The Welcombe Hills obelisk

I met up with my friend for another walk, up to the obelisk and then over the hols around before heading back down into town and back along the river. We walked about 8.4 miles.

Erected in 1876 by Robert Needham Philips to honour his brother Mark Philips, ( no not that one) this obelisk on the hill above the Welcombe Hotel is visible for miles up and down the vale of the Avon. He was an MP for Manchester, this was the family seat. Mark Philips (4 November 1800 – 23 December 1873) was an English Liberal Party politician, and one of the first pair of Members of Parliament for Manchester after the Great Reform Act.

Fun fact I stayed at the hotel in 1979 for my 18th birthday - a rare treat out with my parents , we went to the theatre and I felt very grown up! It was owned by London and Midland Railway at that time- my dad probably got a slight discount.

Stratford-upon-Avon itself was busy. Social distancing seems to have mostly disappeared!