Thursday 28 June 2007

A trip to Stoke Bruerne

The perfect graphic ,made by Donna ,I have used it before ,but make no apologies for using it again .....

A few weeks ago you may remember Itold you ,I gave a talk to a group of residents about my experiances as a 'Silver Surfer ',whilst I was there Jackie my friend who is on the residents committee,told me they were to go on a trip ,to Stoke Bruern,in Northamptonshire(the county Iwas born in ) I said I had never been so they invited me to join them ,so last Tuesday of we went by coach,to Stoke Buerne.

Up and down the country are man made waterways ,canals,that were used to transport many cargos up and down the country ,coal ,grain ,many other things too ,at Stoke Bruerne is a museum ,and it is possible to ride on a barge through The Blisworth tunnel ,it takes forty minutes and is an experiance not to be missed

Stoke Bruerne is a village in Northamptonshire on the Grand Union Canal. Situated four miles east of Towcester,

Blisworth Tunnel is one of the longest in Britain. 3076 yards long and broad throughout - so that two narrowboats can pass - it is surpassed only by Standedge Tunnel (on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal) and Dudley Tunnel in the Black Country.

This made it the most troublesome part of the Grand Junction Canal's construction. When work began, in 1793, the building of a 3km tunnel was a major feat of engineering with no mechanical aids beyond the basic picks, shovels and wheelbarrows being available. Unfortunately, just three years into the project, the navvies hit quicksand. All work had to be abandoned and a new course begun.

The Grand Junction Canal canal was up and running by 1800, but for first five years all cargoes had to be laboriously 'transhipped' into carts for a horse-drawn journey over Blisworth Hill. It was only in 1805 that the tunnel opened and through transit by water became possible.

 

 

Stoke Bruerne
Northamptonshire

 

Grand Union Canal

Blisworth Tunnel is one of the longest in Britain. 3076 yards long and broad throughout - so that two narrowboats can pass - it is surpassed only by Standedge Tunnel (on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal) and Dudley Tunnel in the Black Country.

This made it the most troublesome part of the Grand Junction Canal's construction. When work began, in 1793, the building of a 3km tunnel was a major feat of engineering with no mechanical aids beyond the basic picks, shovels and wheelbarrows being available. Unfortunately, just three years into the project, the navvies hit quicksand. All work had to be abandoned and a new course begun.

The Grand Junction Canal canal was up and running by 1800, but for first five years all cargoes had to be laboriously 'transhipped' into carts for a horse-drawn journey over Blisworth Hill. It was only in 1805 that the tunnel opened and through transit by water became possible.

Transport artery

The opening of Blisworth Tunnel in March 1805 represented the final link in a chain of communications linking London with the industrial midlands and the north. The Grand Junction Canal quickly became one of the main transport arteries of Georgian England, carrying supplies for Nelson's ships and Wellington's army in the war against Napoleonic France.

Since then, the tunnel has given almost 200 years of service, aided by major rebuilding work in the 1980s. But one sorry tale from its construction has since come back to haunt today's boaters...

Ghostly goings-on

Just over a decade ago a couple set off on a narrowboat tour on the Grand Union Canal from a base north of Blisworth Tunnel. They were new to boating and had been through various safety checks and demonstrations on the use of their craft. They also had full details of the route ahead of them and were looking forward to the trip.

One of the highlights of their cruise was to be the journey through Blisworth Tunnel, at that time the longest open canal tunnel. As they would enter the tunnel soon after setting off, they were naturally both excited... and a little nervous.

There is no towpath, so in the days of horse-drawn freight boats, men and women would have had to 'leg' their narrowboats through it while the horse was led over the hill above. Alternatively, professional leggers could be paid to leg the boat through the tunnel - today, you can still see the leggers' hut adjacent to the Boat Inn at Stoke Bruerne, just south of the tunnel. The couple taking the boat out had no particular knowledge of the tunnel's history.

After setting off it was only a short time before they chugged into the darkness of the tunnel entrance. When they emerged some 40 minutes later on the south side at Stoke Bruerne, they visited the Canal Museum where they started talking to a member of the museum staff. They recall their conversation here:

"The chap said to me, 'That tunnel's a weird place. I didn't know which way to go.'

"A bit confused, I answered: 'Sorry, what do you mean?'

"The man replied: 'Well, for a split second I didn't know whether to go straight ahead or turn left where the lights are.'

There's certainly no left or right turn in that tunnel, it just goes straight through the hill. So, by question and answer I worked out exactly where they were in the tunnel when they saw the lights and the fork - and that's when I felt my spine tingle.

"Because the odd thing was... the man was absolutely right. There actually are two canal tunnels through Blisworth Hill."

From the man's description, the worker was able to work out where the couple had seen the phantom lights. It was exactly at the spot where the first attempt at a tunnel - whichcollapsed due to quicksand - would have intersected with the main canal tunnel.

Fourteen men died in the collapse of the original tunnel. They had been working in candlelight.

There are no lights in the tunnel,just the lights inside the barge ,and I saw there were also lights on top of the barge outside ,so we were just able to make out the brick work ,in the tunnel,and the silt in places were a build up of water had seeped down the walls ...................As you will imagine it was an extremely interesting day ,one which I just had to share with you  ,With lots of love ........                 

 

 

 



 

Thursday 21 June 2007

More from the wedding

After my sister Jean read yesterdays entry ,she went through her pictures ,she sent me some of her pics ,so as you see Maurice was there ,Mark and Chrissie also ,so I am taking the opportunity to make a lovely day last abit longer ! with a few more pictures .....Thankyou Jean                    AND

The above picture was taken at my daughter Kate and son in law Martins wedding ,they thought it would be nice to have a picture taken with their neice and nephew,except little  Stuart thought other wise lol ,Martin and Stuart  now work together ,and have become very good buddys as well as being uncle and nephew,and that is why Stuart asked Martin to be his best man....so in his speech Martin passed around copies of the picture ,showing ''how Stuart behaved at my wedding ''.....And whilst at junior school the music teacher was a very imaginative teacher,and at one school concert we were delighted to hear the infants(Stuarts class) sing 'The Hippopotumus song ' by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann,I happened to have the record with the song on it ,so we played it often (its what Grannys do ) so guess who dug through the old record collection ,and asked the D J  to play it on Saturday night ?Stuart roared with laughter ,and we all sang ''Mud Mud glorious Mud''....I think we covered pretty much every thing !!and so on yet another happy note ,I will finish another entry ....with love

Wednesday 20 June 2007

Roses ,Roses all the way ,

Here at last the pictures of the wedding ,I have tried several times to do this entry but keep getting thrown off ,so will keep it short ,

We had a lovely week end with all the family,Iwent over to my daughter Kates house ,on the friday morning to get my hair done ,then Maurice and I went to stay at a guest house ,and waited for Derek and Trisha and the boys to arrive from Dorset ,when they arrived Stuart his best man my son in law Martin ,Kate and the boys joined us in the pub garden opposite,Stuarts Dad and Brother Iain joined us ,also Mark and Chrissie ,so we all had a lovely evening together ,then back to the guest house ,and bed .

The Wedding day dawned bright and sunny but mid morning ,turned showery,and this set the tone for the day ,but it didnt spoil the day at all Stuart was so nervous as he waited for Vicki to arrive ,but once she gripped his hand and smiled at him he was fine ,The service was lovely,the showers started as the pictures were being taken ,but we or I should say Maurice managed to get some nice ones ,even if he isnt on any of ours ,or indeed Mark my older son and his wife Chrissie ,So I am looking forward to the official ones ,and will of course show you .It was a delightful family wedding ,as you will see ,I saw all my family .It is so rare for us all to get together now .So we had a very special wonderful day ,and so before I lose yet another entry ,I will close with love ,

Thankyou Debbie for perfect siggy graphics

Wednesday 13 June 2007

The Hen Party

Thank you to my friend Debbie who made me the graphic 'Hen party '

Well after a cold drab week ,last Saturday dawned bright and sunny ,We all met up out side the Key Theatre in Peterborough ,which is set on the Nene embankment ,ready for our Nene cruise at 7.30 pm,everyone was there except Vickie ,who still didnt know any thing about this ,I had done a journal entry ,about the plan ! fortunately Vickie didnt read it ,phew I could have blown it ! good job you all kept the secret !,Though when we were talking about it Bob heard us ,and said he'd read it ! apparently he had googled river trips or hen partys or something ,and there was my journal entry ,he said he read it ,gosh you dont know who is reading you, do you ?

Any way Vickie arrived blindfolded,and led by her hairdresser who had driven her around the town ,just to confuse her ! When they took of the blind fold Ithink she thought she was going to the theatre ! Any way we all went on board ,and had a lovely trip up the river Nene ,what a lovely evening ,lots of lovely food on board ,there was a bar ,and music,and lots to see ,It was particurly nice for me to be out with my daughters,The trip lasted about two and a half hours and it went so quickly and was enjoyed by all of us ,Of course the youngsters all went into town and the clubs ,but Sharon Kate and I went back to Kates ,where after a coffee... Maurice and I came home  through eery Fen misty fog ,after a hot day ,this isnt unusual along the fen roads ,So now the next thing is the wedding we are going to stay in Peterborough ,on Friday and Saturday night ,so think about us at three o clock ,on Saturday afternoon ,and I will be back hopefully with pictures and to tell you all about Stuart and Vickies wedding ,lots of love Jan xx

With thanks to Donna for this one .....

Monday 4 June 2007

The Week End ...its gone again !

My Grandson  Sam ,has been wanting to go fishing again with Maurice for ages ,and since Maurice works shifts its difficult to get a time when they are both available together ,so this Saturday when Maurice was off and no school for Sam ,they decided to go ,We went over on Friday evening ,to collect Sam ,who stayed here over night ,Maurice likes to leave at silly o clock .When I waved them off ,it was quite foggy ,then turned into a lovely sunny day ,they had a really good day caught lots of fish ,they were joined by David, Maurices fishing pal ,Dave was a surveyer at the compny I worked for and retired about the same time as me ,I think they both insured Sam had a good days fishing ,both helping him ,with lots of tips and guidence(sp) .Since I was up on Saturday morning I did the entry on the mystery trip,playing around until I could get the pictures on to the entry,I went shopping then sat in the garden  with my book and knitting in the sunshine ,because unlike the previous weekend this week end has been gloriously hot and sunny  ,

Our wedding ,well my Grandson Stuarts wedding really is getting very near now ,Stuart and the the men went out for a Stag night on  Saturday ,and I'think' had a good time Kate bought him a red wig with horns and had a badge made for him ,''Stu the Stag'',they all went bowling ,then off for a drink .....the hens will go out this coming Saturday ,so will report on that after ! then its the  big day the  following week June 16th

When we took Sam back on Saturday evening ,Debbie called to see if she could borrow Kizzie ,she had been suffering from a bad headache and felt a walk might clear it ,so while we were gone ,Debbie and Kizzie went exploring ,and from what Ive heard they had a whale of a time .

Yesterday was another lovely day so ,Maurice and I went to the Sunday market Kizzie was admired and met some other dogs ,and a gentleman asked us, if we would sell her to him,of course we declined,he said he was looking for a little dog for his car ! when he was out of earshot we both said he should write to Paul O Grady ,for a nodding Buster!!    then home to relax in the garden So here we are Monday again ,so have good week everyone ...with love

                                  

My Siggy today by my clever friend and dogs Aunty Debbie

Saturday 2 June 2007

The Mystery Trip ..with pictures !

Good morning everyone ,now we have the 'add pictures ' backI can tell you about our trip and show you the pictures I took with thanks to Donna for the graphic this morning .                                                            A week last Wednesday May 23rd, It was a lovely sunny and warm day, (we haven’t had many of those of late), and since then it has been rain rain and more rain, and cold too. We boarded the coach and were soon driving along familiar Fen roads, Under the big East Anglian sky’s beside dykes and drains; Ernie Hall our guide was able to tell us, which drain was which, there is the Forty foot near us, and there is a Twenty foot and a fifteen foot and so on these are the width of the Drains that were dug when the Fens were drained back in the 163o’sand master minded by Dutchman Cornelius Ver Muden ,who had gained his experience in his native Holland a country with similar problems as ours here in the Fens ,The main key to all this masterpiece of mans ingenuity is the massive Denver Sluice on the river Great Ouse not far from Downham market which is known as the ginger bread town due to the colour of much of the distinctive local stone to be seen on the older buildings  ,we passed through Downham Market ITV have been showing a programme called ‘Kingdom ‘ ,it is about a small town lawyer called Peter Kingdom played by Steven Fry , who practises in the fictious town of Market Shipborough  but based on this area ,last weeks episode touched on a legend that Ernie our guide had told us about ….Back in the 1500's A peddler  John Chapman nfrom Swaffham Norfolk had a dream, if he stood on London Bridge a stranger would tell him how to make his fortune, so off he went to London, where a stranger came up to him and told him to go home and dig under the Oak tree in his garden, he did this and found a pot containing enough money for him to build the Church, and if you visit the church St Peter and St Paul’s, you can find carvings of the peddler on the pew seats……On we went covering many a long Norfolk mile ,past Houghton Hall, towards a place called Bircham Ernie explained that though we had come the ‘scenic’ route he knew where we were ,even though lots of sign posts had been taken down during the war and hadn’t been replaced ,I did see one that said Cromer 9 ,and got all excited ,thought I might buy a dressed crab ,for which Cromer is famous ,but no we were nearly at our destination Bircham windmill ,a working mill, with a delightful restaurant serving cream teas ,and tea in big brown tea pots ,though I don’t drink tea I was served a coffee ,whilst I played Mum to the ladies on my table wielding the brown tea pot for them ,,after wards I went out side to see the little farm animals ,and some ancient implements ,and of course take my pictures ….and then before I boarded the coach for the return trip  I popped into the little on site gift shop ,and bought .well you know me ….a book Millers Daughter, by Nancy Potter ‘A portrait of a Norfolk Miller and his Family ...There we are now we have our 'Addpictures' back  I am able to share the day with you.....Have a good weekend every one with love from 

  Janxx