Day 2 To Dartford & the Traveller's Tale

So up Shooters Hill - no highwaymen these days- down and off the Roman road into East Wickham and onto Lesnes woods and ruins of the 1178 Abbey and mulberry tree in leaf ( part of an ancient plan to start a Silk industry but ...Wrong type of mulberry - black not white! ) and onto Belvedere and Erith marshes and Erith’s old deep water wharf pier- no longer taking trains ! Pilgrims used to cross from the north bank and East Anglia and at Erith Causeway. It’s a good view of the Thames from Crayford Ness and the river Darent and flood barrier . It’s all very green and tidal marshes and then it’s on to Dartford. Dartford priory , England’s only Dominican convent before dissolution is impressive and so is the old Royal Bull and Victoria Inn - with it’s galleried yard. Odd town with a few famous visitors - Wat Tyler on his march and Henry V at the church after Agincourt !
And 15 odd miles today !

The Traveller’s Tale
On the pilgrimage I was joined today by a great traveller - Europe , Americas , Asia and he had also travelled the great Silk Road! He was originally a London lad from Erith on the Pilgrim’s Way. Many years ago before the great travels
he was voyaging north by railway to Nottingham to start his college life. He was joined in his train carriage by an attractive young lady who was also attending to college. He entertained her with some banter . He was hungry so he decided it was time for his prepared sandwiches which contained Pork. He graciously offered the young lady a sandwich but she declined. Some days later after he had arrived at college , had partaken in much ale and shown his hall friends that he had a huge appetite he was given the nick name “Porky”. And that seemed appropriate ....until one day a fellow from the same hall of residence told a tale of a Traveller who had propositioned, on the journey to college , one of his lady friends with a “pork” sandwich! A double legend was created and that tale is still told on drinking evenings to this very day ! A good friend !Read more