Bed & Breakfast in Beckington Parsonage/Nunney Castle Ruins

We were able to close the office for two days during Thanksgiving, so we took a short trip out to Bath with Elder & Sister Wallace.  We stayed one night in the small village of Beckington, in a B&B, and went to Bath to see the Christmas market.  People come from all over Europe to see this market, as it is one of the biggest and brightest, so we went at night to see the lights.  It was opening night, and there were people everywhere. The next morning we went back to tour the historic Roman baths and a few other sites in the area.

Typical English breakfast:  sausage, bacon, grilled tomato and mushrooms, and one fried egg.  Really good!

This "Old Parsonage" has a section remodeled into five rooms for the B&B.  The parsonage is several hundred years old, and the current parson lives just next door.  The old church is 1/2 block away, and has wonderful bells that actually ring throughout the day and evening.

Elder and Sister Wallace

The ruins of a small castle are close by, so of course, we had to check them out, too.

Nunney Castle is fairly small, and not very deep, as you can tell by the previous picture, but had three floors above the ground level.  It must have had lots of spiral stairs.  Must have been an "up and comin' duke!

Salisbury Cathedral/Magna Carta

Bath, England - Roman Baths and Christmas Market

Elder & Sister Parker Bath Abbey in background

Christmas market booths line the streets

The Christmas market has food booths, but it was quite cold, so we ate inside a pub.

Carolers from a "nanny" school.  These female students actually get a degree to become a nanny.  They study for two-three years.  Notice the Mary Poppins-type outfits. 

Bath during the day

Historic Roman baths

Elder & Sister Wallace by River Avon

Pulteney Bridge in background

I've seen this wall and setting in one of the Jane Austen movies!  There is a Jane Austen Museum nearby, but we had no time, and the men weren't really interested.  Another trip...

Pulteney Bridge and  River Avon

Never enough time for the little shops!

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving dinner this year was organized by the temple missionaries, and our mission office staff was invited to participate.  The only thing I had to make was my homemade rolls, and bring some butter, so I got off easy!  We have quite a number of missionaries from the United States, so when we had "pot luck," it was very American-Thanksgiving.  It was fun, though, to see our British missionaries trying to figure out what was orange, had sweet caramel sauce, and topped with browned marshmallows...  (Yams!)

Elder and Sister Costley in front.  They came out the same time we did, and they work in the Visitor's Center.  The Visitor's Center is actually closing Dec. 22, and they will transfer to Plymouth as YSA missionaries.  We will miss them!  They are from Kaysville, and this is their third mission.
Behind are Sister Balloch and Sister Lee-Starr, temple missionaries from England.

Notice pumpkin pie on the left and British trifle on the right!

Elder Parker remembered to take the picture of the food BEFORE we ate.  Usually he remembers when it is gone...  It has been a long time since we had turkey and dressing.  

Daren - Notice the Digestives made into turkeys!  Dad was thrilled to get a bite of candy corn.  I let him have mine as well.

We are truly grateful for all the blessings the Lord has given us, and thankful we are able to be serving Him here in this part of England.  We love you all!

Hever Castle with Elder & Sister Madden

Hever Castle with our good friends, Elder and Sister Madden from Oregon.  They are serving in the Staines Stake as YSA couple and in a bunch of other assignments!
We've posted this castle before as it is near our home. It is the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.

Note the maze on the bottom of this picture.  Elder Parker stood guard at the exit, but did not enter for more than a few feet!

Only royalty wore sable.

King Henry VIII

Though we have been retired from Aspen Grove for four years, Dad still has to check out the playgrounds and program areas wherever we go!  This was a great one!