Lost Pubs from the WME Archives #33

I started my Lost Pubs series of blogposts nearly five years ago and here we are 33 episodes in with still enough material to keep me occupied for several more yet. Our first archive dip of 2024 brings back memories of bygone boozers from Birmingham, Coventry, Burton and Herefordshire...

- The Stags Head -

We'll start this selection on Summer Lane in Birmingham where there used to be a fair few pubs on the run up into Newtown. The Barrel Bar & Grill has survived (at time of writing) but the Stags Head on the corner of Brearley Street has fallen by the wayside. The building is admittedly still standing but is becoming an eyesore with exposed brickwork and some very unsightly metal shutters; I don't know what further use the owners may have in mind for it. 

- The Rocket -

I never had the pleasure - or otherwise - of frequenting the Stags Head although I did venture into the Rocket on one occasion (with Mr D9 during the Hub Marketing Board's 2013 Coventry Caper). Very handy for the railway station, this Warwick Road watering hole was a sports bar in the main and not especially memorable at the time of our visit; it did however have history as a meeting place for 2-Tone artists such as the Specials and the Selecter who would have recorded at the Horizon Studios over the road. Demolition was the ultimate fate here, the Rocket finding itself razed to facilitate a new station frontage. 

- The New Highcroft -

Now here's a place I well remember from childhood, although I hardly ever ventured inside. The (New) Highcroft stood on Old Fallings Lane at the top of Whitgreave Avenue, from where it served the residents of Bushbury Hill and Fallings Park. Living not too far away, many is the time I would have gone past on foot or during car journeys and it was a definitive landmark for the local area. If I remember correctly, it had a short-lived spell as a Wetherspoons (the Moon Under Water) before reverting to the Highcroft moniker and then making way for a care home. 

- The Red Lion -

From Wolverhampton's far north to the eastern edges of Burton upon Trent now as we pause to ponder what became of the Red Lion in Horninglow. A reasonably handsome property in its heyday, it could be found opposite the little parade of shops at Horninglow Green but looked depressingly derelict when I took this picture back in September 2018. As with many in the vicinity, this was a Marston's tied house but has since been turned into a community centre.

- Ring of Bells -

Last but not least comes an example from lovely Ledbury, that charming Herefordshire market town which is noted for its Tudor-styled timber architecture. The Ring of Bells on New Street doesn't quite reach those levels of constructional quaintness and had already closed down by the time of this April 2011 photograph. The premises has latterly been converted for residential use with the sloping side portion removed in order to squeeze in more housing.

Caunsall, Cookley and Kinver

Cask ales, canals and some rather special cobs are all on the menu when Nick and I delve into the underrated area where South Staffordshire meets Worcestershire - there is even a seriously sizeable serving of side salad!

- Stained Glass at St Thomas's -

It's Saturday 17th February 2024, mild but overcast as I board the number 16 bus opposite Penn Library. The journey to Stourbridge is one I used to make quite frequently back in the day, so the likes of Wombourne, Swindon, Wall Heath and Kingswinford form a roll call of familiar friends before Stourbridge Interchange hovers on the horizon at nearly 10 o'clock. Nick is already in attendance having utilised the 'Dodger' shuttle train down from Stourbridge Junction and we've a few spare minutes for a spot of Stourbridge sight-seeing, hence nosing around inside St Thomas's Parish Church. This Grade I-listed Georgian gem features many interesting details, not least of which are an elaborate barrel-vaulted ceiling and some very fine stained glass (the latter produced by Chance Brothers of Smethwick).

- Stourbridge Town Hall -

Stourbridge's architectural treats also include the Town Hall further along Market Street, a venue Nick and I know well from the times when it hosted the local beer festival. Red brick in appearance and constructed in a Renaissance style to designs by Thomas Robinson, it was built in 1887 and funded by public subscription in honour of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. Our bus connection to Kinver is the 242 route, departing at 10:40 and currently operated by Select Bus Services of Penkridge. A trundle along Enville Street to Wollaston Junction is followed by a circuit of Hyperion Road (an ordinary Stourton housing estate), a glimpse of Stourbridge Rugby Club and a reminder of the Stewponey, a massive roadhouse pub which was demolished circa 2004 and replaced with apartment living. 

- Snuggly Buggly on the Staffs & Worcs -

Dunsley Road wiggles its way towards Kinver and we hop off as soon as we see the Vine Inn so as to join the Staffs & Worcs Canal at Kinver Lock. Hyde Lock and Dunsley Tunnel would await were we to head north but on this occasion we're aiming south in the general direction of Caunsall and Cookley. Despite recent downpours, the towpath isn't overly muddy and there are cottage gardens on the far bank for us to admire (with chimpanzee and parrot ornaments). Narrowboats including 'Little Grebe' and 'Snuggly Buggly' are moored up as we take our time, leisurely reaching Whittington Horse Bridge with the River Stour for close company.

- Whittington Lock -

A little more strolling brings us next to Whittington Lock, accompanied by a creamy yellow keeper's house where the canal ducks below Windsor Holloway. You feel like you are getting away from it all here, a scene that won't have changed much over the centuries except maybe for the distant traffic churn of the A449. We're crossing into Worcestershire by this stage and the sight of Caunsall Bridge prompts us to exit the canal in favour of hamlet exploration. There isn't very much to Caunsall in truth, a cluster of houses and barns with an excitable barking Alsatian guarding one goose-focused smallholding. There is however one more item of note...

- Ludlow Gold in the Anchor -

Ah, that'll be the Anchor with its Mitchells & Butlers lamp over the front door. It's been over ten years since I last had the pleasure of coming here yet it hasn't altered one jot, from the snug with its horse racing illustrations to the main bar alive with that peculiar burr of Black Country accents mixed with a Worcestershire twang. It seems an anachronism in the modern age to say that a pub can survive merely by selling cobs but the ones on offer at the Anchor are the stuff of legend; we opt for the cheese variety, getting a solid slab of cheddar and a generous plateful of salad ingredients (onion, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, as fresh as you could want) - all for the princely sum of £3, goodness gracious! The drinks are equally exceptional with me savouring a Ludlow Gold while Nick is drawn towards the Barbourne scrumpy cider, perfect!

- Cookley Tunnel -

Conscious of tight timings because the last bus back from Kinver is ridiculously scheduled for quarter past three, we continue along the lane into nearby Cookley but do detour to the canal again briefly so as to see Cookley Tunnel. Otherwise referenced as Staffs & Worcs Bridge No. 23, the tunnel burrows 65 yards through a sandstone ridge with a row of houses on high. Up on the lane once more, we nip into the Bulls Head for your standard Marston's experience - cue a swift half of Banks's Amber sitting in a lounge furnished with baby toys and high chairs. The barmaid here is something of a character with a booming voice that would put many a foghorn to shame, making Nick want to adjust his hearing aids pronto!

- Kinver Constitutional Club -

Cookley Lane takes the strain for the return leg to Kinver, spotting St Peter's Church on the skyline to reassure us we're going the right way. Having been spoiled for cask quality at the Anchor earlier, we'd like to try somewhere with similar levels of ale excellence and the Kinver Constitutional Club will be that place. A longstanding entrant in the Good Beer Guide, the club is often in the running for CAMRA awards and can serve up to a dozen tempting beers mostly from local breweries. As a case in point, we plump for pints of Kinver Noble (a moreish 4.5% pale bitter) and sit in a plush bay window keeping half an eye on any High Street happenings. Clubs such as this offer that additional level of comfort compared to what you might get in a normal pub, so it's a relief when we're buzzed through and welcomed inside.

- Bathams Bitter in the Unicorn -

Catching that 15:13 242 as planned, we stop off in Wollaston where the ever-beguiling Unicorn has lost none of its Bathams beauty - Best Bitter, textured walls, carved pews and good conversation is all you can ask for really. The Kingsbridge has more of a coffee shop vibe by contrast but there's no disputing their Wye Valley Butty Bach is in good condition and news that Wolves are winning at Tottenham further embellishes my good mood. Acting on a recommendation from a bloke we'd chatted to on the bus, we finish up in Stourbridge courtesy of the Crafty Jar, a newish venture on Lower High Street which specialises in craft beer. Purity Bunny Hop scores highly here then it's a nightcap task of squeezing in at a busy Duke of William on Coventry Street to round things off over a Ludlow Black Knight. Cheers!

Mopping Up Around Old Hill and Cradley Heath

The Hub Marketing Board have been very thorough over the years when it comes to amassing our West Midlands pub repertoire, meaning our recent trips have tended to become mopping up exercises plugging any lingering holes. Chairman D9 has now earmarked Cradley Heath and Old Hill as areas in need of some additional attention, and with the forecast set for rain, rain and more rain we might be mopping in more ways than one!

- Route 1 at Dudley (Tower Street) -

It's Friday 9th February 2024 and the weather is already drab and dreary as Hub Marketing members descend upon Dudley for an 11:45am rendezvous. The closure and demolition of Dudley Bus Station means that bus services are terminating at various stops across the town centre, including at Coronation Gardens, Priory Road and Tower Street - the latter location is where the number 1 terminates (at the end stand opposite the Malt Shovel) so the Secretary lands here after journeying across from Tettenhall Wood. A new £24 million interchange is due to open in 2025 (all being well) with modern passenger provision to replace the 1986 facility.

- Theakston's Tarmac in Ella's Bar -

Dodging persistent drizzle, we board the 19 bound for our opening destination of the day - Netherton. Regular readers would at this point be expecting us to beat a path straight to Ma Pardoe's front door but no! In an almost sacrilegious turn of events, we instead target Ella's Bar further along Halesowen Road. This used to be the local Labour Club and defies our dive predictions by being reasonably smart and comfortable inside (external appearances are still a little off-putting mind). Bottletop and penny coin tables, a stage area and panda artworks add to the intrigue as we try to avoid watching 'Loose Women' over our opening pints of Carling and Theakston's Mild respectively. Swerving the Old Swan? Well I never...

- The Charts Are Revealed -

Mr D9 fancies a Darby End detour for his next trick but things don't quite work out as planned because both the Gate Hangs Well and the Red Lion are closed of a Friday lunchtime. Maybe we're just being unlucky with our timings so a stomp up Gawne Lane gets us back on track, passing the White Lion pub-turned-cafe in the process. Powke Lane is subjected to the upper echelons of the 2023 Pick of the Pops chart; we'd started the countdown in Telford last time but DJ Hubbacini got too distracted by his beer and forgot to announce the top five. Happily we can now confirm that 'We All Love Tiny Tim' claimed the number one position as Silly Song of the Year, a revelation we mark over a hefty cob and celebratory glass of Elephant Riders Pale Ale at the Old Bush Revived. Black Country Ales have kept the place pleasingly traditional since taking it on from Banks's, well worth climbing the steep hill for. 

- Spring Meadow Signage -

Thankfully for the Chairman's lungs, it's downhill next all the way into Old Hill as we continue to compile our list of 2024 Silly Song candidates. This trip's contributors will be Bruce Forsyth ('My Little Budgie', as awful as you might imagine) and Stephen Lewis (yes him again, this time with 'Tickets Please'). Our eardrums have only marginally recovered by the time we reach Halesowen Road and swoop upon the Spring Meadow, tastefully refurbished after a catastrophic fire a few years ago. Glossing over the beer choice (John Smiths vs Doom Bar), we admire the heritage pictures dotted around the walls including recalling the heyday of the Old Hill Plaza, an important venue in the formation of Led Zeppelin no less!

- A Sighting of Satchmo?! -

While it is heartening that the Spring Meadow has been able to survive and indeed thrive despite such a significant setback, other Old Hill watering holes haven't been so resilient. Satchmo's (historically the George) has been turned into a pharmacy although you can still detect a portrait of the great Louis Armstrong outside; the Cooksey expired several years back, and news now reaches us that the Riddins Tavern on Mossvale Close has shut down and is unlikely to ever trade again. Another backstreet Banks's boozer gone for good?

- D9 Destroyed in the Cottage Spring -

One relatively recent arrival to offset these casualties is of course Wheelie Thirsty, Fixed Wheel's micropub as situated in a former bank/pizza takeaway. Wheelie Pale is crystal clear nectar when paired with a tiger roll and a packet of scratchings - their meal deal is very good value we think - plus we like the various cycling-related illustrations on display. Things are arguably less cultured however at the Cottage Spring off Bowling Green Road, an average estate affair which apparently serves up carvery roast dinners. We decide to make this our darting starter for 2024, occupying the oche across four not-very-clinical legs which WME Whirlwind edges by a 3-1 scoreline; perhaps D9 Destroyer was getting befuddled by his Beardsmore bleach or an entourage of children playing pool nearby. 

- A Holly Bush Bald Spot -

Progressing deeper into Cradley Heath, we ponder the Holly Bush on Newtown Lane where the bald spot is interested in the idea of Thursday night comedy clubs. There isn't any sign of life there on a Friday evening though so we relocate to the Cherrywood Smokehouse over on Graingers Lane which acts as our second ex-Labour Club of the day as well as seeing us gatecrashing another wake too, not that the Chairman is successful in his attempts to grab any buffet leftovers! Nepalese and Indian food is their stock-in trade so we make a mental note to visit for a mixed grill on a future expedition when we're not so stuffed with cobs. 

- Home D9 and Don't Spare the Horses! -

Our final slice of mopping up activities brings us neatly into Quarry Bank because Mr D9 has yet to have the pleasure of the Old Liberal or the Beer Bank. Secretary WME rates them both very highly and is pleased that they are as lively as when he visited with HRH last November; perhaps in honour of Nick, we partake of halves of Royal Beast in the latter (albeit minus any free mince pies) and even check out their padded throne, not quite as thorny as the seat in Wolverhampton's Giffard Arms but you can't have everything. A quick shuffle up towards The Delph yields a HPA nightcap in the Brickmakers Arms before the number 8 bus drops nicely for a D9 driving-infused journey home. Much mopping was thus achieved - cheers!

Waterways Walks: Wightwick to Wombourne

It's Saturday 3rd February 2024 and another round of train strikes mean I'm not inclined to be relying on public transport during my next spot of explorational exercise. The towpath of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal seems more enticing instead, giving me chance to file my first Waterways Walk posting of the year...

- Near Castlecroft Bridge -

Much of what I'll be covering this trip is very familiar territory, although sometimes it's simply nice to get out of the house and put some miles into your legs. Picking my way along nature reserve paths through Smestow Valley, I join the Staffs & Worcs at Wightwick Mill Lock a little west of Compton. The playing fields of Smestow Academy hug the far bank as I proceed in turn past Wightwick Lock and Wightwick Bridge (Windmill Lane) to enter South Staffordshire countryside beyond the Mermaid moorings base. Faint wisps of blue sky gradually get edged out by cloud but it's pleasantly mild for the time of year, making for good walking weather as Castlecroft and Mops Farm Bridges are next for my attentions. 

- Something Stumpish at Dimmingsdale -

Bidding good morning to the usual mix of dog walkers and cyclists, I arrive at Dimmingsdale where any lock happenings are studiously scrutinised by one of those stump characters you see dotted all along the towpath here. Dimmingsdale Bridge appears to be undergoing yet more repairs so I wonder if it has suffered from another traffic collision - it always seems so susceptible to having its brickwork part-demolished by careless drivers! Sankey's fishing pool and Ebstree Lock offer additional camera opportunities before I reacquaint myself with Awbridge Lock not far from Trysull - alas I won't be sampling The Bell today.

- Bratch Top Lock Cottage -

I am however intending on fully inspecting one of my favourite canal locations anywhere in the country, namely the staircase sequence that is Bratch Locks. Three conjoined chambers make for an ingenious example of James Brindley's engineering that has served as something of a tourist attraction visited by Black Country folk over the centuries. Top Lock has a charming cottage for company then Middle Lock is topped by a distinctive octagonal tollhouse complete with semi-circular arched windows. The canal first opened in 1772 while the tollhouse itself dates from about 1800, meaning you've easily got 200+ years of history at your disposal. Bratch Pumping Station is beguiling in its own right, built by the Bilston Corporation in a fairytale ornate Gothic fashion and currently owned (if not used) by Severn Trent Water. 

- Bumblehole Lock -

Beyond The Bratch the canal hugs Wombourne's western extremities via Bumblehole Lock (with steep slanted parapet and well-worn whitewashed keeper's house) and Houndel Bridge (which stands beside the Round Oak pub). Giggetty Wharf is my prompt to exit the towpath in readiness for some village investigations although the Wom Brook is in the vicinity too for fans of watercourses in general. I reckon I've walked just shy of five miles so far, taking me two and a bit hours although you'd have to factor frequent photo stops into the timings there.

- The Church of the Venerable Bede -

I know Wombourne pretty well thanks to several previous forays but there are undiscovered aspects for me to get to grips with. The Church of the Venerable Bede is a good case in point, based on Giggetty Lane in a building that dates to 1957 (hence being much younger than its sister church St Benedict Biscop). A block of shops on Common Road corner include Bromley Butchers and a Boots Pharmacy, then Sytch Lane has a lawn cemetery and Blakeley Heath Primary School, neither of which I can remember ever noticing until now. Greenhill combines with Rookery Road as I home in on Battlefield Hill which may or may not be the site where the 910 AD Battle of Tettenhall took place - its exact location is subject to much conjecture!

- The Old Bush -

I'm in the market for a pint or two to ward off the risk of feeling thirsty, albeit my initial target (the Red Lion) isn't open yet. Not to worry, the Old Bush is only around the corner so I'll be able to assess what Black Country Ales have done with the place. At first glance it doesn't look too different from its years under Banks's stewardship, but I think they've opened it out more inside and the range of real ales stocked has increased significantly. I obtain a Little Eaton Old Mill Stout then struggle to find a spare table - it appears that the whole world and his wife have made this their Saturday lunchtime Wombourne watering hole of choice. A stool by a shelf comes to my rescue so I've somewhere to park my gigantic cob (cheese and onion with a healthy slathering of mustard), listen to Lonnie Donegan's 'Cumberland Gap' and polish off a second ale in the form of Beowulf's Chasewater Pale Bitter. 

- Enville Excellence at the Red Lion -

Judging by the sheer amount of custom, the Old Bush is definitely a hit and come 2pm the Red Lion should have unbolted its doors - oh good, it has! Nestled almost unnoticed below the A449 dual carriageway, I've had a soft spot for this old inn ever since Nick and I dropped by years ago for a high class slurp of Enville Ginger. The homeliness makes it in my eyes, helped by a 60s Soul soundtrack and the prospect of Bostin' Scratchuns for a tasty treat - one of the Lion's regular canine visitors seems equally as enthused about the scratchings, cue much whimpering. Enville Ale (minus any gingery flavourings) is spot on this time around so I account for a couple of those prior to a number 16 bus ride home. Cheers!

A Weymouth Winter Holiday

January probably isn't the best month of the year for planning getaways but the chance to celebrate my Grandad's birthday with a Daish's coach holiday in Dorset was not one to turn down. It had been years since I last visited Weymouth so provided the winter weather is kind, we should be in for a good few days...

- Weymouth Harbour -

The break begins on Tuesday 23rd January with our journey down to the south coast via the M5 motorway, Yeovil and the A37 trunk road. Yes I am the youngest person on the coach by some distance but with three generations of the WME family aboard I am in good company, and we check in at the Russell Hotel at around half past two (Daish's also own the Prince Regent next door). Getting reacquainted with Weymouth again initially involves the historic harbour - still home to a working fleet of fishing boats such as Sarah Louise above - and calling into the William Henry Wetherspoons for a relaxing pint or two. An evening meal followed by live entertainment back at the hotel then helps us settle in even more.

- Maumbury Rings -

Wednesday 24th January is dedicated to all things Dorchester, with Grandad particularly keen to sample the county town's famous weekly market; judging by how packed out the number 10 bus is, plenty of other folk have had the same idea! Whilst he browses the stalls in search of bargains, I stage a cultural interlude courtesy of Maumbury Rings, the preserved earthworks of what is purported to have been a Neolithic henge, Roman amphitheatre and a Civil War artillery fort over the course of its long history. I traverse the mounds for photographic purposes just as the morning murk starts to lift.

- Dorchester West Station -

Dorchester is served by two railway stations - Dorchester South (overlooked by the impressive Brewery Square redevelopment which has brought the vast Eldridge Pope headquarters back into public use) and Dorchester West (an unstaffed halt partially redeployed as a Domino's Pizza outlet). My camera-toting circuit also covers the Shire Hall, the Borough Gardens - complete with ornamental clock tower donated to the town by magistrate and benefactor Charles Hansford in 1905 - and the former Lott & Walne Limited foundry beside the River Frome at Fordington. Naturally one of my favourite finds is a pub, in this case the Convivial Rabbit which lurks almost secretively down a Trinity Street alleyway. A devilishly decadent Chocolate Stout is an ideal accompaniment to perusing their bookshelf of walking literature. 

- Weymouth Promenade -

Wednesday evening at the Russell was most definitely Elvis Night with tribute artist Barry Paull doing a fine job of belting out the King's greatest hits - Grandad even wore his 'Hound Dog' shirt specially for the occasion. I've only just about recovered come Thursday morning when another early harbour stroll gets me thoroughly energised again; it's a joy to see the promenade and quayside when things are quiet, witnessing the gentle comings and goings as the town slowly springs to life. Other landmarks on my photographic hitlist include the Royal Hotel (with its notable Free Renaissance-styled frontage), the King's Statue (marking George III's Golden Jubilee in 1809), and Rossi's Ices as an unspoiled 1930s ice cream parlour.

- Bridport Bus Station -

Thursday is the worst day of the holiday weather-wise but is nevertheless reasonably dry and mild so we won't be complaining too much. Bridport beckons via a leisurely X51 journey that gets very misty in the vicinity of Winterbourne Abbas, although we can ponder Poundbury's almost fantasy architectural aspects uninterrupted. As for Bridport, the market town's very basic bus station is familiar from when I came with Woody and Rog years ago, likewise the adjacent First Group depot. The Town Hall is a noble Georgian structure with a charming cupola that stands on the junction of East, West and South Streets. 

- The Ropemakers -

Bridport's heritage is as a centre for rope and net manufacture, particularly during the Middle Ages, and this industry is reflected in the name of prominent local hostelry The Ropemakers. Keen to sample some Dorset ale, I can't resist popping in for a pint of Palmer's Tally Ho - dark, strong and 5.5% abv, that'll do the trick! Besides the beer, the pub's interior is very beguiling with lots of curios and artefacts to consider, not to mention performance spaces for the wide range of live music acts they host on a rolling programme. The X53 route is then on hand to convey me back to Weymouth care of a scenic jaunt around West Bay and Burton Bradstock.

- Sunrise over Weymouth Bay -

Ant & Dave - most definitely not Ant & Dec - are our Thursday double act specialising in the Sensational 70s, or is that just the sprightly ladies taking to the dancefloor with great gusto? Luckily I'm spared having to bust any grooves myself so Friday morning has relatively few aches and pains during my now-adopted harbour constitutional. Glorious sunshine is in the offing and the golden glints of dawn look beautiful gradually glowing over the waves - you'd pay good money to see sunrises like that, wherever in the world they happen to appear.

- St George's Reforne Cemetery -

After breakfast and a brief bit of railway station reconnaissance, I catch the local 1 service to Portland via Wyke Regis and the Ferry Bridge causeway - the views along Chesil Beach are nothing short of spectacular, particularly when ascending the steep hill out of Fortuneswell. I'd been to Portland Bill previously and as much as I love a good lighthouse, I'm keen to see the island's main villages on this occasion. The bus terminates in Southwell (Rip Croft) so I alight there and busy myself with pictures of the Eight Kings Inn and St Andrew's Chapel. Avalanche Road leads me onwards via Weston for a closer look at Portland Cemetery, all watched over by the redundant yet magnificent C18th remains of St George's as currently cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. 

- Spirit of Portland -

Portland of course is renowned for the quality of the stone quarried here which has been used in constructing some of the nation's most prestigious buildings, including St Paul's Cathedral and Buckingham Palace. This pedigree is recognised by the Spirit of Portland sculpture on the hillside high above Fortuneswell, well worth seeing with its dramatic rooftop backdrop. My village survey continues with Easton (home to the Punchbowl Inn and the Tophill branch library) before I linger near the Heights Hotel trying to absorb the vistas. Several different memorials are positioned here along with the interlocked Olympic rings in reference to how Weymouth and Portland held the sailing events during London 2012.

- Royal Portland Arms -

Two prime Portland pubs should set the seal on a special holiday, whereby the first of these is the Royal Portland Arms as a Fortuneswell free house of considerable repute. Glastonbury's Mystery Tor is a zingy golden ale with oodles of hoppy bite while the landlady is fully focused on trying to beat one of her regulars at darts. If that place had personality, the same can also be said for the Cove House Inn which literally stands on the pebbles of Chesil Beach. Such is the atmospheric texture of the building here, I can well imagine it being involved in smuggling and shipwrecks over the centuries although that might just be the romantic in me letting my mind wander! A final family evening at the Russell precedes a steady Saturday coach drive home to the West Midlands and it's all over. Thank you Weymouth, I hope to be back!