He has been on the tracks of Rev. Frederic Joy and his wife Beatrice (nee Hall) who is Pikey's great great aunt. Frederic was Rector of Bentham and was later Vicar of Andover from 1901 to 1910. While he was at Andover he arranged for the church at Foxcotte (where there were no houses) to be taken down stone by stone and flint by flint and re-erected at Charlton (where there were some houses) and where it still stands.
So on Wednesday morning (another boiling hot day) Robyn and Tony dropped him there and he agreed to walk back across Andover stopping at the main church and meet them at a farm park the other side of the town. As soon as they had left him, Robert discovered that a children's play group was occupying the church for the morning and he was refused admittance!
Robert went to Winchester Cathedral on Thursday (another 30 degree centigrade day) to photograph a memorial to Frederic Joy in the cathedral and to try to find a buttress supporting the south wall of the cathedral which was paid for by Beatrice. To add insult to injury, he was refused admission yet again as St Swithun's Girl School was holding their annual celebration service. So he had to wait a hour and a half to get in but he did find both items.
Today we all went to the Hawk Conservatory where Robert spotted a very appropriate sign.
We have had a hot tiring but very enjoyable break in Salisbury with Robyn, Tony and Annie although our car decided to develop a leak in its cooling system (now mended) and it was really lucky that Robyn was staying with us in the cottage so we were able to get about.
Loads of love from Robert and Pikey
No comments:
Post a Comment