Miscellaneous Monday

I've got no problem with ducks doing what ducks do but if they're going to do it outside my tent late at night and early in the morning, I would much rather they kept the quacking down to a civilised level.

Not content with ducks the campsite had a swan too.

There we go, that's better. Once I've got my morning cuppa in hand then I feel much more tolerant to noisy wildlife. If my tent looks a bit lop sided to you, that's because it is - it had a rather heavy collision with somebody in my absence at Moniave and one of the poles is now partially old fishing rod and duck tape (now there's an idea for keeping ducks quiet).

You may remember in my last blog that I'd been to Stonehenge. This blog effectively covers the rest of that Monday. On the way round I passed St Mary the Virgin's Church in Potterne. Not running the tightest schedule in the world, I saw no reason not to pop in for a look.

 I think they definately get the prize for groovy alter cloth of the trip

Well done to the Rose and Crown for being very up to date with your pub sign. There are at least 8 Rose and Crowns in Wiltshire and I have forgotten where this one is. If anyone knows, please say.

After my visit to Stonehenge it was a few hours on the motorway, where it is neither sensible nor unduely interesting to take photos. I was on my way to Haverhill in Cambridgeshire to spend a pleasant couple of days with old school chum Duncan, his wife Fiona and selected offspring. 

This house in Haverhill was built by Henry the eighth as a wedding settlement for Anne of Cleves in 1540

When he was looking for a fourth wife, Henry dispatched the artist Holbein to Germany to paint Anne and her sister, Amalia with the instructions not to be flattering in his paintings. From the painting below, Henry chose to marry Anne. It seems though that Holbein may have helped Anne a little and Henry was distinctly disappointed with the real life Anne. Their marriage was annulled and there after Anne was refered to as the King's Beloved Sister. Anne outlived Henry so it may be a little deceptive that Haverhill has a pub called the Queen's Head considering Henry's reputation for removing them.

Outside the supermarket is this little monument to the ginger tom cat called Owen that used to live in the car park between 1985 and 1996.

They've even carved a few mice round the granite for him

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A leafy gate at the end of the High Street.

And there's me and the rest of the High Street reflected in it.