On to the Oxford.

 After a little more research I can see that after the Brick and Tile works closed the basin lay empty until 1936. Then it was taken over by the Warwickshire Canal Carrying Co. Ltd that converted it to a dry dock to service their newer motor canal boats. They move from nearby Black Bank. The W.C.C.C.ltd seem to have started about 1918 and I found a winding up order for them in 1968. However in 1959 I see that the Gilbert family were working for/with the company and they seem to have taken it on as they were advertising new builds and repairs at Charity Dock in 1972. There was also planning for a new house on the site in 1990 so I conclude it is the Gilbert family who are responsible for the dressed dummies and the dock as it is today.

We set of with the sun shining warmly through high cloud, and it stayed like that all day. Just as I was letting go a boat appeared and rather than push off in front I waited for them. They weren't going slowly, and they weren't going fast so we ambled along behind them. There was little evidence of the of the three arms and basins we passed so I will leave those for another time.

There seemed to be a bit of activity at the stop lock so I timed my turn to keep out of every bodies way. The boat ahead was waiting for the lock with one coming out.

He was blocking the exit from the lock so I landed outside the Greyhound, far enough back so that he could move clear. The bloke on the bridge shouted I was an excellent helm! What can I say!

We were soon through the lock and on to the Oxford. It is a good few years since we have sailed these waters now. This is the first of the arms and loops that were cut off when the canal was straightened. This led to Wyken Colliery, but is now the turf of the Coventry Cruising club.

Just after Ansty were the motor 'Corolla' and the butty ' Carina'. The were both sporting very elegant art work on the cratch boards celebrating the coronation this year. Corolla was built by Harland and Wolff in 1935 and Carina by Yarwood's in the same year.

Ansty Hall replaced an earlier manor house in 1678 and the same family lived there until 1986. The costs of running it had got too much. The estate and all the buildings were on the market previously in 1956, but the house and adjacent land was withdrawn from the auction then. When putting it up for sale in 1986 it was thought that it would fetch around £250,000! That is around the average price of a house these days!! It was eventually bought by a hotel group who spent another £1 million on it and run it along with a golf course still.

We heard nothing from the railway as we got closer so I was speculating that it was another strike day, and then four or five passed in short order. I do like a train journey.

It seemed that the small swing bridge at Stretton Stop was open as the boat ahead pottered through. There was one waiting just beyond to come through.

Who would have thought you would see an old spoon dredger at Streeton Stop. Apparently the hull dates from 1873 abd remains of the dredging equipment were found aboard, and some more in stores, and the rotten bits were fabricated from these remains. The windlass towards the bow is to pull the boat along the canal and the gantry lowers the 'spoon' and manpower digs and lifts and turns it into the boat.

This is just another of the old loops but retains its cross over bridge. It is used as a winding hole only now.

Just as we were approaching the full moorings at Old Oak Wood the boat on the end was casting off. We let them go and then reversed into the slot. That will do nicely. I then set to making boxes to go under our back steeps to stow all the boats and shoes. I used the bits of buffalo board I had left and the old ones too. I have one more to make for the top step and the it will be finished.

We decided to head into Brinklow as I was well dehydrated and Helen didn't fancy cooking. Down the road and footpath over the fields to the Motte and Bailey. The ridge and furrow in the pasture was very evident. I'm not sure whether this is original or a much later construction just to maximise the amount of grass available. You can see the Motte in the distance. It was built by the Norman's to protect the Fosse Way, but was never very important and didn't last too long.

We had a pint in the Raven, where the footpath came out onto the main street, and then walked round to the Bulls Head where they did food. I ate too much so was grateful for the walk back.

We passed the Brinklow War Memorial and it stood out as being very different and the words 'Peace and Reconciliation' made me think it must be more modern as after conflict it was unlikely that that wording would be used. It would take time to think that. It seems that the local ex servicemen managed to raise £8,000 and it was dedicated in 2014 to the 25 men from the village lost in the two world wars. What a nice memorial and refreshing wording too.

We took the path past the church of St. John the Baptist that is almost built into the old tump or motte. We didn't try to enter as I was pretty sure it would be closed at the late hour. The walk back was just right to settle my tea down ready for digestion, and time to bash the blog out.