After leaving London, we drove down to New Forest to see the wild ponies and donkeys. This is a beautiful part of England and even though they are wild, the ponies and donkeys are actually all owned by commoners. It is wise not to get too close, even though they look cute, they are still wild animals.
Lots of pirates stuff happening in Penzance, of course. Needed a lot longer there to truly explore the place and its history.
Sithney, a tiny village close to Penzance, is where my great-great grandfather is buried. He was a Cornish tin miner and died at only 19 years of age, after already fathering three children, one of whom was to become my great-grandfather.
He died in 1845 , which would have made his grave the oldest in the churchyard. Couldn’t find it but took photos of his “resting place”.
His son came out to Australia and worked as a copper miner at Kadina and had a son who was my grandfather.
Then it was off to Port Isaacs where Doc Martin is filmed. A very funny experience. We missed the parking sign. And missed the no entry sign. And the narrow street sign. And the restricted zone sign and just drove straight down and right through the middle of the village. Once in the narrow streets there was no place to turn or reverse or to get out except to keep going forward. Came out and up and around again and then found a park and walked on down and through the village like everyone else!
So it was back to Devon after this adventurous time and onwards to Scotland. That’s for the next instalment.
HA! HA! HA! That is hilarious! We always wondered where Doc Martin was filmed! And you drove right through it! Did you see the “school”?
Mai! A horse whisperer! I always thought you had a hidden talent!
Amazing you could track your family so far back.