Cosgrove

What a beautiful sunny day it was for cruising along to Cosgrove. After tying up and having a bite to eat we walked along to the lock and down the old Buckingham Arm. The bit that is in water is used for permanent mooring, beyond this the towpath is still well used alongside the overgrown indent of the canal providing a wildlife corridor. In the nearby field we spotted this queer little stone structure. A quick Google found that it was an Icehouse for nearby Cosgrove Hall. Ice was gathered from the Buckingham Canal and packed along with straw into the thick walled structure for preserving fish and game etc. It is a grade two listed building dating from 1820, in fact it was the forerunner of the fridge.

                                                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

We then went down through the old Horse Tunnel which runs underneath the canal to emerge by the Barley Mow Pub. The working canal boat horses used this to reach the stables which were on the opposite side to the towpath. A little further on is the Cosgrove Hall which is not visible from the road.

The quaint little lodge which stands beside the gateway to the hall is like something out of a fairy story. Rustic wooden pillars hold up the thatched porch by the road. It is unoccupied and desperately in need of some tlc as the thatch is disintegrating.

Down towards The Green there are a few more delightful little cottages. This little row of six had a 1750 date stone. The one on the right is in the process of being correctly pointed in with lime mortar.

            

The Church has a very well kept graveyard. Inside there are very few stained glass widows, this is a detail from the window over the altar. Tonight must be bell ringing practice as the bells have just struck up. It was nice to find that some thoughtful village person had put a bucket of apples by their gate with a sign saying ‘help yourself’, so it will be apple and custard for pudding tomorrow.