Did you know there was a Dorchester in Oxfordshire? I didn’t until I saw the name on the map before we wee leaving Great Missenden. The good old map made it sound as though it might be interesting. It was on our planned itinerary, but rather later than expected because Watlington had proved such a good place to be.
So here is a bit of the map around Dorchester, or to give it its full name, Dorchester on Thames.
A goodly old milestone helps to fix the place – 49 miles from London and not far from Henley. It’s hard to read but I reckon it says 14 miles.
Let’s start a walk around – and straightway I could add another brewery sign for my collection.
What looked to me like a tollhouse stood on the edge of the road, below the huge abbey church.
This building was once the abbey guesthouse. Now it is a museum (like ‘my’ own, Market Lavington Museum it is closed in January.
The Fleur de Lys is one of several old coaching Inns. I think Dorchester was once on the main road from London to Oxford.
The Post Office has an interesting window.
Some of Dorchester is very old but our eyes caught some stamp machines, not so very old but utterly redundant. It’s a nice thought, now, that you could get enough stamps to post anything for 10p.
Another pub – The George – declared its coaching past.
Another inn – The White Hart. The brick infill suggests that the White Hart dates from 1691
Let’s finish this set with a couple of street scenes.
That one amused me, but it IS in Dorchester on Thames and NOT anything to do with my home village.
More next time.