Taken at Kirby Hall just outside Corby Northants.

Kirby Hall is one of England’s greatest Elizabethan and 17th-century houses. Begun by Sir Humphrey Stafford in about 1570, it was purchased six years later by Sir Christopher Hatton, one of Queen Elizabeth’s ‘comely young men’ and later her Lord Chancellor, who hoped in vain to receive the Queen here during one of her annual ‘progresses’ around the country. Although this vast mansion is partly roofless, most of its walls survive to their full impressive height: so does the stupendous three-tier inner porch, begun following French pattern books and later further embellished in the Classical style by the sculptor Nicholas Stone.

Kirby Hall’s exceptionally rich decoration, indeed, proclaims that its successive owners were always in the forefront of new ideas about architecture and design. The Great Hall and state rooms also remain intact, and have been refitted and redecorated to authentic 17th and 18th-century specifications.

Sir Christopher Hatton the Fourth added the great gardens (described as ‘ye finest garden in England’) in the late 17th century. They are now partly restored and laid out in an elaborate ‘cutwork’ design. The gardens and ground floor of the building are both easily accessible by wheelchair.

On Monday 2nd March 2009 Corby Manor House was destroyed by fire.

It’s not a pretty site! The place is completely gutted and will probably be pulled down.
I would have liked to have taken a photo from where I took this one, but access was somewhat restricted due to the new security measures in place.

The exposure was about 21 minutes in total made up from 42 30 second exposures. I then used some software from http://www.startrails.de/ to stack the images.

Water Tower, Rockingham Road, Corby.

The old Manor House, Cottingham Road, Corby.

I’ve been brushing up on my photoshop skills this morning.
Can you spot the difference?

Braby Towers on Willowbrook Ind Est. Corby.

My second attempt at pinhole photography with my home made camera.

The Old Odeon Cinema, Rockingham Road Corby.