As far as I can tell, Christ Church is just a load of old barns off Northcourt Road. They have been purchased over the years. Initially the local people making up the church bought a derelict 12th Century Tithe Barn and converted it into a church.

Then they added a hall next door to act as a church hall, and as an overspill area to the main church. I haven’t been to a service at Christ Church since the days when David Bryant was the curate (circa 1990). He went on to teach at a college training would-be-vicars where the BBC did a fly on the wall TV documentary which heavily featured David Bryant judging whether these would-be-vicars had that X-Factor.

Back then in 1990 the hall served as an overflow area with CCTV links. It was that popular!

And it still appears to be popular, despite the change of ministers.

They have a brand of up-to-date worship music and evangelical outreach. You would hardly think they were Church of England, and they have more to them than just being ‘happy-clappy’.

More recently they have purchased other medieaval barns and building that belonged to a dairy, and are gradually putting them to community use. Some of the buildings have been renovated for use as a kindergarten, youth rooms and band practise, stores, offices, meeting rooms etc…

They have even set up a satellite church in the primary school on the Long Furlong estate.

Smiths is our local chemist (pharmacy).

The small shopfront does not tell the full story. Think Doctor Who and the Tardis!

Inside, the shop stretches back past a perfumery counter, and shelves with cosmetics towards natural remedy shelves, elastoplasts, non-prescription drugs, and then the counter where people in white coats administer prescription drugs. Local doctors will send prescriptions to the chemist of your choice.

At the side, behind Conways opthalmic opticians Smiths have expanded to where they keep babies nappies, shampoo and the like.

Back from holiday, and I see the first small stretch of the Wilts and Berks canal has been opened. The previous post in August was when the canal was under construction.

The first stretch runs from the Thames and ends at this circular widening, just short of a lake used by a fishing syndicate. Peep-o-day lane has been cleared of undergrowth by Sustrans. But it looks like it has been windy as the path is newly strewn with leafy twigs, acorns, and crab-apples.

Lock Keepers are similar to Light House keepers. They live in a remote place away from civilisation, and care for boats.

Lock Keepers also sell ice creams and post cards in the summer , and appear to compete with other Lock Keepers to have the best display of busy lizzies.

High water and flooding can be a problem. In 1947, the Lock Keeper at Abingdon had to get another high-water mark sign fitted to show that it had been almost the equal of 1894. That was before this cottage was build by The Thames Conservancy.

This is the little shack from where the Lock keeper sells ice-cream and post cards to us land lubbers. He serves the boating fraternity by keeping a water point, refuse disposal, elsan/sewage disposal and maps and information.

The Lock makes this boat and the swans, passing through, look small. But it is a much smaller lock than Iffley upstream. The current Lock was rebuilt by Thames Conservancy in 1905

Here the swans float out, with the boat, towards Abingdon a half mile away. The day generally begins at 9, and ends at about 6 for the Lock Keeper. Most boats have moored for their evening meal by then.

The Lock machinery is hydraulic and does not need brute strength anymore.

Not far away, in swift ditch ,are the walls of one of the earliest chamber locks on the Thames – built in the 1600s. Perhaps the earliest surviving remnant of a chamber lock in Europe.