May Bank Holiday - Sunday

Hereford

Hereford cathedral

Poor dog in the rain. You can see the Old House in the distance...

...A wonderfully and miraculously preserved half-timbered Jacobean house in the heart of Hereford's commercial centre. Formerly part of Butchers' Row, this only remaining house was built in 1621 and has been home to butchers, ironmongers and bankers, before becoming a museum in 1929.

Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury abbey

Gloucester

Home of the Tailor of Gloucester, who left an unfinished jacket one night, only to return the next morning to find it completed. This story formed the basis for Beatrix Potter's tale of the same name. The Tailor's house is now a little Beatrix Potter shop, and I bought a special edition of the eponymous tale.

Gloucester cathedral:

Not easy to see, because of the additional chapel on the right hand side of the photo, but the arched window in the centre of the photo runs from the ceiling to ground level, and is the largest stained glass window in England. We had a good view of it when we sat in on the Evensong ceremony, but I couldn't get a picture.
Painswick

May Bank Holiday - Saturday

You can see Loxley Manor on the hill there. Anna's maternal grandfather converted its stables into the lovely Loxley Cottage, which is still there today:

The current owners were nice enough to let us have a look around inside. Here you can see how thick the old walls were:

View from the kitchen. This all used to be fields and market gardens:

Anna's grandfather also built an enormous swimming pool in the backyard, which he dug by hand. It was the first in Weston-super-mare, and has now passed into legend (as well as disrepair)!

The Severn Bridge spans the Severn River from South Gloucestershire (England) to Monmouthshire (Wales). Just make sure you have your passport ready!

Chepstow Castle, overlooking the River Wye, is the oldest surviving stone fortification in Britain. Built in 1067!

Tintern Abbey:

Pontypool, where Anna's maternal grandfather was raised:

Toward Hay-on-Wye

The famous Hay-on-wye book festival