Almost the end of Isis. (Not the terrorists one).

We heard a brass band at Kelmscott Manor but as it was raining we didn't venture out once we had moored up. It turns out it was the Village Fete.

The nights mooring was pretty good in the end and the view out of the port side was of water meadows and the other side a mud bank.

Kelmscott Manor has a high wall round it but it looked so inviting. It was an old farmhouse built in around 1600 for the Turner Family. In 1871 William Morris came across it and it became his country retreat. It was in a state of near collapse in 1962 when the Society of Antiquaries of London bought it and saved it as a museum for William Morris.

Unfortunately the Plough wasn't open at 1030 in the morning but it looked lovely with the base of the old village cross in front.

The church of St. George originates from the 12th century and these red ochre paintings are dated to around 1280. The church has been left as simple but homely.

This poster should be posted in every church by Canon Law of 1946 but I'm sure it is the first time I have seen it.

The church is simple of design but most has been added over the years. One of the bells is perhaps one of the oldest in England been dated to early 13th Century.

Willaim Morris and his wife and two daughters are buried in the church yard in a simple tomb hidden behind a bay tree. The village church hall was given as a memorial to William Morris by his daughter Mary and it was opened by George Bernard Shaw.

we set off at 1100 and the river ran circles round itself with many sharp bends and shallows. We were fortunate to not meet any boats at spots that may have caused problems.

 Buscot Lock was first and it was manned. The next, and last lock, was St John's Lock and this was unmanned. I was able to snap Helen steering a lock gate. These are actually the paddles for the sluices to fill/empty the lock so no windlass in needed. She looks to be taking it seriously.

The statue of Father Thames was made for the Crystal Palace in 1854 and then spent time at the source of the Thames at Thames head before it was brought here to St. John's Lock after 1974.

It wasn't long before we came to the field moorings before Halfpenny Bridge. The building on the bridge is not a chapel but the toll house where the toll was a ha'penny for pedestrians.

We are the third boat in from the right. The bank is just the right height for a mooring but the young bullocks are very inquisitive.

Who ordered the duck? After a visit to the town and a troll through the junk/antique places and church we bought a bit of shopping before wending our way back to the boat to await our friends Ann and Richard arriving. We met up at the Riverside just the other side of Halfpenny Bridge and Mr and Mrs Duck were very cheeky in coming in and seeing what they could blag from us. However duck was not on the menu.