"Sheep may safely graze"

Thursday
A quiet day today at home with my sister Janet. In the afternoon we all went for a walk at Castlemorton Common at the foot of the Malvern Hills, together with Janet's dog Wispa, a three-year-old Belgian Shepherd. Wispa is the fourth Belgian Shepherd Janet and Stuart have had - they had two at one time - but I think Wispa is the friendliest. After the initial warning bark whenever she hears the doorbell, she very soon comes to you to make friends, and soon after that will bring you her favorite toy - a rubber ring that she loves to play tug of war with - she never seems to tire of it - our shoulders tire long before she does!
"Castlemorton Common once formed part of Malvern Chase, which became a royal hunting ground after the Conquest of 1066. In the 17th century, Charles I divided it up and sold many parts of it. Following the Enclosure Acts of the 18th and 19th centuries, vast tracts of common land were enclosed. However, Castlemorton Common remained as the last relic of Malvern Chase, probably due to its relatively poor soils and high water table which made agicultural improvements difficult. Common land has its origin in the manorial system of agriculture which flourished in the Middle Ages. The Lord of the manor (the owner of the land) allowed the inhabitants to graze animals, to take underwood, small branches and bracken for fuel, fence repairs and animal bedding; to dig turf or peat for use as domestic fuel and to fish. Over time, these privileges were formalized into rights of common. These common rights were attached to particular properties and are still written into the deeds of many of the houses you see on or around Castlemorton Common today."
My brother and his wife travelled down this afternoon - they are staying in a bed and breakfast just down the road, but they came round for the evening and had dinner with us.