Wallingford Museum

Tuesday was mixed rain and sun. We dithered about whether we should go afield, maybe to Oxford, because of the weather. It got late enough that we decided to try a nearby indoor activity. When we first arrived in the UK and went to Wallingford, we saw the historical museum but arrived too late to visit. We've been putting it off all this time, so today seemed like the right opportunity to follow through. A ten minute drive after lunch got us there.

The museum is small and staffed by local volunteers, mostly retirees eager to share their knowledge of the area. We have been to many magnificent museums (on this trip and others), but I have to say that this one has a unique appeal and can only be described as charming. It's a perfect example of the fact that just about every town and village in this country possesses its own particular slice of English history. We were glad that this one has taken the trouble to organize and display it so nicely and with so much heart.

The exhibit begins with a series of pretty applique fabric murals made by local women, depicting various aspects of the area's history. There has been a settlement here since prehistoric and Roman times. Some famous people lived here, including Edward the Black Prince. William the Conqueror made Wallingford his last stop before entering London. William Blackstone, who was a writer on English law and an inspiration to several American patriots, lived here for an extended period. Its strategic location at a crossing place on the Thames made it an important stronghold. More recently, Dame Agatha Christie lived in nearby Cholsey; despite the fact that she enjoyed an international reputation as a writer of crime fiction, she kept pretty much to herself around home and was little known in the area.

There was a castle here at one time; Cromwell had it demolished for fear it would be used against him. We ran out of time and didn't get to see it all; the tickets are good for the rest of the year so we'll return soon and see the rest, plus the old castle site.

While walking around town, we saw several attractive buildings. Among them was the Friend's (Quakers) Meeting Hall.












The sunset this evening was an especially pretty one.