Withey's Yard

At the last minute, I was asked to attend a meeting in the old Chapel of the town cemetery, where the Town Council's Green Spaces team work from. It was interesting to see inside the buildings and the varied equipment which we have to make decisions about in the near future.

I then nipped down the hill to the High Street, where I needed to buy a rubber washer for a friend's coffee percolator. This purchasing decision has taken several weeks of arranging, but it is for a good cause as Patrick couldn't start his day without his brew of Lavazza, which is being seriously curtailed by lack of a new 'rubber ring'.

St. Laurence's Church, seen here in the background, is situated in The Shambles, was originally a chapel-of-ease to nearby Bisley in the late 13th Century. The tower with its good tall broach spire is 14th Century. The rest of the church was rebuilt in 1866-68.

Mills Cafe and their cookery utensil shop has been sited here in Withey's Yard for nearly twenty years now. I used to come here for coffee myself, whenever I was visiting Stroud, before moving here permanently. This alley way leads from the High Street to the old converted workshop space. Stroud Preservation Trust was responsible for buying up the derelict site and bringing it back into a fit state of repair, before leasing it to several small businesses. We have been discussing the site at recent Trustee meetings as we are still the Freeholders and ultimately responsible for the area.

It is a well liked space, allowing people access to a cafe, with its outdoor courtyard, but I don't often use it anymore. Perhaps I don't have enough time on my hands.