Tag: Pubs

Where have all the pubs gone?

The Engineers Arms Northam

In the first half of the twentieth century, the pub had an important role in working class men’s lives. It was a place they could escape to at the end of a hard day’s work and somewhere they could gather with their friends. One of the things I noticed when I was researching Plagued and Land Fit For Heroes, was how many pubs there were in working class areas back then. Almost every street corner had one. Looking for a pub where my characters could go for a chat and a pint, I was spoilt for choice. In Plagued, I picked the Prince Consort in Netley and the Junction Inn in St Denys for Thomas, Joe and Bert to meet, The Cowherds, the Engineers Arms and the Park Inn were also mentioned. The Park Inn is now a lap dancing club and The Engineers Arms is derelict, but the other two pubs are still open. The same cannot be said for many of those street corner pubs. So where have they gone?

Continue reading Where have all the pubs gone?

And now for something completely different

Lances Hill Toll Gate and house
Lances Hill Toll Gate and house

2 January 2016

As the last  walk of 2015 was an old favourite I’d planned to go somewhere new for the first walk of 2016. In fact I even had an idea where but weather warnings and the need to stay home to wait for a delivery meant this went out the window. The rain poured down.  The delivery was vital. Our washing machine died on Christmas Even and the new one was due to arrive at some unspecified point between seven and two. Commando was soaked to the skin when he returned from his Parkrun. Maybe I’d wait until tomorrow… Continue reading And now for something completely different

So many buildings, so little time

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18 January 2015

When I left the church I had warming coffee on my mind and a hope that I’d find some somewhere in the village. Botley is a village of quaint old buildings that have been standing for centuries. Many are a little crooked and, although some of the businesses are modern, the place has an old world feel to it, like stepping back into another, gentler time. Next to the church was a terrace of red brick cottages, all the same except for their doors, which opened almost onto the street. For some reason nearly every door had a sign saying ‘please use back door,’ and I wondered why. Beyond them I could see an A frame sign on the street, maybe it was a coffee shop. Continue reading So many buildings, so little time