Tuesday 12 February 2013

The Cuckoo Way ~ the eighth day [part 2] ... Is it Les ?

... continuing the walk started here

As the shopping public busied themselves in Worksop I was walking under the road at Worksop Town Lock ... 

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]  

... and continuing along the towpath ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

... until I reached a locked gate where I had to make a detour ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

The scenery wasn't quite so scenic as it had been but there were some great reflections ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]  

Milepost 21 was reached ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]  

... and Bracebridge Lock ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]  

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

Just round the bend from here there's one of the most impressive pumping stations I've ever seen, Bracebridge ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]  

It was built in 1881 to deal with the sewage problem and was fueled by coal brought by barge using the canal. I've seen it written that the coal came from Shireoaks Colliery so it would have made the same journey I had just taken ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]  

The Victorians knew how to build didn't they ...

I was heading out of Worksop now but looking back the pumping station was still quite a landmark ...


A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

I walked between some businesses on the right and rather non-descript fields to my left. The towpath was rather underwhelming ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

... though it did get a bit greener ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

Milepost 22 turned up ...

P1020978

It looks like an older one than the others.

Manton Viaduct carries the railway across the canal ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

 This is where I turned round to head back to Shireoaks. I didn't backtrack along the canal straight away but picked my way alongside roads until I reached Manton Inn ... and wondered if this is all that remains of Manton Colliery which closed in 1994 ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]  

I pitched up at Worksop Priory gatehouse. According to the Worksop Heritage Trail the Gatehouse "to Worksop Priory was built about 1330 as guest accommodation for visitors to the Priory, where shelter and food was given free to any visitor for up to three days." 

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

My next photograph does not do justice to the priory itself but as it was closed when I passed by perhaps I was disgruntled. Anyway, here's the priory's rather ornate door and doorway ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

I rejoined the canal. 

When I'd walked the canal earlier someone had caught my eye ... and he was still there when I passed the same spot some hours later ... so I went up to him and said, slightly hesitantly, "Is it Les ... ?" Fortunately it was ... 

Les was a friend on Multiply and is now on Blogger as well as Facebook. We had a chat and I took his photo ...

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]

It was good to meet someone so coincidentally though I did know where he lived, namely Worksop.

Finally, on the way back I spotted this gravestone in memory of Joseph Garside Pearson who died aged 31 in 1892. Judging by the carving at the top of the stone I thought he must be a cricketer so I googled his name earlier this evening. According to Wikipedia "Joseph Garside Pearson (26 March 1860 – 18 January 1892) was an English cricketer. Pearson's batting and bowling styles are unknown. He was born at Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Pearson made a single first-class appearance for Nottinghamshire against Surrey at The Oval in 1883. Surrey won the toss and elected to bat, making 236 all out in their first-innings. Pearson bowled 3.1 overs toward the end of the innings, taking the wickets of William Roller, Frederick Johnson and Ted Barratt, conceding just one run off his bowling. Nottinghamshire responded to Surrey's total by posting 405 all out in their first-innings, with Pearson being dismissed for a single run by Barratt. Surrey reached 112/3 in their second-innings, at which point the match was declared a draw. This was his only major appearance for Nottinghamshire.
He died at Boughton, Nottinghamshire, on 18 January 1892."

I have the feeling that there may be a story behind Joseph Pearson ~ he took 3 for 1 and only made one appearance.

A walk on the Chesterfield Canal [from Worksop to Shireoaks Marina]  
  
This walk was followed on the 14th March 2011
 
Length of walk ~ 8.47 miles *
 
Total mileage walked so far in 2011 ~ 62.72 miles
 
Total mileage between the 1st September 2009 and the 14th March 2011 ~ 590.77 miles
 
15 of 2011
 
* distance calculated on Ordnance Survey's Getamap

12 comments:

  1. Another enjoyable walk Charlie,the pumping station is really impressive,also the priory doorway.Love the shadows through the railings.Ann

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    1. Thank you Ann. I have to admit to really liking the pumping station. I;d never seen it before I came round the corner [or heard of it] so it was quite a surprise.

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  2. Fabulous canal walk, even in the more industrial areas. Perfect day for walking and great reflections in many of the shots. Shame about the locked gate forcing you to make a detour. The pumping station is fascinating, the chimney is really impressive and ornate. Even more ornate (and impressive) is the Priory's doorway. Joseph Pearson sounds like he was quite a player, he seems to have died at a rather young age.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it Mitch ~ it was certainly an interesting walk [both parts]. The weather, as you say, can make a lot of difference.

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  3. Looks like you'd have been hard pressed to have found a better day for reflections, Charlie! All the canal shots are beautiful. Fancy seeing Les! You did well to recognise him, as people very often aren't at all how you thought they'd look. I reckon you're right about that cricketer - there has to be an interesting back story there!

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    1. Yes, I was pretty sure it was Les but for some reason I didn't approach him initially ... but when I saw he was still there when I went back I thought I must ask if it's him.

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  4. Hi Charlie I remember the day, just as if it was yesterday. It`s always nice to meet someone you know on social sites in the flesh(so to speak)and it was great to meet you. You never know we may meet again on our travels. The Worksop to the viaduct end of the Chesterfield canal to me is not very impressive, apart from the pumping station. I much prefer the Worksop to Shireoaks stretch better. Some interesting photo`s you have taken.

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    1. You're right Les, I can't believe it's two years either. It's frightening ! Yes, the Worksop/Shireoaks section is preferable to the other bit up to the viaduct. Still, if I'm going to walk it all I have to make sure I don't miss any of it.

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  5. I usually read your blogs twice. Once to get a quick overview and then more slowly for nuances and a closer look at the pictures. I always end up with questions. I have figured out what a towpath is. It is not a word used here in Canada but I had a flash of insight. I never asked about it because I just thought it was a British expression for a grassy path. Duh? However among other questions, I will focus on this one. Why did the priory give free food and lodging for 3 days? Wouldn't that make local Inn owners angry at the competition?

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    1. A towpath is only beside a canal and would have been used [I suppose] for the horse that pulled the heavy barges along. As some [all ?] of the barges that carried the coal etc were powered I'm not sure why horses were needed. Perhaps one was to back up the other.

      As for the priory only giving food and lodging for three I would have thought that was so that no one overstayed their welcome.

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  6. I don't think all the barges were powered when the canals were built, Charlie (unless this this is a later one). We still have a horse-drawn barge near here anyway which has been operated continually since it was put in (now just for pleasure/tourism obviously). I agree about Victorian architecture - if only they built that way today, it would all look more attractive and probably last longer.

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    1. I don't know enough about the canals to say one way or the other. I know that on the local Cromford Canal they are trying to 'bring back the boat' ... which used to be pulled by a horse. The campaign is being headed by Brian Blessed ~ http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Flash-Gordon-star-spearheads-campaign-bring/story-16554178-detail/story.html#axzz2LXKRX7iX ~ I hope it succeeds.

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