Not Just a Granny

Wow, time sure does just fly by, and thank goddess for my ‘keeper of memories’ – my daughter 😍😍 who reminded me that it’s my citizenship anniversary today…5 years a good Citizen of the UK 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 I’m not sure about the ‘good’ part, although I do try, oh and I pay my taxes 💷💸💸💸

So wow, how amazing. Although my citizenship ceremony was on the 25th of February, I received the official letter in the post on the 13th. Coincidentally, and 7 years earlier, was my daughter’s citizenship ceremony on the same date; 25th February. At the time the letter arrived I was working in Bexhill-on-Sea and had to wait a few days to actually hold the document in my hands. I was also very lucky to get a place for the actual ceremony on the 25th due to a cancellation. Otherwise I would have had to wait a few months!!

The ceremony took place at the Bishop’s Palace in Maidstone, and what a beautiful place it was too. Lucky me.

On the day we dressed up in our finery, and headed over to Maidstone by train. Very early, we meandered around the town and took loads of photos…all of which, except for a few Instagram images, were lost when UPS lost my hard drive a few years ago 😠😠 along with 10 years of photos…thank goodness I have a habit of saving my Instagram images to dropbox, at least I have some photos saved.

Maidstone is mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book (and in my Project 101😉) https://opendomesday.org/place/TQ7555/maidstone/

The Palace was absolutely stunning and although I would have loved the Queen to preside 😁😁👸🏻 I believe she was otherwise engaged and sent her apologies 😉

We had a superb day, and were amazed at how many different nationalities were swearing their allegiance to the Queen and new country. There were a number of South Africans, as well as people from Russia and the USA amongst a whole world of other nations.

After the ceremony which frankly passed in a blur of nerves….we went off and celebrated the only way you should, and how we celebrate best….with pancakes and ice-cream 😋😋🤫🤫

Once the official stuff was out the way I could apply for my UK passport, and as soon as I received it….

….the first thing I did was book a trip to France on the ferry so I could see the White Cliffs of Dover for real.

There was nothing stopping me from taking the trip before, but it just made sense to do it then. And so it was that on the 2nd April 2016 I set sail for France!! Doesn’t that sound so adventurous!! ‘Set sail for France’….invokes images of days of yore when boats had sails…in reality the ferry had engines and we didn’t ‘sail’ so much as chuggg across the channel (which I’ve now swum – virtually of course 🤣🤣🤣)

I’ve since seen them from the air from a Spitfire flight my daughter gifted me for my birthday in 2018, and walked across the top last year in September.

I had a marvellous day meandering the streets of Calais and explored every nook and cranny I had time for, and then I bought some French pastries and headed back to the ferry…UK bound once again. I thought Calais was charmingly tatty….and really interesting.

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Later that month my daughter and I took a trip on the Eurostar to Paris for the day.

It was so exciting to use my passport for the first time as a bonafide EU citizen, although sadly it’s now redundant.😪😪

And now my daughter is my keeper of memories and reminded me that it’s my 5th anniversary today….🥂🍾

And if you can bear it, a video of the White Cliffs from the ferry….I was just a tad emotional 😂😂😂☺

And at the rate the east coast is being eaten away by the sea, it won’t look the same when my grandson reaches the age of 61!!!

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In my job I get to travel frequently, usually to different parts of the country, and seldom to the same place – unless I choose to return to the same client, which doesn’t often happen.

I was meant to be working with a regular client in Nether Stowey till 21st December, but as it turns out, I’m not. I am however still in Somerset, in a town called Shepton Mallet which is close to Castle Cary and the cathedral city of Wells.

When I’m given a new assignment I usually (not always) do a bit of research so I know what I’m getting into and if there’s anything of interest. As it turns out Shepton Mallet is mentioned in the Domesday Book as: Sceapton

Besides that, according to wikipedia the River Sheppey runs through the town, as does the route of the Fosse Way, the main Roman road into south-west England. There is evidence of Roman settlement. Its medieval parish church is among many listed buildings. Shepton Mallet Prison was England’s oldest until it closed in March 2013

So much to see and investigate.

After a 5.5 hour train journey I arrived quite late Saturday afternoon in Castle Cary (nearest rail station) and we soon arrived in SM. There are always surprises to be had when you arrive in a new place, and one of the first was an enormous Tesco’s store!! Really? In such a small town?

the 2nd surprise was that its a very hilly area…which considering its location in the Mendip Hills shouldn’t have been a surprise, but there you go.

The 3rd surprise was how grey it is. Just about every building is built of grey stone, and of course being winter, the weather is also grey…so my spirits were a little dampened. Although to be fair the day was quite sunny with blue skies on Sunday.

I had visions of a medieval town with old Tudor buildings and interesting architecture. 🤪🤪

But I’ve given it a good go and during my breaks over the last 2 days I’ve walked here and there and pretty much covered the whole town and then some.

So in a nutshell: Shepton Mallet

1. Domesday Book village
2. The old Roman Road known as the Fosse Way runs through the town
3. The Market Cross dates back to 1500
4. The name Shepton Mallet derives from Saxon times when it was known as Sepetone.
5. The current spelling is recorded at least as far back as 1496, in a letter from Henry VII. 
6. The Romans had a trading centre here along the Fosseway
7. In Norman times William Mallet became Lord of the Manor – hence the second part of the name
8. During the Middle Ages the town grew as a wool trading centre
9. The town is home to the country’s oldest working goal (closed 2013).
10. Shepton Mallet is home to Babycham
11. The River Sheppey runs through the town

I loved these decorative window sills at the library

I’ve pretty much walked along most of the roads in the town centre, so I’m hoping to expand my horizons and set off along the East Mendip Way – depending on how muddy it is.

The bonus of course is that I can add the town to Project 101…. Domesday Book = 149 and rivers visited = 64

So a little more than a nutshell 😉

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