Time for PE10, WS8 and BT71 now.
PE10 covers the town of Bourne in Lincolnshire. It’s a lovely town with a lot of history. Hereward the Wake reputedly came from Bourne, the first of a long line of interesting people from Bourne, including clerics, explorers, criminals, a VC winner and Raymond Mays, founder of BRM. A BRM driven by Graham Hill won the Formula 1 Championship in 1962.
It’s tempting to add a link to Graham Hill, one of my childhood heroes, and his son Damon, who is one of only two sons to have followed his father as F1 World Champion. However, we’ve had Hereward the Wake, Charles Sharpe and Raymonds Mays – that’s enough heroes for one post.
If I had my life over again I’d seriously think about living in Bourne. But I’d also work harder, save money and watch my diet so I’ll just have to let it pass.
WS8. I used to live in WS9, though I was so young I don’t actually remember it. This is in danger of becoming an autobiography. WS8 includes Brownhills, one of the least attractively named towns in the UK. It was apparently a big mining area in the seventeenth century and the name refers to the spoil heaps. In 1680 it was known as Brownhill – it seems to have become plural as more spoil heaps were formed.
I’ve been past Brownhills, but I don’t think I’ve actually stopped there. I used to have customers nearby, and the A5 runs past, as it has done for 2,000 years, having been built by the Romans as Watling Street. Next time I go that way I may drop in – they have a massive statue of a miner, which might be interesting.
Finally, BT71. It’s one of two postcodes for Dungannon, and includes Coalisland, another name derived from coal mining. It is claimed that you can see seven counties from the hill with the castle ruins, though it does say “depending on the weather”. It will almost certainly be raining, which is why Ireland is so green, so I wouldn’t bank on it. It’s like the old saying that if you can see the Isle of Man from the mainland it means rain is on the way. And if you can’t see it, it’s already raining.
The other story about Dungannon is that it has an untypical police barracks because of a planning mix up. Somewhere in Nepal, so the story goes, there is a typical Irish police barracks. Now all I need is a reader in Nepal to share a picture…
I have eaten at a Pakistani restaurant in Bourne. However, the other locations were completely new to me.
The only British police station I have any mental image of is Millgarth, which was a charmless 1970s building by the bus station in Leeds. Presumably, the one in Nepal has a slightly more eye-catching allure.
A friend of mine was in the police and told me the Leeds Police of the 50s and 60s were scarier than the criminals. Their buildings must have been well suited.
I’m sure they were 😊
Seems to suit Number One son, as he recently moved back to Ledds.
It’s not a bad place!
🙂
I remember watching the BRMs when they first arrived on the scene and being thrilled by the enormous roar of the exhaust
I’m sure all the older generation of racing drivers must have deafened themselves. I bet they have rules against it now.
Fascinating story of Charles Sharpe – and he survived.
Yes, there are some great stories out there if you can find them 🙂
I had not heard of Hereward the Wake, and have learned something new here, again. 🙂
🙂 Glad to be of service.