Ewelme

Before the rain came again we went for a walk around the beautiful village of Ewelme.  It has a church (sadly closed) with 15th century tombs, next to cloistered almshouses from 1437.  The village pond is called the King's Pool as some say Henry VIII bathed there when he stayed at Ewelme Palace (sadly demolished).  The stream that runs out of the Pool flows through the Ewelme Watercress beds (happily and amazingly open on the third Wednesday of the month because that is when the volunteers from the Chiltern Society maintain it), which used to be the biggest employer in the village.  Lots of the houses in the village are rather grand (and have wonderful hedges).  I think the proximity to Oxford has always benefited this area.