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| Christ Church located right opposite Sure Hotel by Best Western @ 8.30 am. Today, we gead for Oxford |
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| The start of the trail |
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| Bugs Bottom, a nice park in Reading |
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| People bring their dogs for a walk here |
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| There's a farm with a horsey on the knoll |
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| Memorial for Olly |
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| By the look on his face, the "sofa" is tad too hard! |
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| To be fair, we selected bike route on Google Maps and this clearly comes with dashed green lines |
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| Enjoying the adventure! |
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| Almost swallowed! |
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| Somewhere near Middle Farm |
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| Kidmore End Well. Sadly, there's no write up on this well |
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| Some notice on the well |
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| Horesepond Road |
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| Wyfold Road |
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| Busgrove Lane...I think I made it to Goldilocks' world! |
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| A forest filled with Bluebells! |
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| Farmer at work |
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| Undulating fields |
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| Some fields are ready for planting as this is the start of spring |
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| This lamb was so curious and almost came to me. But his mama called him back! |
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| Rolling hills |
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| Wild flowers |
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| View of the Boat House from Wallingford Bridge |
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| River Thames |
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| This bridge we stand now was rebuilt in 1810-1812 but the 1st written record of a bridge dates back to 1141; with a stone bridge built in 1230's. This same bridge was subjected to expansions, reconstruction and rebuilt over the centuries; most remarkably was the addition of a draw bridge during the English Civil war in 1646. |
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| Wallingford town |
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| Wallingford cemetery |
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Wallingford Castle ruins. The remains of the great tower is visible on the motte. Note the moat at the base of the stairs.
Wallingford Castle was commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1067. Over the next 2 centuries, it was used by royals and expanded into a luxurious castle.
The castle was so strong, it was never taken. After the civil war in 1646, Oliver Cromwell thought the castle too great a threat and ordered its demolition |
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| Castle trivia |
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| Wallingford Castle ruins |
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| Wallingford Castle ruins |
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| Castle moat |
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| Castle moat |
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| College of St Nicholas was destroyed in 1548 by the order of King Henry VIII on the dissolution of monastries |
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A memorial located in the All Hallows Graveyard in Wallingford.
The inscription in white plaque : "For the more enduring memory ofThomas Bennett, Esquire of Clapcote
whose son, Sir Thomas Bennett, Knight in the year 1616,
provided out of his estate £20* yearly
for 15 poor and aged folk
of Wallingford
This monument
is, in accordance with the
directions of the said Knight,
Restored A.D. MDCCCLXXVI
*Average income during the last 5 years £182" |
Interestingly, the memorial was restored in 1876 and the quoted average income back then was
£182. This sum is equivalent to £27000 in 2023.
The inscription in black was added in 1981
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| Some of the crypts at the graveyard |
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| Some of the crypts at the graveyard |
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| Some of the crypts at the graveyard |
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| Behind the fences of a farm! |
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| Path beside the farm |
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| Across the River Thames |
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| Further along the path, we spotted a pillbox |
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| But first we need to cross Benson Lock. |
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| Crossing the lock gates |
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| Benson Lock and the keeper's house. The current lock dates from 1870 whilst the keeper's house is from 1913. |
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| The river is divided into 2 section. The water flow on the right side is calmer and the controlled by Benson Lock whilst the left side is fast flowing, controlled by a dam |
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| Crossing the dam |
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| After the dam, we cross the little wooden bridge |
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| The keeper's house in the background |
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| The little wooden bridge |
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| View of the River Thames from the little wooden bridge |
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| View of a quaint cottage from the little wooden bridge |
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| We are now in Dorchester on Thames |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| 12.50 pm, lunch time by the abbey grounds |
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| Tea and sandwiches |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| Dorchester Abbey's graveyard |
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| You can hardly read the inscription on the tombstone except the year 1699 |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| Dorchester Abbey |
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| Iffley Lock was built to power the watermill at Iffley. The mill which survived nearly 800 years did not survive a fire in 1908. The mill ground mall, barley, corn and other cereals |
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| First you cross the white wooden bridge... |
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...then you gawk at the gorgeous waterways (views from the lock)...
|
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| ...then another segment with a small dam! |
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| Magdalene Bridge overlooking Magdalene Tower |
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Longwall Street intersects with St Cross Rd @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/SfBUTsCH8WMQkN2G6
Long wall was constructed in the 15th century as part of the fortification efforts for medieval Oxford. It is 300m long and was eventually abandoned in the 17th century. This wall is not part of the medieval city walls of old Oxford. Old Oxford and its city walls lies to the west of this Long wall. |
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| St Cross Road |
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| Honeywell St |
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| Clarendon Building, built between 1711 to 1715 |
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| Old Indian Institute Building on the left with Clarendon Buildong to the left with Catte St ahead |
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| Easy Hotel Oxford, Banbury Road comes with a hotel cycle store! But with a folded Brompton, we were allowed to bring it to our rooms. |
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| Banbury Road and M&S foodhall near our hotel |
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| Ortlieb panniers are very popular with shopper here |
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Ortlieb panniers are very popular with shopper here
|
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Ortlieb panniers are very popular with shopper here
|
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| Oxford University Museum of Natural History @ 3.30 pm, free entry! |
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| Natural lights inside the museum |
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| Amazing exhibits |
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| Amazing exhibits |
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| The metal grating on the floor leading to basement reminiscent from the Indiana Jones movie |
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| Amazing exhibits |
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| Amazing exhibits |
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| Specimen of Ichthyosaur Temnodontosaurus Platyodon found in the 195 million years old Blue Lias of Lyme Regis in Dorset. |
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| Stretosaurus Macromerus's jaw. This speciment was collected from a brick pit in Cumnor Hurst |
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| Gorgeous architecture of the museum |
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| Gorgeous architecture of the museum |
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| Gorgeous architecture of the museum |
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| Private |
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| Ashmolean Museum @ 4 pm, free entry! |
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| Streetview |
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| Streetview |
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| Greek World |
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| Greek World 1000 - 100 BC |
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| Knossos, Greece |
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| Knossos coffins |
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| Knossos coffins |
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| Amarna Period |
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| Ancient Egypt |
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| Ancient Egypt |
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| Ancient Egypt |
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| Mummy of a young woman from the cemetery of Hawara, Fayum, Roman @ AD100-120 |
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| Mummy of a young boy who died before he was 2 years old from the cemetery of Hawara, Fayum, Roman @ AD100 |
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| Mummy of a man wearing a gilded mask from the cemetery of Hawara, Fayum, Roman @ 50 - 1 BC |
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| Mummy of a young woman from the cemetery of Hawara, Fayum, Roman @ AD130 - 140 |
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| The woman's portrait is painted in encaustic on limewood. Her hairstyle, clothes and jewellery are inspired by Roman court fashions |
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| Martyr's Memorial |
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| Paradise Street |
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| Oxford Castle and Prisons |
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| Oxford Castle and Prisons |
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Prison Debtors' Tower @ 1790
This tower was built to imprison debtors. A rare triangular stone staircase leads to 4 floors divided into cells, some with fireplaces. Prisoners remain in prison until their debts are paid and long stays are common. |
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| Prison grounds |
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| Close to this spot lies the medieval gallows. |
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The Court Room Tunnel @ 1841
Beneath the ground is a tunnel leading from the Old Country Hall Court to the Prison. Prisoners found guilty at court are sent to prison through this tunnel |
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| Malmaison Hotel, Oxford is located in a converted Victorian Prison! |
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| Interesting trivia |
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| County Hall |
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| Carfax Tower @ 13th century |
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| Llyods Bank, High St |
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| Lebanese wraps for tea break |
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Easy Hotel, Oxford @ RM357.53
