MonoMonday - Architecture.........

................I did not have to travel far for this image - to my garden gate and back in fact! I just happen to live in the cottage on the left!

I tried several fancy angles to try to titivate the image but decided that a straight, plain full frontal looked the best - rightly or wrongly!

In 1719, Lady Ann HODGSON left a yearly rent charge for charitable purposes in the village. Part of the bequest left money to care for poor women in the parish almshouses. These two cottages, were built in 1887 from this bequest to mark Queen V0ctoria's Jubilee. They were only available to women who were teetotal (did not drink alcohol), hence the statue of the Water Carrier near the entrances!

The amount of work entailed in building two tiny cottages of this design does seem rather extravagant for Almshouses - (my Summer picture of the 16th July 2013 shows a lot of the intricately carved stonework.) - but, looking around at similar properties, this often seems the case.

At the time of building, the village's population was around 1000 - it is now about 5,500 and a few years ago was England's fastest growing village I'm told.

I have lived here for 10 years - the cottage and garden are miniscule but, for all it's inconveniences, I would be reluctant to change - the village is extremely well serviced with nearly everything you could possibly want and the natives are friendly. There is even a train station.

If you wish to see more, pop and look at my blip for 16th July last year - it shows the rather pretty dining room window, more of the stonework and some flowers too!!

Not such a bright day as yesterday at the moment but it is only 9.28am so could change - Temperature reads 48Deg. F.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.