Rugby & Crick

Fog greeted us when we drew the drapes back this morning. Had to expect it sooner or later I guess. We are in England after all.

Piled into our Nissan Juke and set our course for Rugby. Diane, our faithful navigator, seems to have a bit of a problem with roundabout exits. I'm not sure if she can count accurately. Or it might be that she just ignores the small, insignificant exit. Whatever, we obviously didn't follow her directions properly today and on more than one occasion took the wrong exit. Then she would guide us on a bit of a cross country or cross village, detour. This naturally made our journey longer and our fuel consumption higher but eventually we

drove into Rugby on Market Day.

Plenty to look at and some entertainment as well. A troupe of happy children displaying their clog dancing skills. Dear wee things! See!

Rugby is not only beautifully decorated in all manner of floral baskets, posts and window boxes which we have found everywhere. It is also exploiting its history for the Game that is being played all over the UK at the moment. Football stuff everywhere.

Another beautiful cathedral with a 15th century tower and a later chapel.

Bess of Hardwick lies buried here and she designed her own effigy in anticipation of her eventual demise. Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (1527-1608), was a notable figure of 16th century Elizabethan English society. By a series of well-made marriages, she rose to the highest levels of English nobility and became enormously wealthy. Her exact birthdate is unknown but according to her witness statement she gives her age at the time of her first marriage in May 1543 as being 'of tender years', i.e. less than 16.

She was married four times, firstly to Robert Barlow, who died aged about fourteen or fifteen, secondly to the courtier Sir William

Cavendish, thirdly to Sir William St Loe and lastly to George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, sometime keeper to the captive Mary, Queen of Scots. An accomplished needlewoman, Bess joined her husband's captive charge, Queen Mary Stuart, at Chatsworth House for extended periods in 1569, 1570, and 1571, during which time they worked together on the Oxburgh Hangings.

In 1601, Bess ordered an inventory of the household furnishings including textiles at her three properties at Chatsworth, Hardwick and Chelsea, which survives, and in her will she bequeathed these items to her heirs to be preserved in perpetuity. The 400-year-old collection, now known as the Hardwick Hall textiles, is the largest collection of tapestry, embroidery, canvaswork, and other textiles to have been preserved by a single private family. Would love to have a look at that.

Travelled on in the afternoon to our next hostelry, The Wheatsheaf at Crick. A sweet little quintessential English village not far from Rugby. Settled in and went for a walk around the village. Lots of red brick houses with thatched roofs. Real Milly, Molly, Mandy houses.

A canal runs through Crick so we decided to explore the tow path. So tranquil and serene.

Back at The Wheatsheaf we enjoyed dinner of pan seared salmon and salad. Yum! Slept well.