No major knitting news. I'm halfway done with my dad's present, and all the way done with my mom's. Now I just have to do my sis and her bf's present. I don't think I'll knit anything for MIL & SIL, but perhaps I might knit up an ornament. I'm really happy with how quickly and nicely these knit up, so I'll probably knit up a pair for my mom first, and then if I have time, SIL and MIL.
I do have new vacation news, though! Jason's work booked the hotel we're staying in at Stratford!
The Alveston Manor The legend is that the very first performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream was performed there on the Cedar Lawns! I can't even imagine staying somewhere so old. It's amazing!
Here's some more info on it taken from their site, if you're interested (I know I am!).
"The Macdonald Alveston Manor has a long and interesting history dating back from before the Norman Conquest. The name Alveston is derived from Aeuulfes a Saxon mans name and Tun meaning town.
The first building on the site is thought to have been an Anchorite cell, circa 960, and later a small monastery was built by monks from Worcester who erected the first wooden bridge on the site of the original ford. The Monks Walk also dates from this period and it is said that the front lawn is the same width as the nave of Worcester Cathedral, while the gardens themselves cover the same area of ground as the Cathedral.
Alveston Manor was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book and in 1086 it was seized from Wultan, Bishop of Worcester, but was bought back in 1090 for ?15. In 1100, Henry I excused all taxes on five out of fifteen hides of ground for the good of his soul and that of his wife, Queen Maud. In 1392, John Green, Prior of Worcester granted the Manor to
John Att Hall de Alveston at a rent which included 10 quarters of wheat, 30 quarters of barley, 8 hogs (value 24s), 20 geese (value 6s 8d), 20 hens (value 3s 4d), and 200 eggs (value 10d)
In 1542, Alveston Manor was granted by Henry VIII, at the dissolution of the monasteries, to the Dean and Canons of the new Church of England at Worcester, who gave it back to the Crown in 1545, in return for being released from the obligation of maintaining 12 divinity students at Oxford which cost ?6 7s 41/2d each per year.
In 1562, during the reign of Elizabeth I, it was sold to Sir Ambrose Cave for ?1007 3s 6d who then sold it to Ludovic Greville. His son sold it in 1603 to Richard Lane whose fathers effigy is affixed to the walls of the remains of the old Saxon church at Alveston. It passed into the Brown family and then in 1767, into the Knottsford family. At one time, the grounds were famous for bowling alleys and in fact both the Nut Walk, in the orchard, and the Monks Walk are thought to have been bowling alleys at one time.
The Present building has been erected at different periods. For instance, the bar contains 16th century panelling; the centre of the house is Elizabethan; the gable nearest the road is William and Mary; and the windows in the centre of the building are Queen Anne. The Elizabethan Gazebo facing the bridge is of considerable interest.
Underneath the lounge is an interesting vaulted cellar leading to an underground passage that was at one time used by the monks.
The first performance of A midsummer Nights Dream is said to have been given on the Cedar Lawn and in fact the original stage directions relate to the garden as it was before it was altered at the beginning of this century. "