Happy Birthday to Me! - Trad

Today we learn of the death of JON LORD of the Rock Band DEEP PURPLE. I for one wouldn't use the word 'sad' to describe his passing having brought such great delight to Rock Lovers all over the world.

He was undeniably one of the Top 10 Rock Keyboard Players that ever lived and leave us a legacy of such seminal works as Smoke on the Water. - R.I.P.

We all came out to Montereax, on the Lake Geneva shoreline.
To make records with a mobile, we didn't have much time.
But Frank Zappa and the Mothers, were at the best place around,
But some stupid with a flare gun,  burned the place to the ground.
Smoke on the water and fire in the sky.
Smoke on the water...

Despite a 'waterlogged' birthday the 4 of us had a great day in Corfe Castle where my ol' shipmate from the 60's John (Ginge) and Val Prince took Lesley and I for lunch. The rain didn't stop once so the photographs are perhaps not of the best, but guess you will get the idea.

 

CORFE CASTLE, standing above the village of the same name, was built by William the Conqueror, the castle dating back to the 11th century and commands a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage. The first phase was one of the earliest castles in England to be built using stone when the majority were built with earth and timber. Corfe Castle underwent major structural changes in the 12th and 13th centuries. There was no chance of us climbing the mound today, so we headed strait for the

 

GREYHOUND PUBLIC HOUSE. There should have been a subliminal message there as

 

we unanimously agreed the food was some of the 'very best' pub grub we had ever experience but the whole experience was spoilt by DOGS. By my count there were 15 during the couple of hours we spent there, most brushing against us on entry, all stinking of 'wet dog', some slavering on the carpet and one growling and barking at every other animal that ventured near to it. Most unfortunately. this will preclude us from a further visit!

Under the shelter of umbrellas we took a look around one of Dorset's quaintest villages, firstly to the BANKS ARMS HOTEL

along with a number of other old buildings

including the POST OFFICE,

HIGH STREET

CHURCH and then onward to the

 

RAILWAY STATION complete with

TICKET OFFICE,

STATION MASTER

SIGNAL BOX

and PLATFORMS more or less as they have always been.

While there is a pile of luggage also left on the platform for authentic effect, the Station also houses

a small MUSEUM

which houses much of local interest.

Singularly, the highlight has to be the still functioning STEAM (Passenger Carrying) TRAIN

which we were just lucky enough to see put out of the station for its next run down to Swanage. Living close to Wareham Val and Ginge have visited the 10th Century Church of

 

while Lesley and I have both driven past a thousand times over the years but never set foot inside.

During 'closed' hours one has to get the key from a shop in the town, which John did, to gain access and well worth it.

Along with original SAXON ARCHES,

an effigy of T E LAWRENCE (of Arabia),

interesting wall HATCHMENTS?

and OAK BEAMS there are a number of

12th Century WALL PAINTINGS this one said to be of St Martin himself astride his trusty steed.

After admiring the North East window, also SAXON the was just time for a

HYMN (and a HER on my left arm) as I broke into a couple of verses of 'To Be A Pilgrim'.

A FANTASTIC BIRTHDAY TREAT GINGE, VAL AND LESLEY THANK YOU SO MUCH!