T stands for - Time away!

Yes, I know, again…… This will be the last long journey before next year! We are still hoping to take the reasonably short journey to our caravan before Christmas and maybe with our grandchildren and son in the Christmas holidays.

As some of you may know we went join up with WOYWW folk for the crop(photos tomorrow) but hubby and I wanted to have a look around the area - we love Wiltshire and have holidayed there before with our family! 

We stayed at a lovely country inn called the Grosvenor in Stockbridge

We were lucky enough to have had a discount voucher and leapt at the chance to stay here (only downside was that we were in the annexe which seems to be in need of a bit of a facelift) but it was very clean and quiet and we both slept really well in the comfortable bed.
On Friday we went to Winchester - we had been once before but when we arrived it was quite late in the day and we didn't go into the Cathedral.

There was a Christmas market set up in the Cathedral grounds with some very interesting stalls (got some Christmas presents sorted!) 

When we went into the Cathedral we found that it was a rehearsal day for the Special Needs Schools of the area so a bit of a nostalgia thing for us both! 
The building is very ornate!

 There are still some of the old tiles and some wall paintings from Norman times. Eleanor of Aquitaine may have once walked on this floor when the Royal court was in Winchester(once the capital of England)

 Famous author Jane Austen died and was was buried in Winchester.

As we are here for T Stands for Tuesday with Bluebeard and Elizabeth I will show you one of our delicious meals that we had at the hotel.

Hubby decided he had had enough of trying to get his fish pie out of a little dish and tipped it onto his plate - I carried on with my mac'n cheese! 

As you can see we both had a Coke zero as we were slightly awash with hot drinks!

On the way home on Sunday we called to Old Sarum Castle where my heroine Eleanor Of Aquitaine was imprisoned by Henry II for the  most part of 16 years - she was moved around from time to time but always came back here. 

It was very cold and windy - as Eleanor herself found, and is in ruins now. 

Looking out towards Salisbury which became more important that Old Sarum as it had a better water source 

Hubby took quite a few more photos while I explored! 

 This is looking out onto the site of the old cathedral

 There were plenty of information boards around - I found this one of the most interesting 

Finally, a tricky bit down some steps and round a corner and we were on our way!

But not straight home - more of that another time though!

Thanks for looking, Chris