Sunday, September 20, 2015
Day 14 Mapledurham and Henley
We had a great day out today in blazing sunshine.
The plan was to go to Mapledurham, a place at which we had holidayed 29 years ago. it was a nice (if heavy) drive out but Slough brought out the most critical in Britt. Britt had packed a picnic and we had pulled into the shopping centre for Britt to get some stuffed peppers and Wil some pastries. The big Peugeot we hired made long travel very easy and there was lots of room for the dogs to sleep.
Mapledurham was just as we remembered it. We had a picnic on the grass and then Britt and Wil toured the house while Johnny, the dogs and I toured the church where I first heard the enticing sounds of the choir singing the evensong service all those years ago. The almshouses where we holidayed were still there and we peeked over the fence to the lawn where Britt and Barney (both under a year old) paddled in the blow up pool on their first ever summer. Who could have dreamed of the paths their little feet would tread in the intervening years. Maybe in the future we can come back with the next generation. The garden walls were heavy with pears on the espaliered pear trees. It was like stepping back in history.
When Britt and Wil came out of the house, Johnny and I toured the rooms. The house was full of historic furniture and portraits. There was even the cushion that Queen Victoria knelt upon when she received the crown. The house belonged to the Blount family that played an important part in the events of Elizabethan history. The most interesting thing for me was all the old photos of the family that currently live in the house. When we were having tea in the garden at the end of the day, a kindly old man came out of the house to chat with us. He was admiring the dogs and I asked him if he has any. "Sadly no, but I have cows" he said. He was the lord of the manor.
I think that for Wil, the highlight was coming across a portrait of a donkey. Just look at his happiness in that photo.
We sat on the bank and watched a succession of water craft float by. there was a tour of the old watermill that still uses water power to grind flour. In recent times they have added an Archimedes screw that is turned by the flow of the water and creates electricity that feeds into the grid. It's a way of creating an extra revenue stream for the estate.
We drove home through picturesque Henley on Thames and passed the Angel In where we stopped for a beer a quarter of a century ago. What a beautiful place. They have restored so many of the old 1920-1930 boats that sit really low in the water. This place was made for long summer days, tinkling laughter over pink gins and cultured Oxbridge accents. Wil wants to come back with a load of friends for a day of boating on the river at some time in the future. can't wait to see the photos.
We has to have a pretty quick turn around when we got back to Kentish Town as our pub booking for dinner was at 6.30. They do wonderful food at the Junction and another gastropub just a short walking distance from Bartholomew Road. Britt and Wil are really lucky with their location. We walked back along the high street and Kentish Road looked like brunswick St with all the eateries and pubs. "Gin when you're winning" shouted one electric sign to an underground drinking hole which was curiously located in what was once an underground toilet. I think they got it wrong. It should say "Winning when you are Gin".
The night ended with a cup of tea at Bartholomew Road. One for each of us and one for Moll. Believe it or not, she has a passion for milky tea. In fact, she is a fiend for it.
Only one more day in England left now and there is still so much to see and do. Oh well, we will have to come back next year. Catch you soon, Lily