Trees
Chinese Tree
There has appeared in Bancroft Gardens, on Bancroft, (opposite the Victoria Pub) a tree that has had pieces of paper tied to it. They are covered in a chinese script. They look pretty, but I have no idea who put them there and why? Are they for the Chinese New Year? Are they for good luck?
Green Space
Looking around Hitchin from the top of the church tower, one can just how much greenery there is in the town. This particlular shot is looking south across the churchyard, over Churchgate, past The Sun Hotel, past Bridge Street and on to Priory Park in Hitchin Hill; Also encompassing a few buildings on Queen Street too.
Hermitage Road and Windmill Hill
This photograph is taken on Windmill Hill looking down toward Hermitage Road. The two are linked by the wealthy quaker banker called Frederic Seebohm who had a large house on Bancroft, known as the Hermitage. He gave part of his back garden to form Hermitage Road in 1875. (Roughly the same time the windmill on Rawlings Hill burnt down) He aquired the land and built the Hitchin Girls’ Grammar School in 1907 and then his two daughers donated the rest of the hill to the people of Hitchin in 1921.
The photograph here is of Windmill Hill looking up from Hermitage Road. Originally called Rawlings Hill, because of the Mill there, it was then known as Windmill Hill after if burnt down as mentioned above. The miller’s cottage was still standing on the Hollow Lane side of the hill until 1950; and there was a house built on the hill in the 1920’s, but was unpopular and is no longer there. The two photographs illustrate quite well I think, just how green the centre of Hitchin is.
Hollow Lane Laburnum Tree
A great day started when I met a wonderful 85 year old elderly lady outside the Garrison Court apartments on Hollow Lane. I had walked past the tree, rubbing its flowers to get the scent and she introduced herself as Muriel and told me that it was a Laburnum Tree and that the seeds were poisonous. I’d had no idea what sort of tree it was and that it had that reputation; only that it looked wonderful. More conversation followed, to find out she is a near neighbour of mine. It transpired that her husband had been a diplomat in China. I learned new things that day, and met a wonderfully vibrant and charming older lady.
