Peterborough, nice enough.

Yesterday was an idyllic cruise in fine weather, passing

old water mills,

bridges and

fields of buttercups.

Finishing in Peterborough. Pleasant urban moorings which we have to ourselves at the moment. There was another boat here when we arrived, they had just come off the Middle Levels and sold us a windlass and key for considerably less than the cost from Stanground. Can't resist a bargain.
This morning after a major hit on Asda we strolled into town, five minutes from the river. It's not the most enticing city centre we've come across but it has all the major chain stores and is mostly pedestrianised.

Cathedral Square was pleasant enough with water jets shooting up in front of the old guildhall.

Looking in the opposite direction there is the gatehouse of the cathedral.

The west front doesn't look much in the photo' but believe me it is awe inspiring. Inside is just as amazing.

It is claimed to be one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in Europe.

At the east end the New Building has some wonderful fan vaulting.

I doubt we could replicate that now.
But, as usual, we were looking for the ignored and generally unappreciated efforts of previous visitors.

Dated 1666, the same year as the Fire of London.

This looks a bit masonic to me.

WA over IW and the date 1628 in what could be a representation of a church, maybe commemorating a wedding? Just a guess.

On the back of a wooden bench. RR Feby. ye II 1717 and on the same bench,

The cathedral? Dated 1677.
Loads more on the camera but enough is as good as a feast. Is Banksie a direct descendant I wonder?

One for the celebrity hunters, the tomb of Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife.
Tomorrow morning we head off for the Middle Levels, passage at Stanground booked for 1030.

Watch this space..........