Christchurch.

I thought you might like to see some of the towns around where I live. Christchurch has become part of the 'urban sprawl' of Bournemouth, but it retains its own character and feels like a village. It has quite a history, going back to Saxon times, when it was called Twyneham, meaning 'between two rivers'- the Avon and the Stour.

On Mondays the main street is closed to vehicular traffic to make way for a very popular market. I had to wait a while to get these photos as most of the time, the market is jammed solid with people.

In Saxon times, the harbour here was one of the most important in England because it was easily reached from the Continent and boats could sail all the way up the Avon to Salisbury. These days what used to be the harbour is now a very pleasant place to spend an hour or two, feeding the swans or just walking around.

The Priory church, which also dates back to Saxon times, is the longest Parish church in England and is quite impressive inside.

And it's the only place I've seen a Ducking stool. This is a re-creation of the original. If you double click on the photo of the sign, you should be able to read what it says, but very simply, in the 15Th-18Th centuries, the Ducking stool was used as punishment for wives who were found guilty of being 'scolds' or nags, to. They were strapped into the stool and then immersed in the mill stream, as many times as the sentence decreed, to 'cool their heat'. Very nice!

Now where's the one for nagging husbands, that's what I want to know!