6 June ’05, Monday. Stokesay Castle
A good nights rest, a great shower, and we were ready to head out again after breakfast. Our route will take us north from Kidderminster to Ironbridge. Then, further north to Shrewsbury, about turn, and head south just short of Abergavenny for the night. We were out to see some of the “Historic West Midlands”. Our first stop was little town of Ironbridge. In 1779, Abraham Darby III cast the world’s first iron bridge. It spans the Severn River and really is a “monument to the ironmasters” of the time. Abraham was the grandson of the first man to smelt iron with coke. Next we headed down stream and visited a mine. This mine was actually started as a tunnel, but after bricking up the walls as they went, they found that something was “leaking” out from between the bricks. It turned out to be “liquid coal”. Fact is, they also found large quantities of the black goo that eventually was sold to buyers all over Europe. The large quantities didn’t last too long, so they boarded up the entrance. It was re-opened to the public in 1987, and there is still a small quantity streaming down the walls. Well, we have now been in 1 ice cave, 2 salt mines, and 1 liquid coal mine… Next stop not far from Ironbridge, is the ruins of the Buildwas Abbey. This was a “fine 12trh century church” and a Cistercian Abbey. The back drop of the wooded gardens and it’s beautiful chapter house, amazingly intact tiled floor and decorative stonework made this a very interesting stop. A few miles further down the road was the Wenlock Priory. The ruins of this large Cluniac priory, was once part of the Europe wide network of the immense French Abbey of Cluny. This was one Abbey that I wish King Henry VIII had left alone. It must have really been something special. One more stop after lunch, and then on down the road to find our next campsite. Just off the roadway we found Stokesay Castle. The books call this the most perfectly preserved medieval fortified manor house in Europe, and it was built in the 13th century. This castle is out in the countryside and very close to the Welsh border. Also on the grounds is a 17th century parish church. The timber framed 17th century gatehouse is spectacular. This manor house was built by Lawrence of Ludlow, who was most renowned for his wool merchants, that made him very wealthy. There was only one time when the castle came under siege, and then the “guards of the castle” threw up their arms at the approaching army and gave up without a shot being fired. They say that is what saved the castle from being destroyed. Inside the house, were still some pretty incredible pieces of craftsmanship. From the stone work to the wood beams and wood sculptures at the top of one of the fireplaces. A full day was had, and Louise is now asleep across from me, so… Tomorrow…
A good nights rest, a great shower, and we were ready to head out again after breakfast. Our route will take us north from Kidderminster to Ironbridge. Then, further north to Shrewsbury, about turn, and head south just short of Abergavenny for the night. We were out to see some of the “Historic West Midlands”. Our first stop was little town of Ironbridge. In 1779, Abraham Darby III cast the world’s first iron bridge. It spans the Severn River and really is a “monument to the ironmasters” of the time. Abraham was the grandson of the first man to smelt iron with coke. Next we headed down stream and visited a mine. This mine was actually started as a tunnel, but after bricking up the walls as they went, they found that something was “leaking” out from between the bricks. It turned out to be “liquid coal”. Fact is, they also found large quantities of the black goo that eventually was sold to buyers all over Europe. The large quantities didn’t last too long, so they boarded up the entrance. It was re-opened to the public in 1987, and there is still a small quantity streaming down the walls. Well, we have now been in 1 ice cave, 2 salt mines, and 1 liquid coal mine… Next stop not far from Ironbridge, is the ruins of the Buildwas Abbey. This was a “fine 12trh century church” and a Cistercian Abbey. The back drop of the wooded gardens and it’s beautiful chapter house, amazingly intact tiled floor and decorative stonework made this a very interesting stop. A few miles further down the road was the Wenlock Priory. The ruins of this large Cluniac priory, was once part of the Europe wide network of the immense French Abbey of Cluny. This was one Abbey that I wish King Henry VIII had left alone. It must have really been something special. One more stop after lunch, and then on down the road to find our next campsite. Just off the roadway we found Stokesay Castle. The books call this the most perfectly preserved medieval fortified manor house in Europe, and it was built in the 13th century. This castle is out in the countryside and very close to the Welsh border. Also on the grounds is a 17th century parish church. The timber framed 17th century gatehouse is spectacular. This manor house was built by Lawrence of Ludlow, who was most renowned for his wool merchants, that made him very wealthy. There was only one time when the castle came under siege, and then the “guards of the castle” threw up their arms at the approaching army and gave up without a shot being fired. They say that is what saved the castle from being destroyed. Inside the house, were still some pretty incredible pieces of craftsmanship. From the stone work to the wood beams and wood sculptures at the top of one of the fireplaces. A full day was had, and Louise is now asleep across from me, so… Tomorrow…