A Perfect Day At Mandurah...

At the entrance of Abingdon Miniature Village and Heritage Tea Rooms

 

This was one busy bird. That feathered friend gave Bryan one long bloody scratch on his neck and took my earring off!

Bloody thing took an ear ring off! I'm glad it didn't choke on it... Vet bills would be the death of me instead.

Hen AND bird pecked... poor Derrick!

 

The many landscape features there.... breathtaking.

Bryan pretending to be Bugs Bunny

 

Station Court Manor A guard manor from Stinton Green to Worcestershire complete with a large Victorian conservatory, 7 bedrooms and separate guest suite.... sounds like my house...

The birthplace of William Shakespeare

 

Anne Hathaway's Cottage, Shottery was the home of William Shakespeare's wife before her marriage.

Mary Arden's House (Shakespeare's Mother) is in Wilmcote, 1 mile from Stratford-upon-Avon.

 

County Hall - Dominating the centre of town, this was built between 1678 and 1682. The lower level was used as a market and still is today, the upper floor as a court room. Today this floor houses the Abingdon Museum. Once a year, a custom which commenced in 1760 still continues where the Mayor and Councillors gather on the roof of the County Hall throwing buns to the people below to commemorate special occasions.

Old Anchor Inn ~ Situated on the Thames River and built on St. Helens Wharf . Constructed early 1800's. this is an original 'ale house' serving many of the old traditional ales.

The Abbey Buildings - these are all that remain of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Mary at Abingdon. They consists of 4 buildings: The Long gallery, The Bakery, The Checker and the Checker Hall which is now the Unicorn Theatre. Over the centuries the buildings have served many purposes. The Bakehouse & Checker Hall were used as a bridewell (House of Corrections) from the 1600's t0 1800's. The Checker was built around 1260 & served as the chamber for the abbey treasurer. The Long Gallery had a series of rooms and is though to have been used to accommodate guests or clerks. In the 16th Century the Long Gallery & Checker became part of the "Abbey Brewery" which operated until 1895 after which they were repaire by the borough and opened to the public.

A sitting deer or a whale?

 

Toll cottages were provided on the turnpike roads in the 18th & 19th Centuries to collect tolls from passing traffic, the money being used to repair and maintain the road.

Watermill ~ This mill is from Lurgashall in Sussex and was used for grinding corn for flour and animal feed. Originally this was an overshot water-wheel which provided power for 2 pairs or mill-stones, a grain cleaner and a sack hoist. Built in the 17th Century, many changes were made to the building during the mills working life which ended in the 1930's.

 

Red Lion Pub and Inn Keepers House ~ There are many Red Lion Pubs scattered throughout England. This one is situated in Avebury, Wiltshire and was built in the early 17th Century and has a beautifully thatched roof and half timbered walls. The village of Avebury is completely encompassed by a circle of Neolithic stone dating back to 2400 BC which makes it even older than Stonehenge.

 

Model Steam Train and the Omnibury Station which opened in 1865 and is painted in the blue and white colours of the Caledonian Railway Company.

Honington Cottages~ Situated in Warwickshire, these cottages from Honington were built around the 18th Centuries and show how the different styles of building were successfully combined.

 

St. Mary Church, Wherstead, Suffolk ~ The church nave is 11th Century from the Norman era with various additions up until the 15th Century when the tower was added.

The Bayleaf Farmhouse was originally built in the 15th Century Chiddingstone, Kent. The bakers oven on the side of the house was added later:

Golf Club... complete with tiny bunker, buggy and golfer...

See how lost they actually were?

 

 

Hall's Crost - Stratford-Upon-Avon

St. Nicholas' Church (St. Nic's), Abbey Arch and Guildhall ~ Originally for the lay servants of the Abbey, St. Nicholas was built in the 12th Century. Next to St. Nic's is the old Abbey Gateway. The Niche over the centre arch contains a statue of the virgin to whom the Abbey was dedicated. The room above the borough was used for almost 250years until 1811. To the right of The Abbey are the Old Borough Buildings now referred to as the Guildhall. Comprising The Abbey Gatehouse, the new Abbey Hall and part of a grammar school founded by John Royce in 1563.

 

 

Watching Thomas and Percy chugging along...