Headed off bright and early. Very quickly lost some time when Sharon sent me off in a direction I really didn't want to go. Why she thought I needed to head up the M3 heaven only knows. But we're all good now. Drove through archetypal English countryside - narrow leafy lanes, rolling countryside, occasional thatched cottage, others brick and shingle, flint walls and lots of churches. Visited churches in Uckfield, Buxted, Mayfield and Etchingham in the hope of stumbling across some ancestral evidence but happy to settle for the thought that the ancestors had worshipped there. of course assuming that they were good anglicans and not renegade catholics or dissenters of some sort.
Had a pint in the Five Ashes Inn which according to the 1881 census was run by great great great grandmother Sarah Head. And there she was in a picture on the wall supervising the draymen.Then went off on a tangent and went to Battle where William the Bastard (or some will call the conqueror) gave Harold one in the eye. Seemed to be alot more there than I remember - mind you it was 43 years ago. Battle Senior College lookled seriously cool set in the middle of the abbey ruins.
Then called into Chiddingly for one last relative look and there in the aisle of the choir was the grave of Mary French (1651 - 1695) - my great X 8 grandmother and her two sisters. Obviously her father, Stephen French had done well to score that spot. Very exciting!!
Then it was working my way back towards Warblington Cemetery to see my grandparents memorial stone - a different kind of emotional experience.
Last stop before heading back to Winchester was at the Royal Oak Hotel - a favourite spot of my parents on the waterfront near Emsworth. The tide was out, but so was the sun. Very nice.
Tomorrow, Salisbury and beyond.
sounds like you had a really cool day - how amazing to find your granny in a picture at the pub and also the memorial stone (also pictured). makes me realise that i need to get serious about my own granny hunt before we return to england (geoff will be so pleased!). there is an option you can use on the navman that will stop sharon putting you on motorways you don't want to be on. also, we always struggled working out what direction she wanted us to take when first setting off. i guess it's all part of the glorious tapestry...
ReplyDeleteraining here. unusually it's virtually windless so the rain is heavy and vertical... alas we failed to make the most of the sunny early hours for a bike ride so it may be yet another day of winter sloth. have a nice sleep (i reckon you'll be going to bed about now) as it's nearly 10.30am here. taraa for now :-D
I got a cricket bat in Battle - that's near where the Gray-Nicolls factory is. They were my gear sponsors when I was a great cricketer!
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