A group of date stones from the 17th and early 18th Centuries that I saw in the grounds of Rivington Church on 3 July 2016.

One of these is almost certainly a lintol. 

Two of these stones are noted as coming from the stables of nearby Rivington Hall and as such we have a bit of information about the initials inscribed.

Worn stone dated 1695

Stone from the stable block at Rivington Hall - 1713 WBMI (William and Martha Breres and John). 

William Breres and his wife Martha Gill lived at the Hall. William Breres died in 1723 and the estate passed to their son John who sold it in 1729 to John Andrews.

​Stone dated 1732 IAA (John Andrews and Abigail) again from the stable block at Rivington Hall. John Andrews was born in 1684 and married Abigail Crook of Abram. In 1729 he purchased the estate. John Andrews died without a male heir in 1743.

Stone dated 1698 - This is carved into what would have been a fine lintol over a main entrance door or possibly a window.

Fantastic painting by DGM Gardner showing the naval action between Royal Navy Frigate HMS Nymphe and French Frigate Cleopatre on 18 June 1793.

It was a hard fought encounter which found the Royal navy vessel victorious.

The Nymphe spotted the Cleopatre off the Devon coast and closed to investigate, the Cleopatre initially attempted to flee  but the Royal Navy vessel soon gained ground and the French vessel turned to engage. The action started at 0615 and lasted about 50 minutes culminating with the British crew boarding the French vessel and capturing her. During the engagement the Nymphe lost 50 men whilst the Cleopatre lost 63 including her Captain. The Cleopatre was towed back to England as a prize with nearly £8,000 being awarded to the Royal Navy Captain and crew. The Cleopatre was renamed HMS Oiseau and served in the Royal Navy until 1816.  

Ambassador leaving the Thames at the start of her outward bound trip to China as a new ship in 1870.  The China tea trade was seasonal starting in May as the teas started to arrive in the ports on the Chinese coast from the inland plantations.

Oil on canvas painting by George Webster  photographed whilst I was in Guernsey.  The painting depicts HMS Crescent off the coast of Devon in 1805. HMS Crescent played a significant role in the history of the channel Islands during the French Revolutionary wars. In 1793 Captain James Saumarez (1757-1836) whilst in command of the Crescent captured a French Frigate in a single ship action.

The following year Saumarez was conveying troops to the Channel Islands while in charge of a small squadron. Suddenly they because caught up with a superior French force and would have faced certain defeat if it was not for a local pilot, Jean Breton. He used his knowledge of the seas around Guernsey to take the squadron through a treacherous passage  of rocks and escape. During this dangerous maneuver Saumarez asked the pilot if he was sure of his navigation marks. He replied "Aye Sir", pointing inland " I am quite sure, for there is your house and there is my own". 

An oil and canvas painting by an unknown artist of the Golden Spur.

She was designed for the China Sea trade, built in 1864 she was Guernseys largest sailing ship, She was also the last sailing ship built in Guernsey at Ogiers shipyard. 

​ She was commanded by Captain William Le Lacheur (1802 - 1863) who is regarded as a hero in Guernsey as well as the central American country of Coata Rica. Le Lacheur helped to establish coffee trade between Costa Rica and Europe resulting in an influx of wealth into the country. Photographed in the castle gallery on 6 October 2018 during my weekend visit to the island of Guernsey. 

Seacat Reliance photographed on 31 October 2015 from the deck of our Red Funnel Ferry on our way home from the Isle of Wight.

She is a 21m DNV-GL class Windfarm support/crew transfer vessel designed to maximise passenger safety and comfort and is a multi-purpose workboat specifically for the offshore windfarm application. She can carry 12 passengers and up to 3 crew and was built in 2012 by South Boats only a short distance from where I took the photograph.

She has a full aluminium hull and is 21.1m long with a 7.4m maximum beam and 1.2m draft. Displacement is 42 tonnes. Machinery comprises 2 x MTU 10V2000 M72 with Ultra Dynamics UJ575 Water Jets and a Onan 17.5kw auxillary generator. Service speed is 24 knots with a sprint speed of 26 knots.

Seacat reliance is operated by Seacat Services who are based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight and who operate a fleet of multi-purpose offshore energy support vessels. All their vessels are designed and constructed to conduct fast, smooth and comfortable transport of persons and goods from the shore to the wind farm and vice versa in the toughest of Northern Europe’s marine environments. Every vessel in the fleet is able to operate up to 150Nm offshore. The company has successfully completed contracts in UK, German and Danish waters.

MMSI: 235092439
Call Sign: 2FMH3

​Fishing vessel New Dawn heading into St.Peter's Port on the Island of Guernsey on 6 October 2018. She was built in 1998 is 9.93m long and 5.32t.

Cadland Buoy looking immaculate on a very calm day. This is located in the main channel of the Solent.  Photographed as I headed home from holiday on 23 October 2015.

​A painting from the Wallace collection in London photographed on 24 October 2017.
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The picture is called 'Ships In A Breeze' and was painted by Willem Van De Velde the younger (1633-1707).