The first three pictures below were taken over a period of years by firms who overfly a likely area taking photographs 'on spec' and then send a salesman door-to-door trying to sell framed prints.
This picture must date from the 1970s, when the path to the front gate was flanked with flower beds. The road at the front of the property, Sparrow's End Lane, was narrow and 'hugged' the outside of the front wall. This is a photograph of a print which has rather faded.
Lack of funds in the 1980s led to ugly temporary roof repairs. The garden is unkempt, too. This is a photograph of a print.
The aerial photography must have been taken around 2008. This is a photograph of the print the firm supplied. I complained about the poor colour balance of the print, but I've not tried to correct it. By this time, there had been significant expenditure on the main building and the small barn had been restored. Sparrow's End Lane had been re-aligned and widened to serve a new housing development, so there is now a 'wedge' of grass between the front wall and the road.
This year, I had an e-mail from Aerial Impressions, who originate in Australia. The e-mail was inviting commissions to take photographs on a forthcoming planned photographic mission in my area. I decided to place an order with them and we exchanged maps showing exactly the extent of the property to be covered. I received an acknowledgment confirming that, subject to weather, photography in my area would start within a few days.
I'd almost forgotten my order when, some days later, I heard an aircraft overhead. That's not so unusual - we get quite a few light aircraft over-flying. We also get helicopters - the police and the Air Ambulance are regulars. We also get a number of military flights - Boeing 'Chinook' twin-rotor helicopters and 'Hercules' four-engine transports are commonplace. A few years ago, low-flying jet fighter aircraft were frequent fairly terrifying visitors, but that seems to have virtually ceased. The aircraft I could hear appeared to be manoeuvring so I thought "I wonder if that's the aerial survey?", grabbed my camera and went outside.
The high wing monoplane certainly appeared to be circling the property, so I attempted a picture. It always amuses me to take pictures of photographers at work, but I'd never attempted a picture of an aerial survey before. Well, the result is pretty poor - the target was too quick for me!
My feeble attempt to capture the survey aircraft.
An enlargement of part of the above photograph
perhaps makes the aircraft more obvious.
A week or so later, I received a disc from Aerial Impressions with around 50 high-resolution shots they'd taken. I was very pleased with the result and there was confirmation that it really was the survey aircraft I'd attempted to photograph because I was clearly visible on the lawn to the left of the Hall in around half of their pictures.
Brewood Hall in 2013. Jan is on the lawn to the left of the Hall.
There is a set of pictures Brewood from the Air which shows the village of Brewood and Brewood Hall. The Aerial Impressions pictures can be viewed in their full 21 Megapixel resolution.
