Saturday, January 26, 2008
25 Jan A visit to Outwood.
As I have lots of pictures and words about our stroll in a leafy Surrey village I will say little about the interesting little cafe we had breakfast in after the visit to the hospital.
I have another appointment in just over a week and I am sure we might go back again.
Later we took a little walk in Outwood, home of the oldest working mill in the country.
It is a post mill, built by Thomas Budgen of Nutfield in 1665.
It is possible to visit the mill in the summer months - even to buy flour milled there.
I once took a school party to the mill. Later we used the flour to make some bread. We even used jars with lids to make a little of our butter and grew some cress in advance to eat with the bread.
http://www.outwoodwindmill.co.uk/windmill.htm
Here is the mill with the village sign in the foreground. Grandpa B took this picture and very cleverly turned the sign around because it was facing the wrong way for the shot that he wanted.
Nearby, down a little lane were some pleasing cottages.
I have another appointment in just over a week and I am sure we might go back again.
Later we took a little walk in Outwood, home of the oldest working mill in the country.
It is a post mill, built by Thomas Budgen of Nutfield in 1665.
It is possible to visit the mill in the summer months - even to buy flour milled there.
I once took a school party to the mill. Later we used the flour to make some bread. We even used jars with lids to make a little of our butter and grew some cress in advance to eat with the bread.
http://www.outwoodwindmill.co.uk/windmill.htm
Here is the mill with the village sign in the foreground. Grandpa B took this picture and very cleverly turned the sign around because it was facing the wrong way for the shot that he wanted.
Nearby, down a little lane were some pleasing cottages.
And there was also Outwood House - a large dwelling with a beautiful tree to one side.
The silhouetted winter trees pleased me - though by that time the blue skies had clouded over a little.
It actually felt very cold with a chill wind whipping around us.
We walked the short distance to The Bell Inn.
I remember visiting this pub on a number of occasions with my friend Di.
Her parents would take the family to meet up with her aunt and uncle and dishy cousins at this pub.
It was another world to me - families with illusions of grandeur delighting in each other's lives. And spending time in pubs - something my family never did.
The building has changed of course. That huge bell on display was not there in the late 1950's; that was then the main entrance and Di and I, and the other youngsters would sit on the steps with our lemonades and packets of crisps.
I am not sure if the pub sign with the big metal bell was there in those days.
Nowadays it is a very smart pub with a fine restaurant (as well as the bars for the peasants!) noted for its seafood.
Don't forget to click on the pictures to see much larger images.
