England Driving

It's one thing to know you'll drive on the wrong side of the road in the UK, and quite another to get in a car and do it. We had landed at Heathrow, needed to pick up a rental car, then Brian at Gatwick. We got lost first turn out of the car agency. Dad insisted on driving and my control freakdom went ziggity boom as we circled around trying to get on the M25. Every travel piece I'd read warned against doing that, but we had to get to Gatwick posthaste. I collected Brian, and we flagged Dad down as he zipped around the roundabouts, hugging the line closest to his neighbor. We drove back roads to Christchurch, since I had map custody and wanted no more adventures on major roads. Narrow roads, huge trees inches away, buildings smack at the tarmac; if someone had opened the front door in some of these villages, we'd have ripped it off. As it was, we lost two hubcaps, one on a roundabout adventure in which Dad zipped around, shot off onto the side road we needed, right in the path of an oncoming Jaguar. Dad smiled, waved his hand apologetically and mumbled "American! Sorry!" We had to replace the hubcaps and turned it into a black market shopping fantasy. Here are Dad and cousin Charles giggling like schoolboys at their find. Charles later sent Dad a "UK Award For Painless Decapitation," making him an honorary member of the "Dorset Roads Association, Righthand Drive, 85% Clean Removal."

St. Michael and All Angels, Steeple + George Washington

The American connection: Agnes, heiress of the Washington family married Edmund Lawrence. In 1540 the Lawrences moved to Steeple, as John Washington moved to Virginia and became the great-grandfather of George Washington. Our Stars and Stripes were derived from the quartering of the arms of the Lawrences of Steeple and the Washingtons. There is a letter in the church, and a Washington flag presented by the Mayor of Washington (1970s?) acknowledging the Steeple connection to the American flag. The page with this artwork reproduction of the stone tablet pleasantly offers a "very special and warm welcome to our American cousins and hope they will be interested by Steeple's historic connection with their first President."

Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Steeple

The brochure describes The Parish of Steeple's first mention in Domesday Book (1087) when the manor of Glole, Stiple and Criz (Church Knowle, Steeple and Creech) was held by Roger de Belmont. In 1540 it was bought by Sir Oliver Lawrence of Creech Grange, sold in 1691 to Nathaniel Bond, present owner family, who still live in the parishes of Church Knowle and Corfe Castle. Baptism, marriage and burial records are complete from 1548. If you'd like to see older information, kindly visit County Record Office, Dorchester. The lower parts of the walls in The Nave are 12th century Norman, as is the font. The chalice is an Elizabethan communion cup with a Dorchester silversmith hallmark, and a 1574 date. I would have roamed for a day in this beautiful little church and setting, wandering in daydreams from century to century.

Ye Olde George Inn, Christchurch, Dorset

Downtown Christchurch, a short walk from the ruins of Christchurch Castle is this charming carriage pub. There's an archway over the courtyard carved "Duck Yer Nut." Anyone on a horse would get konked in the forehead without obeying. To the right at ground level is a small barred window. The plaque above tells that prisoners deported to Australia had this last glance of Merry Ol' and free folks headed into the pub for an ale. We were at Stonehenge when my cousin said, "we need to get back, I want to buy you a beer." I asked him, "why?" He said, "because it's your birthday!" When we got back to town and walked from The Druid House to the Inn, it was closed. 10:00 p.m. We went back another night. It's a tiny place, awesome in its antiquity. The ceiling behind the bar was so low, the bartender had to duck her nut to serve the patrons. I had my first Stella Artois there. We talked with our neighbor at the bar, a retired pilot who flew Margaret Thatcher around. His daughter lived in the U.S. near Sigourney Weaver. King George came up in conversation again that week as we were driving past an enormous chalk hill drawing of a man on a horse. I asked cousin Charles "who's that?" He said, "that's the bloke that lost us the States."