The Chilterns - Chalfont st Giles

A visit to the chilterns in the middle of winter with snow on the ground anddifficulty walking. I got off the train at Chalfont and Latimer, expecting to be able to reach Chalfont St Giles easily. It was not to be. I picked up the wrong map and so had to ask in the library where I should go. They directed me for 3 miles of pavementless road and, eventually, I arrived at Chalfont St Giles.
A pleasant little village with an old church, and a green. It was where John Milton escaped the plague in London, and his cottage is preserved. Alas it is not open in December or three other months of the year, so I could not go in to see where he enjoyed himself and kept free of plague. The church was locked as well.
The only thing for it was to take the bus to Amersham and come back to London.

Twickenham

A visit to the Middlesex side of the Borough of Richmond, including the voluntary Twickenham Museum.


Think Twickenham and the thought goes immedietely to Rugby. Not sure I can cope with the arcane sport that used to be divided in two with a league and a union so all I can say is that Twickenham, and Whitton, is pretty good for charity shops, in some cases three in a row.

The shopping and pubbing is OK in Twickenham - basically just Richmond's poor relation although there are some aristocratic mansions. The old riverside (and Eel Pie Island) is much more interesting. First off I went to Twickneham Museum, staffed by enthusiastic volunteers (including a lady from the North East) diamond geezer was disappointed with the museum and so was I really. It was a bit short on artifacts and a bit heavy on reading.

I think the church was having a striking competition or peal attempt day on their 8 bells. On the wall of the church high up was a flood commemoration level - floods are not a recent phenomenon..

Twickenham has some of the nicest council offices I've seen. These used to belong to an indian millionaire who had these naked ladies frolicing in his garden. They have been restorred recently.

The Modern art gallery had some connection with the Duke of Orleans but the house was mostly demolished apart from this little banqueting house with a very fine interior.
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Twickenham - I might go back.