Thursday, June 26

Conquering Castlecroft

Having prowled along the Penn Road earlier this month, the Hub Marketing Board fix their gaze upon more of Wolverhampton's western extremities with a short but sweet circuit covering Merry Hill, Finchfield and Castlecroft...

- Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly? -
It's Tuesday 24th June 2025 and my lunchbreak sees me returning to the cultural climes of Wolverhampton Art Gallery. They're in the process of preparing for their next major exhibition but there's still plenty to see, not least the Pop Art Gallery where a miniature King Kong figure holds court. After admiring one of Andy Warhol's famous Campbell's Soup cans - in this case Clam Chowder in flavour - I check out a Billy Dosanjh feature that uses artificial intelligence to generate new visual representations of the area's industrial heritage. Intriguing stuff!

- Driving the Sauna 4 -
Almost unbelievably, Chairman D9 arrives early for our projected meeting time so it is the Secretary for once who is scrambling to make the required rendezvous. All Board members are however properly present and correct by the time the number 4 bus hoves into view for our connection via Bradmore and Trysull Road down to the Merry Hill roundabout. We recall former times when it used to be the 513 route that trundled around here, part of a network that included the 512 (Warstones via Lea Road) and the 514 (Spring Hill via Rayleigh Road and Oxbarn Avenue). Our current steed has been packed with schoolkids and makes for a very warm journey indeed, although we're still treated to a driving demo by you know who!

- Marching into the Merry Hill -
Alighting for the Merry Hill pub therefore comes as something of a relief, replacing oppressive heat with the prospects of a pint of something cool. The bald spot wastes no time in making a beeline straight for the front door of this Sizzling roadhouse, originally constructed for Mitchells & Butlers and first opening in 1929. Over glasses of Worthingtons and Carling respectively, we can keep tabs on cricketing progress at Headingley where England are chasing down 371 to beat India in the first Test match. Although the layout no longer retains separate rooms, it's nice to find a quieter snug zone towards the front of the building to reminisce a little further about the Chairman's days driving the Warstones buses back in the 1990s. 

- The Chestnut Tree -
Following on from that Merry Hill merriment, we must subject Finchfield Lane to utter daftness care of the day's silly song selections. 'John Kettley (Is A Weatherman)' is a suitable novelty pick from Mr D9, having been a Top 30 hit for A Tribe of Toffs in 1988, whilst Secretary WME goes for the nautical singalong appeal of 'All The Nice Girls Love A Sailor'. To strains of Ship Ahoy!, we pitch into the Chestnut Tree which overlooks the busy junction of Finchfield Road West, Castlecroft Road and Coppice Road. This is another Sizzling affair, albeit of smaller box boozer proportions, and is usually very popular with family diners. St Austell Proper Job meets a D9 dose of Doom Bar here, and there are plenty of folks enjoying the suntrap patio.

- Spotted at Castlecroft Shops -
Continuing along Castlecroft Road now, we next encounter the Firs as a sprawling suburban hostelry which was built to serve the growing estates in the early 1950s. Banks's owned it for many years but more recently it has taken on a Desi disposition with an extensive range of curries and other Asian delights. Cask ale options are alas very limited since the change of proprietors so a simple Carling should keep us out of mischief; I say that but Mr D9 seems intent on giving himself a hi-visibility frontage, the least said the better! At least he behaves himself more when eyeing up the adjacent Windmill Lane shopping parade, a curved run of units which comprise Poxon's Butchers, Galleria Wanda and Woodward & Birkin self-serve.

- A Canalside Chairman -
Inching ever closer to the country boundary, we might even have crossed into South Staffs when remembering the Castlecroft Hotel over by the rugby ground. AFC Wulfrunians play nearby and are due to change their name to Wolverhampton City FC for the forthcoming 2025/26 campaign, plus there's also a cricket club in the vicinity so all your sporting needs should be pretty much covered. A Canalside conclusion beckons on Castlecroft Lane where we make our first ever visit to what used to be Cee-Ders (and before that the Civil Defence Club); it does what it says on the tin by being right next to the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal and proves a perfectly pleasant setting for a final drink. The flat-roofed look certainly gets D9's approval and we don't mind the plastic planting either. Cheers!

Saturday, June 21

Rail Rover Week 2025

One of my longest running exploration sagas - albeit with a few gaps here and there - is that of Rail Rover Week, an annual treat I inaugurated in 2006 which has become a must-do most years ever since. The chance to uncover more hidden bits of the Heart of England railway network never fails to excite so I pack my trusty satchel for another round of adventures - let the train take the strain...

- A Royal Throne at Ledbury -
I've opted for the 3-in-7 day Flexi Rover ticket this year and it is immediately put to good use with a Herefordshire incursion to the delightful market town of Ledbury. His Majesty Nick is joining me for this Monday leg and therefore meets me in anticipation of catching the 09:50 Hereford train from Birmingham; he's especially impressed to find that Ledbury Station has a wooden throne awaiting him on the platform when we alight. A gentle woodland walk is in the offing as we get our bearings via a pretty apple orchard and the edges of Dog Hill Wood, a semi-ancient patch of woodland with deciduous trees, wild flowers and lots of gnarled roots.

- St Michael & All Angels -
Our chosen woodland track emerges onto Church Street which puts is in prime position for a snoop around St Michael & All Angels, Ledbury's lovely parish church. Its layout is particularly notable for having a completely detached bell tower, so we start by exploring the main chapel (complete with organ recital practice underway, adding an uplifting gravity to proceedings) and then check out the exhibition space in the tower itself. It turns out that bellringing has had its scandalous moments, and the church at one time had a lady hermit - Katherine de Audley - for an anchoress. Being on our best behaviour, we decamp along the narrow cobbled street for a bite to eat in the Prince of Wales; our respective Ploughman's lunches present generous portions with salad, pickles and warm rolls whilst Nick launches into 7.3% Weston's cider!

- The Talbot -
Elsewhere in Ledbury, we make sure to admire the stilted Market House erected atop sixteen pillars; the building was apparently completed in 1688. Another fine landmark is the Barrett Browning Institute with its brown and cream clock tower - it is named after Elizabeth Barrett Browning, one of several noted writers who ensure Ledbury is known for its poetry links. In terms of frequenting other pubs, the standouts are the Feathers Hotel and the Talbot, classic timber-framed coaching inns both of them. The Feathers very much still offers accommodation as well as three local Ledbury Brewery ales, whereas the Talbot is owned by the Wadworth Brewery whose Swordfish ale carries a hint of rum infusion. A final half in the Brewery Inn (a Marston's establishment with plenty of charm in its own right) precedes a heritage walk along the former Ledbury to Gloucester Railway trackbed. A very interesting day all round!

- Heart of Wales Line at Knighton -
Day two falls on Tuesday 17th June and had been earmarked for musings at stations between Shrewsbury and Crewe. The prospect of investigating Wem or Nantwich gets jettisoned once I realise the Heart of Wales train is ready to form a 10:02 Salopian departure; I rarely get much chance to cover this highly-regarded route, which runs as single track for much of its length and takes four hours end-to-end from Shrewsbury to Swansea. I'd only been as far as Craven Arms previously so I pick Knighton as a means of changing that, meaning I just about tickle over the border from Shropshire into Powys. Knighton Station is unstaffed but speaks of faded history, with roses growing up boarded-over window ledges and cobwebs hanging from the rafters. The barrel planters are nicely maintained and the signs emphasise Welsh language.

- Knighton Clock -
Never having been to Knighton before, I'm eager to cram as much as I can into the hour and a half I'm here (Heart of Wales services are irregular so I need to be careful not to get stranded). Broad Street and High Street form a marked junction below the local clock tower, presented to the town in 1872 by the late benefactor Thomas Moore Esquire. A sloping row of independent shops leads uphill, several of the stores carrying the surname Price, while pub options might include the Red Lion, George & Dragon or the Kinsley had their opening hours allowed. The Horse & Jockey does trade from 11am though so I can wander in there for some Robinson's Flagon cider, sitting beside a massive fireplace where you're almost swallowed by the hearth.

- Kings Arms, Church Stretton -
The 12:18 return train appears encouragingly promptly and I'm able to spend a gorgeous afternoon in Church Stretton, a small town hidden amongst the South Shropshire hills close to the Long Mynd expanse of heathland plateau. It's too warm for me to risk any energetic hikes so I concentrate on St Laurence's Church which boasts a selection of thoughtful graveyard quotations, some Shakespearean, some botanical. Naturally I'm inclined to give the local pubs a whirl, most notably the Kings Arms as owned by Joules; they've applied their usual template of dark wood, enamel adverts and traditional painted lettering so this suits me very well, as does the accompanying pint of Lakota Arizona-styled Pale Ale. Old Coppers Malt House then occupies an elegant top of Sandford Avenue townhouse for a follow-up splash of cold cider.

- Train at Chester -
Having swerved Cheshire due to my Tuesday change of plans, I make sure the county gets its time in the spotlight after all come Thursday 19th June. The Roman city of Chester (otherwise known as Caer in Welsh or Deva to the historians among you) beckons for a Rovering revisit, building on my explorations back in 2022. It's never a hardship changing trains at Crewe, such is the station's strategic railway importance, and a clutch of platform pictures get my photos off and running nicely. The shuttle train direct to Chester departs Platform 9 at 10:21 and takes a little over twenty minutes before I reach a city renowned for Rows, walls and its racecourse.

- Chester Canal Basin -
My first priority is to get to grips with the Shropshire Union Canal so from City Road I plot my way down Northgate Locks towards Taylor's Boatyard, part of a historic canal basin. It's such a treat to see the moored narrowboats gleaming in the sunshine, Bridge 126 carrying a plaque dedicated to the waterways campaigner Tom Rolt who was born in Chester in 1910. A short spur branches off to the River Dee via the remains of what used to be an inland port, now a luxury shopping complex. My first pub of the day is the converted industrial premises Telford's Warehouse who do a great line in real ales. Despite the sweltering temperatures, I simply can't resist the prospect of Wantsum's Heart of Darkness Stout, sitting amidst adverts for Black Cat cigarettes and Colmans Starch - this is the life!

- Chester Cathedral -
My Chester sightseeing quest then incorporates some of the City Walls though to Northgate, the Storyhouse arts complex (an innovative facility comprised of library, theatre, cinema and a creative hub) and of course the magnificence of Chester Cathedral, founded as a Benedictine abbey in 1092. History is also seeping through some of my pub picks, especially the Pied Bull (which has its own on-site microbrewery producing beers such as 'Bullseye') and the Boot Inn (a Samuel Smith's time capsule found within the two-storey gallery structures known as The Rows). A repeat call at the Albion is essential, such is the impression its wartime disposition made on my three years ago, and I catch my homeward train as a very happy chap. Cheers!

Sunday, June 15

Moseley Old Hall

Originally an Elizabethan farmhouse but with Victorian modifications, Moseley Old Hall's main claim to fame is as one of the properties that sheltered the retreating King Charles II during the English Civil War. Nowadays owned and preserved by the National Trust, it provides a fascinating insight into that daring royal escape as well as offering a sense of what life was like for those of the Catholic faith during the 17th century...

- Northicote Owl -
Despite living on its Bushbury doorstep for the best part of thirty years, Moseley Old Hall is not a property I'd really visited much so the prospect of properly exploring it is most exciting. The allotted day is Saturday 14th June so I make my way across courtesy of the number 3 bus to Vine Island, reacquainting myself with some very familiar haunts en route. Bee Lane Playing Fields and Northwood Park resonate with childhood memories then I relish the chance to fully investigate more of the new Hampton Park estate where Northicote School once stood. One landscaped community garden patch has become the permanent home of the school's much-loved concrete owl emblem, a feature saved when the wider site was demolished. How many local residents remember having that watching over them when the school was operational?

- It must be down here then... -
Carisbrooke Gardens and Cavalier Circus precede the Moseley Parklands where Westering Parkway has all manner of imaginatively-named cul-de-sacs - one wonders what folks get up to on Wealden Hatch or Bettany Glade, certainly not your typical Wolverhampton street titles. Emerging onto Northycote Lane I follow the brown tourist signs towards Moseley itself, feeling ever further removed from the urban sprawl once narrow lanes and tall hedges take over. I've just about crossed into South Staffordshire when a left turn puts me on the hall's single track driveway - I can hear the faint strains of the M54 motorway not too far distant but otherwise I could be a whole world away from my usual gritty West Midlands settings...

- Moseley Old Hall Frontage -
Back in the 1650s this lane would have formed the main route between Wolverhampton and Cannock, with Moseley Old Hall being one of its most notable residences. First constructed in half-timbered fashion for the merchant Henry Pitt, it would go on to become home to various generations of the Whitgreave family, descendants of whom owned the house until the 1920s. Once my Moseley accomplice Emily arrives, we check out the reception area with its well-stocked bookshop and also have a mooch around the Cow Shed where a Saturday crafts activity is being set up - design your own cow apparently! We're booked onto a guided tour come half past twelve which gives us an hour to explore the grounds beforehand.

- Your Quoits Champion -
One of Moseley's treasured gems is the Knot Garden which was installed in 1962 and based on the 17th century designs laid out by the Reverend Walter Stonehouse at Darnfield. The principle is to have aromatic herbs and shrubs set out intricately within a rectangular frame; clipped trees and little box hedges are the impressive result, it must be a labour of love to keep everything so neat! Just across from here is the orchard, used to grow a variety of heritage species of apples and pears including one called 'Tettenhall Dick'; the fruit trees provide our backdrop to a game of Tudor Quoits where Emily proves remarkably adept at landing rope rings on or near her peg target. I put her beginner's success down to expert tuition from a dapper volunteer in period costume, whereas I was frankly hopeless! 

- King Charles's Hiding Place -
The hour of the tour approacheth so we congregate by the heavily studded oak door through which King Charles gained entry to the building back in 1651, ushered here by the Pendrill family from Chillington having eluded Parliamentary forces at Boscobel. The current house would likely not be very recognisable to Charles although some Elizabeth features survive, encased within the later Victorian brickwork. Our guide Sue has a wealth of knowledge and really brings the tale vividly to mind, explaining about the brewhouse kitchen room before leading us upstairs to reveal a four poster bed the King would once have slept in. A hidden priesthole beside the chimneystack made for a claustrophobic hideaway and it would not have been pleasant in the slightest, what with pots of stale urine on hand to trick any tracker dogs from sniffing the King's scent. The ploy worked because Charles was not discovered here.

- Chapel in the Attic -
Elsewhere during the hour-long tour we learn more about the Whitgreave family and other notable personalities who aided the King's escape, such as Jane Lane from Bentley Hall. A further bedchamber would have been where Thomas Whitgreave held secret discussions with Charles while in the attic is a clandestine chapel used for Catholic congregations, although it would have been necessary to have lookouts and disperse very quickly because such worship was illegal at the time. Charles stayed here from 8th to 10th September 1651, plotting out the next stages of his passage to France, and he would go on to reward those who helped him once restored to the throne from 1660 onwards. At the conclusion of the talk, we decamp to the tearooms for an ever-essential slice of cake before undertaking a further circuit of the surrounding woodland; an elaborate tree hide is especially popular with visiting children.

- Northycote Farm Chickens -
Our final Moseley Old Hall act is to raid the on-site bookshop where Bookworm Bygrave lives up to her nickname by selecting a handful of titles to take home - I'm assured she was very restrained in not buying most of the shop! Northycote Farm is only a matter of minutes away so we head there to admire the herb garden, outhouse privy and an array of poultry birds with rather fine feathers. The farm was owned by the Underhill family with links to Moseley Court, and the surrounding country parkland makes for lovely walking opportunities out towards Waterhead Brook and Devils Elbow. With the predicted thunderstorms leaving us alone, it turned out to be a pretty perfect day all round. Cheers!

Sunday, June 8

The Penn Road Push with Mr D9

Unlike some of the other arterial routes radiating out of Wolverhampton City Centre, the Penn Road corridor has retained a decent amount of pub stock. Think of the Cannock Road, the Dudley Road or even the Wednesfield Road and you won't have all that much to chew on (not compared to the amount of watering holes in years gone by), but take the A449 towards Kidderminster and you still have the chance of getting a solid crawl in. Mr D9 and I eagerly tested that theory on our latest bout of mini Hub Marketing...

- Homer Hiding -
It's Wednesday 4th June 2025 but prior to any evening Hub escapades, there are lunchtime larks to attend to. Mr Beardsmore joins me for a bite to eat in Tunwall's, a fascinating building which many older Wulfrunians will instantly recognise as being the former Lindy Lou shop on Victoria Street. This timber-beamed beauty does a good line in Full English breakfasts (with fried bread and black pudding for those - like me - who enjoy that sort of thing) while the £6 servings of sausage, chips and beans satisfy a Stephen-sized appetite. Duly fed, we check out the street art arrivals by the Peel Street subway which now include a framed portrayal of Tweetie Pie plus the sight of Homer Simpson disappearing into a hedge.

- Taking Pride in the D9 Driving Demo -
Skipping sweetly forward a few hours and 4pm heralds the meeting of our illustrious Marketing crew at Pipers Row tram stop. We are intending to catch the number 4 bus but the 16 is due to depart from the adjacent Bus Station imminently so we wander on over to Stand H and join the queue. Once on board, the Chairman can demonstrate his support to LGBTQ+ matters by donning a rainbow flag skirt for his latest steering masterclass; the Penn Road traffic is always likely to be heavy at this time of day but we gradually inch past the junctions for Goldthorn Hill and Rookery Lane before alighting near Buttons Farm Road.

- 'Spotted' at Spring Hill Shops -
The clutch of shops arranged around the wide turning for Spring Hill Lane have long been one of the first things folks see when crossing from South Staffordshire into Wolverhampton's lofty realms. Penny's Cafe goes on the hitlist for future breakfasting possibilities whilst Springhill Models and Steve Carey's Butchers have pleasingly unspoiled frontages. Our focus however turns to pub prospects in which case the eponymous Spring Hill is close at hand; we've been here before (way back in 2012) but the revisit is informative for sampling Ludlow Best amidst an eccentric display of wall-mounted sardines. Mr D9 takes the opportunity to try out his full costume in readiness for counting down the Pick of the Hubs charts later on.  

- The Heart of Penn, apparently -
From one sizeable roadhouse to another as we follow the Spring Hill with the Hollybush, the latter having undergone something of a middling Marston's makeover since we last sampled it. Proudly proclaiming itself to be "the Heart of Penn" - to which other noted local institutions such as St Bartholomew's Church might have a thing or two to say in response - this is a nice enough local boozer which acts as a timing point for buses and was a fare stage back in the day. Ringwood Fortyniner has probably tasted better elsewhere, and at £5.15 from the D9 wallet doesn't come cheap either, but our speedy visit is memorable for bantering with the regulars about the Chairman's increasingly unusual chart-themed attire...

- The Number One is announced! -
Ok, ok, we've teased you enough!! It's time to reveal the rundown of our favourite silly songs from 2024, hence Mr D9 picks out a prime bench within the grounds of Penn Hospital for the purposes of publishing said playlist. In fairness, the chart declarations are usually undertaken in January so we've been seriously slacking this year due to medical matters. Nevertheless, a top ten has been compiled which features the likes of Rene & Renato, The Goons, Inspector Blakey and Rupert Davies's pipesmoking antics. At #3 we have the fairly hideous 'I'm Jogging' by the Veterans, then at #2 is Eli Buckett and his Yodelling Cockerel. All of which means there can only be one chart topper - drum roll please... yes, the Hub Marketing number one song of 2024 has to be 'If You're Feeling Glum' by Willie Rushton, a truly deserving winner of this most prestigious accolade. Maintaining tradition, the all-important announcement is accompanied by a battered sausage which is appropriately digested before our next pub...

- Banks's Dark Mild, Rose & Crown -
In a matter of moments we arrive at our third esteemed establishment of the evening, namely the Rose and Crown at the bottom of Church Hill. This is actually a new Hub Marketing haunt although the Secretary has some previous here; a bit like the Hollybush it isn't anything much to write home about, just a perfectly adequate boozer keeping its clientele happy. There are quite a number of punters in so it must be doing something right, and the keg Banks's Dark Mild at £3.65 earns Mr WME the Discount of the Day award by a considerable margin (even if his inner curmudgeon doesn't really class such prices as being remotely discount-worthy). The staff keep us in suspense trying to pour our pints so perhaps the Mild doesn't get drunk all that often, although the beer is fine once various barmaids have inspected it!

- Penn Bowling Club -
Time is marching on and it looks like we're going to fail in our stated remit of covering all the Penn Road pub potential in one short sitting. The Roebuck and the Mount Tavern therefore get jettisoned - sorry, saved for a proposed Part Two at some point - but we won't sacrifice a Penn Bowling Club swansong. Tucked away on Manor Road, this place makes much of its family friendly approach and the Secretary is especially excited to partake of their interesting ale range (Salopian's Cypher and Burton Bridge's Stairway to Heaven among them). Practice matches are underway on the front green so it's a delight to sit in the Members' Lounge and watch the games unfold, supping quality ale and munching scratchings - simple pleasures!! So yes, if you're in need of a Wolverhampton crawl you can do worse than the Penn Road, and should the Fox & Goose reopen there could be more to go at. Cheers! 

Sunday, June 1

The Rugby Revellers

The Warwickshire market town of Rugby is steeped in sporting history having given its name to a global sport which revolves around tries, scrums and oval-shaped balls. As such, the Chip Foundation might need to be on the lookout for hookers, looseheads and flankers when the looming prospect of my 40-somethingth birthday brings about an end of May excursion...

- Mr B with a Big Ball -
It's Friday 30th May 2025 and Episode 87 of the Chip Foundation Chronicles commences with me joining Messrs Beardsmore and May for the journey across via Birmingham New Street and Coventry. Along the way we peruse an archive programme for an Adam Faith production at Margate's Winter Gardens; dating from 1964 it mentions beauty pageants, cigarettes sales and exotic jungle animal exhibitions - it's like a window into a different world. Rugby railway station is its usual interesting self (complete with 2019 World Cup commemorative sculpture outside), and we pass the Stagecoach bus depot along Railway Terrace en route to meeting His Royal Majesty Nick.

- The Webb Ellis Trophy? -
With the whole gang together again, we set about surveying some of Rugby's most important landmarks. The Market Place Clock Tower for example dates from 1887 when it was erected to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, while the Rugby School is a famous educational institution where the game of rugby is said to have originated. Legend suggests that William Webb Ellis, a young scholar at the time, caught the ball and ran with it during a match in 1823 although the story is mostly thought to be apocryphal. Whether or not you subscribe to its veracity, the World Cup trophy is named in his honour so an artistic representation of said silverware can be found at the top end of Dunchurch Road.

- Ruminating in the Raglan Arms -
Also awaiting our Dunchurch Road discernments is the Raglan Arms, our first inn of the day and one of two Black Country Ales tied houses we intend on sampling. This place already had a robust reputation for beer quality during its days as an independent pub so its encouraging that these lofty standards have been upheld. Salopian's Dark Shadow Stout is on excellent form as we settle in, enjoying The Doors 'Riders on the Storm' as part of the playlist whilst Nick gleefully flicks through the 2025 Good Beer Guide for further Warwickshire inspiration. The far games corner houses a throwback bar skittles table (complete with background netting) so Ken and I take it in turns to topple a few pins using the trio of hefty cheeses.

- Bygone Balls in the Webb Ellis Museum -
One drink down and it's time to immerse ourselves in the annals of rugger courtesy of the Webb Ellis Museum on St Matthew's Street. Dedicated to recording the game in all its glory, this attraction is attached to the neighbouring sports shop and features a breadth of display cabinets detailing rugby's origins. We learn about the manufacture of the distinctively-shaped ball - with Gilbert's being a fine exponent of the art - and admire fixture pennants from major matches throughout history. Stephen was a tighthead prop during his school days and can fully appreciate the art of the scrum whereas Nick winces at the thought of muscular contact.

- Cappuccino Stout in the Windmill Inn -
Resuming our pubcrawl, we take in a trio of fine establishments with tour guide HRH keen to showcase the best the town has to offer. Naturally the Merchants Inn on Little Church Street simply has to feature - the ale range here is exceptional, and that's without the treasure trove of brewery artefacts generating endless fascination. Nethergate's Suffolk County chestnut bitter goes down a treat, followed by Grainstore's Rutland Beast at the Rupert Brooke, the local Wetherspoons having been named after the famous Great War poet who composed sonnets including 'The Dead' and 'The Soldier'. Next up comes the second of our Black Country Ales visitations with the Windmill Inn purveying lovely Titanic Cappuccino Stout.

- A Lot of Leg! -
Desiring a further cultural interlude, we call in at the Rugby Library and Art Gallery on Little Elborow Street. This modern purpose-built facility replaced an earlier library in 2000 and has a series of interesting galleries spread across two floors. We particularly enjoy the Local History display with its velocipede contraption (like a bicycle but minus gears and brakes), plus there's an Archaeology exhibition (with mock fly-strewn hunks of meat) and space for Warwickshire artists to promote their work. The main Art Gallery has themed sections on Animals, Heads and Bodies, hence the curious rotating legs installation which really catches our imagination!

- Archival Assignations in the Rugby Tap -
Two more ports of call will bring our tally to a neat half dozen for the day so we decamp to the William Webb Ellis, a Marston's townhouse boozer on Warwick Street. Given the overarching theme of the day this needed to be done although our halves of Pedigree are average at best; the pub does embrace the sporting heritage though with Twickenham squad photos and an amusing selection of framed cartoons. A few doors along is the Rugby Tap, the current and highly deserving local CAMRA Pub of the Year which finishes things on an undoubted high. Church End are well represented so we partake of Irish Coffee and Goats Milk (both superb) then get all archival reminiscing about the 1980 Good Beer Guide; many of the places listed are no longer trading so its a reminder that nothing stands still in the pub world. Our bus and train connections home now sadly await but Rugby you've been remarkable - cheers!