Time for another little quiz?

[Penners]

...would result in the cook's being stoned with Latin primers...

Er... not that I'm being pedantic or anything (perish the thought), but surely he was booked with Latin primers.

Standards, Hughes, standards.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

...would result in the cook's being stoned with Latin primers...

Er... not that I'm being pedantic or anything (perish the thought), but surely he was booked with Latin primers.

Standards, Hughes, standards.

Well, I suppose that will depend on how old the Latin primers are - if they are original, then they may well have been carved onto stone; in which case young Master Hughes was entirely correct... :roll:

 

[DaveBrigg]

Can anyone identify the building in the view from Google maps?

 

[worms]

Can't identify the location, but I'd guess it is a rope works?

 

[DaveBrigg]

Correct Worms. It's in an area where historically there was a strong demand for rope...

 

[worms]

Well, I am pretty sure it is not Dundee or Greenock, so if I was having to guess, I would go for Liverpool or Bristol, or Belfast, I suppose. Or perhaps I am on the wrong tack with the nautical inference. What else needed long ropes?

It is such a distinctive building that I am surprised I couldn't find it easily on Google images! Equally I would have thought that such a feature wouldn't have lasted more than five minutes on this quiz!

 

[worms]

Gotcha! Halls ropery Barton on Humber.
http://www.lincolnshirepast.org.uk/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IAFeatures#Barton

 

[Flyfisher]

This is probably a daft question, but why does a rope works need to be housed in such a long building? I realise ropes can be very long, but can't they be coiled up as they are made?

 

[worms]

I guess it was difficult to twist round corners while keeping everything uniformly taut? The Gourock ropeworks was a big square building, so I guess it was possible to do it in a different way.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

This is probably a daft question, but why does a rope works need to be housed in such a long building? I realise ropes can be very long, but can't they be coiled up as they are made?

It looks from this film of the Chatham dockyard ropewalk in use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M5mo2I2c0Q that the full length of the rope needs to be free to twist along the axis of the rope as it is laid.

Although it's possible that riding on the carriage, or whatever it's called, was enough fun to justify the expense of a shed half a mile long.

(Edit) there's a better explanation, on a smaller scale, here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_pjETZEe8U&feature=related

 

[Flyfisher]

Fascinating stuff. I had never considered that the entire length of rope required twisting. The second link was particularly informative; I wonder if "the bitter end" was originated in the rope-making trade or was just appropriated by it? Whatever the origin, it sort of explains the name of the Bitter End Yacht Club, which I've always wondered about. Thanks for posting those links Gareth.

Update: I thought I would return the good turn by looking up "the bitter end", which turns out to be equally fascinating: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/65800.html. I'd never heard of the CANOE definition before. Wonderful stuff.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Fascinating stuff. I had never considered that the entire length of rope required twisting. The second link was particularly informative; I wonder if "the bitter end" was originated in the rope-making trade or was just appropriated by it? Whatever the origin, it sort of explains the name of the Bitter End Yacht Club, which I've always wondered about. Thanks for posting those links Gareth.

Update: I thought I would return the good turn by looking up "the bitter end", which turns out to be equally fascinating: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/65800.html. I'd never heard of the CANOE definition before. Wonderful stuff.

CANOE (new to me too) is excellent and is what I shall shout in future whenever ships' timbers are invoked to explain simple recycling of building materials.

 

[worms]

I thought I would return the good turn by looking up "the bitter end", which turns out to be equally fascinating: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/65800.html. I'd never heard of the CANOE definition before. Wonderful stuff.

So in Flyfisher language, the bitter end is like being down to your backing!?

 

[DaveBrigg]

Indeed the Barton Ropeworks, which supplied the fishing fleets of Grimsby and Hull. It is, apparently, the longest listed building in the country, and is now in regular use as an arts centre. We were there on Saturday watching a performance of 'An Inspector Calls'.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Indeed the Barton Ropeworks, which supplied the fishing fleets of Grimsby and Hull. It is, apparently, the longest listed building in the country, and is now in regular use as an arts centre. We were there on Saturday watching a performance of 'An Inspector Calls'.

Can you hear all right if you're sitting at the back?

 

[Cloudscape]

:lol:

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Indeed the Barton Ropeworks, which supplied the fishing fleets of Grimsby and Hull. It is, apparently, the longest listed building in the country

I think the Chatham ropery is almost the same length...

...but Southend pier is a lot longer.

 

[worms]

Southend pier is a lot longer

Sadly I can think of some fine buildings that are no longer!

 

[wobs]

Sorry for butting in on the quiz, but a pic I should put up should be quite easy for many here (given the knowledge demostrated thus far).

When someone names the building correctly, I'll also reveal why I put it on here.

 

[Penners]

I missed all that interesting chat about ropes, while I was away. Fascinating stuff. I hope we all know that the medieval name for a ropemaker was a "scutcher".

Wobs - there's no such thing as butting in on this quiz. The more questions the merrier (unless, like me, you know virtually none of the answers!).

You picture wouldn't be Castle House in Elloughton would it? I have my doubts, because the house in your photo is rather grey in colour, but can't think where else it might be.