Brickbat!

After months of unsuccessfully looking to buy some jersey knit sheets, I finally found some online. So last week I ordered some jersey stretch sheets from Tony Textiles in Yorkshire.  We received the order very quickly within a day or so.  Unfortunately the sheets were the incorrect colour.  We sent off an email immediately and awaited a reply.  A couple of days later a replacement parcel arrived with the correct colour.  Great!  What to do now, no instructions on sending the original ones back.  Oh well, repack and down to the Post Office.  Well £7 odd later and they were on their way back up north.  Originally paying only £3.95 for delivery, it cost twice as much to return them.  Still no response from the company so emailing them and asking for the cost of the postage to be returned we received an email to say they would do this.  Checking our bank account I discovered that this had already been done the day before.  Great service although it would have been better to have received an email or instructions in the replacement parcel explaining the procedure at the beginning.

Lavenham

A medieval wool town Lavenham was even more impressive and according to a local retailer, the population doubles during the Summer season with coach loads of visitors. Quaint shop’s, buildings and thatched roof’s along with the Crooked House make this place a real treasure.

Another beautiful village.

More Tudor homes

The crooked house.

The Guildhall in Lavenham, Suffolk.

Elizabeth in front of one of the many flint buildings in Lavenham, Suffolk.

The Bakery with the original ‘Hovis’ sign.

Little Hall in front of the village cross.

Weavers cottages circa 1340.

Real Tudor in this place.

After a long day out the general consensus was take-away’s for tea so it was off to the local chippy  for 4 Cod and 2 large scoop’s of chips, yummee!  After the F & C’s we sat around talking about the days events and boat’s and Motorhomes and before we knew where we were it was 2am. Good grief, time for bed, and due to the lateness of the day John and Elizabeth stayed over for another night. A fantastic week-end was had by all.

Kersey

While in Sudbury on Monday we had our picnic lunch that Dot had prepared earlier and then a bit of sightseeing. Elizabeth then suggested visiting the picturesque villages of Kersey and Lavenham which are recommended place’s to visit. Well, we were not disappointed as Kersey had only 1 main street which runs through a river ford. The village apparently is recorded in the Doomsday Book and a lot of the Tudor style buildings were built around the 1300’s.

Splish splash I was taking a bath. The ford in Kersey in Suffolk.

The village of Kersey dates back to the Doomsday book. This house was built around 1380.

The beautiful village of Kersey.

The Bell public house.

Nicely restored residence.

Derek and Elizabeth at the village water pump in Kersey, Suffolk. The seat is a memorial to a couple named Kersey.

Sudbury

On Monday after leaving Bury St Edmonds we headed off to Sudbury where John had to pick up some connectors from an engineer (Terry) who makes steam gear for steam powered model Traction engines and Railway Loco’s. Of course John and I had to have a look through his workshop which was jammed pack with Industrial lathe’s, drills and presses. One huge machine was picked from a scrap metal merchant very cheaply. With a clean up, oil in the gearbox and a new electric motor it’s now back in working order. Terry had 3 traction engines about a Quarter scale size and 3 x 5 inch scale loco’s. Unfortunately nothing was in steam as Terry was getting them ready for the forthcoming rally season.

5 inch scale model of a Welsh narrow gauge loco.

5 Inch scale model of a Terrier tank loco.

Smokebox and boiler door of a miniature traction engine.

Ruins of the Great Abbey of St Edmunds

Bury St Edmunds Benedictine Abbey ruins.

Elizabeth at Bury St Edmunds Benedictine Abbey ruins

How the Bury St Edmunds Benedictine Abbey were built using flint stone's. Now just ruins.

Bury St Edmunds Benedictine Abbey ruins with the St Edmundsbury Cathedral behind.

Bury St Edmunds Benedictine Abbey ruins.

A museum made from the ruins of the Bury St Edmunds Benedictine Abbey.

A visit to Suffolk

Our good friend’s, John and Elizabeth rang us on Saturday to say that they were going to Sudbury on Monday and would we like to join them. Of course, any chance for a bit of sight seeing was gratefully accepted.

St Edmundsbury Cathedral with the central tower completed in 2005.

They came over on Sunday and stayed overnight. After the morning rush hour was over we headed off under a clear blue sky. Detouring through Bury St Edmunds we found a car park close to the Abbey ruins and the first thing we spotted was 5 parking bays set aside solely for Motor homes with no overnight restrictions, whoopee.

Public car park in Bury St Edmunds. Room for 5 motorhomes.

From here we wandered up through the grounds of the Benedictine Abbey ruins. Just around the corner was St Edmundsbury Cathedral  which looking immaculate turned out not surprising as the central tower had only been completed in 2005 and the organ had been reconditioned in 2010. I would say that the whole building had then been cleaned to closely match the blocks in the tower.

Norman tower and gate house circa 1148 built by Abbot Anselm.

The Altar in St Edmundsbury Cathedral  at Bury St Edmunds.

Looking up the Millenium Tower of St Edmundsbury Cathedral completed in 2005 and the ceiling in 2010.

The Lady Chapel in St Edmundsbury Cathedral  at Bury St Edmunds.

The Organ in St Edmundsbury Cathedral  at Bury St Edmunds completed last year.

First Class Professionalism.

After taking my driving test on Friday for a C1 licence I received this card in the mail on Monday. How cool is that?  Brian and Gary run a truly professional business which I can highly recommend.