Kinema in the Woods

Today we visited Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire. The last time I was there was nearly 60 years ago and I was too little to remember the trip. I never forgot the name, though. The village held a great place in my childhood memory - or its name did. You see, my old brother and sister each had a pair of jeans and I wanted some jeans, too. So my mother got me some. Well, to be accurate, she bought me a pair of green cotton dungarees. They had a squirrel embroidered on the bib front and I loved them to bits. I can remember stroking my hands down my front to feel the embroidery. I loved my first pair of 'jeans'! And they came from ... Woodhall Spa.

What took us there, I'll never know. What took us there today was largely curiosity. And the little place exceeded my expectations - it is absolutely charming. It's as if it's in a 50-year time warp. And this little 'kinema' is amazing. A plaque placed on its outer wall in 1996 to commemorate the centenary of cinema, declares:
"England's unique rear projection kinema. Films have been shown here continuously since August 1922."

There's also a super private bookshop-cum-cafe with fancy goods thrown in and even a second-hand books section. The owner told me they will be celebrating their 10th birthday this year - and they'd love an author to come along and contribute to their celebrations ...

Watch this space!