Went for a gentle stroll yesterday afternoon around the graveyard across the road. Some of the graves go back to the mid 1700s, which means there will be older ones. The village hit its age of prosperity in the mid 1700s, and probably before that, not many could afford stones.
Earlier in the day I walked the half mile or so down to the farm shop, which has reopened after its winter break. On the way I called in at the stove shop, and to cut the proverbial short, Ernie came round at lunchtime, and I am now having a multifuel stove fitted in the living room in just over a week. I also discussed the dining room chimnet breast, and the possibility of refitting a restored cooking range. He said they were quite hard to come by but suggested opening it right up, like an ingle, and fitting a small stove with maybe a little seat either side. It would certainly make the room look bigger.

Cut up some more of the shrubby stuff I cut down last week, and that'll go to the tip in Berwick tomorrow, when I go in for my eye test.

Andrea