The Romping Donkey and on to Wheelock

OK…. so it’s Mow Cop and not Mop Cow!   However I think my name is better!

All of this has made me rather inquisitive about Mow Cop.  I though it was an ancient ruin until Wikipedia informed me it’s only 250 years old! Built in 1754 as a folly in the shape of a medieval fortress and round tower. It’s open to the public and owned by the National Trust. 

Over the years I’ve read various blog posts that The Romping Donkey pub at Hassall Green is open, closed, open, closed.  After walking to it I can confirm at the moment it’s very definitely closed and looking rather dilapidated.

However the partially demolished extension enabled me to see the small triangle of exposed wall which I suspect is an example of wattle & daub.

The area of interest is the brown triangle.  Wattle and daub is an infill method where a lattice of woven wattle branches are covered with a mixture of clay, mud, animal dung, and straw.  It’s not a method I’ve seen employed in NZ.  Probably because other more modern methods of building had been developed by the time Europeans arrived.

There is a short canal arm running to the west at Malkin’s Bank which looked interesting.

Trying to find some information about it has proven to be quite difficult.  All I could find was the arm is being used for the restoration of historical canal craft, moorings and sometimes has room for DIY.  The link to Malkins Bank Services is <here>.  But I can’t find any information why the arm was originally constructed.

At Wheelock I walked a couple of kilometres to Aldi at Sandbach to top up the pantry.  Jan removed the last of the 2012 blackberries from the freezer and has made a blackberry sponge pudding.  The main reason (my main reason… not Jan’s) for the Aldi trip was to buy some ice cream to go with the pudding!  However some basic essentials were also purchased… chocolate!

On the way back I peered over a hedge and noticed this rather Victorian looking building. 

It’s Sandbach School.  Why am I reminded of Hogswarts!

Back at Waiouru Jan had the latest laundry on the rotary clothesline drying in the sunshine.  We seem to be average one wash load every five days.

The weather has been too unreliable to touch up the exterior paint but I was able to do something about the timber panels in the rear doors.  These are exposed to the elements when the pram cover (wigwam for wimps) isn’t erected.  From the beginning I knew these panels would be exposed to the elements and they received some serious treatment in the form of ‘Impreg’ before they were fitted.  However I recently noticed a gap had started to open at the base of each panel where the painted marine ply and oak trim join.  Rather than allow water to get into this area I decided to seal it with construction adhesive.  Using a silicone sealer isn’t a good idea as it deteriorates over time.  The first step was to mask the affected area with cheap masking tape.

The construction adhesive is then applied with a caulking gun and the excess was then wiped off with my finger after it had been dipped into the white spirits bottle.  The masking tape was then carefully removed.

White probably wasn’t the best colour.  But it’s all I had!  Actually,  I suspect the entire join between the oak trim and the panel may eventually have to be sealed.  The edge between the oak trim and the steel door was sealed during the fit-out and appears to be holding up well.

Tomorrow should see us at Middlewich.