourists visited last time.

There might be some interesting things to show you!

Sundae · 12-12-2008, 08:24 AM

And finally...

The arch mentioned above from the outside (with my back to the clock). And one of the lions at the bottom of the Square. This is the lion of peace - note how he lolls. The lion on the other side of the Square is the lion of war - he roars. Same sculptor who made the lions in Trafalgar Square.

The second pic is a statue of Disraeli. I meant to couple it with the picture of John Hampden opposite, but got caught up in other things. The Victorians were big on statues. Anyway, when I was twelve, the legend, "I [heart] CR" (my initials at the time) were spray painted onto Disraeli's statue. Yup, the school badboy fancied me. Sadly, it was the summer holidays by then, and we went to different schools after that. I still dream about him - literally. Still, Mark did less damamge over the years than the pigeons, who make the Jewish firebrand look like Francis of Assissi.

Sundae · 12-12-2008, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

I should do something like that, since you said I've always been interested in what my fellow Dwellars see every day anyway - I just happened to live somewhere tourists visited last time.

There might be some interesting things to show you!

Please do! Honestly, just your local supermarket would be strange and foreign to me! And just seeing something you see every day would be interesting.

Shawnee123 · 12-12-2008, 08:34 AM

They finally remodeled an old turn of the century hotel and it is now our public library. There are a lot of backstories there so I will try to get some pics this weekend and will explain my love of the place.

I need to get off my butt and get home internet...it's hard to do those kinds of things here.

TheMercenary · 12-12-2008, 10:22 AM

Beautiful.

lookout123 · 12-12-2008, 11:20 AM

Beautiful. Now if you could just make it sunny there I would pick up and move immediately. No I'm not kidding.

xoxoxoBruce · 12-12-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

I meant to couple it with the picture of John Hampden opposite, but got caught up in other things.

Quote:

The towns of Hamden, Connecticut and Hampden, Maine, as well as the county of Hampden, Massachusetts are named in his honour.

Hey, they left out the town of Hampden, Massachusetts. My Mommy lives there.

Sundae · 12-12-2008, 11:39 AM

Ha!
Well there you go.

My first ever job was washing up and prepping at The John Hampden Restaurant on Aylesbury High Street. That's when I learned that Hampden is pronounced Ham-den. Unlike Hampton Court which is pronounced as it is written.

xoxoxoBruce · 12-12-2008, 11:45 AM

Yeah, in Hampden you have to p silently.

lumberjim · 12-12-2008, 03:26 PM

neato, SG

Perry Winkle · 12-12-2008, 06:25 PM

The pics in the first two posts look a lot like Ponteland, near Newcastle upon Tyne.

Elspode · 12-13-2008, 11:35 AM

I may have asked this before, and it may be none of my goddamn business, but...why the new relocation, SG?

12-12-2008, 07:29 AM	#1
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Aylesbury, England Okay. Third of my location threads. I do move around, don't I? I've always been interested in what my fellow Dwellars see every day anyway - I just happened to live somewhere tourists visited last time. No longer. So at least the title of the thread should stop anyone not interested in becoming intimately acquainted with a market town (County Town!) in Buckinghamshire from wandering in. FTR, any Dwellars are welcome to a tour of Bucks if you happen to visit here. In fact I'd offer a tour of London if the existing walking tours weren't so damned good. Right. We start with two pics of the clock in the Market Square. I'm afraid I am of the point and shoot school of photography, but when I saw how the first shot came I thought it was suitably gothic, so I kept it. The second is so you can see it properly. It is draped in lights at present, which gives the lighter picture a blurry appearance - they're not on, but they are hung in strands in the middle third. Taken from two slightly different locations, but both Market Square. Attached Images

12-12-2008, 07:41 AM	#2
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Again, two pictures of essentially the same place. The first is taken with the (sinking) sun behind the County Offices - of which more later - the second from the long shadows. In the first you see the clock as before. The cobbled square is Market Square, there are markets four days a week - I just caught it on an off day. The building on the lower left is the County Court. Gorgeous building. The thing looming in the right is the County Offices - evidence that Aylesbury fully embraced the style of brutalism in the 60s. I love it because it was always there in my childhood, because I think we should learn from our mistakes and frankly, because other people hate it. The second simply shows the view up Market Square if you stand in front of the Court. Attached Images

12-12-2008, 07:49 AM	#3
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	A better view of the County Court. We have it because Buckingham (the obvious choice for County Town) refused to have a railway station back in the Victorian era of industrialisation. So we're County Town, and we have the County things - courts, museum, library etc. Like State Capital, but smaller.... way smaller. Again, first pic is from the entrance of the main shopping centre. If you swing round 45 degrees (ish) you'd have the view of the clock in the lighter picture above. You can also see - barely - the arch through which you go to get to the next picture. And if that gingery fellow in the glasses wasn't there, you'd be able to see the lion which I will show in another photo. The second pic is through the arch (built to honour the visit of Queen Victoria). It's the back of the County Court and used to be part of Aylesbury Gaol. Again, the concrete of the County Offices loom brutally over the soft red brick. I love them. Attached Images

12-12-2008, 08:22 AM	#4
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Beautiful. I always perceive your towns as quaint and homey. Can't wait to visit. I should do something like that, since you said I've always been interested in what my fellow Dwellars see every day anyway - I just happened to live somewhere tourists visited last time. There might be some interesting things to show you! __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

12-12-2008, 08:24 AM	#5
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	And finally... The arch mentioned above from the outside (with my back to the clock). And one of the lions at the bottom of the Square. This is the lion of peace - note how he lolls. The lion on the other side of the Square is the lion of war - he roars. Same sculptor who made the lions in Trafalgar Square. The second pic is a statue of Disraeli. I meant to couple it with the picture of John Hampden opposite, but got caught up in other things. The Victorians were big on statues. Anyway, when I was twelve, the legend, "I [heart] CR" (my initials at the time) were spray painted onto Disraeli's statue. Yup, the school badboy fancied me. Sadly, it was the summer holidays by then, and we went to different schools after that. I still dream about him - literally. Still, Mark did less damamge over the years than the pigeons, who make the Jewish firebrand look like Francis of Assissi. Attached Images

12-12-2008, 08:34 AM	#7
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	They finally remodeled an old turn of the century hotel and it is now our public library. There are a lot of backstories there so I will try to get some pics this weekend and will explain my love of the place. I need to get off my butt and get home internet...it's hard to do those kinds of things here. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

12-12-2008, 10:22 AM	#8
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Beautiful. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

12-12-2008, 11:20 AM	#9
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	Beautiful. Now if you could just make it sunny there I would pick up and move immediately. No I'm not kidding. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

12-12-2008, 11:39 AM	#11
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Ha! Well there you go. My first ever job was washing up and prepping at The John Hampden Restaurant on Aylesbury High Street. That's when I learned that Hampden is pronounced Ham-den. Unlike Hampton Court which is pronounced as it is written.

12-12-2008, 11:45 AM	#12
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Yeah, in Hampden you have to p silently. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

12-12-2008, 03:26 PM	#13
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	neato, SG __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

12-12-2008, 06:25 PM	#14
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	The pics in the first two posts look a lot like Ponteland, near Newcastle upon Tyne.

12-13-2008, 11:35 AM	#15
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I may have asked this before, and it may be none of my goddamn business, but...why the new relocation, SG? __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

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