The weather was back to fine today with a bright blue sky when the taxi came take us to Guiting Power. It also brought the American couple we had seen previously who are with the same tour operator, but staying at different places.
Guiting Power is a tiny town consisting only of a post office and a few houses.
We eventually located the village church on the far edge of town. It had two ladies seated in it, one of whom turned out to be the vicar of the five churches in the area, including the one at Lower Slaughter, seen yesterday. The church has Norman origins, but with many changes over the centuries. It has a peal of five bells from 1869 that I would love to hear.
The walk today took us around the edge of Guiting Wood, a very well maintained, large woodlot. It also seemed to be the breeding area for pheasants – they became thicker until we ran across the game keeper feeding them. There were so many we eventually stopped taking pictures.
We stopped to chat with two stone masons building a drystone wall. There are a lot of old such walls in the area and it is good to see that they are still being built in the old fashion.
The trail eventually brought us through the Sudley Estates to the rear of Sudley Castle. A visit to the castle had been highly recommended, but it was too late in the day to take it in. The view of the castle from the rear is quite good; the view from the front car park is obscured by trees. Queen Katherine Parr lived, died, and is buried here; the only private castle in England to have a queen buried in it. It is also infamous because last week thieves smashed their way in and stole jewelry given by Edward VII to his mistress, Alice Keppel.
Our hotel here in Winchcombe is The White Hart Inn Est.1554, and it is everything that The White Hart Inn Est.1554 should be – post and beam, creaky floorboards, rabbit warren hallways, uneven floors and unusually high ceilings. Our bedroom is well decorated, clean and comfortable. The inn, and the part of Winchcombe that we have seen, is a walkers retreat. The hotel entry is full of delivered suitcases and the streets are full of people with walking poles, day packs and Tilly hats.
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