View from the back cabin
With temperatures set to climb into the 80f's yesterday I took the dogs for a circular walk around the village of Cropredy in the cool of the early morning and thereafter we sought a degree of shade from the hedgerow alongside the towpath or retreated to the slightly cooler confines of the boat. I love this heat but the dogs were suffering a bit - well not that Fletcher thinks he is suffering as he insists on laying in full sunshine at all times and panting like an clapped out steam engine - we have to keep shuffling him into shade or the boat to give him a chance to cool down - daft dog.
One of the many stone and thatch cottages in Cropredy.
The Church of St Mary the Virgin
Red Lion Street from the Church graveyard with the Red Lion to the left of centre. This terrace is apparently one of the oldest in the village.
Another shot of the church which is built in ironstone (as is much of the village) which is a ferrous limestone - hence the warm rusty colour of the stone
Cropredy Lock Bridge
The Oxford Canal reached Cropredy, a primarily agricultural community, in 1777 and for brief time this was the terminus until the canal was extended into Oxford and the all important link with the Thames.
The imposing 17th Century Prescote Manor
Heading back towards the boat on our circular route around the village we pass Prescote Manor, formerly the home of Richard and Susan Crossland. Richard Crossland was a Labour MP and a Minister in Harold Wilson's government. His published diaries are purported to be the basis/inspiration of the popular TV comedy series, Yes Minister.
Leslie, we had a black lab who used to lie in the sun like that too. We'd have to lock him inside to prevent a meltdown.
ReplyDeleteI usually read blogs in reader but today clicked on your blog. Got a good giggle from your pet hates. You and Mick could start your own "grumpy show"! I say ditto to your whole list!
Elly
Hi Elly
ReplyDeleteI have had to insist that Fletcher spends more time in the boat in this heat, he WILL NOT lie in the shade. I have also had him and Floyd swimming each day to cool them.
Lesley, aka G-O-W
Hi Lesley, We have just bought Monty a 'cool coat' and it certainly seems to make for a happier dog. There are a couple of pictures of him on our blog pippa13.blogspot.co.uk/. Monty's is a bit big as he is still a young lad and rather slim, so I would not take him out for a walk with it on (like you we walk when it is cooler anyway), but it is great when he is on the back of the boat - you do need to keep the water topped up though.
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed reading your site - its very good. May I correct a point on Prescote Manor? It was owned by Mr Richard & Mrs Anne Crossman and was the family home that Mr Crossman returned to at weekends to dictate his subsequent 3 volumes Diaries of A Cabinet Minister. The Crossmans had been given the property by Mrs Crossman's father in the 1950's. The diaries were the inspiration for Yes Minister. Regretfully Mr Crossman died from cancer in 1974 before the publication of the diaries. His wife who survived him for many years was one of his literary executors (along with Michael Foot MP and one other) who battled with the Wilson Government to get the diaries published. In the late 60's/early 70's Anthony & Susan Crosland (a fellow Labour politician) bought a property in a nearby village. It was whilst working on Government business as Foreign Secretary in 1977 that Tony Crosland suffered a fatal stroke. Both men were heavyweight politicians unlike the bunch we have at present (George Scurry, husband of Josephine)
ReplyDelete