The debonair Basil Marigold's

Yes, I know. Technically there was no part 1 to the Annesley Hall story. But there was and so, here it is. Annesley All Saints 'New Church'. For those that know the area there is a large spired building as you drive along Derby Road. This is the New Church, established around the late 1800's. It was to provide for the growing populations of the villages of Newstead and Annesley, as coal mining really took hold in North Notts.  As the new church was consecrated, the old church was abandoned. What old church, I hear you ask? Yes. The Norman church founded by the Norman Lords who swept through England after 1066. It is pretty well hidden. Partly because it is away from the mining villages and is stepped back from any major road. But it is there. This was my second destination on my Saturday walk. It is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled Ancient Monument. The Current ruins date back to around the 1340/50's (the Reign of Edward III). This replaced the orig

Today was a strange day you could say. It started with the best intentions. My wife and children had disappeared to the town centre for some of the Queens 90th Birthday celebrations. I, an ardent republican, since my late teens took the opportunity to then go for a walk in the opposite direction. I knew i had about an hour or so. Feeling enthused. Following my week of essentially eating steamed vegetables (another, depressing, story). I calculated that I might well be able to head out to visit, or pass near a place that has always fascinated me but I had never really visited before; Annesley Hall.  For those who don't know the area. One of the most important families were/are The Chaworth-Musters. The Chaworth's inherited Annesley Hall, when Sir George Chaworth married Anne Annesley, who brought with her the Annesley estate. Descendent's followed until the last Chaworth, Mary married a Jack Musters. This began the Chaworth-Musters family who continue to this day to

I had a clear out of clothes today. I have stored for them for long enough. I know I shall probably not wear these things again. Items that are either too old or too small went in the sack. Sadly, more so the latter it would appear, according to the Health Check Nurse yesterday.  However, I enjoy this process when the mood takes me to do it. I do, however, have a rather large sentimental streak. I blame my mother for this weakness in me and the books I read as a teenager that further influenced it. At the bottom of a very small box I found a fairly old, technical (running),T shirt. It was won in the heat of the South of France. It took 10 miles of running from Martigues to Carro to get one of these shirts. Incidentally, even after running the race, the shirt never really fitted. It was always too small to begin with, yet I have still got it after about 8 years. I have never thrown it away. It meant something to me. It meant a hot summers evening spent running under a blister