This is the old station at Erwood - the other side of the river from the village, and done for by Mr Beeching. They have used a couple of the old carriages to display locally-made crafts, and as a little cafe.
On its own little bit of siding, one of the last shunting engines.
. . . and a Siskin's bottom! Inside the cafe carriage there are pictures of the wild birds you might see from whilst having tea and cake, and thoughtfully provided binoculars. Great for kids.
I thought these glass animals were rather fun.
Keith came with me for a change of scenery, but didn't get out of the car - no interest in the crafts and the churches too far to walk and across grass. I checked out a couple of churches - St Stephen's at Llanstephan which I saw a sign for as we drove along the back road (previously the railway line?) to Boughrood, and then the church at Boughrood. Billy - I know you have been to St Stephen's, what a lovely spot it's in.
Yesterday I was feeling very glum (that word takes me back to The Glums, with Ron and Eth!) and distracted myself with some family history research, following a female line from my dad's mum, until I hit the unusual surname of Legassick. They were in Dean Prior (Devon) in the late 1700s (1694 or thereabouts) and then a colony a couple of miles up the road in Buckfastleigh. The slightly posher ones were in Modbury. My lot were probably involved in woollen manufacture (carding etc). There was another link to this name in St Essey, Cornwall - between Wadebridge and Padstow, but apparently the name is French, probably has Huguenot connections and is linked to Gascony. Our two girls have often been mistaken for being Greek or having Mediterranean blood, and my cousin Ellen also. So perhaps these Gascon genes are coming out!
Interesting how stations were usually built well away from the village. The ‘Cranford ladies’ fear of the steam engine was evidently very real. Petworth station is miles out of town and you can now stay on the station in one of four Pullman carriages and have your breakfast in the old station house. Effingham’s station was so far from the village centre (1.5miles) that it is actually located in the next village of East Horsley which was ‘cleared’ by Lord Lovelace (who married the mathematician Ada who was the only legitimate child of Byron). Here in Fittleworth the station was also built across the river from the village and from the bottom of our garden we can look down through a steeply wooded escarpment to the dismantled railway line. (The last goods train to go through was in 1966 and a grainy black and white film of this historic event exists in Chichester Record Office.) If we go through our meadow gate onto the old drove road we come to a handsome Victorian brick-built bridge over the railway because otherwise how would the drover and his livestock cross the railway line. In living memory there was a station taxi that would take folk from the station down to the village - less than a mile. And before the taxi it was a pony and trap. I gardened again yesterday - splitting and replanting snowdrops (the 200 snowdrops I brought with me in April 2018 have probably increased 10 fold over the last five years) but I also sowed chillies and a tray of salad leaves for the greenhouse. The rocket and lambs lettuce are through in their trays and the broad beans are also starting to stir. Spring is coming … Sarah x
ReplyDeleteThe main Builth station was closed! The Builth Road station is a couple of miles out of town but Danny gets off at Cilmeri, across the valley from us. Some interesting info about the stations in your neck of the woods (and hearing about Lord Lovelace and Byron's daughter Ada.
DeleteGoodness, your old garden must have been bare after you uplifted all those snowdrops! They sound like they are happy with their new home though. My friend J bought some Snowdrop "Atkinsii" at Painswick - these are the ones which grow about a foot tall. I just inherited a few up on the top of the Bank.
I have my spuds chitting, and that's about as far advanced as my food gardening has gone so far this year!
Good to know that Erwood station is still going.
ReplyDeleteYes, we have Huguenot connections too..Pirate with Possee, directly from France and Epps via the Low Countries, and mine are Lacey from Lassie (sp?) In Brittany or Normandy
Fancy that. So many hundreds of thousands left France so there are bound to be a fair few bloodlines still continuing. I went to school with a RosemaryTrickey, and apparently that's a Huguenot name too.
DeleteNot sure about the glass with photographs in the middle - an unusual combination. Love that owl and the Lapwings although they are or were called Peewits round here. Rarely seen now - sadly
ReplyDeleteI knew them as Peewits too. They are still on the Red List - such a worry, as they are so beautiful, but farming methods have changed. I think I prefer ordinary stained glass designs.
DeleteGreetings from New Brunswick Canada - I really enjoy your site as my husband is Welsh.... Here, your family name find is written 'Légacie' or 'Legacy' in English. It is generally a French name here.
ReplyDeleteHi there Linda. Glad you enjoy the Welsh photos and write ups on here. I was interested to find that my Legassicks are Legacies in Canada. Many thanks for that. It was craftspeople who left so I wonder if the Devon ones were involved in weaving?
DeleteSome nice crafts there, I struggle with the prices even though I know that these things are time consuming to make and most are works of art - just how we are living at the moment I suppose - needing to pennypinch!
ReplyDeleteSorry you are feeling tired and rundown.
Alison in Wales x
It would have to be something spectacular these days, for me to buy it. These were nice things, but things I can live without.
DeleteI've just really wound myself up doing a listing for a desirable old chair on Ebay. (I have a 70% off selling fees weekend and was running out of time.) I'd best not take my blood pressure for a while . . .
Didn't anyone tell you you're not supposed to look at your reflection in the glass when you're out? I always end up wanting to help the poor old soul I see looking back at me. LOL. I like the stained glass, but the jury is out on whether or not I'd like the photograph in the middle, I guess it depends how translucent the photograph appears. I also like the owl a lot. Still posting anonymously. Deb in Wales.
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice until I loaded the photo. I used to have a young face, but now stress has remodelled it! You can have your own photo put in the centre too (I went to the website to check prices). The owl was £84 and sold, but so beautifully done I can see why it didn't hang around.
DeleteI love the glass animals. And the owl carving is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I really do love the tree in the stained glass.
ReplyDelete