Happy Henley

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A slide show above shows Henley a few weeks ago. The Saint Books are in the window of the excellent Ways Bookshop in Friday Street. I also like the new railings and bushes planted on riverside.

Finally some more up to date pictures taken in town, some today!

The new tree planted in memory of the soldiers who fought in the first World War, at Northfield end

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A ceremony to bless the new tree was held this weekend and a plaque has been attached.

The Swiss Farm field car park on match day for the Henley Hawks this Saturday

Our local butcher, closed on Sunday

Hart Street, and the Catherine Wheel, with St Mary’s Church in the background

Views of the excavations in the Kings Road Car Park –

A view taken at Northfield End in our lovely Winter sunshine

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From Hobbs to Tesco

What a lovely sunny day it was today – another golden Autumn day

You probably know that occasionally I put up pictures taken on a bike ride. Normally it is on the Thames Path in either direction. This time to Marsh Lock.  You will also see Mill Lane, The Railway Bridge and Tesco. On the way back I took the road and passed Christchurch which has an impressive spire.

Below is a slide show of pictures. I have also tried to make them different from anything I have put on the blog before.  We have a lovely town and surroundings. It starts of with pictures taken close to Northfield End, whilst the last of the runners were completing the Half Marathon to day.  Well done to all who took part. Love #Henley

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I am not quite sure why the words dav and dig come up under the photos in the slide show, I have a new mobile phone so will have to figure that out!

Finally a picture of Norman Topsom MBE, at Twyford Station in the sunshine yesterday.  I found that reassuring as I set out on a journey to Hatch End via Paddington yesterday.

In the past month

Back now with my feet firmly on the ground in Henley.  A long catch up!

 

Views of the Marlow Road taken whilst waiting for the Arriva Bus to Reading before Autumn set in.

 

The Henley Literary  Festival Marquee that housed some of the Literary Festival Events – Fearne Cotton who was speaking at Phyllis Court went to school with our daughter, and also came to our daughter’s birthday parties.  We met up with her Mum and Aunt who were visiting Pinner just before we moved here five years ago.  Well done to her for her second appearance at the Festival.  We were not here during the festival as we were on holiday than.  I was glad to be able to sneak of Mike Read through a door in the Marquee, he appeared at the festival as well!

Our Town Bus, efficiently run by Reading Buses, thanks to the local council.  Stuck in Friday street behind a van unloading. A car on the opposite side refused to move “they were in the bank”, also parked on a double line!

 

Men digging out the earth in the Kings Road Car Park for the Archaeologists to start searching for artefacts etc.

 

A few weeks ago the Marquee was opened up and used for the Town Market

 

Groundwork’s exposed.  One of the workmen said that they had found evidence of a glass kiln and some other artefacts to suggest that the Ravenscroft Glassworks may have been there.

Our local Rugby Club on the Marlow Road – great name for a team “Dings Crusaders!

Autumn setting in

 

A view from opposite Swiss Farm to the River Thames (you may be able to see the boat on the river!

 

Views taken in Reading when I went to a Radio Club two Saturdays ago.    It is great that we can get to Reading, Oxford, Marlow, Nettlebed and many other places by bus.

One day recently I noticed a trail of strawberries along part of the Marlow Road.  You may just be able to see two in this picture

Leaves on the Marlow Road and some Ivy.  Miraculous the trees along the road do not fall down, they are choked by Ivy.

Recently they had some Rugby Match finals for schools at the Rugby Club, the field at Swiss Farm was full of cars, and also the Rugby field opposite, so I was told.

I was shooting into the sun, but above are pictures of the digging taking place, before the builders start on the new buildings in Kings Road Car Park

A lovely display in one of  the library windows by the WI, celebration 100 years of the Suffragettes.

The marquee for the Literary festival finally being taken down

A lovely selection of fruit and vegetables for sale at the Bosely Patch Hut at Swiss Farm recently

A roadside curio, a GPO stone sign by the roadside on the Marlow Road.  Looking rather the worse for wear

I have yet to see this ice cream stall working, I may just have been at the market at the wrong time?

One of my favourite shops in Henley is the Oxfam Bookshop. They did me and other Dr Who Fans proud recently by mounting a display of books dedicated to Dr Who.  I was privileged in the past to have known Brian Hodgson and Dick Mills of the Radiophonic Workshop, and worked closely with them on producing Archive recordings for us.

A real transformation as the leaves start to change colour and drop off the trees.

Finally a picture of the Green at Nettlebed, taken whilst waiting for a bus back from the Sue Ryder Sale on Saturday.

 

Love Henley

Walking into town

The telephone box at Northfield end is now sporting a new paint job. Maybe soon the Town Council will announce what it will be used for now that BT have abandoned it.

A nice shot in the sunshine, looking at Hart Street from quite near to the end of Duke Street.

 

A toll house on the Marlow Road

From https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol16/pp23-30

Shortly before 1820 Cooper’s successor Strickland Freeman diverted a stretch of the Marlow road on the town’s northern edge at his own expense, building two classical lodges on either side possibly for use as toll houses. (fn. 36) The alteration improved a difficult junction outside the Bell Inn, (fn. 37) although Freeman’s motives were probably aesthetic as much as practical.

This footpath opposite the Rugby Club on the Marlow Road, leads down to the river and is a a lovely walk which will take you through eventually through the grounds of Fawley Court, and into Temple Meadows where there are numerous wild plants growing.  Be sure to wear good walking shoes, and also be careful on the bridges that cross smaller rivers, and the inlet to Fawley Court. The Thames Path is all along the river bank, and then in Fawley Court be sure to walk in between the ropes that mark the right of way.

Northfield End has one good convenience store. You will notice that some of the other buildings there were so obviously shops in the past.

The Rugby Club has its own cafe which is open to the public.  It is a hive of activity during home matches and every Sunday when the club trains  new members and young  lads.  The field opposite, across the Marlow road is private and the younger boys play there on Sundays.

The second Toll House across the road to the one above.

Northfield End – a picture taken slightly closer up.

Work has now started on the new buildings in Kings Road.  The way into the town now for pedestrians is out of the Car Park and round the corner, a slight diversion. When the work is finished in 2020? the pathway between the new buildings will be open again.

A lovely view as you walk towards Bell Street from Northfield End/Marlow Road

Twitter talk

I have started off a Twitter account for the Henley on Thames Blog and these are most of the pictures posted on it so far.  If you want to follow my twitter posts this is the address. https://twitter.com/on_blog ger

The Bridle paths of Henley on Thames – this particular path runs from Greys Road and behind Gillotts School.

Strange cargo going past the town Square.  This happens all day long, small lorries, large lorries and heavy cargo of all sorts. This tractor was belching smoke but it is not visible in this picture

The Reading Road. The top picture which shows the Higgs printers – is a landmark.  Well at least it is to me, the turning off for the railway station.  I do however tend to use Queen Street to cut the corner off.

The Tudor House antiques shop is a genuine Tudor building and the stock is well worth a browse if you are in Duke Street.  Does anyone know any more about this old building? I have done a short search and cannot find much at all about it.

I couldn’t seem to be able to post this video of the group on to the Twitter account.  I think you will enjoy this one!  The Ukulele has become a favourite instrument in the streets of Henley on Thames!

A new restaurant in Henley which will bring us a taste of the Mediterranean

All of last week Monday to Friday the walkway between Kings Road Car Park and the Town Square has been shut whilst the preparation for building work goes on. It was open this weekend though.

Above are the cloud formations that brought us non stop rain form around 10am to 6pm on Sunday.

Recent pictures of the retirement homes that are being built. Also the top picture above shows some work being done on what was the Old Workhouse building.

Above are some lovely flowers that have been planted in Town.  Our Town Council have done us proud!

Activity at the end of Kings Road, near the Town Hall.  Everyone will become more familiar with this sight whilst the walkway between the car park and Town Square is closed for building work.

The Past and Present rowing shots!

Excellent resurfacing of the end of Ravenscroft Road at its junction with Kings Road. Mind you it looks like they may have cut out one stage of tarmac – it isn’t smooth. Also why is the rest of Ravenscroft left tatty?

A word of praise for Biffa who do a good job taking away our rubbish weekly. Long may it remain weekly.

An old picture postcard of the Bridge

Love Henley on Thames

Ironic but the Workhouse in Henley (also ex Townlands) is being turned into luxury apartments for retiree’s.  It seems that the council is constantly finding its brief to provide affordable house overturned by developers building homes for profit.  Considering that poor people were confined to the workhouse – it is now being turned into homes for the elderly. I wonder if any ghosts will manifest themselves in the older part of the building? Meanwhile you can see that work has progressed very well with the new building in front.

One lovely thing in town are the many planted displays that brighten things up for residents and visitors alike. Town was exceptionally busy this weekend and visitors spent a  lot of money and time in town buying provisions to take to the 80s Rewind Festival.

I was relaxing in town, waiting for the Town Bus to take me to Henley Leisure Centre when this tractor came past pulling a lot of logs. The Tractor was belching smoke out as well not that healthy!

Two shots of the bridle path that runs from Greys Road, to Henley Leisure Centre or behind Gillotts school.

If you liked my pictures on Henley Past and Present Group, they will now be on this blog exclusively – please pass the word on, thanks!

Sunday

I had a cycle ride down Remenham Lane and back along the towpath on Sunday. Cycling is very cooling but not so much in the hot weather we are enjoying at the moment.

I also saw the mast in the field above Remenham Lane. I suspect if may be for BBC Radio Berkshire, also maybe for a local DAB multiplex. It is a pity that they couldn’t use the mast for a better mobile phone signal.

I started the trip by crossing the bridge, pausing to view passing boats etc.

The so called Red Lion Lawn, seems to me it would be a good idea to grass it over so it lives after its name and look more attractive.

 

The set of pictures above shows Sunday traffic on the bridge – no large lorries at the time I was cycling across and pausing occasionally.

The rest of my journey is below in Slide Show format. We start off with shots of the cricket club and sadly like all our lawns their grass is the worse for wear.   I have of course covered this route many times before in this blog.  I hope you will agree that each time that one walks along the Thames there is also a varied view each time.

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In the slide show there is a view of the Friar Park boat house.  It is quite quirky as is the with the house on Gravel Hill that everyone would like to see for themselves and visit!

Love Henley in summer and winter xx