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| Tomes amongst the tombs...A Bank Holiday Monday today, so out with Alec to collect some things from just outside Southampton, and then home via the Meon Valley, through some of the prettiest parts of this lovely county of Hampshire. We stopped for lunch in the small town of Wickham, which still has a delightfully proportioned Georgian Market square, wherein we ate at the King's Head pub. Everywhere is still looking at it's floral best, with baskets and garlands of flowers kept fresh by the inclement weather - this old hostelry had decorated the entrance to the old coach yard alongside it particularly prettily with falls of Impatiens all around it.
"The King's Head" is one of the most popular names for a pub in Britain - but, as Alec commented - which King? A glance at the pub signs hanging outside establishments with this name all over the land cover all kings from William the Conqueror in 1066 through King Charles II (Very popular!) right up to "the old King", George VI, father of the present Queen. This particular Kings Head seemed to be of one of the 12th - 14th century Plantagenets, but which I could not tell - and anyway, there was a whole gallery of them indoors from which one could take one's pick. Back through Chawton, for many years the home of Jane Austen. Unfortunately, because it was a holiday, car parking was difficult, so that is another place which will be revisited for the future pages of Autumn Cottage Diary. And finally, as we passed through Kingsclere, a village about five minutes from my home, the English weather was seen to be behaving itself (for once) for the village fete. Stalls covered the churchyard, and there werre indeed tomes amongst the tombs - the book stall was set up next to one of the grander table top tombs still standing in its original position. Most of the gravestones were removed to the edge of the graveyard in an act of official vandalism over twenty years ago - to make the ground "easier to maintain" - but more of that another time. For this afternoon, it looked like a medieval market day (though what the folk of medieval times would have had to say about trading UPON the graves, rather than alongside them, in the precincts of the church, I do not know). Everyone was there to help - from the Good Ladies of the Parish to the good old British police Bobby, who can be seen in the background of the bookstall photo (extreme right). It seemed a true community effort, and even the sun smiled for a little while on the event. Even in August, (especially this August), in England, that is something of a much prayed-for miracle! Journal Prompt Have you had a town or village fete, fair or celebration this year? Describe the stalls and entertainments on offer. Were you in front of the stalls - or behind them? Did you make cakes? Sell refreshments? Set up a coconut shye or a shooting gallery? Partake of any of these pleasures as a visitor? Remember back as well to those high days and holidays of your childhood. What were your favourites then? Have they disappeared now - or are your old favourites still there at the fete or carnival? |