National Trust treasures

For the past three days, we have been to three National Trust properties, where being a "carer" has been useful, for reduced fees. In fact John got in free at Bath as well as me.

We told you about going to Lacock Abbey on Sunday. On Monday (yesterday) we caught the train from Chippenham to Bath and return (again, no dramas), and spent a few hours walking around this small city and viewing the Roman Baths and having a leisurely lunch in the park. John preferred York as a city - he found Bath just too touristy (and of course we added to it). I didn't mind because I was really, really impressed with the Roman Baths. We couldn't go to much of it, which was why we both got in for free. However, we could look down on the baths and it really is amazing to think that Jane Austen saw the same view. I would have liked to have followed Jane's footsteps around Bath, but we didn't have the time. It's the sort of place you can spend a week of course.

After filling up with groceries at Melksham, we drove to Trowbridge, where we had arranged to meet John's VERY distant cousin Ed Moxon (I think they share an ancestor in 1717). Ed is the project manager (voluntary) for the DNA project of the Moxon Society. After John had his DNA tested (on 43 markers on the Y chromosome, so only male Moxons can be tested), Ed found that John's DNA matched that of others (including himself) who were decended from John Moxon/Moakson born 1717 in Silkstone, Yorkshire.

Ed is a Lieutenant Colonel (at 45) in the British Army, posted to Salisbury and has some interesting observations about Iraq, to which we wouldn't disagree.

So last night, having enjoyed yet another delightful Indian meal, we drove home in the dark for the very first time. That is hard to do at the moment, because it doesn't get dark until nearly 10 pm. It's great.

The Wiltshire Family History Centre (Records Office) opens Tuesday-Saturday only, and is based in Chippenham, north of our campsite. So we spent the morning there, looking for our Tucker ancestors' wills. I was really pleased to find two wills and an application for guardianship for my direct ancestors who had been left parentless before the age of 21.

The building is new - purpose built - so it is very efficiently laid out and of course fully wheelchair acessible. We were most impressed.

We ate our lunch in the van in the carpark and then travelled south to a campsite at Ower, just north of Southampton, where I want to see my dear friend and distant cousin Ange again.

But on the way, we stopped at Stonehenge, which I'd never managed to visit on my previous three trips. It was well worth the visit. Like the Roman Baths, the National Trust gives headphones so we could listen to a full description. For once, we heard a number of Australian accents. Including a family from Blacktown. Mostly, our trip has been to places that are not the must sees for Australians in a hurry.

John reckons that the mystical powers of Stonehenge don't work - he still can't walk!