Tuesday 23 March 2010

Where's That Then? No 17

Another well-photographed English village. A regular in books called things like Our Homeland in Colour, I haven't seen it pictured in recent years. But it still looks like this, much as it did in 1972 when I used to drive here in my Mini Moke to pick up the Sunday papers from a shop on the left hand side of the photograph.

17 comments:

David Gouldstone said...

Finchingfield, Essex? A postcard perfect village not too far from my native North Herts.

Peter Ashley said...

Bingo David. And ah, North Herts.Letchworth, Barley, Barkway, Buntingford(that's enough Herts.Ed.)

Hels said...

I remember 1972 very fondly. Spouse and I left Australia the week after we graduated in Dec 1970.. as all Australians did. We spent time in Israel then arrived in Britain before my first baby was born in September 1972.

We were only away for 5 years in total, but they were the best 5 years of our lives. I have had a huge passion for London and Herts ever since. And the rest of Britain. And France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands etc etc

Jon Dudley said...

That'll be when you were in the Steeple Bumpstead, Helios Bumpstead, Finchingfield triangle then. What with you driving a Mini Moke, it must have a been very Patrick McGoohan/prisoner time. Nearby wartime Ridgewell aerodrome still had its control tower in the middle of a wheat prairie back in the 70s...always fancied living there, but maybe too many ghosts.

Peter Ashley said...

Many ghosts in the area. It was the sort of landscape that should've been soundtracked with a plaintive woodwind like in Witchfinder General. We lived in a lonely pink farmhouse between Hempstead and Steeple Bumpstead which was used as a visual waymarker for airliners trying to find Stansted. Not as busy as now, thank God. And Hattie Jacques nearly moved in next door.

Hattie Jacques said...

Nearly being the operative word. I took one look at the potential neighbours and moved to Dagenham.

Wartime Housewife said...

I have a cookery book called 'Chocolates from Steeply Bumstead'. Do I win a prize?

Wartime Housewife said...

Sorry. Bumpstead.

Peter Ashley said...

Sorry Hattie. Was it the late night boozy parties round the Rayburn or the noise the Moke made without the exhaust?

Wartime: Get that cook book round here NOW.

Philip Wilkinson said...

Wartime: Please don;t confuse your 'bumps' with your 'bums'. Could be painful...

Peter: What a fine-looking village - I've not been there. It seems to form a confluence of many roads. No doubt carrying all your visitors in their Mini Mokes, Mini Travellers, Min convertibles, mini skirts, etc.

Peter Ashley said...

Mini-skirted girls looked great in a Mini Moke. As I can readily testify.

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