Friday, March 08, 2013
Day out in East Grinstead.
I wanted to go somewhere.
Well, we could do the shopping in East Grinstead.......did lots of things in East Grinstead, but food shopping was actually done back in Crawley.
It was pouring with rain for most of the day, but I was happy exploring a town with many charms that I really don't know well.
East Grinstead was a place we travelled through when I was a child......on the way, by train to visit grandparents in Tunbridge Wells.
I know that I would have been there before that - as a baby my parents lived at Sharpthorne and would have needed East Grinstead for town facilities.
Today we went first to Chequer Mead which was both charming and a little disappointing.
Chequer Mead is the name of the arts centre, with a thriving little theatre, art gallery and other facilities.
It was once a school.
There are several art exhibitions planned - but this week there wasn't one; disappointing.
So we ordered a pot of tea and shared some cake in the cafe which highlights the town's history.
Not sure why we didn't move those daffodil buds!
All around the room were prints depicting times and events in history.
They were lovely to look at.
A lovely railway picture.
There is no land between Three Bridges and East Grinstead as depicted - but attractive anyway.
We all believe that we are the centre of the universe......accordingly I would have suggested that it was railway to East Grinstead that opened in 1855.
Three Bridges must have been the more important end of the line!
I like water towers.
In times past they seemed to have been built with an eye to detail and were not a blot on the landscape.
Church tower in the rain.
We were walking to the museum.
Look at that! A modern, purpose built little museum.
It was quite charming. Everything is well labelled and reflects life in the town from earliest times.
There are still one or two of these old milestones along the A22.
East Grinstead must be 30 miles from Bow Bells in London.
From the East Grinstead Pottery.
Bricks were made and other artefacts too.
There was a small exhibition showing the measurement of time through history.
Some beautiful old clocks were on display.
This one was from a clockmaker in Lewes, another Sussex town that I love.
We went to the Wetherspoon's pub for a lunchtime snack.
And now we are in the conservatory of a Victorian home.
We had gone to Standen (now a National Trust property) specifically for one item of shopping - a birthday present.
Standen is very William Morris and arts and crafts and an ideal place for the desired gift.
We enjoyed a walk round the house as well.
It has been themed differently from last time were there.
We are to imagine the family at home at different times of the day and through the seasons. Today it was depicted as dark and a little gloomy......because that is how it always would have been as winter draws to a close.
In each room there were excerpts from diaries or copies of post cards or letters to read that would bring the people and their lives to life for us.
Bath time.
Bed time.
Dream time.
Tomorrow may not be a rainy day and so we will be out again.
Well, we could do the shopping in East Grinstead.......did lots of things in East Grinstead, but food shopping was actually done back in Crawley.
It was pouring with rain for most of the day, but I was happy exploring a town with many charms that I really don't know well.
East Grinstead was a place we travelled through when I was a child......on the way, by train to visit grandparents in Tunbridge Wells.
I know that I would have been there before that - as a baby my parents lived at Sharpthorne and would have needed East Grinstead for town facilities.
Today we went first to Chequer Mead which was both charming and a little disappointing.
Chequer Mead is the name of the arts centre, with a thriving little theatre, art gallery and other facilities.
It was once a school.
There are several art exhibitions planned - but this week there wasn't one; disappointing.
So we ordered a pot of tea and shared some cake in the cafe which highlights the town's history.
Not sure why we didn't move those daffodil buds!
All around the room were prints depicting times and events in history.
They were lovely to look at.
A lovely railway picture.
There is no land between Three Bridges and East Grinstead as depicted - but attractive anyway.
We all believe that we are the centre of the universe......accordingly I would have suggested that it was railway to East Grinstead that opened in 1855.
Three Bridges must have been the more important end of the line!
In times past they seemed to have been built with an eye to detail and were not a blot on the landscape.
Church tower in the rain.
We were walking to the museum.
Look at that! A modern, purpose built little museum.
It was quite charming. Everything is well labelled and reflects life in the town from earliest times.
There are still one or two of these old milestones along the A22.
East Grinstead must be 30 miles from Bow Bells in London.
From the East Grinstead Pottery.
Bricks were made and other artefacts too.
There was a small exhibition showing the measurement of time through history.
Some beautiful old clocks were on display.
This one was from a clockmaker in Lewes, another Sussex town that I love.
We went to the Wetherspoon's pub for a lunchtime snack.
And now we are in the conservatory of a Victorian home.
We had gone to Standen (now a National Trust property) specifically for one item of shopping - a birthday present.
Standen is very William Morris and arts and crafts and an ideal place for the desired gift.
We enjoyed a walk round the house as well.
It has been themed differently from last time were there.
We are to imagine the family at home at different times of the day and through the seasons. Today it was depicted as dark and a little gloomy......because that is how it always would have been as winter draws to a close.
In each room there were excerpts from diaries or copies of post cards or letters to read that would bring the people and their lives to life for us.
Bath time.
Bed time.
Dream time.
Tomorrow may not be a rainy day and so we will be out again.
