Category: Aireyholme

  • Of Brass Monkeys, May Blossoms and Other Perils

    Of Brass Monkeys, May Blossoms and Other Perils

    Growing up in Nottingham in the early 1960s, I shall never forget me mam barking “naer cast a clout till May is out” whenever I dared venture into the Spring air without full Arctic gear—duffle coat, string vest, probably a balacalva too. She assumed, and I dutifully followed, “May”meant the month, which made sense given…

  • A Nisly Day over Aireyholme

    A Nisly Day over Aireyholme

    An old book of weather proverbs I have offers an array of predictions for March, ensuring that, whatever the weather, one can always find something vaguely reassuring within its pages. One such gem is a French proverb: “When March is like April, April will be like March.” How profound. The notion of “April showers” stems…

  • 4th February, 1921: Redundancies at Roseberry Ironstone Mine

    4th February, 1921: Redundancies at Roseberry Ironstone Mine

    His day began long before any sensible person would even consider waking. At 4:30 in the morning, he and his wife dragged themselves from their bed, greeted not by comfort but by the biting cold. The morning’s first ordeal was the outhouse—an unenviable journey in deep winter, where snow, ice, and the ever-present risk of…

  • Flocking Together: Hebridean Sheep and Sheepdog Training

    Flocking Together: Hebridean Sheep and Sheepdog Training

    I heard, through the ever-reliable grapevine, that this small flock of Hebridean sheep at Aireyholme Farm is being used to train a young sheepdog. Predictably, just before this photo was taken, the dog had had its lesson, and the sheep were beginning to calm down. Hebridean sheep are apparently the darlings of the sheepdog training…

  • A Slog up Roseberry Topping and a Nod to Pagan Roots

    A Slog up Roseberry Topping and a Nod to Pagan Roots

    I could claim it was a brisk dash up Roseberry Topping this morning, but in truth, it was more of a plodding trudge. Perhaps it only felt that way because I foolishly dressed for winter, not realising it would be unseasonably warm for Christmas Eve. This is the view from the summit, looking down on…

  • The Miner’s Path: From Ironstone to Ypres

    The Miner’s Path: From Ironstone to Ypres

    The constant rain has transformed Airyholme Lane into a stream, though it mercifully spills into the field before it reaches the farmyard. I cannot help but wonder what the weather was like on this day in 1917. The miners from Roseberry Ironstone Mine would have trudged along this track to and from their shifts. Did…

  • From Aireyholme to Hawaii — Captain Cook’s Legacy

    From Aireyholme to Hawaii — Captain Cook’s Legacy

    On this day in 1776, Captain James Cook set sail from Plymouth aboard the Resolution, with the Discovery in his wake, on what would be his final voyage. His journey ended tragically in Hawaii three years later, when he met his death in an altercation with the indigenous people. It seems fitting, therefore, to post…

  • Making Hay While the Sun Shines

    Making Hay While the Sun Shines

    Aireyholme Farm has been hard at work hay making. The creation of dry hay is an elaborate process, involving a sequence of operations each requiring specialised machinery. These stages are: mowing, tedding, raking, and baling. The procedure begins with cutting the grass, which is then left in the field for several days, depending on the…

  • From a 19th Century Cottage to a Smoke-Free Future

    From a 19th Century Cottage to a Smoke-Free Future

    This peaceful cottage hides a story: 1 resident in 1911, an “Engine Driver Oil” worker. And thoughts on the proposal to ban cigarette sales to create a smoke-free generation. Laws help change cultures, but so do stories, music, and images. They shape how we live.

  • Guardians of Aireyholme Farm

    Guardians of Aireyholme Farm

    A gaggle of geese attempt at walking single file down a muddy track. Their military precision was disrupted by the temptation of murky puddles to wallow in. The track leads to a gate into a green field. It’s soggy and well-used, with tyre marks alongside the geese’s footprints. At the top of the field there…