Lacock

This blog goes back to last month, when we were in the UK.  During our visit, our various routes took us several times through the beautiful little village of Lacock in the county of Wiltshire, but we were always in too much  of a hurry to stop!  Just before we came home to France, we took Nigel's Dad to lunch (an early 91st birthday celebration), and we managed our schedule so that we could spend a few minutes walking around the village, en route to the restaurant.  

Lacock is a well known tourist attraction and I thought that my followers might like to have a look around; I hope you will agree that England does have beautiful villages to compare with France.  There was a big crafts show taking place on the day we stopped, so it was difficult to get photos without people all over the place. In the summer holiday season, it is even worse; the whole place is packed with coach tours!

Lacock Abbey today; at its gates, a village was established in the 13th century for workers on the Abbey estate. For 200 years or so, the village became prosperous from the wool trade and the proceeds from weekly markets; when the wool trade declined in the late Middle Ages, the settlement continued to prosper as a staging post, being in a very good position on the road between Bristol and its water transport in the west and locations to the east, where sheep were kept on the fine grazing of the chalk downland. Its many inns provided accommodation for travellers until about 1750, when the village development came to a standstill. The Talbot family, who owned the village, ensured that the industrial revolution and the railroad passed it by and it has since remained in the unspoilt state you can see below. Film companies are often to be seen in the area, making period productions in the truly authentic scenery.

Posted on a small bridge entering Lacock. The National Trust restores and maintains historic buildings in the UK  and raises funds by exhibiting them to the public.

Some of the beautiful old village buildings, laid out on four streets which form a square.

 I just loved this door with the clock.  Not much use for the owners, but perfect for the people in the street!

 The small church; I am afraid we did not have time to see if it was open!

The arched doorway, with a room beyond, (centre of photo), with its barred window, has been put into  service as the local bus stop and shelter!

 The splendid War memorial, built in the local soft yellow stone.

We saw this religious procession passing through the streets, but we couldn't discover the reason for it. Maybe a trial run for a future occasion?

We loved these ornamental hedges; the topiary so beautifully executed!

 This ancient winding stone bridge leads into the village over a stream and marsh; wide enough only for a horse and cart, or one car at a time!

We hope that you enjoyed this trip over the water, as a change from the local views in Charente.


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