It was like being back in Ludlow. All the beautiful doors of Lincoln’s Cathedral Quarter beckoned. Often wonky, scuffed and peeling paint, elaborate stonework, fancy fanlights or just brightly coloured wooden doors. Each with oodles of character.
Category: Europe
Sleaford Historic Riverside Walk
Leaving Norwich behind the next stage of our journey was northwards to Lincoln where we would stay a couple of nights and explore the Cathedral area. As the journey was quite short and we couldn’t check in until after 3 pm I decided to make a couple of detours en route.
Driving through the flat landscape with polytunnels stretching far on either side of the road, you realise that this is the agricultural heart of England. The distinct whiff of cabbages was all too familiar.
The first stop was to see the windmill at Heckington. The second stop was in nearby Sleaford to have a look at the Navigation Wharf and have a bite to eat. We parked up in the market place where you find an imposing church and a large war memorial. Being a Sunday there was no market and the parking was free. Always good.
I haven’t been to Lincolnshire for a long while. But the red brick houses and quiet streets and even the market place, immediately took me back to my childhood when I lived in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire before returning to the county of my birth when I was ten.
Slipping around the corner we made our way to the Navigation Wharf, originally the terminus of the Sleaford Navigation. Goods shipped on the Navigation were stored at Quayside House to await collection or dispatch. Navigation House was the Sleaford Navigation Company office, built in 1838 and now is now a small museum explaining the early development of the River Slea and the story of the Navigation. We had a quick look inside and then went to the National Centre for Craft and Design to have a look at the exhibitions.
And also the view over the town from the roof-top gallery.
A short walk takes you on a circular route along a section of the River Slea to Cogglesford Mill and back to Navigation Wharf. We were hoping to get a coffee and sandwich at the Mill, but were sadly disappointed.
Alongside Payne’s Wharf
Footbridge which opens for vessels to pass beyond
River Slea
After crossing the footbridge (originally built in 1962) replaced in 2008 the path follows alongside the East Banks towards the Leisure Centre. Three interesting mosaics have been laid in the pathway.
Just past the Leisure Centre is a footbridge and a sluice gate which marks the splitting of the river into two channels; the New Slea and the Old Slea which used to be the most important channel but is now mostly used as an overflow. Original Iron Age and Roman settlements at Old Sleaford were founded on a ford at this point. The New Slea was straightened when it became the Navigation in 1790 and it may have been the site of several Anglo-Saxon watermills.
We continued along the East Banks until we reached the mill pond and tilting weir (1961) where we turned left over the lock and mill headrace to Cogglesford Watermill.
Weir
Mill Pond
West Banks
The mill dates back to Saxon times and is thought to be the only Sheriff’s watermill still in operation in England. The present mill was built in the early †18C and still produces flour on milling days which take place from April to December.
We were disappointed not to find a tea-room here, only a vending machine, and since we weren’t in the market to buy any flour, continued to head back to town on the opposite bank.
On the right-hand side of the river is Lollycocks Field, a 5.5 acre nature reserve. The unusual name is thought to derive from the fact that it was once used for raising turkeys (lollycocks). The pond was added in 1960 and is a lovely quiet spot for local fishermen.
River Slea
Payne’s Wharf in the distance
Black and White duck
Crossing the footbridge near the sluice gate we returned to the Navigation Wharf via the East Banks and were pleased to find a proper coffee machine in the licensed café in the National Centre for Design and Craft where we sat in the sunshine, enjoying a piece of cake and a decent flat white. Always nice to end a walk with cake!
Source: Sleaford Riverside Historic Heritage Trail leaflet and Cogglesford Watermill leaflet.
IF YOU ENJOY A WALK, LONG OR SHORT, THEN HAVE A LOOK AT JO’S SITE WHERE YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN IN WITH HER MONDAY WALKS.
Thursday’s Special
This week Paula has five more words to choose from. Any or all. Your choice
Mine is frontal / facade of this beautiful modernist architecture in Barcelona. Exquisite stained-glass, decorative tiles, shaped panels and the nature inspired wrought-ironwork of the balconies.
The Passion Façade Doors
(The last of my posts about the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona.)
The doors on this side of the basilica are very different in style. Rather like the Da Vinci code two of the double doors are full of mysterious ciphers that I feel one should be able to decode.
All the doors were designed by Josep M. Subirachs. They took twenty years to complete
For the description of Christ’s passion, Subirachs created single sculptures, sculptural groups and relief letters, and four bronze doors dedicated to Gethsemane’s garden (1995), the Coronation (1997), the Gospel according to St. Matthew and the Gospel according to St. John (2000).
The sculptor wanted all the façade work to be captured in the centre door (2000). For this reason, he decided to reproduce the text of the Gospel illustrated by means of the sculptures, with over 8,000 smelted bronze letters erected ‘like two enormous open books’. The letters have a bronze patina and the repeated letter is one of the most emblematic techniques he used in order to turn message into a work of art.
The Nativity Façade doors
(The third of my posts about the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona.)
On the Nativity façade the portico is composed of three entrances devoted to the three Christian virtues: the Faith (to the right), the Hope (to the left) and the Charity (in the centre); each designed by Japanese sculptor, Etsuro Sotoo; decorated with plants, insects and small animals in the style of Gaudí.
Faith on the right is covered in roses with birds and butterflies and is devoted to the Virgin Mary.
Charity in the centre is a double door which depicts Christian Love/Charity with the Holy Family and nativity scene as the focus of the sculptures above. It was the first to be installed and includes ivy leaves and what looks to me to be Virginia creeper, squash flowers and lily flowers as well as numerous insects. The tree of life grows up through the middle of these doors.
The left represents Hope and is dedicated to St Joseph. It is what I call the Iris door as it is full of beautiful iris flowers, lily flowers, bamboo, butterflies, terrapins and other aquatic creatures and insects.
I found it difficult to tear myself away from the outside to actually go inside.
TRAVEL WORDS 