Bob and John figured we should visit Timsbury today.
Ade and I drove with Bob and Wendy and Harvey drove with John.
Bob figured he would take the back roads leading to Timsbury. That was certainly an experience. Even though traffic moves in both directions on these roads, there is not room for the vehicles to get by each other when cars coming from opposite directions meet. Since all (and I mean ALL) of these roads have dense hedges that grow to the edge of the pavement, there is usually no room to pass by each other. To accommodate this problem at random intervals the hedges have been "car pruned " by the rubbing of vehicles against them. When see an approaching car you must either dash ahead and squeeze into one of these slight indents or stop and back up into one. British drivers seem to have adjusted to this tedious method of driving country roads a slide goes on. It certainly is taxing in the nerves in North American drivers -- especially when you are driving on the left side of the road!
On more than one occasion Bib took wrong turns to the point where I finally had to get out my cell phone and use the GPS!
W finally arrived in Timsbury. It was a very moving experience to visit mom's beautiful old church. In the grave yard was the plot of her mom and dad. We helped clean up the grave site.
Adjacent to the grave site was a new home that was built in the location if Grampa Evans old home.
On a stroll by the location of mom's childhood home Adrienne noticed a small sign on the next old home. She brought it to my attention. It read THE PITFOUR HOUSE". I was almost brought to my knees in surprise and emotion. This was the home of my dad's mom--my grandma!!
No one has ever told me that mom's dad and my gramma were next door neighbours. My two grammas were friends. My gramma from the PITFOUR house was the daughter of the town doctor. When he died, she and her mom made the perilous trip to Canada alone to start a new life. It was in Canada that she met my Gramps so had also immigrated to Canada from village only a few miles away--Taunton! Small world, even back then !
After a climb up a shakey couple of ladders in the churches clock and bell tower, past the works of an ancient clock Nd though a couple of old trap doors I made it to the top of the church bell tower. It housed ; enormous bells over various sizes upto 6 feet in height.
Harvey was right behind me expressing concern that we might get in trouble. However I snapped a picture of these wonderfully old chimes in their rarely visited old home and dreamed for a few minutes before descending from this ancient dusty room shrouded with curtains of cobwebs.
Next it was more tight British roads and on to Bath.
Bath surprised me. The town dates back 1900 years! On the sight of a large natural hot spring (o we a million gallons a day!), the Romans built enormous swinning piols and spas. This location became a holly destination for Romans from throughout their enormous empire. Roman roads that still exist today ended in Bath. Fabulous marble work, buildings and statutes made this spot very special in their time. British reconstruction in the past 200 years has made bath and international destination.
It was getting late in the day but Bob and John said the little town of Wells was a must-see on our way home.
More crazy driving and before to long we were in Wells. Wow!!! The town has one of the biggest and most beautiful cathedrals we have ever see ! Adjacent to the cathedral on one side was the huge palace of the bishop complete with high walls, an enormous moat, and a draw bridge with a 15 foot castle double door!
On the other side was an 800 year old building that housed a music school that was rehearsing while we were there--fantastic! Beside the music shook was a roman cobble stone lane with a dozen mini rock mansion homes on either side that are lived in today. Certainly a prestigious address in England.
Wells has another claim to fame. It is home to a couple of the most prestigious and expensive private schools in the world.
The route you ready for two vehicles to pass the hedges on both sides. Stopped and pulled over, squished to get stands, well another car passed. The roads were almost very Windee oncoming traffic.
M's church
Pitfoour house
Wells cathedral
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