In Hurley, Wendy showed me the delights of the village. She is very familiar with the area and despite growing up in Bucks I left before exploring such lovely backwaters.
A rare photo of myself....... with Tara enjoying a good roll in the grass. Behind me is the tithe barn now the venue of wedding receptions etc.
There is loads of interesting history of Hurley and surrounding areas to be found on http://www.archaeologyinmarlow.org.uk
Needless to say I got my own back and took a photo of my friend, Wendy. Lovely lady.
The parish church, formed from the nave of the Priory's church
Wendy herself admits to being very nosey and there was an art exhibition being held at the Cloisters in the village. This is the entrance to the courtyard. We were actually about 3 hours too early, there was due to be a reception that evening to open the exhibition. But the lady of the house very kindly let us in, with the dog, to have a nose around. It was set up in a huge room which was being heated by a large fire and central heating too. This was her studio.
Photos of the grounds of the Cloisters
In the summer of 2007, a party from the Thames Valley Dowsers investigated the reputed underground tunnel that runs from the Olde Bell hotel to the remains of the old Priory behind the church. A cupboard in a bar at the Olde Bell reveals a crumbling staircase entrance which is supposed to lead to the tunnels. Next door to the hotel, Hurley House had a trapdoor through which access to the tunnel had been gained. Dowsing highlighted two tunnels that run from the Olde Bell to the old Ladye Place crypt and then to a property known as the Cloisters, the remains of the old Priory behind the church. Set into the Cloisters’ lawns are gratings which cover entrances to underground tunnels that have been explored and led to the moat, underpinning the stories of the plotters in 1688 surreptitiously entering the crypt by tunnel.
With some reluctance we left Hurley and headed back to the relative bedlam of the Thames in search of an overnight mooring. I had Marlow in mind as I knew there were lots of moorings along the riverbank. I used to go kayaking from Longridge many years ago.
Passing Bisham we had a beautiful view of the ancient church of All Saints, which dates to the 12th century. It is a grade II listed building
Entering Marlow................ but no moorings as it was Marlow Regatta the following day!
But beyond Marlow Lock we very lucky to find some overnight moorings.
Passing traffic
We walked to the Spade Oak at Bourne End for a delicious evening meal. I was assured by Wendy that it was only 2 fields away, this turned out to be 2.5 miles. Each way.
Just to warn you if you ever go for a walk with Wendy!!
No comments:
Post a Comment