A Visit to Hammond Castle and the Fishermen's Memorial Gloucester, Mass. August 14, 2008

We headed up to Gloucester to view Hammond Castle, built by a turn of the 20th century inventor who had the castle built to house his collection of tapestries, icons, and his great 8200 pipe organ.

After entering the castle, we began the labyrinthine trek through the castle hallways, up to the turrets and through the great hall. Each room was full of carvings, tapestries, icons, and other items from Hammond's collection. This tapestry greets visitors in the first hallway.

This intricately cast dragon stand was on the second level of the turret.

A stained glass window of an angel swinging a thurible.

A woodcarving of a city under seige.

A painting of a city under seige.

A panel of a Corpus Christ procession.

Some of the swords in the collection

On the second floor we came into the chapel. This icon of the Madonna is in the Ukranian style.

This chasuble is likely from Germany, around the 13th century.

A closeup of the ornament on the chasuble, St. Peter.

The crucifix over the chapel altar.

The console of the organ in the Great Hall. The organ has 8200 pipes. Although Hammond loved organs, he couldn't play a note.

A tapestry of the Maddonna with child.

A carved eagle pulpit for resting the Gospel book or lectionary.

An icon of St. Nicholas over the south end of the Great Hall.

Ally in the south door of the Great Hall.

Laurie in the south door of the Great Hall.

A view of the castle's atrium.

Another view of the castle's atrium.

A statue of Neptune in the atrium. This spot also had a sarcophagus of a young Roman child, from around the 3rd century A.D.

One of Hammond's invention rooms. His work let to improvements in small organs, the remote control and in sonar and radar.

The outer castle ramparts.

The south end of the castle.

Pat and Laurie resting after our long trek through the castle halls.

Steve defending the drawbridge from an invader.

Ally dancing on the drawbridge.

The Blynman Canal, that cuts across Cape Anne is nearby. Here a boat heads out to the harbor.

A sailboat off Tenpound Island in Gloucester harbor.

The fisherman's memorial, with Pat, Ally and Laurie afore it.

The placque explaining the Memorial...the 6000 names that are listed are of those who went down to the sea but whose bodies were never recovered.

Early names listed...men and women lost before this time remain unknown...there were no official records kept in the 1600s.

The crew of the Andrea Gail, whose story is told in the book and movie The Perfect Storm