After a most pleasing meal in The Navigation at Maesbury last night, expensive but decidedly tasty, we finally made the effort and started heading back up the Monty. When I 'phoned to book our passage through Frankton locks next Tuesday a rather officious lady at the Northwich office told me we should have been off yesterday as you are apparently only allowed fourteen days down here. When I asked her where it was laid down that there was a time limit she was baffled, having explored Waterscape I can find no mention, in fact nobody seems to know. A promised call back from her supervisor failed to materialise so I can only surmise that he doesn't know either. I dare say the lockie at Frankton will have an idea.
Yesterday was walking time so we pulled on our boots and set off. Personally I prefer fishing but anything for a quiet life.
Down the lane behind the moorings there is a ford through the Morda Brook, they have had the decency to provide a bridge for those not encumbered with mechanised transport. The brook has played an important part in local history. It once supplied the power to Peates Mill, the last users of canal transport on the Monty. Further up the lane the old mill pond is still in water.
The old sluices that controlled the flow are also there.
Needless to say the mill has long been mechanised.
As a lover of the odd I found the church to be the most interesting building in the village.
Corrugated iron, according to the local tale it was built in 1906 from a kit of parts supplied by Harrods. Flat pack church, let's see Ikea equal that. Just down the road is an equally quirky dwelling.
Was it once a scout hut? Could have been.
We then meandered over towards St. Winifreds well. I've already done the one that goes "I didn't know she'd been ill." so don't bother.
She was a seventh century Welsh princess devoted to a life of chastity and prayer who, after having her head lopped off by a rejected suitor, was brought back to life by St. Bueno. This all happened at Holywell in Flintshire. Many years later her bones were taken to Shrewsbury Abbey to create a place of pilgrimage, always profitable, a shrine. Anyway, her bones rested here one night and lo! A spring appeared which also became a site of pilgrimage, the waters curing all sorts of maladies.
The half timbered building is the original medieval chapel, now a holiday let. That's Jill there, not Winifred.
The original medieval well is under the chapel and is still visited by the devout as can be seen
by the offerings in the recess above the well. I would guess that before the reformation it would have held a statue of the saint. A fascinating survival. Incidently, according to Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael was one of the escort for the saints bones.
Watch this space...........
1 comment:
i have seen the 14 day on the monty rule somewhere on the web but can't remember where.skpt
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