It's been a long time since I've been back to this part of the world. Elmley castle is in a very pretty and relatively little known part of the world. My first stop was at Ashchurch where in the churchyard I found a pair of stocks - a good place to put some MP's I think. Now that would be good fun.
I kept my eye open for any asparagus farms as that is grown mostly around here. Elmley is situated under the Bredon Hills and is a pircturesque village of black and white timber frame houses and is middle England at it's best. I Stopped and had a look at the medieval church of St Mary. This is where aged 7 my interest in architecture was born - with the huge Coventry monuments with their ranks of children in renaisance dress and also at the back of the church a grim wooden carriage with the legend 'the trumpet shall sound on it.'
I was a bit hungry so I didn't head off into the hills - that will be a trip for another day. There are alot of iron age remains around here.
My next stop was at Little Comberton and then Bricklehampton a village on the lower levels and with a 13th cent church. At Cropthorne a large village full of timber frame houses I saw the wonderful Dingley monuments and an anglo saxon cross.
I headed for Evesham which was choc-a block full of traffic but is a pleasant enought little place. I parked a little way out of town and walked in and headed straight into a resteraunt which could have come out of the 60's. Its a strange thing with the west midlands that everything seems to date from that era. Another curious observation was that there was a real mix of regional accents. Some people spoke with west country accents and yet in this resteraunt everybody spoke with a brummie accent - very confusing but I guess this is on the borders of both areas. Well I had come here to look for a pressie for mum but although there was good selection of shops I found nothing and ended up buying myself a shirt in Burtons where the poor depressed shop assistant said ththe at several shops had closed nearby.
My next stop was to look at the small streets near Evesham Abbey. The abbey complex is a strange one. Two medieval parish churches in one churchyard (one now redundant) with a huge bell tower inbetween them. On the way into All Saints were two medieval figures which I thought must have been symbols for medieval local folk around the countryside. The redundant medieval building was decked out in puritan style but nonethe less interesting.
I walked up to the bookshop at Bengeworth. The book shop looks 19th cent - as does the shop keeper - a very nice survival (the bookshop not the shop keeper!). I actually didn't have enough money on me to purchase a Pevsner and could easily have just gone and purchased an up to date one. However I really felt I didn't want to line the pockets of certain evil multi national bookshops so walked two miles to get my money and walked back - such is my support for local shops!
Also I asked if he had a copy of Johny Walker - Tramp which dad had lent me when I was small and was a set text in his day. The book is the early 20's account of a real life tramp (the author William Davies) who originally came from Newport but went to the US at about the time of the depression. He was a real beggar for many years and travelled around. He eventually came back to England and wrote his memoirs and ended up living in a cottage in Nailsworth of all places. The book begins with his account of soup kitchens and the various dodges tramps did to get food.
I guess we don't see real tramps like that anymore - for all his hardships Davies comes across as having enjoyed his experiences. Anyway I'm glad to have found the book - it is a 1932 edition and cost £3.20. I would probably have had to remortgage my house if I had bought it in waterstones and some faceless executve would be sipping champaigne with the profit. Long live Independant shops I say! Also Waterstones wouldn't have had this title - it seems most bookshops just sale the same old stock everywhere.
A walk back and a drive round some more villages around Evesham and then back to Thornbury. I actually bought mums presents in Wyevale garden centre half a mile from where I live (are they evil multi national shops?!!)
