MYSTERY OBJECTS

[plaques]

Is it the oldest pub in Barlick?

As far as I know , NO, The pub itself is not a listed building, The answer lies in the bits that are no longer there.

Cross keys 3.JPG

As you can see I'm doing my best to get rid of this one.

[Gloria]

Adam Blacklaw was landlord in the past.

[Big Kev]

All I know is that they knocked some adjoining buildings down to accommodate road widening. I've not lived here long enough to know anymore

[PanBiker]

One of the adjacent buildings was the town lockup.

[plaques]

Thank God for that Ian. Exactly right. Here's a bit of proof for all to see nailed to the wall...

.

Cross Keys 2.JPG

. Some of the ongoing questions and others I don't know are..
How old is the Cross Keys.
Did they have permission to use the Cross Keys symbol.
Were some of the cottage buildings incorporated into the existing pub.
When were the cottages demolished.

[Marilyn]

I would like to know more about it too..

[Stanley]

Age Not sure but I'd guess about 1810.
As far as I know they didn't need permission.
No the cottages were separate but could have been older than the Pub.
They were demolished around 1950 I think, just after the war.

[Tizer]

I started reading Plaque's plaque too quickly and thought it said `The lock up for pensioners...'.

This is rather different from our usual mystery objects. I took this photo on Saturday here in wet, cold, wintry Somerset. What do you think is the identity of those flowers, blooming in winter?

[PanBiker]

Magnolia Stellata?

[Wendyf]

It looks to be growing through the hedge so I'm guessing at a clematis of some sort..

[Tizer]

Not Magnolia stellata, although I can see why you suggest it, Ian. It's not a clematis, Wendy, but you've spotted that it's not the hedge that's flowering but something growing through it. I'll narrow it down by telling you it's not a true climber.

[PanBiker]

My suggestion was a spooky Tripps moment. I showed the picture to Sally and the next page she turned in a Country Living magazine she was reading had the Stellata, worth a punt as Tripps would say.

[Stanley]

Star of Bethlehem?

[Tizer]

Not Star of Bethlehem although the flowers look similar. It's a perennial, not a bulb, and is common in gardens although it's usually seen with flowers more of a blue colour. I used to have to pull a lot of it up in our previous garden!

[Wendyf]

Periwinkle?

[Marilyn]

Star Jasmine.

[Stanley]

???

[Tizer]

Wendy got it right, well done! It's periwinkle growing all along the base of the hedge. Normally it grows shorter than this and tends to fall over due to having thin herbaceous stems, but the hedge supports the stems allowing it to grow taller. When the periwinkle shoots emerge into the light above the surface of the hedge they flower. It makes an unusual and delightful sight at this time of year! Another example of how the mild weather is affecting plants - it shouldn't be flowering now but others are in flower too, such as hebe and rosemary.

[Wendyf]

It looks as if there is a daffodil there as well!

[Stanley]

It's a different world down there in the Soft Underbelly!



What can you tell me about this?

[Wendyf]

Is it a piano that plays all by itself?

[Marilyn]

Pianola? With those rolls? I remember those...

[Stanley]

Oh Dear! So much for that one! You are right Wendy, it was made by Wurlizer. Back to the drawing board!



Try this one. What is it and where is it. (If you know immediately let it run for a while?)

Just seen your post Maz, yes.

[Tizer]

Is it in the Barlick treacle mines?

[Cathy]

Part of the road into Hell, or into a Mine.