Weathered Fence

 Peter Hall Lane, Walsgrave on Sowe, Coventry
 (between Ansty and Brinklow) 

Hello all.  

This photograph was taken on a country lane not far from Coventry City Centre. 

Today we are all excited to see if England can beat Spain and win the 
UEFA European Championship 2024!

Take care all and have a good day!

100 Years Ago...Remembered

Remembrance Sunday

Brinklow Village, Warwickshire

St John the Baptist Church -

Look closely and you will see 

glass silhouettes of two soldiers sitting on the bench above.

Cascade of hand-crafted poppies.

Today marks the 100 year anniversary of the end of hostilities

in the First World War at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

There are many displays throughout the Village.  A wonderful effort by all.

Below is a display focusing on WWI Tank Corp.

Remembrance Sunday is held in the United Kingdom 

and the Commonwealth of Nations as a day 

"to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth 

military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts'.

************************

Greetings.  It has been a long time.  I have been

busy but still taking photographs here and there.  

Brinklow Village is located a short distance from Coventry, about

10 minutes from my home.  When I saw all the

hard work that had been undertaken (and believe me

there is so much more than what I show here), I 

decided I must share.

Warmest Best Wishes to you All!

Brinklow's Scarecrow Festival

The perfect setting for a wedding.

The Church?  St. John the Baptist, Broad Street.

The Event?  Brinklow's Scarecrow Weekend 

held over last August Bank Holiday weekend.

The happy Bride and Groom?  

Yes, you guessed it - they are scarecrows.

The church (below) with more scarecrows (and some people too)

in the field next to the church.

The whole village was full of displays.

I'll show you a few more later in the week.

Village life in England can be lots of fun!

Brinklow - Benchmark

Church of St. John the Baptist

Broad Street, Brinklow Village

(near to Coventry)

In the photograph above, you will see a white arrow

that shows the location of a chiseled horizontal

mark that surveyors have made in the stone

to serve as an elevation reference.

It is difficult to see above - it looks like an

arrow pointing up to a line and I believe it dates back to 1856. 

The church is much older than that.

Below is the benchmark at the Council House, Coventry.

When I noticed the benchmark on the 

Council House, Coventry,  I hoped wondered if I had

discovered a secret coded message of sorts.  Of course, it was

nothing like that.  This benchmark in Brinklow is the 

second one I have found.  I'll show you the 3rd tomorrow.

In the meantime, enjoy the view from the churchyard

(similar to the one I shared on 1st April.)

Interestingly, this church isn't the only church around

here to have a blue door.

CDP Theme Day - The Beauty of Simplicity

Church of St. John the Baptist

Broad Street, Brinklow Village

(near to Coventry)

Today is theme day for members of the

City Daily Photo group.  The topic is

'The Beauty of Simplicity'.

My photograph is of a quiet moment in a

picturesque English village.

For other interpretations of the theme 

from around the world, please follow the link

HERE.

PS. I'll be back to this church next week,

I want to show you a 'benchmark' near that door.

January Daffodils

Brinklow Road, Easenhall

Seeing these daffodils today gave me a nudge

to get back to blogging for 2016.
Normally, I would be looking out
 for snow about now, not daffodils.

 These photos were taken on a nice country road not far from Coventry

between the villages of Brinklow and Easenhall.

So there you have it -

daffodils, country road, nice house and a big red tracker too :).

Happy 2016.  Hope you are well!!!!

Pedlar's Bridge

Smeaton Lane, Coombe Fields

Restored Medieval Pack Horse Bridge

It is amazing what is hidden from view when you drive down

country lanes near Coventry.  On Smeaton Lane is such an example:

this stone bridge that crosses Smite Brook.

The photo below is similar to a couple of others

I have found on the internet, except mine shows

a backlog of branches stuck under one of the arches.

No worries, I'm sure that rubble will be cleared in good time.

The research I have done suggests this bridge was originally built

in medieval times and used for travel to and from the village of Brinklow.  

Above is Smeaton Lane.  See those posts?  They have little

signs on them to designate foot and bridal paths.

Pedlar's Bridge is about 15 minutes drive from Coventry.

Think I might take a little break now.  

See you next week :)

W Is For Water

Smite Brook

(photo taken near Brinklow)

The bridge is actually a medieval pack horse bridge

known as Pedlar's Bridge.  I'll show more tomorrow. 

Participating in ABC Wednesday

Peace At Last

Along the Oxford Canal today.

Participating in Our World Tuesday

Thatched Roof Thursday #23 - Brinklow

This cottage is quite a contrast to the house next door.  

The photo above was taken late last year.  The one below was taken this month.  It is called Holly Cottage. Guess that is because of the holly tree out front.  This seventeenth century thatched roof home is two cottages.   Next door is having some building work done....always seems to require a skip and portable loo.  Try and concentrate on the cottage :).

I am starting to panic a little.  I still haven't shown you the finished cottage in Coventry.  The weather isn't cooperating.  We get moments of sunshine (as in the shot above) but they don't last.   I am insisting on showing you Coventry thatch in full sunshine with a blue sky.  Looking out my window now it is cloudy with the threat of more snow????? (Still not complaining.)

See you tomorrow!

The House Next Door - Dunsmore House

Two weeks ago I chose the thatched cottage in this photo to the left as part of my Thatched Roof Thursday series.  I commented that there was a rather grand house next door.  Here it is.  Do you agree?

Brinklow village offers a lot of variety in architecture.   Dunsmore House (sounds as grand as it looks) is a mid-eighteenth century red brink, three storey building.  It has an old tile roof with a feature of end brick chimney stacks.  The facade is symmetrical with sash windows.  The classical character is maintained in the porch of Doric columns under a broken pediment, so says a Brinklow Conservation Report.

For me, today is more about the content of the photograph rather than the quality.  Enjoy Dunsmore House, Broad Street, Brinklow.

Thatched Roof Thursday #21 - Brinklow

And, Fosse Cottage (on the left) is for rent, or at least it was.

This timber frame building with white painted brick infill is actually two homes.  The building is Grade II Listed, dating from the seventeenth century.  It is described as one storey, plus an attic. You won't believe the house next door.  I'll show it to you next week. 

Broad Street, Brinklow, is a little wider than many of the 'main streets' I have seen and this one is full of a variety of homes in all shapes and sizes and shops too. 

These photos were taken last Saturday when the sun was out.  That didn't last long.  I haven't seen it since :).

Thatched Roof Thursday #11 - Brinklow

Rain, rain, and more rain can produce a little extra greenery on some thatched roof cottages.  This is a good example of what I mean.  Hopefully, in the warmer months I can show you this sweet Grade II listed cottage with beautiful flowered vines and a little less moss on the roof.

Next week we are back to the cottage in Coventry that is being re-thatched.  Not much work has been done this week...think that could have something to with Christmas :).

PS.  Happy Birthday, Lottie & Dave too !

Thatched Roof Thursday # 5 - Brinklow

Brinklow is a beautiful and picturesque village near Coventry.   I chose this cottage for today because it is bright and freshly re-thatched...a nice contrast to another dull day in this part of England.

Tomorrow, no matter what, I am going to include some blue sky in my posting.  A promise!

And, most important of all - Happy Birthday, Nadine!

Pretty As A Picture

Warwickshire Countryside

This is taken not far from Brinklow near Coventry.  Just think, a 10 minute drive and views like this are everywhere.

Brinklow (near Coventry) - RAF Funeral

We were only passing through Brinklow this morning when it was apparent that a funeral was soon to take place at St John the Baptist Church.  We stopped as RAF Reginald Cleaver arrived.  The photographs are shared with you in tribute to a man who was a POW and helped other prisoners escape....in 'The Great Escape' film style.