Australian Local and Family History Bloggers. Family History Month August 2022. Part Four.

MONTHLY CHALLENGE

WEEK 2: Travel, Part Four — ENGLAND

Leaving Scotland our drive down to England took us past Hadrian's Wall. We stayed in the grand old George Hotel in Penrith. It was like living in a bygone era. Then we took the slower road through all the lovely villages enjoying England, to get to Herefordshire, where we found a guest house/hotel down on the picturesque Wye River at Symonds Yat.

Symonds Yat straddling the Wye River, Herefordshire

An enchanting holiday place

Herefordshire: 
The origin of my mother’s father’s side. Palmer, Wall, Bellamy, Lewis, Bennet, Bullock, Cowmeadow and Gough. 

Sunday, we attended the church service at the Broad St, Baptist Church in Ross on Wye, where the Wall family had been heavily involved. Unfortunately, the graves had been cemented over for a car park, and no past records were held there anymore. 
The Ross Library informed us that their old newspaper records were now held at the Hereford Library, and it was temporarily closed for Health and Safety reasons due to asbestos in the building. Some you win, some you lose.

We looked at local houses the families had lived in and also St Mary’s Church where some attended, and my GGGGt Grandparents Levi Wall and Sophia Pritchard married. This church was open, allowing us a good sticky-beak around inside and out. Beautiful enormous old trees in the churchyard amongst the old graves.

St Mary's Church, Ross on Wye

On the main street, John established where our 1905 postcard picture was taken, showing the Wall's ironmongery, belonging to my Gt Gt Grandparents. 

Broad Street, Ross

The former residence and business of the Palmer and Wall families at 50 Broad St still looked much the same on the outside. However, it was covered in scaffolding for renovations -- sadly stopping us from having a peep. 

We got lost driving to find the old Ryeford cemetery, but eventually were set back on track by a local vet. A lass in the ex-chapel, now community hall, walked us around the back through the overgrowth in the pouring rain. People can be so helpful. We found graves for Wall and Lewis, took photos and recorded inscriptions on our mobile phones. It was too hard to use the alfoil in the wind and rain with raincoats and umbrellas. Without realising till later, I left a memory to the deceased relatives, my crafted silver ring from a silversmith in Darwin.

Many broken and fallen over stones were indecipherable.  But such a wonderful feeling is experienced when you discover ancestors and learn more of their stories, you feel that connection with them.

Baptist burial ground, Ryeford Herefordshire

At the bakers in Ross, a little touch of home. We tried the 'Australian Chocolate Crunch slice’ with Cornflakes, coconut and cocoa.

Next stop Hereford. Wandered through the Hereford Cathedral which had banners telling the story of the Magna Carta for the 800-year anniversary from 1215. Hereford Archives had some great helpers who set us up on 2 microfiche machines, where we found some good records. Also, Pigot's Directories listed the Wall members who were district ironmongers. 

We drove past Monmouth, and Abergavenny where my brother died. A rainbow appeared across the sky -- wow.

In the morning we set off doing the touristy thing -- visiting the Roman baths at Bath, a pretty little town at the bottom of a steep hill. Followed by Stonehenge, where we took far too many photos! It was so interesting with little round huts built recently to experience how it would have been then.

Stonehenge near Salisbury

After a 15-minute drive to Salisbury, we spent a unique time in the Cathedral. The spire is the tallest in the UK. Once through the medieval gateway, the pathway was lined with large caricature 'Barons' representing those who fought for justice against unpopular King John. The Magna Carta was drawn up to make peace between them. 

'The Barons' at Salisbury Cathedral

It is a magnificent cathedral with beautiful stained-glass, especially the blue piece at the altar. We were welcomed by a loudspeaker and joined in the Lord's Prayer, followed by an attending school chorus singing the African American spiritual slave song 'Kumbaya'. Very moving.
We saw part of the actual 'Magna Carta' calf skin sheet on display under cover.

And so we made our way back to London, passing Winchester Cathedral, and arriving at a lovely old mansion house on Chelsea embankment, our Air BNB. Later we walked by the Chelsea Pensioner's Hospital and grounds where a life-like red uniformed pensioner statue rested on a bench. 

Chelsea Pensioner at gate of Hospital.
Photo credit Jenette Russell/ArtHQ

Shouted ourselves dinner at another of Jamie Oliver's restaurants to celebrate. And on the last evening, as a farewell to London, we ate luscious steaks, dining at ‘Restaurant Gordon Ramsay’ in Chelsea. Very lucky to get a walk-in table and enjoy great service. 


And so our ancestral trail of UK came to an end. With all the information gleaned on our long exciting travels, we now relaxed into full-time tourist mode. We had oodles of information to take home and work on for years to come!