Monday 30 September 2024

Hickory Dickory Dock – Exeter Cathedral …

 

We had a prompt (Upstairs Downstairs) for our reading group … and to my surprise … no-one thought about the famous tv series 'Upstairs Downstairs' for that particular prompt (before Maggie Smith died).


Might be American spelling!
Me … I just kept on with the way I've been going this year … very slow, but not ponderous in thought … Nursery Rhymes came to my fore …


The Grand Old Duke of York … Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and second son of King George III of England is the only member of the British Royal family to be immortalised in a nursery rhyme.


Goosey Goosey Gander …

whither shall I wander?


Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall …

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall …


and then …



Looking up towards the ornate
setting in Exeter Cathedral

Hickory Dickory Dock …

the mouse ran up the clock …


twelve times, then that poor little mouse had to start all over again … such is the life of a little mouse …


A whiskery looking mouse -
that's actually a rat!
Poor little mouse … has been kept very occupied these past weeks as I pondered on … but then the cat was more than encouraged to chase said mice (plenty born by this time!) through the new bell tower cat flap – the scampering rodents found their nemesis awaiting them …


It is thought Hickory Dickory Dock came into prominence in the 1700s from Exeter Cathedral, which has an astronomical clock … and had had a small hole cut in its face for the resident cat to keep watch …

Steve Roud's book on
Folk Songs in England


History abounds through our nursery rhymes … apparently there are about 250,000 references to 25,000 songs collected for the Roud Index after World War Two … thankfully the oral traditions have been saved.






Beneath the main dial is an appropriate saying ... 

PEREUNT ET IMPUTANTUR … the hours pass and are reckoned to our account.



As many hours have passed … I believe I am on the way to being back in the swing of things … so my next post will be the WEP October Horrorfest … mine will be a gentle tale – but do join us …



An early mechanism for the
astronomical clock removed
in 1885; but is restored and is
in its current position for
viewing purposes.


Thanks for bearing with my slothful time away … I shall catch up and see you all soon …


Hickory Dickory Dock Nursery Rhyme ... 

Exeter Cathedral Astronomical Clock ... which is thought to date from 1484





Please if you get can email advising you of a new post ... if you don't want it ... just let me know and I'll delete your name ... thanks ... or I can add yours in ... 


Hilary Melton-Butcher

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