Stone to Ingestre

Wednesday 15 August



We left Stone and continued down the Trent and Mersey Canal mooring near bridge 86 enjoying a pleasant walk into the village of Burston and  what a beautiful village it is.  Most of the cottages surround a large pond including a quaint church (St Rufins) which was open and worth a look round. 

 

Waterwheel axle - Burston Mill, used to grind corn - last used in 1920 



Burston Pond



What a pleasant, pretty village Burston is, definitely worth checking out.

Thursday 16 August

A pleasant cruise of 2.5hrs took us  through to Ingestre bridge, no 78, where we walked to the village of   Ingestre, another place worth investigating.  A track from the bridge leads to the village and what an equestrian delight this place is.





Ingestre Hall



Ingestre Hall is a large 17th-century Jacobean mansion, currently an arts centre and venue for weddings etc.  Adjacent to the mansion is St Mary's Church (the only church outside London designed by Sir Christopher Wren).  We had a look around, very nice and some lovely ornate woodwork (Flanders oak) .  Apparently it was closed from 2000 due to a death watch beetle infestation in the roof and re-opened in 2004 once restored.

Ingestre Stables and riding school

Also on the estate is the Ingestre Stables Riding School  - wow!! these stables are magnificent and it was a pleasure to see some of the beautiful horses being groomed and walked around the village.  Apparently the stable yard was purpose built in 1886 by the Earl of Shrewsbury, to house carriage horses and polo ponies and the large coach house in the courtyard was to house the  horse drawn vehicles.  It is a fantastic building and it was lovely to see it has been restored and is now one of the leading equestrian training centres in the UK.