Up at 8:30! Breakfast takes until 9.30. We are confirmed in the opinion that trust houses give very poor food. We leave (35/- each b&b) and drive to Ogbourne Maizey to see the pit.
Ogbourne Maizey
It is rather overgrown but not hopelessly so. Without stopping the engine, since nettles are high and wet, we return to the village and take the scenic road north through Rockley.
Joining the main road we soon leave it it to see Winterbourne Bassett Church.
All in Benjamin’s book is true of it, but we didn’t see the 18th century light fittings, and the damp mouldering walls are well whitepainted – only the floor was damp, with mats sticking to it.
A really fine church, worth photos and sketches one day. In the walls outside, stone blocks outside contain a reddened surface from which descend plant roots or burrows – very interesting.
Happily on to Avebury.
Schoolchildren dominate the scene but we enjoy walking round, and the sun soon begins to shine.
At 1.30 we have a beer and bread, onions and cheese in the Red Lion, Avebury , then look at the north part of the ring.
The Red Lion and the surrounding ring of stones.
Back to the car, surrounded by white doves, and off to Silbury Hill. Park near it and walk to West Kennet Long Barrow, and enter the reconstructed grave chambers.
Caught in heavy rain shower on our way back to the car.
Silbury Hill dig appears to be completed or nearly so. We pass it without stopping (comparing its size with the Moon Pyramid, Teotihuacan) and turn and drive back to Marlborough to Amesbury Via Oare, past the old chalk pit, and to Stonehenge.
After photographing this in in gloomy cloud,this moves away and the ruins are lit by setting sunlight very finely.
The whole is now set in sand, not grass, many stones are re-erected, and it is much changed. The dagger carvings are obvious.
Vandalism (painted words on stones, the partial, attempted removal of which has spoilt the old lichen cover to the stones) is obvious and has spoilt the stones.
Stonehenge
In sunset light we drive down the Avon valley in search of somewhere to sleep. We try first the Wheatsheaf in Lower Woodford. They are full but recommend the Black Horse in Great Dunford – also full.
We find a room at the Bridge Inn in Upper Woodford, and go and eat an exellent supper in the Wheatsheaf in Lower Woodford.
Back to the Bridge Inn to sleep at 10.30. Diary. Very happy about accommodation and supper, in contrast to last night. (Lots of old chalk-pits in the two roads down this valley worth investigating.
