Ripley.

We set off at a leisurely pace this morning as we weren't going far.

We were soon approaching Worlsfold flood gates which were open (as there is no flood!)

The National Trust have a workshop by the lock and the house is quite pretty.

This old wooden boat is full of vegetation and is a narrow boat rather than a trading boat from the Wey. Still, I bet it could tell a few stories.

 This guy was doing a little maintenance on this boat that is actually the equipment used to lift the lock gates out for working on or replacement. It is a neat little package.

Papercourt Lock was next and again the cottage is a nice one. I can't find out why it is named Papercourt though.

This little section of the river reminded me of the upper reaches of the Thames. Here we can see the cut leading to Newark Lock.

Just past the bridge was this collection of old farm equipment.

Soon after the lock we found a mooring and settled down for the day.

We decided to walk into Ripley for some milk. As we passed the Walsham flood gates as this boat came past.

The Talbot on Ripley High Street is an old coaching in that was on the route between London and Portsmouth. In 1798 it is reputed to have been one of the places that Horatio Nelson and Lady Hamilton got together. There is also a one stop shop, a Coop that has had a rebranding that is to be rolled out to all Coop's. They are all to be blue now, rather than green. There are several other pubs in the village but none of them seemed open. There are also a couple of coffee shops too. 

Behind the houses towards the river is said to be the largest village green in the country. I don't think it counts as it is not over looked by houses so in my mind doesn't count as a green. It is big though.

As we got back to the weir by the Walsham flood gates I noticed the signs on the weir mechanics. Ransomes and Rapier of Ipswich were actually founded in 1869 when a father and elder son J.A and R.J. Ransome, R.C. Rapier and A.C. Bennet left the parent company to found the Waterside works in Ipswich. Ransome's younger son set up a saw mill and foundry in London. They engineered the first railway in China apparently and in WWI they made shells, guns and tank turrets along with the design of a mortar. After the war they got into making cranes and built the massive drag lines that were used in open cast mining. The company closed in 1987.

There was some older gear next to that above. I thought that it would be relatively easy to find a little something about the company but after a short dig about I cam out with nothing other than about the Tome Selick film character. I assume therefore that it was a small local company. the equipment seems to be in tip top condition and is a sound testament to the company.