A Toastie in Towcester

Friday is the KHT's day off, so against her better judgement, she was dragged away from her gadgets and out into the wider world.  After the recent rain the ground was rather boggy, so we decided to head off to a town, preferably one with some independent shops that offered a variety of goods more interesting than those in the chain stores.  Our chosen destination was Towcester - a place I remembered visiting to ring about 30 years ago.  Towcester is east - we had a variety of routes to choose between, but we headed down the M40.  Last time we went, I vaguely recalled heading north, but it was a long time ago, and I remembered nothing about the town.

Most of the parking was for two hours. We found a car park that offered three hours free parking and set off, admiring the stone architecture of this small town.

We headed off towards the church - just one problem - having diverted to some shops and we found ourselves the wrong side of the busy A5.  My companion nipped across the road, I stood mesmerised by the traffic, until finally there was a lull and I was able to cross.










The church was still dressed for Christmas. An impressively tall Christmas tree dominated the nave, beautifully decorated in red and gold, which matched the welcome carpet at the entrance.  Wrapped presents and kings lurked on windowsills.  A substantial nativity scene was located in a side aisle. Meanwhile, an organ tutorial was taking place in this beautifully warmed church.

We wandered around the churchyard and could see the parkland the other side of the small River Tove, a tributary of the Ouse - a place to explore on a warmer, drier day.  An Antiques Fair in was taking place in the town hall. Old records, soft toys and bargain jewellery were on sale, but the only thing that tempted was the facilities.  A small farmers market was taking place, but I didn't fancy carrying food around with me.  We chose one of the several cafe's in the main street and ordered lunch - a warm cheese scone, a large egg and mayo baguette and a toastie in Towcester were our choices.






I had decided it would be nice to have a memento of our visit, but nothing had tempted me - apart from a birthday card for my husband.  However, in a small shopping arcade, we discovered a business that was a mixture of coffee shop and quirky gift shop.  A toy train wove its way beneath coffee tables.








On the wall were some small pieces of art - perfect for adding a bit of interest to the smallest room. We chose one. Now all I need to do is to find a picture framer.







Later, checking my ringing records I discovered that it was Kettering, not Towcester, I had rung at, way back in 1987!  Right county, wrong town. It also explains why we headed south today, not north!