Summer calligraphy spotting

The summer holidays are drawing to a close and, once again, I’ve been criss-crossing the north east with the little ones in search of fun and memory-making.

We’ve revisited our old favourites, including Seven Stories in Newcastle and West Boldon Lodge, and discovered new ones, such as Sewerby Hall and Gardens in Bridlington.

And along the way, I’ve been doing some more calligraphy spotting!

At the new-look Seven Stories I was introduced to the work of writer and illustrator Michael Foreman and his book, The Amazing Tale of Ali Pasha.

It tells the tale of a seaman who finds an unlikely companion on the battlefields at Gallipoli during the First World War – a tortoise.

Part of the exhibition featured a ditty box, given to each sailor to store personal possessions such as letter writing equipment and photos of loved ones.

The Flourish & Blotts shop on Diagon Alley also caught my eye.

There was some ancient calligraphy on show at Segedunum Roman Fort in Wallsend, from fragmants of a military diploma to a marble altar with Latin inscription.

One of the more unusual examples was on the wall of Newcastle Castle, where a prisoner had etched his name – graffiti dating back to the Civil War.

There was also some nice lettering in the ironwork of the railings at the rear of St Nicholas’ Cathedral, which is hidden down a short-cut.

We also headed to Durham to see the Magna Carta exhibition at Palace Green Library and last but not least, Preston Park Museum and Grounds in Stockton.

So there are some more examples to add to my calligraphy spotting book, but all these outings during the day means my work has been pushed back to the evenings!

Just a few more days and everything will be back to normal.