We had a lot of West Midlands fun when we spent two full days with my cousin Linda and her husband David! They were generous and gracious hosts and took us to see some marvelous sites, as well as places my ancestors lived and worked. In addition, they taught us so much about the area. For instance, did you know the anchor and anchor chain for the Titanic were both made in Netherton, W Midlands, UK? This is one of the towns of my ancestors, and some of them worked forging chains! This is a replica of the Titanic’s anchor!
Places of Ancestral Interest
Some of the places of familial interest included the cemetery where Joseph Darby (the jumper from my last post) is buried and the church where my great-grandparents got married–Christ Church in Oldbury.
Castles and History!
We also visited two castles–Ludlow and Croft. On the way to Ludlow we passed fields where sheep just roam free–no fences or anything! Some were marked with a colored stripe and this signified that they were pregnant. In the picture of the sheep you can see the hills of Wales in the distance. Ludlow castle was important in the defense against the “savage” Welshmen. Read more about it here. It is mostly ruins now, but an incredible piece of history.
The town of Ludlow is rich in Tudor architecture which I love!! I took way too many pictures but will share a couple.
Well, I have gone on for too long tonight! I will cover Croft Castle, our foodie adventures, and the Black Country Living History Museum tomorrow! I will share even more West Midlands fun! Thanks for following our trip! I can’t believe that we will be coming home on Sunday! But do not fret! I will continue posting since I have to cover our London and Dublin legs of the trip!