Stafford

Victoria Park Stafford on a spring morning April 2009.

It was rubber on tarmac rather than steel on water that got us to Stafford this morning. Just a 20 minute trip and we were there. One reason for visiting was to time the journey from Great Haywood to Stafford and then how long to find the railway station, (12 minutes actually). Instead of Tracey coming and staying with us we thought that we would turn the tables and go and visit her for a change as well a weeks holiday in Spain and perhaps get some work done on the boat at the same time. Because Dot’s camera ran out of power we will have to pay a return visit to Stafford when we return from Spain and also find some of the other hidden treasures we missed out on today.

The Victoria Gardens were an absolute delight with the river Sow running through the centre along with the floral arrangements, the bowling green, the thatched grand stand and facilities block and most of all NO RUBBISH.It is how all city parks and gardens should be and top marks to the borough council workmen for their efforts.

The River Sow runs through Victoria Park Stafford

While paying a visit to the St Mary’s Collegiate Church the Vicar came and spoke to us and gave us the history of the church which was most intriguing because although a church has stood there since the 8th century and the present church was started around 1190 it was in actual fact 2 churches that have become amalgamated into one. The Collegiate church was for monks and the city fathers and the other was the parish church for all and sundry. Apparently 10 monks spent all day in the Collegiate church praying for the soul of King John to reduce his time in purgatory. Another amazing fact is that the font is believed to be Byzantium and the oldest part of the church which may have come from the Holy lands but there is very little known about it. Izaac Walton the author, biographer and renowned angler was christened in the very same font. Did you know that christening water, once used is returned to the ground never to be used again?

St Mary's Collegiate Church Stafford which was originally 2 churches, 1 for the parish and 1 for the heirarchy, now all one.

Another, what I suppose you could call a memorial was a pair of water wheels used in a mill which is believed to have stood on the site for nearly 900 years. We also found some Almshouses dating back to 1660 and what was I suppose comical was the height of the door frames. People in those days must have been only about 5 foot tall or shorter on average.

The town mill Stafford stood here for nearly 900 years.

Sir Martin Noels Almhouses Stafford dated 1660. Judging by the height of the doors they must have been small people in those days.