It wasn't a bad day when we left Branston and head for Burton on Trent and beyond.
For a blog like this I couldn't resist putting this picture in. However we didn't stop in Burton this time. There was a lot of trade in beer on the canals though and the bridge on the right is over Shobnal Basin that led to a canal branch connecting with the River Trent. Now the marina.
We later crossed the River Dove. This bridge allegedly dates from the 15th Century and the first one being erected in 1225! There are three River Doves in the UK, this one that starts in the Peak District, on that is near Wathe upon Dearne and another that is up on the North York Moors. This one is 45 miles long. We stopped for the night at Willington but as a friend arrived we didn't get to any of the pubs there.
This is becoming an increasingly rare sight, an on paved or cindered tow path. The sun was out as we passed Mercia Marina and brought out the walkers and dog people.
We moored up near Swarkestone, just where a branch canal is indicated leaving the canal to once again connect with the Trent, and was built in 1796 to connect the newly completed Derby Canal with the river. We walked to the Trent to see the Swarkestone Bridge. It is said to be the longest bridge in the country if you include the causeway that you can't see. There are 17 arches. It was originally built in the 13th Century and financed by the Belmont sister. They were both to get married at a joint ceremony but their future husbands were drowned getting to the church trying to ford the Trent in flood. The girls had the bridge built and died paupers for doing so.
These are the remains of the lock and entrance of the connection from the river up to the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Near to the old lock this memorial stands. It was erected in 1995, 250 years after the event of the Jacobite Revolution with Bonnie Prince Charlie. It represent the furthest south they got to on 4th December 1745. Just 22 years before the Trent and Mersey was completed!!
We clled in for a pint at the Crewe and Harpur pub. It was built in 1826 as a coaching inn and the stables are now converted into guest room out of shot to the right. The name of the pub relates to the Harpur and Crewe estate that were the land owners her. The Harpur family were made baronets in 1626 and their base was Calke Abbey. Their name later became Harpr Crewe. The title died out in 1924 but the estate passed down the female line until 1981 when death duties forced the sale of the estate and Calke Abbey was given to the National Trust. The pub retains the high ceilings and large rooms, but have been knocked through. Few other original features remain in this Grade II Listed house.
The pub only had two hand pulls on, Pedigree and a Brakspear beer. The Brakspear brewery was started by Robert Brakspear who started brewing at his pub, the Cross Keys in Witney, in 1769. Business was good so he joined with his uncle in 1779 and opened a brewery in Bell Street, Henley. In 1812 they moved to New Street just around the corner. By 1979 they had an estate of 130 pubs but the industry changed and by 2002 they were out of brewing and Marston's was using their capacity for the beer. At this time a long established pub chain J.T. Davis bought a 30% share in the business. In 2007 they bought the company and brought it back to a private company. They had 150 pubs. In 2013 they started brewing again at the Bell Street Brewery
I had a pint of Oxford Gold at 4%. It poured with a crisp thin white head and a lovely, almost white gold colour. It had a refreshing smell of floral and citrus. Crystal malts are used with Fuggles, Golding and Stryian hops. To me the taste is the taste did not have enough body. I probably don't have a delicate enough palette, or anything else come to that, but it just didn't have any oomph for me. Still a nice drink, especially on a nice summers day. Oh yes, the bee emblem is a reference to Nicholas Breakspear who in 1154 was made the only English Pope and had a bee as his emblem!
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