I ordered egg and bacon for breakfast which I was expecting to be a small portion without all the added extras of a full cooked breakfast. I was wrong, I was served double quantities of egg and bacon! After breakfast we packed our cases into the car and set off towards Coughton Court which was our chosen stop off point on our journey home. On arrival at Coughton Court we had a cup of tea before taking a tour of the house.
Unfortunately it was raining heavily during our visit which meant we weren’t able to visit the garden and that photo opportunities were limited. However we did drop lucky when we visited the Anglican Church just as a historian started to give a very interesting and informative talk on the history of Coughton Court and the Throckmortons. After the talk it was time for lunch before continuing on our journey home. After such a large breakfast all I needed was a small cake to tide me over until our evening meal.
Tags: Coughton Court, Oxford, The Head of the River, Weekend away
After breakfast, where the correct amount of toast for three people was served, we set off for the Bodleian Library. On our way there we stopped off at the “Oxford University Press” bookshop. I am a fan of their “Very Short Introductions – To Almost Everything” and I was in my element seeing the full collection lined up in one place. We decided to return later to make some purchases.
On arrival at the Bodleian Library we purchased tickets for the tour then sat in the library hall waiting for the tour guide. Mum rushed out at the very last minute saying she didn’t like the thought of the steps in the library… As it turned out her departure was unnecessary, the steps were only a small (easily missed) part of the extremely interesting tour of the building. When we located her after the tour it transpired that she had gone off shopping!! After the tour I purchased a book in the Bodleian Library shop before returning to the Oxford University Press bookshop to purchase three of their short guides for the price of two.
At this point it was time for Mr C to move his car from the hotel car park as we did not have an allocated space for that evening. Mr C deposited mum and I in M&S, the place that mum was aiming for and failed to find on her errant shopping expedition. I am not really a good person to go shopping with because I dislike shopping. I did however spot a lovely glass necklace and bracelet and treated myself for my birthday 
When Mr C returned from moving his car we headed off for a creperie that Mr C had seen an advert for. When we arrived it turned out to be a mobile road side booth. We eventually found somewhere more suitable and sat outside enjoying our lunch in the unseasonably warm weather. After lunch we made our way to the University Church of St Mary which we found very interesting.
We then made our way to the Ashmolean museum, taking in Blackwell Bookshop along the way. On arrival at the Ashmolean it was time for a cup of tea before exploring the Ancient Egyptian and Syrian halls, after which it was time to return to the hotel and rest our weary feet and freshen up before our evening meal.
We struggled to find a place to get booked in to. We ended up finding a table available at the Brasserie Blanc. We traveled by cab to save our weary feet. The brasserie had a nice ambiance and the food was delicious. After the meal we returned to The Head of the River for a nightcap and to pack our cases for the journey home…
Tags: Ashmolean Museum, Bodleian Library, Oxford, University Church of St Mary, Weekend away
Breakfast was cooked to order and very tasty, although it was a little odd that we had two rounds of toast for three people. When we had finished the two pieces we asked for a bit more. After breakfast we set off towards Christ Church College and walked through the memorial garden and water meadows before joining the queue to enter the college. I say joining the queue, in fact there were only two people in front of us but by the time the doors opened, ten minutes late there was a large queue behind us.
We enjoyed the college and the Cathedral, where in the shop I found the Pitkin Guide to Oxford. It shows the best of Oxford via two walking tours. As luck would have it we were part way through the route of one of them. We carried on along the route to the science museum and stopped for a brief visit before carrying on past the Bodleian Library to a nearby pub for lunch. The pub was a bit chaotic but we managed to find ourselves a quiet corner to sit.
After lunch we returned to the Bodleian Library but opted out from rushing to join the last tour of the day. We visited the library hall, with the intention to return the library for a tour the following day. We then carried on along the walking route passing under ‘The Bridge of Sighs’, which is so named due to the apparent resemblance to its Venetian namesake. Just past the bridge we took a slight detour down a narrow alley to find The Turf Tavern where allegedly Bill Clinton imbibed in some ‘pot’. We then continued along the walking route passing many historic buildings, stopping off in a Viennese cake shop to indulge in tea and cake…
We then made our way back to the hotel to freshen up before our evening meal in The Quod Brasserie. On our walk to the brasserie it was lovely to see young ladies in long dresses and young gentlemen in suits and ties queuing up for a function in the college. After dinner we returned to the hotel for a nightcap before retiring to bed.
Tags: Bodleian Library, Bridge of Sighs, Christ Church Cathedral, Christ Church College, Oxford, Science Museum, The Turf Tavern, Weekend away
We packed the car and then went to collect my mum before setting off on our journey to Oxford (one year later than planned). The journey was slower than expected due to other drivers tootling along. Along the way we stopped off at Chipping Campden, where we had lunch in a lovely tea room. I chose sauteed mushrooms on rustic bread, it was delicious. After lunch we took a stroll around the delightful village before continuing on our journey to Oxford.
Our destination was The Head of the River which is a Fullers Pub with rooms. All the rooms have literary names and the wallpaper in the corridors also carries the literary theme. Whilst I unpacked, Mr C set out into the city to find somewhere suitable to eat. This is a standard ritual for our first night away and it normally takes him about 30 minutes. An hour later there was still no sign of his return…
Photo taken by Mr C
I sent him a text to make sure he hadn’t fallen in the river Apparently he had managed to get lost, not once but twice and in his confusion he ended up in a street named ‘Turn Again Lane’, at which point he thought someone was having a laugh at his expense!!
Eventually Mr C returned…
On this occasion his recce was not a complete success because we still ended up walking rather a long way before we found the ideal place for our evening meal. Eventually we settled on the Red Lion which has an extensive ‘pub food’ menu. By the time we arrived there my legs had become quite wobbly due to not having eaten for seven hours. Whilst we were there The Pope and a Knights Templar (followed by several young ladies) tried to enter the pub… They were informed that if they wished to enter they would have to disrobe. A few minutes later two young men (followed by several young ladies) entered the pub.
Thankfully my legs were almost fully restored when it was time to leave for the return walk to the Head of the River where we had a nightcap overlooking the river before retiring to sleep in Oscar Wilde.
Tags: Chipping Campden, Fullers, Oxford, The Head of the River, Weekend away
Friendship is not diminished by distance or time, by imprisonment or war, by suffering or silence. It is in these things that it roots most deeply.
Pam Brown
Tags: Cherie's Place Thought, Igtham Mote, Kent, National Trust, Rest a while, Rest a while with me
The Church of St Swithun upon Kingsgate has been a place of worship for more than 750 years. The church, built in the middle ages is located above the medieval Kingsgate, one of the principle entrances to the city. The church is unusual in that it forms part of the city wall.
From Wikipedia:
The first mention of the church is recorded in 1264, when it was apparently burned by the citizens of Winchester during a dispute with the Priory.[2] Most likely the church served as a chapel for lay people who worked for the Abbey.[1] In 1337 some woodwork was done on the church, costing a total of fifteen shillings, and in 1484 the windows underwent repair.[2]
St Swithun was an Anglo Saxon saint, born in Winchester and in 852 becoming the 19th bishop of the city. He died in 862 when King Alfred the Great was still a young man.[2] It is possible that St Swithun was tutor to the young king, and accompanied him on a pilgrimage to Rome.[2]
By the 17th century the church had fallen into disrepair, and had become home to one Robert Allen, the porter of Kings Gate, and his wife, “who did and doth keep swine at ye ende of the Chapell”.[1][2] The situation was improved around 1660 when the church was restored, its bells re-hung in 1677.[1] It has remained a place of worship since that time.[2]
Tags: Church, Hampshire, St Swithun upon Kingsgate, Vacation, Winchester
I invite you to read my post about the historic city of Winchester on the Broad Oak Magazine blog.
Tags: Broad Oak Magazine, Vacation, Winchester
