The days roll along.

Last evening we had been recommended to visit a fine house very close by to Wolverley that we hopped off to visit today.

This visit continued on the theme of the Tudor period, the stalwart Catholic wealthy families of the area who refused to convert to Protestant faith.  The individual people who refused to attend church were heavily fined, sometimes for years.  Families held some secret Mass services and this particular house had a priest hole, a secret space that could hide an visiting catholic priest, who if found would face certain death.  

A specialist builder came to this house, Harvington Hall   HERE  

to build a secret hiding place, in fact there are four.

Harvington Hall is a truly wonderful property, an absolute rabbit warren as you might guess from the windows on different levels.  

As events played out in the early part of the last century, the Hall came into the procession of the Catholic Church and has been restored.  Its fabulous, go visit.

Harvington Hall front entrance.

The side view.

The old Brew House

You can see part of the moat here.

The next day having moved up the canal to Greensforge.  We then went out to meet our SIL's mum another fabulous outing this time to her son's favourite pub, The Fountain at Clent.  The food was delicious and we sat in the sun on the front terrace, so warm I brought into play my old trusty sunhat. 

After lunch we drove around the Clent hills and its quite something to be so close to such a major city and to have the feeling that you could be in darkest Devon.

Over the next few days we idled along northwards, can you see what I've done here?  

No?

Well yes it is a bit hard to see, but we have WaL in Debdale Lock and Debdale Whalf written on the side.  

I can hardly read it either.

We passed the fine gardens alongside Ashwood Nurseries, the gardens are alongside the offside of the canal and there is a sign hammered into the grass, asking for boats to refrain from mooring opposite their bungalow.... now I have never wanted to moor at that exact point but there is a streak of wilful contrariness in me that made it a very attractive mooring suddenly..... but David refused as it was only about 10am.

This had the immediate reverse effect on me. 

We rocked up eventually at The Bratch Flight, we were the only boat in sight and moored above overlooking the cricket pitch, David was pleased with WaL's position, until a member of the club called over to say we should rethink the mooring as play was going to start, we did so.

The lock below Swindon.

Swindon Lock, I love the view of the hills here. 

Bratch top lock.

The next day David met Jeff, the husband of his niece.  They played golf at a nearby club.  I had the most of the day to myself.  I walked into Wombourne village for a snoop, saw some nice houses and nipped a sprig or two of rosemary growing in a hedge for my gin tonight, nothing nicer.

Later David and I walked on the recommended walk, down the road and along the former railway line and then back along the towpath, it was a deadly dull walk and we both agreed that the views were more interesting from the boat.  But we did see this hedge, I have never seen a hedge decorated in this fashion.

If anyone has a clue the reason, should there be one do please let me know.

I've no idea what this is for.

Supper tonight was Italian eggs.