Caterham where Environmental Health is powerless

Just been for a day out in Caterham - the end of the line. As it is a terminus this means that the town has retained its largely Victorian layout throughout the twentieth century. A visit in the rain probably doesn't show the town at its best, but I managed to obtain a picture of the town's first streetlight with the church behind it.

I visited the museum and was shown around one of the rooms by one of the wolunteers who burst into song at one point. The museum was better than the one at Twickenham as it had a lot more artefacts and was in fact a museum of waterclosets with a display of wash down pans, washout pans chains and paper. Interesting though.

I didn't venture up the hill to caterham on the hill and stayed in the valley.

Catering in caterham left a lot to be desired. I went into the KFC who were big on recycling. The restaurant recycled a piece of chicken that had been handed back by someone else into my burger! I thought this was shocking and I will certainly think twice about ever eating in KFC again.

Gravesend or Gravesham

Gravesend is a town in Kent that was once a major destination for paddle steamers coming down the Thames from London, and stands opposite Tilbury. Gravesham is derived from the office of Portgreve (or Portreve) and, as is usual Ham means homestead, so Gravesham is the home of the portgreve, the port having disappeared (as port is inclined to do when I'm around). The name is nothing to do with graves for plague victims or burial at sea.

Being opposite the Tilbury docks there is often shipping and here is a picture of a ship passing the Royal Terrace Pier which is owned and locked up by the Port of London Authority. It was built in 1842 and acquired its royal connection when Princess Alexandra of Denmark disembarked here on her way to marry Albert Prince of Wales, son of Queen Alexandrina. Subsequantly Prince Albert became King Albert I in 1901 and dies in 1910.

The oldest building in Gravesend is the Milton chantry. Chantries were chapels where masses were said for the dead who were said to be in purgatory - a kind of intermedieate state between heaven and hell totally made up by the Roman Catholic church. At the reformation, the reformers, having found no evidence of purgatory in the bible, closed the chantries. Eventually the Milton Chantry became a barracks and a battery to defend the thames was maintained from the time of King Henry VIII and it looks as though it could be brought back into operation at fairly short notice as the world war two guns are still present.

Religious life in the town is provided by St George's Church, an 18th century structure built after a fire in the town. The church has a good 18th century interior although changed by liturgical innovations of the 19th century.

Famous people in Gravesham are firstly Rebecca Wrolfe who began life as princess Pocahontas (which I pronounce Pock-a-hontas in the English way - no poking please). She was a great help to the English settlers of Virginia, converted to Christianity and married a tobacco planter John Wrolfe. Princess Pocahontas came to England and was entertained by royalty, but she fell ill and died, and was buried in the chancel of the Gravesend church that burned down. Her statue is in the churchyard.

General 'Chinese' Gordon also lived in the town for 6 years as commander of the battery. During this time he established a mission to the poor and a reading room where he taught poor children to read. General Gordon's military career needs no introduction from me. His statue is in the riverside park that bears his name.



On my last visit to Gravesend I saw some idiot run over the 650-850v DC electrified track - four sets of rails. I hope he was arrested straight away on coming up. Thankfully nobody did that this time but this sculptural car park is best viewed from the station

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.
.
Twickenham - I might go back.

Compton surrey

A drive around the Surrey Hampshire border country and tea in the tea rooms at the Watts Gallery.

Derby

A day out in Derby- home to Crown Derby (natch, although Cornish ware comes from Staffs)and the former Midland Railway and current railway research.


It's also a cathedral city

and home to the first ever factory


Who says railway couplings can't be fun?

East Grinstead and Oxted

I was told I'd be bored by East Grinstead but really it wasn't that bad. The town is noted for having the longest run of 16th Century buildings in the country and I've no reason to doubt that. It is in the North East corner of West Sussex and the old buildings are well used.

One is the Sackville College an almshouse. We met the Sackvilles at Knole, if you remember, but it was here that they founded their old people's home.


Back in the 1960s the inmates had to wear a uniform - in the museum there was one of the old uniforms - a black dress and a black cloak. In the 1960s the inmates finally rebelled and made a bonfire of the uniforms! I hope they can now wear their own clothes.

The church of St Swithun was rebuilt in the 18th century, unudually in the gothic style. Even inside the church is hard to date. Probably it was rebuilt to be much the same as before.


So I wasn't bored with East Grinstead and might even go back there at some point.

The train back from East Grinstead calles at Oxted also. Now Oxted looked meadieval but I suspected it was all 1930s fakery or maybe 1890s fakery. Certianly most of the housing was of the mid 20th century. Oxted was quite nice with a tudor cinema and the church of St Mary - you can't fake that!


Oxted is also on the meridian.

Herefordshire and Gloucestershire

Brockhampton church

From Travels around London

Tibberton church.

From Travels around London

Kempley Church

Baldock, Letchworth and a brief look at Hitchin.

Hitchin was only a flying visit with a view to going back there one day.

Baldock was quite nice but not much there - rather overshadowed by Letchworth too.

From Travels around London

Ah, now- Letchworth Garden City - First Garden City Limited and that's what it was - the first city (well town really) founded on town planning lines which endeavoured to put the maximum number of people into a high quality environment. The final goal is Freedom and Co-operation (in the sense promoted by the International Coöperative alliance). See Howards Magnets for the full story.
Temperance until the 1960s there was a pub the skittles inn now the settlement.

From Travels around London

This led to the comment that life in Letchworth was all skittles and no beer!

Houses were built in all kinds of styles from garden city modern

From Travels around London

Modified council house

From Travels around London

And edwardian rustic

From Travels around London

.

Letchworth has apparently a good sense of community, the developer always acting for the public good. It's a nice open community in a pleasant environment. I think the aim has succeeded.

A sunny Monday Portslade to Saltdean

A beautiful monday after a wet weekend. A trip to Portslade and Hove. Old Portslade has an ancient church.

From Travels around London

although plain within. Portslade isn't so good but the old village is pleasant.

Above the village is the foredown tower (shut)

From Travels around London

Then it was time to go into Hove and western Brighton which was gorgeous. Another bus ride led me to Rottingdean home of Burne Jones, Rudyard Kipling, Angela Thirkell (mother of Colin McInnes) and Enid Bagnold. Not sure who remembers these authours now although Kipling will be recognised.

There were Burne Jones Windows in the church and a special Kipling Garden on the green.

The final bus ride led me to Saltdean to photograph the lido there

From Travels around London

A good day.

Veteran Brighton

A visit in the rain to see the end of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
This commemorates the ending of the Red Flag Act, which was falling into disuse anyway, which meant that any vehicle had to have a man with a red flag walking in front of the vehicle. Members of the Royal Automobile Club tore up a red flag and hared off to Brighton in 1896 creating both the first car park

From Travels around London

and the first traffic jam.

From Travels around London

From Travels around London

Bexhill and Eastbourne

A wet saturday in Bexhill and Eastbourne. Bexhill on Sea is the UK's charity shop capital and doesn't have much else going for it. There is, however the De La Warr Pavilion, a socialist pleasure palace by the sea. This is a splendid example of modernist architecture which seems to have been quite well restored.

Nothing much happening in it and the roof deck was closed at the top but was open at the first floor. There were two architecture exhibitions.

After that I went on to the Bexhill museum a small museum with big ideas. I got in for nothing but the admission was not cheap. There were racing cars as Bexhill was where British motorsport began, as the Earl De La Warr had a private road along the seafront.

Afterwards I had a walk up to Old Bexhill and a look round the church, as well as the demolished old manor house with a fireplace in the park.

From Travels around London

Having failed to obtain lunch in the pub in old Bexhill (the landlord gave the excuse that he was making food for tomorrow - why couldn't he make the food for today yesterday? - that's what I wonder) I left Bexhill and went to Eastbourne to hava a walk down to the front and on to the pier. Eastbourne Pier was described as the Palace Pier and had signs saying 'welcome to Brighton' but I suspect that was for filming purposes.

From Travels around London

I went into the restaurant (food served all day) and ordered a steak pie and chips. Unfortunately this was off and there was nothing else I fancied. A sign said no jumping off the pier but I suppose the last person who did had failed to have lunch.

From Travels around London

After another look round the shops I eventuaally had a late lunch complete with knickerbocker glory.

From Travels around London

Then it was time to go home after a good if wet day out.

Basingstoke

From co-op store pictures

From co-op store pictures

Golders Green and Hampstead

From Travels around London

From Travels around London

From Travels around London

From Travels around London

Wigan and Warrington

Warrington (Cheshire) is nicer than Wigan but quite frankly there's not much in it. Wigan was more red brick and Warringtom more stucco but that was about it. Both had fine town halls but Warrington's had nice gates and looked like an old mansion. Wigan's was red brick and looked like a town hall.

From Travels around London

As far as I could see Wigan had no museum although there was a 'school of mines' sign above one of the doors of the town hall. Warrington had a museum, a real victorian gem with mummies shrunken heads and all sorts of things relating to Warrington and the wider world. Stuffed animals abounded in a recreated curator's office. It was worth going to see.