This is The Cage!
The Cage stands atop a small hill which rises away from Lyme Hall; the stately house at the heart of the Lyme Park Estate, now owned by the National Trust. The original Cage is thought to have been built around 1520 by Piers Legh V. However, this was demolished and the current building was constructed in 1736.
Primarily, the Cage was used as a hunting lodge, with huge banquets being served here after successful hunting parties. It has also served time as a prison for poachers, who were held here prior to being sent for trial. More recently, it was used as housing for park staff and then, in World War II, as a lookout point for the High Lane Home Guard.
As Sacristan and I sat in the doorway to The Cage, eating our sandwiches, we were being watched by a sharp-eyed onlooker!
And this observer was being very cagey; never coming too close, but remembering exactly where we had tossed every little crumb...
...and collecting it as soon as the coast was clear!
Thank you for the explanation of the Cage. I hope you had egg sandwiches my favorite. Good shots of the crow.
ReplyDeleteA cage seems such a strange name to give a hinting lodge.
ReplyDeleteWhat a variety of uses the cage has been put to over the years. Looks as if the crow was intent on helping you finish your sandwiches:)
ReplyDeleteHe's beautiful in that skeevy ewww way that big black birds have about them.
ReplyDeleteDo you suppose it's just a coincidence that my word verification is "raverec?"
Well, this has promptly cleared up my questions about the function of this rather odd building. I love visitors of the feathered kind and always take it to be a sign of preferential treatment even though I know they're just after my grub!
ReplyDelete