Banbury

It promised to be a cold but sunny day today so we decided on a ride out to the National Trust property Upton House.  On arrival the car park was empty and a notice said they are only open on weekends, I should have checked first.  We felt Sick!  

As we were well on the way along the Banbury Road we decided to carry on to the town, somewhere neither of us had visited before.  They seem to be completely rebuilding the centre of the town but we found the entrance to Banbury Museum where we had a good look round.

I didn't see it but I read that Dick Turpin's pistol was found at Ye Olde Reindeer Inn, Banbury in 1912.
"...a double barrel pistol was found behind it and it had an inscription that read, “Presented to Dick Turpin at the White Bear Inn, Drury Lane Feb 7, 1735” 

My other disappointment was that the original Banbury Cross does not exist.  Outside the Castle Shopping Centre is a plaque explaining that the Banbury High Cross was destroyed by puritans on 26th July 1600.  We found a Nero for coffee and didn't spend too much more time in town, which I'm sure is very interesting, or see the existing Banbury Cross.

This is a photo of the entrance to the Castle Shopping Centre and the plaque.  Although the facade looks quite old (it is dated 1977 so maybe not that old), the shopping centre inside is very Slick, with everything Spick and span.

So, very tenuous links to today's rhyming word "quick".  Thanks to laurie54 for hosting today's Mono Monday.