Itchington Bottom Lock.

Yesterday evening we moved on to Wigram's Turn Marina and moored up alongside 'Waka Huia' for an evening of fun and food with Marilyn and David and there 'relies'. I forgot to take an photos of the night but needless to say we weren't perhaps as well rested as we may have been this morning. We got away about 0830 and headed for Calcutt Locks.

As we approached there was a small boat with a one man crew and he waited for us to join him. We didn't take the opportunity to fill up with water to join him. Helen was gathering her strength for the days locks.

With Helen and either of the helmsmen doing the locks we got in a good rhythm and the locks sped by quite easily. 'Arthur' was very nippy and made a good fender in the ,locks to stop us both drifting about too much.

After a while we approached the main flight of the day at Stockton. The eight locks are quite close together so normaly they would be okay to run off and set the one ahead if appropriate. How ever we didn't have the numbers, but also didn't really need to as there were regular boats coming up in ones or twos.

Wouldn't you just love to have a little tug like this to pootle around with. It is the Ruislip that is a diesel powered ex Regent's Canal tug.

We did the two locks that were after the Blue Lias pub and moored up at the aqueduct over the River Itchen. After lunch we walked over the fields to Long Itchington.

The local church is 13th Century and this photo shows the chancel where the three alcoves on the right are sedila which were for the priest, deacon and sub deacon. The two smaller alcoves are piscina where the washing of the of the communion vessels took place, The wooden screens record those lost in the World Wars and there are several families that have lost more than one son.

Long Itchington was the birth place of Saint Wulfstan in around 1012. He became the Bishop of Worcester in 1062 and so was the last Saxon bishop and the first Norman one. He was noted for his piety and was also known for trying to stop the importing of slaves into Bristol. He was canonised in 1203 and his saint's Day is 19th January. One of the miracles attributed to him was curing King Harold's daughter.

Holy Trinity Church, Long Itchington.

There are some older buildings still around the village too.

This house made looked to be quite a gloomy and scary place.