Wiltshire-Somerset 24-29 July 2011

The last week of July was spent in the south-west of England.  Abby's, Church's and Castle's plus intensive agriculture.  A bit repetitive largely negotiated through narrow and very narrow roads where signage was overgrown so reading it was difficult and when read it was difficult to find the place on the map.  However the most difficult was usually getting out of towns if they had more than one street.  Here are a few visual impressions.

The Kennet & Avon Canal.  Developed to link London, via the Thames River, and Bristol via the Avon River.  Seen here at Bradford on Avon not far from where it enters the Avon River to enable passage to Bristol.  Locks were repaired in the 1990's to enable use by the present pleasure craft. 

Canal boat passing through a lock.  The owners spend their summers travelling the canals.  Boast is powered by a small diesel engine.

Many fields of grain, mainly wheat, throughout the area.  Harvesting had started and it appeared most was being dried after harvest.

Cattle graze adjacent to villages.  All stock grazing appeared in very good condition.

A church and graveyard is central to every village.  Some very ornate and well cared for with a few closed up with sufficient upkeep.

Some very narrow town streets.

 Frequently shared with farm machinery even in the main streets.  This one seen in Wells.

Various epitaphs to characters of former days appears in many village streets.

Fine historic houses and properties are preserved by the National Trust and attract a large number of visitors during the summer.  This one at Avebury, also where stone circles are to be found.

The stone ring referred to above at Avebury, south of Swindon.  Note also the trench whihc had be dug around the outside of the stone circle.

Not everything lasts for every but oak has a very long life.

Typical countryside.  In many places there was much more in crop.

The early inhabitants must have been quite short!  This height of this door frame was not uncommon in old buildings.

A tea shop in Lacock where the proprietor looks the part in keeping with the preserved buildings.

Now to touch on an Abbey.  This one at Lacock, south of Chippenham, Wiltshire set in its own extensive grounds.  Nearby in the village is the Fox Talbot Museum, housing his invention of photography.
The village, most of which is owned by the National Trust, hence the tea room scene above,  is frequently used as a film set as in the Harry Potter films.

A sign in the main street of Bridport.  This is the home town of George Ackerman Smith who emirgrated to Lincoln, NZ, where he farmed for many years and land he purchased is still in our family.  Could the sign have a relationship?