Wet holiday day

We had a classic British holiday wet day outing today, going to the museum in Barnstaple. Loads of interesting exhibits, from geology to local livelihoods to historical timelines to famous pottery ... you name it, it was there, all labelled and accessible as this control freak likes ;-)

I particularly liked this exhibit of a housewife, made by a little girl at a time when absolutely everything was hand sewn. In the next cabinet was a beautiful smock worn by a farm labourer, just an everyday item with a practical and robust function but well made and attractive.

We dashed from the museum into a cafe where we had ice cream. We're on holiday, despite the weather!

Lunch was at a building that started as a mercantile exchange in the early 1700s on the wharfs of the River Taw, back when this was a hub of activity (extra). It's still an elegant façade although the quays were filled in when railways arrived and have left this basin area (which I thought should be a paddling pool. Remember those? Another victim of bloody Elf and Safety).

We really enjoyed our wander around the town, just window shopping and mooching. And feeling cold; the temperature seemed to take a dive this afternoon.