Staffordshire 3 - Tamworth - a castle, a pretty park, Brummies, bits of the Staffordshire Hoard , the Jolly Sailor and another carvery meal

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Suzy has moved. Not far it has to be said. But moved she has. From her normal resting place she now sits on the driveway. The conifers were lopped and she sits there waiting. Waiting to go on a journey. The days are being counted down and I only have another 23 days to go before she will be washed, cleaned and tidied up, filled with clothes and all the cares of the world will be far behind me as I hit the road. A passenger on another journey to an unknown different Europe. A Europe that we are trying to escape from. I wonder just how different it will feel or will it be same old same old Europe. The pound has taken a bit of a beating recently and the rate of exchange between the pound and the euro has dropped . The Remain campaign blame it on Brexit . We have been here before and whilst we lived in Wales the rate was as low as it is now . So it just feels like the old merry go round of the pound being high then the it takes a dip only to climb back up again.

In between work and hospital visits we are still trying to remain positive about the holiday. It is booked. The train is paid for . We are going. I don't care what happens. Nothing is stopping me finishing work on the Friday afternoon and heading south for the overnight stop at Cambridge. Nothing is getting in the way of the train journey. It is planned. As the young would say End of.

We are also still trying to get out weekly for a visit to something and for a well deserved meal cooked by someone else . We decided on Tamworth. Why Tamworth you ask? I thought that too. It is in Staffordshire and our first thoughts were to go to Lichfield and see the wonderful medieval cathedral. Then how about Stoke museum to see the Staffordshire Hoard. We seemed to be going round in circles at times and in the end a funeral service being held at Lichfield stopped that in its tracks and so it was to Tamworth we headed. A trip of around an hour and a bit along the worse bits of roads you can imagine. The A38 to Derby and then down to Tamworth. Busy and bustling . Not our idea of enjoyment at all. The weather was muggy and warm and our clothes were sticking to us. It feels like a typical British summer.

Arriving in Tamworth we headed for the Jolly Sailor car park. An odd name for a car park that was not in seaside town and had no connection with the sea. Quite big it cost £1 for three hours. On the main car park was a height barrier but motorhomes could park on the coach park. The park spread out in front of us. Pergolas covered in laburnam sadly past its best. A bowling green in the middle of the city. A cafe, toilets and flower beds everywhere full of summer colour. Muted peaches and cream begonias, yellow and orange marigolds. It all looked rather pretty and lovely.

The castle is a Norman castle, located next to the wide flowing River Tame. Canadian Geese swam in the river and nested on the banks . The castle overlooks the River sitting on a motte. A motte which is the largest and best preserved after Windsor Castle . The site has been fortified since the Anglo Saxon times when Aethelflaed the mercian queen built a burh to defend against the Vikings. It was rebuilt by the Normans . It is a pretty castle and looked very inviting. All around us though were children. The place was heaving. it was the summer holidays after all and judging by the accents all of Birmingham was out at the castle and its grounds.

We paid our £6.50 each pensioners rates and walked through the gatehouse into the courtyard. The castle was constructed by the Normans in the 1080s, occupying the south western part of the earlier burh.It dates primarily from the 11th and 12th century and was constructed in the typical Norman style . Following the Norman Invasion of 1066, Tamworth was granted to Robert Despenser steward to William the Conqueror. Robert died childless and so the castle passed to his brother's daughters, one of whom, Matilida, married Robert de Marmion. Eventually the castle was destroyed by King John.

Our first stop was the Armoury which was designed for children. Clothes to dress in , armour to wear and swords to wield. Into the dark and damp dungeon. The castle itself has many rooms . Each was fashioned to show a different period in history. A Stuart room full of dark furniture , a tudor room, a tower or two with views over the town. A victorian styled room with heavy victorian furniture and a wonderful black fireplace with over mantle. Each room contained toys from each period. We played with kaleidescopes, we played with jacks and marbles, we played with playing cards. Each room contained folks dressed up. They played with the children . The laughed and joked and made the house feel human and still lived in. There was a kitchen full of food, tables covered with rabbits, with dead chickens and pies and puddings.

The tiny museum outlined the history of the area. There were pots from the Saxon period. We saw replica pieces of the Staffordshire Hoard and some originals . Tiny golden fragments of bracelets, of jewellery showing the art of the goldsmith. Fine esquisite pieces with gold wire as thin as it could be pulled. Dark Ages - Dark ages my foot . A period of great beauty which was shown to perfection in this tiny museum.

Leaving we walked back down the hill admiring the castle as looked up at it . Our next stop - rumbling tummies and food. We had found another Toby Carvery just up the road at Shenstone. Arriving it was heaving. I couldnt believe just how many brummies were out eating. We had to wait for a table but eventually sat and ordered drinks . We filled our plates with beef and turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots, brocolli, cauliflower cheese, peas, cabbage, roast potatoes and sage and onion stuffing. All at the bargain basement price of £6.25 each. As much as you could eat for a very small price.

Again another lovely day out but it would have been better if there had been less children, less people in the general and we had the place to ourselves but you cannot have everything .

We long for quiet and today was one of those days we did not quite get it. As always a final thought for the day - "Those who know quiet , alone are as carefree as the flowers in the breeze and as pure as the snow in the moonlight". We wanted quiet and we did not get it but we can still be carefree. We can still be grateful for each small trip, each small meal and each perfect or even less than perfect moment.

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