Friday, November 13, 2009
Glorious Godstone Part 2.
Did we just manage to catch the last few hours of autumn yesterday?
It certainly seems like that.
The rain began as we ate some lunch at The White Hart over 24 hours ago and it hasn't stopped since. The forecasters predict more rain and gale force winds.
We have scurried about from car park to supermarkets this morning. Food shopping has been done, combining Waitrose and Lidl.
We bought more goji juice in Waitrose - I said I would tell you about it; we thought it was delicious.
There was also a trip to the local post office to sort out confusing postal tariffs - well we were confused.
I am not surprised about the confusion. If we should need to send Bill's Canon A1 camera abroad it would be better to split it and all the equipment into 2 parcels. A parcel over 2 Kg is about £36 to post - 2 smaller ones would only cost £14.
I have been in communication with the man who bought the book Glorious Godstone, telling him that Ann had told me a little of the family. He has revealed that it was his father who edited the book.
And so back to those last few hours of autumn in Godstone.
There are 2 parts of Godstone, linked by Bullbeggers Lane.
The old part was, in medieval times, the centre, but was almost wiped out during The Great Plague of 1342.
It was this part that we had known nothing of until Gordon's funeral last December at the church.
There are several really old houses along tiny Church Lane.
Other parts appear to be old.
The church is largely Victorian - and restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1872 -3.
At the same time he designed the almshouses and their little chapel for a wealthy lady in memory of her 16 year old daughter.
The almshouses almost appear to be medieval.
The church from the lych gate.
Last December when we were there snow covered the ground.
The pond now has nothing more than mud - although Bill did see a notice about the need for fishing permits!
The bridge appeared to have been quite freshly painted.
I have mentioned the almshouses already. 
All the plasterwork set between the beams is decorated.
In the centre is a covered well - very attractive.
Opposite the almshouses were lovely old cottages.
The windows and attractive brickwork were on the Headmaster's House.
A dull picture really - I normally try to avoid parked cars.
We visited The Emporium in the High Street.
Old cottages in The High Street.
The 1989 village sign on the edge of the village green reflects the main summer activity.
It certainly seems like that.
The rain began as we ate some lunch at The White Hart over 24 hours ago and it hasn't stopped since. The forecasters predict more rain and gale force winds.
We have scurried about from car park to supermarkets this morning. Food shopping has been done, combining Waitrose and Lidl.
We bought more goji juice in Waitrose - I said I would tell you about it; we thought it was delicious.
There was also a trip to the local post office to sort out confusing postal tariffs - well we were confused.
I am not surprised about the confusion. If we should need to send Bill's Canon A1 camera abroad it would be better to split it and all the equipment into 2 parcels. A parcel over 2 Kg is about £36 to post - 2 smaller ones would only cost £14.
I have been in communication with the man who bought the book Glorious Godstone, telling him that Ann had told me a little of the family. He has revealed that it was his father who edited the book.
And so back to those last few hours of autumn in Godstone.
There are 2 parts of Godstone, linked by Bullbeggers Lane.
The old part was, in medieval times, the centre, but was almost wiped out during The Great Plague of 1342.
It was this part that we had known nothing of until Gordon's funeral last December at the church.
There are several really old houses along tiny Church Lane.
Other parts appear to be old.
The church is largely Victorian - and restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1872 -3.
At the same time he designed the almshouses and their little chapel for a wealthy lady in memory of her 16 year old daughter.
The almshouses almost appear to be medieval.
The church from the lych gate.
Last December when we were there snow covered the ground.
This gravestone moved me - it marks the death of two daughters who died just a year apart aged 15 and 14 in 1982. Cousin Ann could recall the girls and told us that there were underlying health problems.
Last Sunday was Remembrance Sunday and the war memorial was surrounded by poppy wreaths.
There are no family names marked in Godstone.
Bill took a little walk on his own down a path into the woods from the church yard, whilst I stayed on the paths and studied the stories on the gravestones.
The woods were once more managed and maintained.
The woods were once more managed and maintained.
The pond now has nothing more than mud - although Bill did see a notice about the need for fishing permits!
The bridge appeared to have been quite freshly painted.
I have mentioned the almshouses already.
This is home for 8 elderly people or couples and a warden.
All the plasterwork set between the beams is decorated.
The crest bears the date 1872.
In the centre is a covered well - very attractive.
The well dried up a long time ago.
The view through the well structure shows the entrance to the almshouses chapel.
The view through the well structure shows the entrance to the almshouses chapel.
Opposite the almshouses were lovely old cottages.
The oldest (not one at this point in the lane) is 15th century.
The windows and attractive brickwork were on the Headmaster's House.
The old school building was behind.
From Church lane we drove to the more bustling large village which most people would know of.
We parked by the pond.
The pond is in one corner of the village green.
We chose to eat at the 16th century White Hart.
A dull picture really - I normally try to avoid parked cars.
But at least it is better than the picture on the White Hart's own web site - taken from the same spot. Their picture has both parked cars and traffic on the road too.
We visited The Emporium in the High Street.
Old cottages in The High Street.
This part of Godstone was once a maze of alley ways and cottages. It was once claimed to be the worst slum in Surrey!
The 1989 village sign on the edge of the village green reflects the main summer activity.
