For those who haven't completed the name ....
A....therstone.
One of a cluster of small Midlands towns ... about 30 miles north of Birmingham, and situated on the A5 - the old Roman Watling Street, which was the road from London to Shrewsbury and on to Holyhead. Roman Manduessedum was close by. In the 19th century, the Coventy Canal was built through Atherstone - part of the "Grand Cross" that linked the Mersey at Liverpool to the Thames in London, and the Severn at Gloucester to the Trent at Nottingham. A few years later, the main London and North Western railway from London to Crewe, thence on to Scotland, also came through the town.
I took a canal boat through Atherstone about 20 years ago - a hard slog up a flight of 11 stiff locks on an otherwise flat stretch, and (I think) we moored overnight at the top of the locks. I hadn't returned until this Monday, as I had three days of w**k to do there.
OK - enough of a story. Turned out to be a lovely little town, cobbled streets, friendly locals, plenty of historic buildings to wander round and look at in the evening. Good food too. Lovely little British gem - worth pulling off the A5 for a quick look if you happen by that way ... and doesn't at least one member live close by??
