Coming Home

Today we travelled to Sherborne in North Dorset. It was an interesting trip as the Sat Nav took us on a drive through the Piddle Valley, and piddle it certainly did. We passed chocolate box thatched cottages next to idyllic streams, the aforementioned River Piddle. However they were writhed in mist viewed through car windows obscured with heavy rain, and flapping windscreen wipers. When we arrived at the hotel it was an ungainly rush to the bar for lunch as we waited for the rain to ease off.

Later in the afternoon we took a stroll through town, Marion in search of Dorset Knobs. These are a hard biscuit about the shape and size of a small doughnut. They are only made by one bakery and can only be purchased in Dorset and are great with cheese. This meant a delightful stroll down the main street looking at the various shops. Although it was a little gloomy as can be seen from this photo the town was still delightful.

 Sherborne also has a gold post box, painted because a gold medallist from the 2012 games comes from here. As might be expected from the rural nature of the town he won some sort of shooting event.

Also it seems like coming home, my grandfather was station master here in the late 1950’s early 1960’s, so I showed Marion the Station House that I visited which at the time was still lit by gas. It also had a sitting room window that looked directly out onto the station platform. It seemed natural to me at the time but I am sure that it was extremely awkward when entertaining. Still as I understand from the stories of my grandparents this was usually only at Christmas and perhaps Easter, so maybe there were no trains running.

Now this is one for my Vermont readers, we were walking along the road a van passed use with D. J. Chutter – Joiner written on the side. I did not quite have time to take a photo with my telephone. Of course this area of the Dorset/Somerset borders is the epicentre of the Chutter family, to whom I am related through my paternal grandmother.

In the café where we had tea they were advertising a Sherborne stodger, I was not brave enough to try, but it occasioned much laughter in rather poor taste. Marion you know who you are.

So both Marion and I felt very at home in Sherborne today. So much so that we ventured into the Estate Agent to enquire about a town centre conversion that we had seen. Alas it was already sold. The other properties that we like came in at £2.35 million, a little outside of our price range, unfortunately.