Waxwing

Waxwing
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

From "Auguries of Innocence"

by William Blake

Saturday 1 May 2021

Back To Herefordshire - Part 1: Tenbury Wells

 


E has been on holiday this week for her birthday and wanted to spend a few days in Herefordshire.  We had a good trip down on Sunday making it in the record time of about one hour twenty minutes. After unpacking we again did a click and collect food shop from Morrisons, Leominster which is working out really well.

Timothy on his shelf next to my new handpainted nature finds box and a bee print E bought me.





Tuesday the weather was cold but dry and, as E hadn't been to Tenbury Wells, we decided to spend a few hours there exploring the town and a nearby common.

Tenbury Wells

known as "the town in the country". Tenbury is an ancient market town.







Parts of the Crow Inn date from the 17th century and in the early 18th century it became an inn.  Some of the photos may be familiar if you read about our last Trip to Tenbury Wells but I have tried to take photos of some new buildings etc.








The newly restored Tenbury Spa or Pump Room.













We walked through a park called The Burgage which gets its name from the medieval word for enclosed fields extending into a town for which tenants (burgesses) paid a rent in lieu of giving feudal service to the Lord of the Manor.  Today it is a recreation ground with views of the river and many trees.


















Sprouting horse chestnut at the base of a tree.





B decided to go into Tesco with E to buy a better quality frying pan than the one we had for the caravan.  I still can't bring myself to go in a shop so I waited outside watching the river and taking photos of the blossom.







Tameside House was erected in 1837 as The Workhouse for the Tenbury Poor Law Union, which consisted of 19 parishes. In 1920 the workhouse system ceased and from 1937 to 2009 it was used as the Town Council Offices.  









Teme Bridge over the River Teme was partly rebuilt and widened by the Councils of Worcestershire and Shropshire in 1908.









This time we walked over the bridge into Shropshire - the River Teme divides the two counties. Then back into Worcestershire.





The Ship Inn was built in the 17th century and by 1804 was 2 separate properties - one the Ship Inn and the other used as a Blacksmith's shop and iron warehouse. In 1879 it was refronted to give its present look.













The Royal Oak is a 16th century inn and was once the main watering house on the route from London to the north.  The name commemorates the escape of Charles II after the Battle  of Worcester when he hid in an oak tree near Boscobel House.

 





The Butter Cross or butter market was built in 1859 so that farmers' wives could sell butter and poultry under cover.





St Mary's

The West Tower is late Norman and the church was rebuilt 1776-70 after flood damage.  It was restored in 1865 by Henry Woodyer.






We'd parked in a space where parking was limited to two hours so at this stage we had to leave.  We stopped off at a nearby common for a walk and I will do a separate post on that.


Back at home - the female blue tit is incubating 10 eggs! and we have at least 50 cowslips which have self-seeded in the garden wildflower "meadow" area. Bluebells and Forget-me-Nots are creating a wonderful show.


I hope everyone is staying safe and well.


All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera.



16 comments:

The Quacks of Life said...

nice to see you out and about.. I've never been to Tenbury so nice to see it :)

Ragged Robin said...

The Quacks of Life - Thanks Pete. Must admit I feel "safer" going out and about in Herefordshire. Tenbury is lovely - not been in the church yet as only open to private prayer.

Rustic Pumpkin said...

Tenbury Wells looks lovely. Do I see mistletoe on one of the trees? I loved living in Taunton and seeing it on all the trees on my walks through the countryside. Glad your click and collect is working for you, it must be a relief. I'm with you, it will be a long time before I go into shops again, other than the pharmacy which I have no choice over. Timothy looks quite at home and content on his shelf. It's got scarily busy here this bank holiday weekend!

Bovey Belle said...

We've only driven past Tenbury and never stopped. It looks a lovely town, so we will have to go there in the future.

Sorry you still can't bring yourself to go into a shop. Here in Builth, the shops were either empty or just one other customer, so I have felt a bit safer. I still have a horror of touching door handles though, and always put disposable gloves on to put fuel in the car.

Ragged Robin said...

Rustic Pumpkin Thank you :) Yes it is mistletoe - it is absolutely everywhere in Herefordshire. I love to see it :) To be honest I found click and collect as good if not better than online delivery when some drivers fail to keep their distance! I wouldn't have gone this weekend tbh - I think the site much busier weekends and this is bank holiday. Sorry you have been "invaded". Not fun :( We rarely go anywhere bank holidays to avoid the hordes and that includes before the pandemic. Timothy is now home and sitting safely on his bookcase here :)

Midmarsh John said...

it is great to get out and about again. You have certainly made the most of your expeditions. I've visited a couple of garden centres recently and thoroughly enjoyed a change of scenery.

Rosie said...

Tenbury Wells looks a lovely place to visit with lots of interest to discover.I've enjoyed reading your history of some of the buildings. I love those borders where you can cross between counties and back again. There is a place we visit locally where we leave Staffordshire, drive a bit through Shropshire and then into Cheshire withn a few minutes. Glad you were able to get away for a few more days before the Bank Holiday weekend, I hope your daughter had a good birthday:)

Ragged Robin said...

Bovey Belle - Thank you and we like it there. What I love about Herefordshire is all the independent shops there are in towns. There I hope I can manage to go into a small shop and perhaps one day a supermarket but at home I really am not keen - too many people not wearing masks etc. I am not keen on door handles either and disposable gloves used here too for petrol!!! Horrid times we still live in.

Midmarsh John - thank you. It is good to go to the country and good to start going out and about again. Glad you enjoyed your garden centre trips :)

Ragged Robin said...

Rosie - Thanks so much. Yes it is fun to walk between counties :) I don't think I would have wanted to go this weekend as the caravan site will have many of the owners there and I do like my privacy!!! Still struggling a bit to cope with it although we are on a small row and quite private. Yes thank you my daughter had a lovely birthday under the present circumstances!:)

CherryPie said...

I have only been to the garden centre in Tenbury. The town looks interesting your photos have tempted me to visit. I will add it to my list :-)

Ragged Robin said...

Cherry Pie - Thank you - Tembury I think is worth a visit. Not far from Burford.

Millymollymandy said...

I’m so glad you are getting out and about now! I’m reading your blogs in the wrong order, as I read the Hereford one first! I think this town is more attractive. Love those beautiful pub fronts and there’s so much history that is interesting. It’s a beautiful part of England but I only visited when I was very young so don’t remember anything much. So happy for you that you can get back to the caravan! I wondered why you felt able to walk around Hereford with all the people, is that because you have been jabbed? I had my 2nd one on Saturday so feeling much safer now! xx

Ragged Robin said...

Millymollymandy - Thanks so much for your kind words. It is so good to be able to go back to Herefordshire. Hereford is full of interests and I hope to go back many times. To be honest I hadn't realised Hereford would be SO busy!!!! It was a shock!!!! Yes had first jab some months ago and second one last week. Feel safer now but still feel need to be careful and take precautions as not 100% effective. For some unknown reason I will do things in Herefordshire that I wouldn't "risk" at home!!!!

Amanda Peters said...

What a lovely place with lots to see, I would like visiting all the little shops, sitting for coffee and watch the people go by.
Amanda xx

Pam said...

I love the decor on The Crow, just fab! It looks like you had good weather too! I think with the whole visiting a shop thing you just have to go at your own pace and do what you're comfortable with :)

Ragged Robin said...

Amanda Peters - Thanks - it is a nice town and friendly too.

Pam - Thanks love visiting market towns and seeing quirky buildings :) Yes I agree - after not being in one for over a year it needs to be small steps!