Day Out!

Yesterday I decided that of the sun shone and if I was awake I would head out somewhere, it has been a while since I did so.  Last year was horrendous with my knees irking me and the bug that never leaves never leaving.  So after what passed for a late breakfast I made off towards the bus stop with seven minutes to spare.
It has been a while since I toddled off on the 'zimmer' bus  and I was surprised that he arrived on time and did not delay us by changing drivers as they usually do.  'What Ho! Jeeves!' I said to myself and presented my bus pass to the drivers machine.
It didn't work.
It didn't work a second time.  The driver looked at it and said "It's out of date."  
I was surprised as it read 14th July. 
"2017!" he said.
Jings!  I knew it had been a while and mentioned I was sicker than I thought I had been and began to reach for my cash.  Checking my pass carefully he gave me back my money and proffered a free ticket reminding me to get a new pass right away.  I offered thanks and sat in the back of the bus full of embarrassment and shame at my stupidity.  His kindness stuck in my mind, not all drivers would do this although most of them around here are good I find, but the shame of my inability to read the bus pass humbled me as did his reaction.  

Apologising again as I got off I headed into the sun to find something different from the daily grind. I had been desperate to get away from the usual wandering about town and wished to see sunshine and something new.  This wee town, village actually with about 5000 inhabitants, is only six miles away and offered a few photos and a newish scene.  This waterfront looks good today but the buildings were no doubt industrial at one time.  The 19th century saw this village as heavily involved in brewing, four breweries here now turned into other uses, and many remnants of industry remain, often used as housing these days. 

An excellent view and as you can see Paddington Bear was happily enjoying the view and soaking up the sunshine.  Just like Peru or Paddington Station!

A monastery was established by Stephen and Matilda in 1140 and the Abbey remains are now in private hands and unreachable down a long, muddy, lane.  However the tithe barn remains an excellent example of the barns in which the citizens deposited their tithe of produce to the church.  This one, Grange Barn, was closed today (much to my delight as it costs £7:50 though you do also get admission to one of the famous houses in the town) and the National Trust folks were working in the surrounding area so I kept away.  I was in it many years ago but I believe it has been upgraded for visitors since.

I noticed one small Beehive sitting outside the barn with a red tile on it.  Whether this is the way they control bees around here I know not but the monks in days past must have kept bees as well as the sheep which they hoped would make them rich, wool a great industry at the time.

The muddy lane allowed me to see some sunshine and a wee bit of countryside which was what my little brain needed.  Some decent houses around here, large and small, many dating back aeons and almost 300 listed buildings in such a small place.  

 
We had a book in the museum which gave detailed plans of how many Coggeshall houses had been constructed.  Many began as simple four walled dwellings and developed over the years, additions to the side or back, possibly another story added as wealth allowed with the fireplace and brick chimney at the end as soon as the owner could afford one.  This house calls itself 'Tudor House' and it may well be from that period. 

 
Coggeshall has a reputation for strange behaviour, the people are not that friendly, middle class wealth abounds and historical attitudes have not died down as yet. The stupidity is revealed through the tale of chaining a wheelbarrow after it had been bitten by a dog in case it spread rabies!  Some of the older women smiled at me somewhat nervously as I passed but there is nothing new in this...

I wanted to see countryside but there were few views and at this time of year little is to be seen.  The sun shining brightly obscured my shots as I aimed in his direction but here we see greenery, with trees in the distance and that is almost countryside!

While sheep did not die out farming did increase and this magnificent Georgian looking farmhouse stand in from of a large ancient building which tells us that some farmers were doing very well around here.  Whether they treated their serfs well or paid their men more than the seven shillings and sixpence some earned by 1900 I cannot tell but someone was doing OK throughout the 19th century.

Farming has changed a lot in the past fifty years and this petrol pump may in fact have been used only for Diesel.  Farmers use tractors and other vehicles off road therefore they do not have to pay tax on the fuel they use in them, this diesel is coloured red and 'Red Diesel' is popular among truck drivers as it saves them plenty.  A traffic police sergeant some years ago informed me of the various dodges they use to fill their large tanks with this illegal substance as it save them a fabulous amount. When caught with red and not blue (taxed) diesel they end up paying out more.  This farm has not made much use of theirs for a while.

   
Electricity, just to proove that it is available in this village, in case you doubted...

I thought that with it being half term the kids would be out and about.  However the cold wind might have forced mum to keep them indoors.  This will not help the ducks and swans that usually reside under the bridge, none were seen today.

Look!  No ducks!

The monks in the distant past attempted to revive the dead Roman art of brick making, their bricks ceased in time also, however the 19th century was a great time to be a maker of bricks around here, especially red bricks, the village is covered in them.  Admittedly many go back into the distant past and the many walls around large old buildings may be older than I can determine but red bricks in the houses chimneys and walls are everywhere.   The temptation to carve your names and your supposed love life on the walls never ends.

This tree abounded with these, whatever they are.

This other tree was full of these.

Some folks made good use of their money.

The blue sky above the clock tower does not indicate the cold chill.  It was time to get back on the bus.  However when it arrived it was the same driver and my shame forced me to wander away and await the next bus.  I paid the cash on that one determined to fix the bus pass problem very soon...