Walking in the the sun.

As the weather was supposed to be nice all day we decided to go for a walk. We set off up the towpath and then headed off over the fields. It was lovely and warm and quiet.

Stoke Golding across the canal.

There were plenty of sheep about and they all seemed curious. Helen would rather sheep than cattle but they we cute to see. The foot paths were well marked and other than somebody putting an electric fence across one that was too high to step over and meant that we had to crawl under it all was pleasant.

Dadington Church, St. James, was the only recorded burial site of the fallen at the Battle of Bosworth on 22nd August 1485. As such in 1511 the victor Henry VII gave permission for a chantry chapel to founded here in 1511. There is a school fo thought that says that the Battle of Bosworth was actual at Dadington and not Ambion Hill.

We walked on to Stoke Golding and as the pubs weren't open we went to visit the Church of St Mary of Antioch. It is a Grade 1 listed Church. The key was kept by the door of a nearby cottage.

The church is said to be one of the best 250 churches in the country and is certainly a stunning place. It is mainly late 13th, early 14th Century. The original church is on the far side of the four big arches which was once the outside wall.

The exterior of the church is also beautiful. The octagonal spire was damaged in 1580 by an earthquake and much later in 1939 it was removed as a danger to the aircraft using the wartime airfield nearby. It was removed brick by brick and they were all numbered and laid out in circles. It was re-erected in 1947. It is said that after the Battle of Bosworth Henry Tudor and his men retired to high ground in the village and here Henry was crowned with the little crown that was found in a thicket. After that it is said that they moved into St. Mary's to give thanks for their victory.

On the walk back down the tow path we stopped at both farm shops at bridge 25 and 23. I also picked some more blackberries to go with my porridge. As it was still nice and warm we again decided to move on to be nearer the Battlefield if the weather turned.

Stoke Wharf has some lovely little cottages it is a shame that the pump out wagon got in the way. Mind you it is also quite cute.

We stopped for water at Sutton Cheney Wharf but decided to move on a little more. In the end we moored up in the quiet opposite Ambion Wood. I took the opportunity to tighten the stern gland as it seemed to be weeping more than before. I also filled the stern gland greaser, before settling in for the night.