Mr C has recently retired and this was the first opportunity to explore what retirement is about. We were pottering around and catching up on certain household projects that required a trip to Shrewsbury.

Then, with all the time in the world, rather than lunching in Shrewsbury we took a leisurely drive through the countryside to Boscobel House. The food options in Boscobel’s café were mostly sweet rather than savoury, but the sun was out and the birds were singing; a perfect day for lingering outside in the sunshine.

We learned, from the lady who served us in the café, that the small pile of crumbs on our table had been left there on purpose to attract the birds. The tasty treat was obviously appreciated, a sparrow landed a few inches away from me assessing the possibility of a duck and dive crumb grab, only to be scared away by someone that had spotted the sparrow from the table next to ours.

After lunch we enjoyed the gardens with their lovely spring blooms. We couldn’t venture further afield because I was wearing ‘town shoes’! I always have at least one pair of walking shoes/boots (and socks) in my car. I need to get another pair to leave in Mr C’s car

It was nice to have a lie in after a week of early mornings. I was able to do some cleaning of surfaces and appliances in the kitchen. The fitter had thoughtfully reconnected the washing machine so I was able to put in a load of washing.

We had lunch at home before visiting mum. She was in bed and not in a happy place but mostly ‘herself’ which meant she can’t understand why she can’t go home yet.

After our visit we went to Ikea to purchase some draw liners for the kitchen cabinets. We found an ideal rack for the chopping boards but it was out of stock, but we could get one on Tuesday! We called in at Boundary Mill for a cup of tea and cake so that Mr C could browse the kitchen shop. I had other ideas, the clothing department called me. Luckily for the bank account we came away without making any purchases.

Later we dined in Giggling Squid, a favourite chain restaurant of mine which we first discovered when we were on holiday in Chichester. We were seated upstairs where it was cozy and warm with a lovely buzzing atmosphere. The food lived up to our expectations.

Mum had been moved to the escalation ward over night and had started to become delirious as we had suspected she would.

Due to being home a day earlier than expected, we needed to pick up some food supplies. We visited Battlefield 1403 in the hopes that we could also have lunch there. There was a waiting list for tables so we opted to buy the fresh produce and have lunch in Shrewsbury instead.

We chose Palmer’s of Shrewsbury which is a lovely place to eat, drink and to sit and chat a while. After our relaxing refreshments, we picked up the rest of our week’s supplies from Sainsbury’s.

We visited the hospital to see mum where we were able to persuade her to have a drink of water and a cuppa soup.

Now it was time for some well-earned chill out time at home, looking forward to roast chicken.

Synopsis (from book cover):

When Covid-19 hit the UK and lockdown was declared, Mike Matthews wondered how his historic four-star hotel would survive. Then Shrewsbury Council called. The British government had launched a programme called ‘Everyone In’ and 33 rough sleepers needed beds. The Prince Rupert would end up taking in more than 100 homeless people for over a year – many of whom had spent decades on the streets.

This is the astonishing account of how the hotel owner, manager and accountant and their unlikely new guests spent months locked in together and wound up transforming each other’s lives.

Review:

As we get to know the homeless people who were temporary guests at the Prince Rupert Hotel, I found the book is heartwarming, uplifting and sad in equal measures

Many of the homeless were traumatised, addicts or suffered with mental illness. We learn of their struggles and how some were able to lift themselves up to a better life whilst others were unable to break from their addictions.

The compassion, and sometimes frustration of the three hosts to the homeless shines through as does the generosity of the local people and businesses.

I thoroughly recommend this book, it gives an insight to how these ‘rough sleepers’ ended up sleeping on the streets and why some of them even when given opportunities are unable (or choose not to) to change their situation.

During our Christmas shopping trip to Shrewsbury, we intended to have an afternoon cuppa in the Cafe within St Mary’s Church but unfortunately the cafe was closed for refurbishment.

It was a pleasure to see the Jesse Window and the detailed roof panels. Seeing the window reminded us that after a previous visit in December we had always intended to go back to visit the church in summer months when the light is more favourable to explore the finer details of the church.

The church is now the only complete medieval church in Shrewsbury. It dates from Saxon times and has beautiful additions from the twelfth-century onwards. Inside, the atmosphere is peaceful with the soaring stone arches giving way to the church’s great treasure – its stained glass. There are panels in glorious colour including the world-famous fourteenth-century ‘Jesse window’; filled with figures of Old Testament kings and prophets, and scenes from the life of St Bernard – a Medieval cartoon strip that shows him ridding flies from an abbey, riding a mule and curing the sick. No other church in the country has a collection to equal it.

Most of the glass was brought from elsewhere, much of it from Europe, by two remarkable clergymen, and installed in St Mary’s during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Warmth and richness is also provided by superb Victorian coloured tiles on the floor.  Lifting your eyes upwards, you will see the wonderful fifteenth-century carved oak ceiling of the nave, with a profusion of animals, birds and angels.

The historically significant Flaxmill Maltings was opened to the public this weekend after many years of restoration. We took the opportunity visit both the site and exhibition. The transformation from its former derelict state is impressive. I found the exhibition interesting and informative but thought that it didn’t bring out the historic significance of the building structure.

The restoration project is still a work in progress. Other associated buildings on the site are still in need of restoration.

The Main Mill at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings is the first iron-framed building in the world. The pioneering frame is what makes this an internationally important industrial heritage site.

Known as the grandparent of skyscrapers, the Main Mill opened in 1797 as a purpose-built flax mill. Since then, the site has grown and been repurposed and adapted many times. It was a maltings from 1897 to 1987, but also served as a temporary army barracks during the Second World War. After the maltings closed in 1987, the future of the site and its important buildings became increasingly uncertain.

The new mill would be built to Charles Bage’s designs. Before construction began, he used his own research and that of others to test the strength of cast iron and the structure of the frame that he had designed. When Bage was satisfied that the plans were right, the mill was built.

The innovative new five-storey Main Mill building had an internal frame made entirely from cast iron. The frame was made up of three rows of cast iron columns and cast iron beams extended between them. Brick arches were built between the beams to form the floors and wrought iron tie rods prevented these arches from springing apart. Together this made a fireproof structure.

The columns and the beams for the frame were cast in Shrewsbury at William Hazeldine’s new foundry. Hazeldine had a reputation for quality – he also supplied Thomas Telford with components for the world’s first suspension bridge built over the Menai Strait some years later.

As well as creating a fireproof structure, the strength that iron gave to the Main Mill was the leap needed to allow buildings to be built taller. Now described as the grandparent of the modern skyscraper, the Main Mill is the first known multi-storey cast iron-framed building in the world.

The full history can be viewed here.

Before leaving we chose to have lunch in the onsite Turned Wood Café. The offerings are plant based and everything is beautifully presented. The menu is a work in progress, I am sure I will be back soon to sample something new.