14th of October, 2025 - Lincoln - Warwick - Peterborough

I left Lut and Bruce's very beautiful horse farm

and only had a 1 hr 43 minute drive to tonight's accommodation, which seemed like a very short jaunt, so I decided to do a big triangle instead and drive 2 hours back to Warwick (where I'd been on the 28th of September) because I did a lot that day and missed St. Mary's Church where I wanted to visit Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester's tomb. He was the very great favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and, according to lots of historians, her secret, not so Virgin Queen Lifelong Love. His first wife died falling down stairs. Did she jump, or was she pushed - or is history not that exciting and she just took a tumble?? Either way, he never did succeed in becoming King Consort, not for wont of trying, but he was a fascinating man. I have been cursing that I missed it a couple of weeks ago, although if I'd done it I'd have had to skip either Kenilworth, or Warwick Castle or Lord Leycester Hospital, so I'm very glad I got the opportunity to make a run for it today.

St. Mary's Church (note - NOT a Cathedral,

or an Abbey, OR a Minster!)

St. Mary's is a tiny little church and I worked out it's about a hundred metres from where I parked the car last time (Doh!) and because it wasn't very big, I didn't have to rush to get around it all. It has all sorts of fascinating stuff, not least of which is the see saw end of what was called a Dunking Chair. There was a wooden chair attached to the other end, the accused would be strapped into the chair and then dunked under water however many times their punishment ordered. It was mostly used for wives who argued with their husbands, women of ill repute and later, of course, for those women suspected of sorcery and/or witchcraft. Ah, we humans are resourceful in our torture, aren't we?

Robert Dudley

Robert and his second wife, Lettice Knollys

(she was perfectly safe on stairs)

After St. Mary's I wandered around the streets of Warwick Town centre for a little bit, which I didn't really have time for when I was here last. I found a charity shop and donated the heavy jumpers that have saved me in the last couple of weeks, but which I can't fit in my (multitude of) suitcases. That made going home tomorrow seem very real ~sad face~.

I bought myself some jewellery because I'm going home tomorrow and then sat in a cafe and indulged in a luxury hot chocolate because I'm going home tomorrow (in case you haven't picked up on it, I'm sad about going home tomorrow). I'm not sure what made the hot chocolate a luxury one, but I paid an extra £ for it, so I guess it was better than usual?

Beautiful autumn colours

I reluctantly drove the 2 hours to Peterborough (reluctant because it's my last night's accommodation) and was pleasantly surprized to find it is beautiful. A really lovely room, a VERY comfortable looking bed and my own private garden. What a nice way to spend my last night in England!!

Tomorrow I'll do Fotheringhay Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner for much of her 20 year imprisonment and then finish off with Peterborough Cathedral so that I can pay my respects to Katherine of Aragon. I have to find a supermarket to see if I can buy a pomegranate to leave on her tomb - apparently it's quite common and is a bit of a pilgrimage. I don't have to have the car back at Heathrow until 5pm, so I have one more lovely day to savour.

For now though, I'll walk to the pub next door and have a slap up English dinner to end my wonderful, wonderful trip.

One more blog to go people, let's hope tomorrow is a good one! ♥