And following on from yesterday - even more thatch

This is the village where we lived for many years up to about 20 years ago. It is called Offenham, and although it’s not far from where we live now, it is in the next county, Worcestershire.

As far as I know, this is the longest stretch of thatch in the UK, and continues along much of one side of the street. Down the other end of the road is a maypole, which is still used every year for the traditional maypole dancing. The pole stands at 64 feet and is the tallest of the six remaining permanent poles in England.

Offenham was founded as a monastic grange and medieval deer park by the Benedictine Abbots of Evesham Abbey in the 13th century.

We lived in two houses in Offenham, (not at the same time) and the second one was at the far end of this stretch of thatch. The deeds to our house dated back to the 1560's. We had an old grave in our back garden under the lawn, and when we dug out the footings to build a utility room, we uncovered hundreds of deer bones – presumably the peasants living in the cottages in those days had been poaching the deer and hiding the bones.

We were back in the village today to celebrate the 60th birthday of a very dear friend and a close neighbour from when we lived there. Our gardens were adjoining, but our houses were about 4 doors apart – work that one out!