Weston-super-Mare - Clarence Park

A plaque at the entrance to the park states that the land was presented to the town by Rebecca Davies in memory of her late husband, Henry Davies in October 1882.  The park itself was apparently named Clarence after Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and second in line of succession.  It was on Queen Victoria’s 71^st. Birthday, 24 May 1890, that Albert was created Duke of Clarence and Avondale and Earl of Athlone.  

"Albert Victor late 1880s" by Alexander Bassano - 

National Portrait Gallery's collection of photographic negatives (website). 

Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - 

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albert_Victor_late_1880s.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Albert_Victor_late_1880s.jpg

Prince Albert was a colourful member of the Royal Family implicated in all sorts of scandals and affairs – although nothing was ever proved.  The most notable rumour was that Prince Albert was Jack the Ripper however this could not have been the case because on the days of the various murders the Prince was elsewhere.  On 31^st. August 1888 when Polly Nicholls was murdered Prince Albert was at Danby Lodge in Yorkshire; on 8^th. September 1888 when Annie Chapman was murdered the Prince was at the Cavalry Barracks in York; on 30^th. September when Elizabeth Stride and Catharine Eddowes met their fate Prince Albert was at Albergeldie in Scotland; and on 9^th. November when Mary Jane Kelly was murdered the Prince was at Sandringham. (The Jack the Ripper A-Z by Paul Begg, Martin Fido and Keith Skinner)

1889 brought its fair share of scandal when the Metropolitan Police uncovered a male brothel in London’s Cleveland Street.  Once again Prince Albert was rumoured to be involved but nothing was ever proven.   

A wife had to be found for the young prince but this was not easy.  He had fallen in love with Princess Helene d’Orleans, daughter of the pretender to the French throne but she was Catholic so unacceptable.  Queen Victoria wanted the prince to marry one of her granddaughters, Princess Alix of Hesse but she married Tsar Nicholas II instead and in 1918 she was executed along with other members of her family.  Finally it was arranged that Prince Albert should marry his distant cousin Princess Mary of Teck.  They became engaged in December 1891 and the wedding was set for May 1892.  However that winter an influenza pandemic swept through Britain and Prince Albert died one month before his wedding.

Cricket Pavilion, Clarence Park

The cricket pavilion dates back to the turn of 19th./20th. centuries and August 1914 saw Somerset playing their last two games here before the Great War.  The third was cancelled as the country had by then been mobilised.  The pavilion is now boarded up and looking very sorry for itself.

 

The Lodge, Clarence Park

The lodge, originally provided as the Park Keeper’s residence, looks as good as ever and just opposite is a delightful café.  

Cafe in the Park, Clarence Park

A few weeks back the flower display, as I mentioned in an earlier post, was a delight to behold – a sea of poppies fluttering in the breeze. 

The old toilet block has recently been refurbished by Weston Town Council and you may “Spend A Penny”

 if you put 20p in the slot

Weston-super-Mare - of Railways, Ferries and Coaches

In Alexandra Parade, at the site of Weston's first railway station, is a replica of Stephenson’s “North Star”.  In the 21^st. century this delightful floral display stands next to the Floral Clock.

Just up the road is the “new” railway station built in 1884.  Much the same now as it was back then apart from the very bland name plate.  If you need to Spend a Penny here then you can, but you will need to have a train ticket to get onto the platform.  The toilets are on Platform 2 just under the bridge.

In a yard next to the railway station, the once proud Bristol Queen sits forlornly in “dry dock”.  

Bristol Queen

She was built to the order of the London Midland & Scottish Railway Company at the Leven Shipyard in Dunbarton and was to be used for special passenger excursions on the River Clyde at the time of the Empire Exhibition.  She was launched in May 1938 and originally named “Leven”.  During the Second World War she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and went down in history as the boat which landed the first German Prisoners of War.

After the war she went back into service on the Clyde and in the mid 1960s found herself on holiday excursion duties in Torbay – by this time named Pride of the Bay.  In the 80s and 90s she was operating in Jersey before being sold to MW Marine of Weston.  In the year 2000 she was refitted in Bristol, renamed the Bristol Queen and became the Steep Holm ferry.  She is now out of service awaiting another refit.  I do hope that happens sooner rather than later because the rust increases with every passing month.

For those who prefer to travel by road the coach stop is opposite the railway station in the Locking Road carpark.  Refurbished public toilets operated by Weston Town Council can be found here.  

Get that 20p ready for the door!

Woodspring Priory

 

Woodspring Priory – so near and yet so far.  The route from Worle is along Collum Lane – but how safe would that be for a lone walker?  Many country lanes are so bendy that walking becomes hazardous.  Thankfully the map shows that Collum Lane is virtually straight and as there is no large residential area at the end traffic should be light.  The goal looks more achievable as I set off on a cloudy summer’s day.

Collum Lane crosses agricultural land and newly shorn sheep glance curiously at the camera:

Fields of barley(?) look ripe for cutting.  Whilst others have already been harvested and bailed.  

As suspected traffic is light and it is not long before the road peters out.  A sign to the priory points the way through an ancient walled garden and the tower can be spotted rising behind the old Tithe Barn.  But nothing prepared me for the magnificent building which suddenly came into sight – it took my breath away.

Woodspring (Worspring) Priory was founded in the 13^th. century and dedicated to Thomas Becket.  It was home to a group of Victorine monks, a French Order, who had their Abbey in Bristol.  After the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in 1536 the priory fell into disrepair but was later converted into a farmhouse.  It is said to have two ghosts – a lady who roams the gardens when there is a full moon, and another who hovers in the tower clanking his chains.  In recent years the property has been restored and is now run as holiday accommodation by the Landmark Trust. Perhaps one day I may stay there and meet those spirits of the past but for the present it was interesting to step inside and look at the small museum which is open on Mondays and Fridays.

From the priory my route took me to Huckers Bow and on to the wonderfully secluded Woodspring Bay.

After a climb up Middle Hope the path follows the ridge and provides stunning views down to the priory on one side and small coves on the other.

On reaching the trig point I was able to descend to the beach and make my way along Sand Bay to the bus terminus. 

The one and only place for a comfort stop on this walk were the toilets at Sand Bay.   

These have recently been refurbished by Kewstoke Parish Council and I was delighted to see that instead of very expensive new fangled electric doors they had simply installed old fashioned “coin in the slot” boxes.   

Well done Kewstoke