A ripening conker

I couldn't resist picking up this conker on the way down to the farm. This shiny polished seed from the horse chestnut tree was irresistible!  Horse chestnuts were apparently imported 400 years ago from south-eastern Europe and planted in the grounds of stately homes and now they are very prolific and easy to grow.  The first conker game was played in 1848 on the Isle of Wight and it still survives with children fiercely battling it out for a winner.