Shropshire 18 Whitchurch - Woz Hadrian here ? There must have been more than just this small wall/Lunch at Etsio

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Hadrian woz here - well that was Sions thoughts on our visit to Whitchurch. It was not strictly a visit to see what was there again but more a lunch date at Etsio. We love a good Italian and are missing our Italian food fix because of Covid restrictions on travel . We had not up to a few weeks ago found any half decent Italian in our local town or nearby . It was by chance that I fell upon Etsio in Whitchurch . All the reviews on sites were very complimentary and a quick glance at the menu revealed what looked like a box of delights wrapped up in Italian style . It did not take us long to ring up , book a table for a lunchtime . So here we were - in Whitchurch trying to find a bit of parking for a couple of hours .

First stop a small car park outside the Greyhound pub . Used to free the last time we came . On one of our visits to see houses in North Wales . Now £1 an hour and the pub is renamed the Cock and Greyhound . What is that all about ? Nearly as bad as the Slug and Lettuce - our little friend informed us of his dislike of the change of pub names. We drove back to a larger car park around the corner which also used to be free and overlooked the Jubilee Park . Now 30p per hour. We needed at least two hours so fed the machine 70p and we were good to go for lunch .

A short walk took us to the only bit of Roman wall you can find in Whitchurch. Not particularly impressive . You would expect a lot more from a town that was on Watling Street - the main throughfare - the M1 of its day from Deva to Viraconium . There would have been a substantial wall where now stands High Street. Places for the soldiers to rest up overnight, to stable their horses, repair their tools, arms and buy food and other things they might need . A burial site had been found with evidence of pots and remains but little to prove that anyone let alone Hadrian had passed by. The town lay a days march off Deva so it would seemed probable that there should be something to see . But sadly nothing .After 40 years the town and the road were mostly abandoned .

We walked past the aptly named Roman Way and onto the High Street . We stood alone outside Etsio . We could see movement inside but we felt like Billy No Mates and wondered if lunch would be a solitary event . Luckily someone else turned up so we would have company. The doors opened and we were welcomed inside . I had been before but that was 30 years ago for an evening meal with work at Christmas . I am sure it was not an Italian then . The restaurant was cosy with a log burner which sadly had not been lit . It felt a little cold . We could see the chef in the open kitchen working away. "A drink ?" Of course I eyed up the Aperol Spritz and then the wine . The wine won out although the Aperol Spritz would have made me feel as if I were on Lake Garda . The bread arrived together with the menu . We chose not to eat starters . More room for pudding . We skipped on the prima course and went in for the secondo . I don't cook veal . I don't buy veal in the UK. However,, in Italy I or should I say we rather like it . The driver chose Veal cooked in a wine and wrapped in a parma ham and served with a spicy rocket salad . I chose the veal sitting on a bed of duchesse potatoes accompanied with spinach and covered with creamy Dolcellato cheese . When it arrived it looked lovely and we ate it in silence mostly . Although now and again we stopped to take a sip of the wine and comment on how full the restaurant had become . We did not say much until the plates were empty . "Did you enjoy that ?" The waitress asked and we both agreed it was the best meal we had eaten for a long time . The plates were clean going back to the kitchen . "Dessert ?" Yes please and could we have two double espressos ? As we waited for dessert I asked the driver for marks for the meal . Well it is the sort of thing we do . 9 and 3/4 came back the response . That good hey . Yes that good . Dessert arrived . A tiramisu with coffee ice cream and a Crema Catalana with cherry ice cream . The sweetness of the pudding was perfect against the strong black espressos . "Marks " I asked . The driver put up four fingers and his thumb . "What only five ?" He raised his second hand and then a second later another finger . 11/10 now that is exceptional for a meal . We paid and made the decision to return . The meal was so good we would be foolish not to come again .

Feeling very contented and full we crossed the road and headed for the church which was open today. The fly screen/pigeon screen was flapping in the breeze. I had been inside the church St Alkmunds many years ago . Perhaps a wedding or a christening . I could not remember . I remember it being round inside . More akin to a non conformist chapel than a church . A timeline graced the wall and told the story of the church . Founded in 912 and the first recorded church 1089. 1403 Harry Hotspur who died at the Battle of Shrewsbury was temporarily laid to rest here . As we walked by the pews the story unfolded along the walls . 1453 John Talbot first Earl of Shrewsbury killed at Castillon requested before he died that his heart be brought back to Shropshire and was buried beneath the porch . His bones buried in the Lady Chapel . That was lovely with its oak screen , monument to Talbot and the Arms of Queen Ann high above . We walked in and out of the Tuscan columns that held up the roof . It was a light church with sunlight flooding in . The tower had collapsed or so the time line told us in 1711. The new church was raised in 1712. The clock of the tower a product of J B Joyce master clockmakers in Whitchurch . Memorials lined the walls and ancient medieval glass filled some of the windows . A Painting of the last Supper graced the walls, I think it was a Veronese . Brass chandeliers dripped down from the ceiling . One had been stolen some years ago to great outcry . Was it ever returned ? I dont know .

Outside was an ancient sundial and a small graveyard with copper furnishing . Time was turning them all green .

We left and walked by the insignificant roman wall again . Back to the car . Talking about the Italian experience and counting the days down to the next one .

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Comments

[Home and Away]

Your meal sounds wonderful...
It is always nice to have food that reminds one of the next trip...and I love Italy and its food. Linda and I will be having veal for lunch today...Weiner Schnitzel...to remind us of our time living in Germany, and to celebrate my 72nd birthday

[JenGog]

Italian food
Veal, gnocci and all those ice creams . Travel on a plate . Hope the birthday meal went well and reminded you of good times in Europe . I have a big birthday early 2022 so hope to celebrate it in Turkey and Greece but not sure with Covid the way it is .