The scaffolding from the solar panel installation is now all down but we kept it up a little longer so that all the windows, gutter and facia board at the front of the centre could be painted.
The Virginia Creeper has been trimmed back to half height and has now lost most of it's leaves for this year. It will grow back next year and reach the top windows again before requiring a prune to stop it getting into the gutters. Although it's a continuing maintenance task we don't want to lose our Creeper that has become part of the building and it's history. It softens the building in the summer with it's green foliage and often puts on a beautiful display of Autumn colours.
While work was being done on the building we came across some graffiti on the slates in the middle as indicated by the red dot in the picture above.
It all dated to the 1960's during which time the building was a Forestry College. On further investigation, asking an historical source, it appears that there was an initiation 'ceremony' whereby first year students were dangled by their legs out of the window above to scratch their names on to the slate! Fortunately such things don't happen today as the windows have closures to prevent them opening more than a few cm's. Although we don't condone graffiti now that it is over 50 years old it has become historical and gives the names of several people who are now old men and came from places as far away as Ghana to live in The Forest of Dean for 2 years and learn how to become forestry managers.
Now that the scaffolding is down it can't be viewed unless you want dangling by the ankles!
