National Trust... At The Double!

The transition of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums to the custodianship of the National Trust means that they should be fully safeguarded for future generations, although Bookworm Bygrave and I haven't been able to make much use of our annual passes during the handover period. The flipside is that our yearlong tickets are now valid at other National Trust venues so the warm weather entices us to go exploring...

- St Cassian's Church -

Two local(ish) trips in two days is our agreement, with the Clent Hills up for consideration on Tuesday 14th July 2026. Wishing to make the most of the weather, let's throw in Chaddesley Corbett for added value - I'd not been to the village since an early 2011 Rog visit so a fifteen year gap is reason enough to have another look. St Cassian’s Church is at the heart of things, the flag of St George billowing from just below its spire, while Miss B finds decades-old Jim graffiti etched into the stonework. A separate churchyard building of arched windows looks most intriguing - could this be a former schoolhouse or parish hall we wonder? 

- Bathams Best Bitter at the Swan -

Chaddesley Corbett is home to three pubs although the Talbot only seems to serve alcohol at the tail end of the week, instead operating as a timber-beamed coffee shop and meeting place the rest of the time. One day I might get round to sampling the Fox but - just as with Roger - it's the Swan which really steals the limelight; this is a Bathams tied house, need I say more! I'll go many a mile for a cracking pint of their Best Bitter and this one is nectar of the highest order, matched only by the quality of the cobs (in our case, cheese served with bonus side salad to give Emily her daily cucumber fix). The lounge side has high ceilings and baronial chandeliers that would not look out of place in a medieval castle while the beer garden is a sun worshippers dream. Hopefully I'll make it back here well before 2041!

- The Four Stones (well, three of them) -

Delighted to see the Swan on such excellent form, we hop back in the car for the short drive to Clent, going through Drayton and Belbroughton en route. I usually associate the National Trust with stately homes and other historic examples of bricks and mortar but this overlooks their role as stewards of some of the country’s finest landscapes. The Clent Hills come under their jurisdiction and comprise circa 440 acres of wide open spaces, woodland and wildlife habitat to enjoy. Adams Hill acts as our gateway in, following arrows for the Buzzard Trail to reach a toposcope viewing platform pointing out some of the geological landmarks on show - the Welsh Black Mountains, the Malvern Hills, Turners Hill communications masts and even the glory of Wolverhampton. We check out the Four Stones as erected as a folly for Lord Lyttelton (a former Chancellor of the Exchequer no less, and resident of Hagley Hall) then troop back down the slopes for a restorative drink in the happily resurrected Hill Tavern.

- Bookworm Bygrave at Wightwick Manor -

Wednesday 15th July 2026 brings with it the prospect of Wightwick Manor, an acclaimed Arts and Crafts property on the fringes of Wolverhampton which was built for the Mander family between 1887 and 1893. The house is especially renowned for its examples of William Morris wallpaper and Pre-Raphaelite art, with a current exhibition celebrating the extensive influence of the Rossetti family (Dante Gabriel the celebrated painter, Christina the poet, William the critic and Maria the author). It's fascinating to see some of their works and learn about the impact they collectively had, challenging Victorian conventions with a bohemian spirit.

- Mander Brothers Ltd Memorial -

Emily and I enjoy a thorough wander through the main house, from the Great Parlour to the Dining Room (hearing about incontinent wombats as evidence of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's descent into madness), and then heading upstairs to the Indian Bird and Acanthus Rooms as named after their respective wallpaper patterns. The Malthouse Gallery showcases artistic works by Evelyn de Morgan and her husband William, the noted ceramic tile designer. The Mander family were prominent industrialists, especially in the manufacture of varnishes and paints, and the Mander Brothers Ltd war memorial can be found in a remembrance garden where it presents a Roll of Honour of workers who lost their lives during the two World Wars.

- The Peach House at Wightwick -

A second hand bookshop beneath the Malthouse Gallery was always going to elicit much Bygrave attention, and with two titles duly purchased, we stroll around the wider grounds. I remember the Kitchen Gardens almost resembling a pumpkin production line when I last came in October 2023 but this time around the sweet peas are more prominent, daintily swaying on the faint wisps of breeze. The Peach House dates to 1891 and is absolutely sweltering inside given the recent high temperatures; we catch glimpses of tomatoes and aubergines starting to ripen up nicely. It's great that the estate grows its own produce with some of the potplants being sold at the gift shop. Hot drinks and summer berry flapjacks courtesy of a tearoom housed in the old stables adds to the indulgent flavour, and we've enough time to call into the nearby Mermaid for further refreshment on the way home.

A Monday Meander Around Marylebone

Days out in London are a very rare event for me, and if I do cross paths with our capital city I'm usually just passing through en route to the cricket somewhere. Not this time though! Bookworm Bygrave has a book of recommended walks at her disposal so we're heading south for a Monday in Marylebone...

- Edgware Road Station -

Monday 6th July 2026 and I'm easily persuaded really - the mere mention of bookshops and historic pubs means this is far too good an opportunity to resist. Catching the 09:55 Chiltern service from Solihull sounds straightforward enough in principle, but a lorry has collided with a railway bridge in Gerrards Cross so we have to switch down via Oxford into Paddington, one of the great London terminals; I love the overhanging awning topped with GWR heraldic crest as evidence of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's original station design here. Exiting onto Praed Street, we quickly pass an attractive archway for St Mary's Hospital (founded in 1845) before further railway-related excitement presents itself courtesy of the frontage to Edgware Road Station complete with lettering for the Metropolitan Railway, London's original underground.  

- The Wallace Collection -

With photocopies in hand, Bookworm Bygrave leads us on our walk proper which commences on Chapel Street immediately outside the aforementioned Edgware Road tube stop. It doesn't take long for the historic discoveries to accumulate: St Mary's Church has a lovely rounded portico and faces down Wyndham Place towards Bryanston Square, originally constructed as part of the Portman Estate. A memorial fountain dedicated to Morning Post newspaper editor William Pitt Byrne is pointed out, then we navigate via Portman Square and Fitzhardinge Street to happen upon the Wallace Collection galleries based on Manchester Square. Always keen for a cultural intermission, we browse inside this national museum within Hertford House, formerly the principal London townhouse residence of the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace. Elaborate French cabinets and decorative arts abound but it's the vast display of princely armour which has me transfixed - such extraordinary battle attire!

- Grinning in the Golden Eagle -

It's a warm day in the Big Smoke so we're thankful that the route contains plenty of suggested refreshment stops, including some rather special pubs. The Coach Makers Arms sits on the corner of Marylebone Lane and Bentinck Street, where it is part of the Cubitt House portfolio and has three levels comprising a first floor 'chop house' restaurant, ground floor pub and a speakeasy cocktail bar in the basement. We stay at ground level for Allsopp's Best Bitter and some televised Wimbledon tennis action, cooling off a little. Marylebone Lane is also where we find the Golden Eagle, advertising regular piano singalongs although they're spared any WME recitals of 'Roll Out The Barrel' or 'Down At The Old Bull And Bush'. A small but perfectly formed interior provides a timeless bolthole for sampling of Fullers London Pride, chatting to Emily about her preferred bits of the Capital (Kew Gardens being a firm Bygrave favourite).

- Daunt Books -

The deal is simple - if I can claim prized pubs, the Bookworm gets to fulfill her bookshop fix and there are a couple of unmissable ones on our itinerary. We briefly weave towards Oxford Street via St Christopher's Place (a former slum area that has been transformed into a street of desirable boutiques), then zigzag amongst the renowned medical establishments of Harley Street, noting the headquarters of the Royal Society of Medicine at 1 Wimpole Street. Emily's side of the bargain is upheld with thanks to Marylebone's Oxfam store - rumour has it I raided their stocks of Tottenham Hotspur programmes for a 1970s Wolves edition - although it's the Daunt Books premises which truly captures the imagination. Their store is organised along geographical lines with fiction, travel guides and non-fiction arranged together by continent, region or UK locality. Creaky floors and crammed shelves, its a magnet for literature lovers!

- Bookworm in the Barley Mow -

Happy with her haul, Emily next guides us to Paddington Street Gardens as a little oasis of green space which is an inviting spot for lazing on the grass or seeking out a shady bench. We're nearing the end of our circuit but there are a couple more must-visit pubs in the vicinity which we're eager to try. The first of these is the Barley Mow on Dorset Street, said to be the oldest pub in Marylebone having been built in 1791 and trading since 1793. The interior is heritage listed on account of many original features such as two private lockable drinking booths beside the main bar counter. Monkey Brewhouse's Tollhouse Bitter slips down very smoothly at 3.8% as we're amused by some of the darts team names - 'We're Sexy and We Throw It', 'The Tungsten Tossers' and 'Till Death Do Us Dart' all raising a chuckle.

- Chiltern Trains at Marylebone -

Our final drinks stop will therefore be the Angel In The Fields, a Samuel Smiths establishment on Thayer Street. It doesn't stand out as much as some in terms of its understated exterior but inside it comes alive with dark wooden panelling and floral stained glass, not to mention a nice cask pint of Old Brewery Bitter. I'm told the London arm of Sam Smiths can be slightly more relaxed as regards the brewery's digital detox rules and that does seem to be the case here, albeit the atmosphere still benefits from that focus on old-fashioned conversation. Gloucester Place is our direct means of getting to Marylebone Station where we stock up on train snacks and progress to Boarding Area A while waiting for the Snow Hill service to be prepared on Platform 6. London can be busy, intense even, but it rewarded these two intrepid explorers with a wonderful day of Marylebone mooching. Bookworm and I could well return for more! 

Chasewater Rail & Ale with Mr D9

It's summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime and the Hub Marketing Board will be in session once more, lapping up the lovely July sunshine. If all goes to plan, long term targets could be sampled (of both a pub and breakfasting persuasion) plus there's a strong chance of a beer festival too...

- A Well Lane Cuppa -

Trip Log: Friday 3rd July 2026 sees Hub members converge upon Wolverhampton Bus Station for a delayed 10:30 rendezvous, the Chairman having been counting Wollaston grannies while Secretary WME waited in vain for a Perton bus to show up. Once reunited, our immediate task is to obtain a greasy spoon breakfast with Wednesfield's Well Lane Cafe top of the D9 wishlist as regards bacon, egg and sausage. Situated close to the local library and community centre, this place has been serving fry-ups since 1965 and has drivers queuing out the door awaiting sandwich orders. We find a spare table and settle in for a quality cuppa, noting a display shelf showcasing tributes to dearly departed customers. 'Bryan' must have been well known for his love of Torpedo sandwiches sliced in half and smothered in brown sauce it seems!

- Spotted at the Uxbridge Arms -

Happily fed, we feel ready to take on the rest of the day, the centrepiece of which should be a visit to the Chasewater Rail & Ale Festival at Brownhills West Station. We'll go the long way round to get there, including popping to Pelsall to satisfy some D9 curiosities en route. These mostly relate to the Fingerpost (for St Austell's Tribute ale and an inspection of the replaced Yorks Bridge on the Wyrley & Essington Canal) and the Old House at Home (a fairly average Marston's effort closer to the village centre). We've earmarked the number 8 bus to convey us through Clayhanger into Brownhills but the route is on diversion due to High Street roadworks. Instead we pitch up at Chasetown Clock where the Uxbridge Arms attracts bald spot glances.

- Chasewater Heaths Signal Box -

It would have been rude not to have availed ourselves of Black Country Ales refreshment at this juncture and the Uxbridge Arms is more than up to the task. Lymestone's Stone Cold is a strong bitter which keeps us lubricated during a titanic darting tussle. Somehow or other, WME Whirlwind manages to find the finishing prowess to win all three legs played, despite an initial inability to throw straight - the Secretary's 74 checkout in the second leg proved particularly decisive, leaving poor D9 Destroyer dumbfounded. A Church Street wander then has us in position to investigate some of the Chasewater Railway's halts and stations, following tracks skirting the edge of the reservoir. These effectively are a throwback to the former colliery line, reminders of Cannock Chase's proud mining heritage. Chasewater Heaths has a signal box beside a level crossing, plus part of the buildings here have been converted into a cafe.

- The Victoria Club -

The stops at Chasetown (Church Street) and Norton Lakeside currently both look a little drab in all honesty, shorn of any signage and probably in need of some TLC, but the railway runs on a charitable basis and we all know times are hard at the moment. Our Chasewater roam is accompanied by silly songs extolling the virtues of Stockport (courtesy of Frankie Vaughan) and Central Milton Keynes, not to mention Frankie Yankovic's polka polemic 'In Heaven There Is No Beer'. Luckily for us there is still some beer in this corner of Staffordshire, most notably at the Victoria Club on Norton East Road. Chairman D9 loves this place, getting all nostalgic about crusty pitmen frequenting the social club in years gone by. These days it serves up an appreciated WME £3.40 Carling discount and a variety of World Cup opinions.

- Prepared for Action? -

After that very enjoyable brush with Norton Canes, we are clear to proceed to Brownhills West Station which serves as the Chasewater Railway's flagship location. The Sidings Tearoom and railway shop can be found here, serving up cakes and stocking a range of model locomotives respectively, while there is also a bric-a-brac selection inside an old carriage for those seeking to unearth bargain curios. Secretary WME eyes up the engines which work the two mile track (including the notable section crossing The Causeway near Norton Lakeside) with both steam and diesel enthusiasts catered for, subject to the timetable. Mr D9 meanwhile considers if he ought to sign up for a triathlon group, eventually deciding he prefers less energetic pursuits!

- Beowulf Feortig -

And now to the day's main event, Chasewater Rail & Ale as held in conjunction with Walsall CAMRA. 37 real ales are poised inside the Engine Shed hence we check in with the volunteer hosts and procure an £11 token card each, covering us for three pints or six halves. These are put to excellent use straight away in exchange for Beowulf's Feortig, a Saxon-sounding tipple  billed as a sessionable offering laden with hints of grapefruit and mango. The Chairman finds something exceedingly hoppy very much to his liking and similarly approves of Green Duck's Shoreline even though it counts as a tarmac in D9 terminology. My second pick thereafter is Kynn Brewery’s Scottish Meadowsweet Ale which has a curious mellow herbal flavour

- Brownhills West Traction -

The beer is great but there's no denying a big part of the attraction is the railway setting, being able to admire heavy duty rolling stock with our plastic glasses in hand. Retaining hints of its Northern Rail livery, carriage 55570 is part of a Class 142 set complete with Warrington blinds, whereas a former Burton-based shunting locomotive carries a 1929 plate for the Worthingtons Brewery. My tokens are then spent out on Lemon Greg and Bees Knees, contrasting blonde beers. The former hails from Fixed Wheel with all the zesty citrus the name implies, whereas the latter is a Revolution Brewery creation described as ‘buzzing with flavour. In between times, Mr D9 has an encounter with a Forest Elk, said to be Norwegian Red in style. Nice!

- Cheers to England! -

The Chairman lives to tell the tale after that Scandinavian interloper and is fighting fit to pursue a nightcap or two within the wider Walsall area. Intercepting the 937 bus near the Rising Sun roundabout, we breeze into the outskirts of Aldridge to seek out the Hop Station, a micropub based within the shopping parade by the Lazy Hill Tavern. Barstools and banter mark this out as a great discovery, especially with Green Duck's Overlord on top form (it's a 4.5% fruity pale ale brewed as one of their May monthly specials). A well-timed scurry for a number 7 bus fresh out of Castlefort allows just enough wriggle room for a WS1 Lounge finale over in Walsall town centre - cue the remarkable sight of Mr D9 busting a groove on Andy's Dancefloor. This party bar, in common with many venues, has really embraced the World Cup spirit so we raise a final glass to Thomas Tuchel and the lads in their ongoing bid for glory. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - June 2026

We've seen with some of the FIFA World Cup results that June has proven the month of the underdog, what with Curacao and Cape Verde picking up historic draws while other teams such as Canada, Egypt and even Scotland have registered notable victories. The WME photostream is obviously not in the same league as such a prestigious global tournament but the minnows have been holding their own here too...

June has seen plenty of activity from galleries that are usually quiet and I begin this round-up with news that WME Coventry and WME Solihull have both located a new arrival down the back of the sofa. Coventry's addition is an archive glimpse of Sutton Stop on the Oxford Canal back in 2011, and from the same year comes Solihull's successful recruitment of the Toby Jug pub at Kingshurst. Hardly earth-shattering stuff I grant you but every little helps!

Okay, fine. One measly added item each isn't enough to cut the mustard with some sticklers among my readership so WME Walsall can genuinely boast good progress. There have been several nice nuggets gleaned from Walsall town centre, including a 1970's Day promotional piece at The Crossing, an Old Square shopping centre logo and a tempting cask pint at the Black Country Arms. Taxi companies battle Guildhall shiny lettering for attention, then there's an intriguing sighting of a Walsall Wood angler sculpture, but perhaps the weirdest find of all goes to the papier mache tiger model at the Fountain pub. Grrrowwlll!

As well as Walsall has done, the race for the Golden Boot has been led by the unlikeliest of challengers. Kane, Mbappe, Haaland and Messi are all sticking the goals away for fun in North America, seemingly inspiring WME Telford and WME Warwickshire to follow suit. I have Wellington to thank for Telford's excellent form - the Cock Hotel, boot bunting and chip shop signage have all contributed - whereas Warwickshire has leaned heavily on principal creators Stratford (Sheep Street) and Warwick (the Black Pug, Greville Road and a motley assemblage of famous Ronnies).

WME Staffordshire can't quite match those heavy-hitters for pace but nevertheless weighs in care of Tamworth and Tutbury; if you like reclaimed millstones or war memorial inscriptions that's where you need to be looking, although you may prefer the artistic horse illustration I spotted at Uttoxeter railway station. WME Birmingham takes on a playmaker role, conjuring nuggets from Walmley - "Unbelievable Jeff", I kid you not - then WME Sandwell tackles hard in Tividale for Danks Street interest and two admiring pictures of the Wonder's pub frontage.

Staring at the prospect of early elimination are WME Worcestershire (this despite the start of a prospective surge involving Tardebigge Locks) and WME Shropshire, the former police station at Much Wenlock not being enough to guarantee a slot in the next round. Surprisingly struggling most of all is one of our pre-tournament favourites. Yes, WME Wolverhampton is having a shocker with only Tettenhall's St Michael & All Angels to its name. How the mighty have fallen! Eyes peeled in July to see which gallery goes on the lift the trophy...