Abbey Mill from the Severn Ham

Abbey Mill info here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3081293

I was in Tewkesbury today, walking with a group of old friends who reunite twice a year for a walk or a social. Jon and Symon, whose farm we visited last week, took me along. After a very decent pub lunch in a genuine Tudor house-pub conversion, we set forth. We strolled along the Severn Ham, beside the river which is in fact the Avon at this point; past the Abbey and through the Victoria gardens; to the Bloody Meadow, scene of the infamous Battle of Tewkesbury.

I am embarassed to say that I'd always assumed that the B of T was connected with the English Civil war, which is still much talked about in Gloucester. Not so! It appears to have taken place in 1471 and was one of the principal battles of the Wars of the Roses. The Lancastrians had their HQ at Tewkesbury, (because it's so close to Lancaster? Hardly....) and so on....I even went to a re-enactment of the battle , in 2007, with my Lancastrian nephews, one of whom was chewing a red rose at the time (I have it in my photo library) so how I managed to muddle up the wars is beyond me.

Once we'd sorted that out, we proceeded to Deerhurst, to view the Saxon-era Odda's chapel, and the church of Saint Mary. Our guide, Steve, pointed out all the salient features to us, before we trudged back across the meadows to Tewkesbury and its coffee shops.I will have to return to Deerhurst to savour its delights in more detail, with CleanSteve.

Back to Stroud with Jon and Symon, and the best sunset ever!
I've chosen this shot to blip, though, because I like the river and its boats; the half-timbered architecture and brickwork which is so different from the Cotswold stone of Stroud. Also, I like it when my pano shots actually stitch together as planned.