Erbistock

A Memory of Erbistock.

I WAS BORN AND BROUGHT UP TO THE AGE OF 12 IN ERBISTOCK AND I LOVED IT.  THE BOAT INN WAS RUN BY THE WILLIAMS'S.   I PLAYED WITH CAROL AND TIMOTHY IN ALL THE OUTBUILDINGS.  I WENT TO SUNDAY SCHOOL IN THE CHURCH AND THERE WAS A LADY CALLED MRS ASPREY THAT LIVED IN A LITTLE COTTAGE BY THE RIVER NEXT TO THE CROSS FOXES.  SHE KEPT PEKINESE DOGS WHICH YOU COULD HEAR FROM THE ROAD BUT NEVER SEE.  I CAN REMEMBER ONE HOT DAY SEEING MY BEST SANDALS FLOAT DOWN THE RIVER FROM WHERE WE WERE PLAYING BY THE OLD MILL.  OUR SCHOOL HAD TWO CLASSES, MRS PARRY AND MISS BOWEN. ON LOVELY DAYS THE WHOLE SCHOOL WOULD BE TAKEN FOR A NATURE WALK, THE WOODS WOULD BE FULL OF DAFFODILS AND THE SMELL OF WILD GARLIC - PURE HEAVEN!  ALL THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS WOULD BE FULL OF WILD FLOWERS, THERE USED TO BE BEDS OF WATERCRESS DOWN BY THE RIVER CLOSE TO THE BOAT INN WHICH WE WOULD PICK.  WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG MY DAD AND BROTHER USED TO FERRY PEOPLE OVER FROM THE BOAT INN FOR PENNIES AND GOT A THRASHING WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN TO SCHOOL.  I TRY AND GO ONCE A YEAR TO ERBISTOCK BECAUSE FOR ME IT REMINDS ME OF A FABULOUS CHILDHOOD IN ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES I'VE BEEN TO.  I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT SOME OF THE RIGHTS OF WAY AND PUBLIC FOOTPATHS SUCH AS TINCKLERS LANE NO LONGER EXIST AS PEOPLE WITH MONEY HAVE MOVED IN AND ERECTED FENCES ETC TO PROTECT THEIR PRIVACY.  I FIND THAT SUCH A SHAME IT IS NOT AS THOUGH HOARDES OF PEOPLE ARE TRAMPING AROUND. CYCLING UP TWINING HILL WITH MANLY HALL TO THE RIGHT, THEIR DRIVE HAD CHERRY TREES BOTH SIDES ALL THE WAY ALONG.  WHEN THE BLOSSOM WAS OUT AGAINST THE BLUE SKY THE SIGHT WAS JUST AWESOME.   EVEN AS CHILDREN WE RECOGNISED WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT IT WAS. WIGZELLS KEPT THE SHOP ON WREXHAM ROAD BY THE CROSS FOXES AND IT WAS FULL OF SWEETS OF EVERY COLOUR AND TASTE, WE WERE ALL SO JEALOUS OF SUSAN WHO LIVED THERE.  I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THE PLACE AND THE PEOPLE - IT WAS QUITE SIMPLY HEAVEN ON EARTH.

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