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Saturday 25 May 1998

Off to Wiltshire and the Cotswolds for a week. We had booked into a farmhouse for a couple of nights. First stop though was the Roman Ampitheatre at Cirencester, shown above. Gladiators used to fight and tumble in the arena here. These days it appears to be the local teenagers doing the tumbling... Death is slower, but what a way to go...

The farmhouse - Wychurch Farm, Malmesbury in Wiltshire. This was the first time we had stayed B&B in a farmhouse and we found it a pleasant experience.

The farm was a working farm and there was a warm friendly atmosphere. And no - we didn't notice any farm smells at all!

And just look at the size of that rhubarb!
You don't expect en-suite accomodation in a farmhouse B+B, but the place made up for lack of facilities with a wonderful atmosphere.

Everywhere there were small collections of antiques to look at, though the chamber pots (below) on the bedroom window sill were in serious danger of being used!
In the hallway was a stand with old golf clubs, shooting sticks and hats (to the left of the picture far right).
This collection of tin plate railway toys stood in a large room connecting with the bathroom and toilet and was really a wasted space, despite being such a large room.

Also in this room was a small butter churn and on a table on the other side of the door a complete set of antique lettered punches for naming metal objects, woodworking tools and other implements.
Sunday 26 May 1998

An early morning walk down to the trout stream gave me an opportunity to photograph the farm as we set off down the hill.

The farmer's wife had told us there were kingfishers along the river walk.

This is only about 7:15am. What???? Gasp...
The river walk was extremely pleasant, with lots of birds and the occasional moving curtain of small insects. We didn't see any kingfishers, but there were some fish to be watched from above.
At the farm, the farm hands had already been working hard for a few hours when we got back hoping for some breakfast. This was taken around a large table, giving an opportunity to chat to and get to know the other guests.
Two women and a married couple were exhibiting at a weekend craft fair that sounded to be a well organised county-wide event. One of the women's husbands was an artist and they were selling his paintings whilst he was away at yet another fair. The married couple ran a pottery and were selling tea pots and planters.

This is Malmesbury Abbey. The carvings are almost 900 years old.
The old Bell Inn next to the abbey was every inch a grand old English inn!

A row of old cottages stretching away down the hill.
The Smoking Dog must win the prize for having the most revolting swinging pub sign!
   
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