Moving onwards.

We set off when there was no rain and actually we didn't really get wet all the way to our mooring. We passed over the aqueduct again as a sort of warm up act for later.

We only had one lock to do today and it is known as 'Odd Lock' as it is one on it's own. I think it's proper name is Bearley Lock.

We soon arrived at the Edstone or Bearley Aqueduct. It isn't quite the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct but to come across it here was quite a sight. It looks much higher than the stated 28 feet high. Like the Welsh canal in the sky there is nothing, almost nothing, between us and the drop on one side.

The aqueduct takes the canal over the old Birmingham and North Warwickshire Railway, that is the double track in the above photo. The tarmacked track is the old Alcester Railway. There is a road and a stream too.

The aqueduct, at 145m, is the longest in England and like the other two much smaller ones on the canal already crossed the tow path is on the same level as the bottom of the canal.

The trough is supported on thirteen brick piers and as the canal and railway was at one time was owned by the Great Western Railway. They fitted a valve to the bottom of the canal so that they could fill their engines with water on the track below.

After we moored up and had lunch we set off to walk into Wilmcote. Here we came across a dastardly plot to put young Kiwis out of work and reduce the immigration of Antipodeans into the country. Self shearing sheep!! It seems that the value of the fleeces of sheep is now less than the cost of shearing in many cases. By crossing UK breeds with tropical sheep that naturally shed their fleeces they have produced a new breed called Exlana (Latin for used to have wool). Not only does it save shearing costs but the lack of a big fleeces also means they are more resistant to parasites so minimise costs of medical and chemical interventions. 

After a little bit of shopping we called at the small church of St. Andrews in the village. We got quite a surprise when we got there. It was built in 1841. It was needed as the village had no church but the population was growing due to the opening of nearby quarries. It was built by members of the Oxford Movement that was a Catholic revival movement within the Church of England. It was designed by William Butterfield and was paid for by  Rev. Francis Fortescue-Kottesford and his son became the first Curate.

A later priest painted wall paintings on to zinc panels and they give the interior a dark and spiritual feeling.

The church is very high church and must be as close to a Catholic Church as you can get whilst still being a C of E. There are many incense burners above the alter so it would be a very unusual church to visit if you were expect a 'normal' C of E service.

On the way back to the canal to walk up the tow path back to the boat we passed Mary Arden's Farmhouse. This is where Shakespeare's mother was born and lived before marrying his father and moving to Startford. There seemed to be a lot going on with lots of school kids and visitors being shown around a period working farm by folk min period costume.

Helen has baked bread and so we are going to scoff that for tea and she has also replanted our daffodils in a likely place on the tow apth so we are now looking for something to plant in their place.