On Thursday (29/07/2021) we spent the day in Wallingford as the weather forecast was grim. It was market day in town and Vera was keen to investigate the pet food and treat stall. A lady coming towards us slipped on the wet pavement and said “oops! Too much gin for breakfast”!
The pretty town of Wallingford was across the Thames from Crowmarsh Gifford. Jethro Tull (the man, not the folk rock band) was born in Basildon in Berkshire and after studying at Oxford he trained as a barrister. Tull farmed at Howbery Farm in Crowmarsh Gifford from 1700 to 1710 and there in 1701 he devised and constructed the horse-drawn seed drill, enabling crops to be sown efficiently in rows, which was much more productive than the previous method where the seeds were broadcast (scattered) by hand. His design was partly inspired by instruments such as the organ. This picture is what he would have seen walking across the bridge into Wallingford.
Angie, collector of mooring fees (£12 per night) at 09:00 hrs. every morning, recommended breakfast at The Dolphin, which we did on Friday morning, but not today.
There were still some impressive old buildings in Wallingford and a space age Waitrose in the centre of town facing this place pointing the way to Reading and Oxford for centuries.
This looks like a top security gate from a bygone age.
We set off on Saturday morning (31/07/2021) and almost immediately realised that our alternator drive belt had given up the ghost. We called Dave at Long Term Narrowboat Hire at Heyford Wharf and he urged us to return to our mooring at Wallingford and switch the engine off. The belt charged up our batteries via the alternator and also provided power to the water pump that cooled the engine. He had lost two narrowboat diesel engines already, due to holidaymakers continuing to cruise after their belts had snapped.
He said that he would be with us at 11:30 hrs. so we went for breakfast in The Dolphin (affectionately known as The Dolly by regulars). Sausage and bacon baps went down well.
Back at the boat Dave arrived and after much head scratching reported that the new belt (which he had to drive to Reading to get as it was not one that he had brought along with him), which was the same size as the old one was too small. He set off again to get a selection of belts from Reading, one of which would hopefully do the job. He phoned to say he would get back to the boat at 17:00 hrs.
Steve and Vera checked out the Shellfish Cow (named after his ex-wife, claimed the owner).
There were four storeys to this restaurant and bar and yesterday when we went in the staff must have been upstairs and after waiting for five minutes with no sign of life we went next door to The Dolphin.
Hilary decided that as it was our 23rd wedding anniversary and we would be here for another night she would book us a room in the George Hotel, a 16th Century Coaching Inn in the centre of Wallingford.
The George has many stories to tell. Dick Turpin, the famous highwayman, is believed to have escaped the law on many occasions from his room above the courtyard.
The legend of the Teardrop room is a mixture of fact and circumstance. John Robson a royalist was fatally stabbed in a bar room brawl, leaving his betrothed heartbroken. She fled to her room and sobbed uncontrollably, mixing her tears with soot from the fire, which she then painted on the walls. In that same room 300 years later the teardrop symbols still remain.
We left the key to the boat on the weed hatch for Dave and set off to the hotel at 16:00 hrs. We tried to get an evening meal in The Town Arms which claimed to be dog friendly, but we were told that Vera was not allowed inside the pub (and rain clouds were amassing) and that we would have to order our food via an App. We opted to return to The Dolphin.
We had burgers and hot dogs in the garden, serenaded by Siouxsie & The Banshees and Motörhead in the beer garden.
Dave had phoned us earlier in the evening to say that the belt on The Duke had finally been replaced and all was well with the engine. This meant that we would be able to move on tomorrow morning after breakfast.
There were lots of dogs in Wallingford and many businesses were like the George Hotel in displaying this sign.
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