Lilleshall Abbey

Lilleshall Abbey was an Augustinian abbey in Shropshire. It was founded between 1145 and 1148 and followed the austere customs and observance of the Abbey of Arrouaise in northern France (Arrouaisian Order). It is an English Heritage monument. This is very near Sheriffhales and set in farming countryside.  It would have been a great place to photography in the mist.

 

Sheriffhales Shropshire

Despite being a small village of around 100 people, Sheriffhales has a primary school, a Church of England church and a playing field with football goals and a children's playground. The church parish has a population of about 700 people, however it reached 1019 people in 1850, when the Duke of Sutherland owned most of it. Wattling Street can be found east of Crackley Bank near Sheriffhales. It was so foggy this morning, it was hard to identify just where it was in the misty landscape.  

Oh yes, more sheep and lambs!

 It was Rosie's shift in the lambing shed today, I learnt that pregnant sheep (not sure that is the right-term for animals) can be calcium deficient and one of the indications is that the ewe cannot stand. Rosie comforted the sheep whilst encouraging the lambs to feed, before  David gave the ewe a potion he equated to "Red Bull" followed by a rather large calcium based injection.  Feeding time was something else, the racket all the sheep made, filled the lambing shed. One of the ewes climbed up on the pen when she realised  sheep food was being served, a special high  protein treat and good for nursing ewes.  Sheep also suffer from post-natal depression and when I arrived in the lambing shed Rosie was busy, feeding one very sad ewe, ivy leaves to treat the blues. It was soon time to give another ewe a hand with lambing.  I am now getting to recognise the signs of second stage of ewe labour!!  Thank-you Rosie for teaching me all sorts of interesting things about sheep and good luck with your finals. 

 

 

..And another set of triplets

Ring-a-ring of roses, we all stand up!

Rosie and Mr. Clark at Churncote Farm

A busy morning for Rosie and Mr. Clark and the "labour ward" above was still very full.  Ewes in in first stage of their labour in the lambing shed.

Rosie Lambing at Churncote Farm Shropshire

Rosie was having a break from swotting for her finals, a fourth-year student from Harper-Adams however, she was putting into practice some amazing skills and had the confidence of her Ewe in delivering her triplets. It was Rosie and I who had the cup of tea after the delivery not the Ewe! I admired her passion and the care she took with the animals and I hope to meet up with her in a couple of days, when she will be back on-duty in the lambing shed.  I had only gone to the farm-shop for provisions and my iPhone was all I had to hand......