| War poet Rupert Brooke 1887 - 1915 |
A book may be compared to your neighbour: if it be good it cannot last too long; if bad, you can't get rid of it too early.
If you've ever had a problem with your neighbours or, like me, you just love reading books, you'll appreciate this quote from my favourite war poet Rupert Brooke, an exceptionally talented (and good looking) man who died in 1915 aged just twenty eight.
So how would it feel to buy a house where the celebrated poet once lived? This week's Bricks and Mortar supplement in The Times newspaper tells us of his former home, Orchard House in the village of Grantchester, about three miles from Cambridge.
Orchard House, which has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, is being auctioned in March with a guide price of £950,000. Rupert Brooke did not own his home but lodged at the house from 1909 to 1911 after graduating from Kings College, Cambridge. He later moved to the Old Vicarage in Grantchester, which gave its name to the title of his well-know poem.
Brooke's parties at Orchard House were attended by other literary heavyweights, including Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes and EM Forster, as well as philosophers Bertrand Russell and and Ludwig Wittgenstein. They became known as the Grantchester Group.
'Grantchester is one of the most desirable villages in Cambridgeshire,' says Richard Freshwater, a director of Cheffins, the estate agency running the auction. It is surrounded by the beautiful Grantchester Meadows, with the famous Byron's Pool.' (where Lord Byron once swam.)
If you appreciate properties with historical significance and are a lover of poetry, (oh, and have a million pounds to spare,) what are you waiting for?
5 comments:
Oh! My! Goodness! Orchard House, which has four bedrooms
and three bathrooms, is being auctioned in March with a
guide price of £950,000. Ah! No! Give it a miss! It would
cost me a fortune in 'Bubblegum Pink' paint to do it up! :).
Though, on coming back to this country back in 73..then
married, we rented the west wing of 'The Old Rectory' a
country house, just down the road, lived their for four years!
Love it! :).
And, l've always had good neighbours, not many, as l've lived
in my/this home for 40yrs this coming April 1st..! I also have
my family home in Sicily!
And...it's no secret...l don't read books, shame l know, the
problem is patience...or lack of it...though..though..last
year l read two books..One was the second book by Mary M.
Wagner..'Finnigan and the Lost Circus Wagon'.
http://www.marytwagner.com/
Mary sent me a copy via the internet, on my birthday last
September, prior to it's release in November..! :).
The second one was The Secret Life Of Freddie Mills......
I read it because of a certain interest to me...HeHE!
'Nuff Said'...!
Although l don't read books, l do enjoy a bit of poetry,
especially funny poetry...I used to like rewriting
Nursery Rhymes..My daughter learned those before learning
the proper ones...! But, l do enjoy the more serious ones
to..even more so, when put to music...!
So..I'll finish with a saying to...
"Don't walk in front of me, l may not follow, don't walk
behind me, l may not lead, walk beside me, and be my friend".
I thought l'd just add this...This was recited by
Norman Wisdom, in a Library, in an episode of Last
of the Summer Wine..It used to be on uTube, but the
BBC removed it a while back...So...Try and imagine,
the great Norman Wisdom, reciting it in his own
special way...The author is unknown.....Enjoy...
FALLING IN LOVE....
Falling in love is a youthful delight, it starts just before you leave school. It would start even sooner if not for the fact that you're frightened of looking a fool.
Then, Hey Pesto! It changes; you begin to feel proud, That you've chosen a partner and you're out of the crowd. You both hold hands gently to show that you care And with a shy little kiss, you start an affair.
I remember the first time that I fell in love; it could only be classed as superb. The Second affair was also quite nice, but the one I liked best was the Third.
Although Four, I am sure, would be top of the list, it was beaten by 5, 6 and 7 If 8 was perfection and all that I wished,
Number 9 must have dropped in from heaven.
As the list grew bigger it became just a habit, Any chance of a date, couldn't wait, I'd just grab it. So I made up my mind to be much more fastidious And try to avoid all the ones that were hideous.
As a boy of my age, who was reaching the stage where the choice had to be more elastic.
They were wrinkled and ageing, their faces need caging but to get one at all was fantastic.
Common sense showed the way that I should behave
That I must be greedy no more
Settle down with one only, and then never feel lonely With a wife and some kids I'd adore.
So I started to court an old maid ain’t that sad, 'cause I knew it was time to get wed. But then when I asked it, she said I was past it, and made me get out of her bed.
I'm still trying hard and nobody's barred so I thought that I ought to just mention, That, with no luck so far, and wherever you are, I've got a small house, and a pension.
Hi Willie! Your comments continue to make very interesting reading, as I always discover something I never knew before. But I do remember Freddie Mills, (my father used to be a boxing commentator) and recall that his life story was more intriguing than any blockbuster novel of the time!! Thanks for taking the time to join in the discussion.
If you've time...try and read this book...it's written
by Michael Litchfield..and came out last year, his own
story is very interesting to read to...worth a Google..!
But it turns out that Freddie Mills, was not only a National
Hero, and Boxing Champion, but a Serial Killer...!
The proof is there...and permission for Litchfield to print
and publish after so many years was finally given...!
I've googled the history of Freddie Mills and you're right, of course, Willie. I still find it hard to believe he was a serial killer!
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