20th December 2014. The twentieth contribution to the Village Advent Calendar Windows, at Eagle House, Helmdon Road.
More pictures on the next page.
When I was about thirteen years old, an elderly woman lived in this large house entirely alone and was rarely seen. At that time my school set book was “Great Expectations”. I read about Miss Havisham and immediately thought of Eagle House. I may well have imagined myself to be Pip, but there was no Estella! However, the farmyard attached to the house was little used and it contained a large stone barn, now demolished, which can be seen on the right of the picture. It was dark and dreary inside but it did contain, of all things, a full sized billiard table and those of us in the know were able quietly to gain access….
The barn can be seen in the above picture of me shooting rats, another attraction in this somewhat derelict area. Schoolboys’ socks in those days were designed to be worn one up and one down.
Colin Wootton