The Old Abreuveurs of Guernsey #2

Today there was a special service at the Town Church commemorating 100 years on 4 March when approximately 250 men of D Company of the 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment left the Island for training in Fermoy, Co. Cork and then inevitably the Front. D Company was the Islands first company of volunteers to leave the island. They went to the front line in January 1916 and suffered heavy casualties. We rang a quarter peal at the Town Church on Wednesday to commemorate this. Because it was special service with all the important dignitaries attending it was held at 11.00 rather than 10:30 as is normal on a Sunday, so I had extra time before ringing to go far a longer walk.

I started by taking this  photograph of the (old) Ladies' College. That is old because they moved to a new building in 1965 not old because the girls were old; though many of us are now. This building could tell a tale or two about my school life from the age of 10 to 15!

When I got a bit under halfway around my intended route I realised that I wouldn't have time to go as far as I'd imagined so I veered off down Steam Mill Lanes and the old mill which has been amazingly converted into a really high class jewellers. I've never visited but will do so one day soon; though I won't bother to take my credit cards because I doubt I can afford anything that Cathy Best has designed.

And just before I came back onto the main road to head back into town I came across this old abreuveur. I don't think the bags of rubbish add anything to it but they were much too heavy for me to move.

Some people were surprised that we don't have any rivers over here. Well our douits might grow into full blown rivers if they had space to flow and join others but they hit the sea (or more likely one of the reservoirs) within very few miles. Our island is tiny!