| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2015 | David | Brian |
I was delighted when David decided to do his hash from the Inn with the Well in Ogbourne St George. It’s a lovely pub in a lovely village surrounded by lovely countryside. Definitely a Spring/Summer hash venue. The pub was originally a 17th century coaching inn called the Old Crown Inn*.
On the morning of the hash I decided I would join the walkers for a change. I had missed the last hash, being away in France cycling, and fancied a gentler return. Kathy kindly offered me a lift and we arrived early to find David looking very relaxed stretched out on a comfy chair on the pub’s patio. Apparently he had started laying the hash at 7 o’clock. Gradually we were joined by others including Keith and Kaye, Jeremy, Caroline, Mike, Fiona, Val, James and Maurice.
David gave a short pre-hash talk and sent us on our way in a southerly direction which quickly turned right onto the village High Street. There were just five of us walkers and we were chatting amiably. We should, of course, been looking for flour because I’m embarrassed to admit we all missed the first circle and worse it was quite a long time before we realised we hadn’t seen any flour at all. On the good side though, the walk through this very pretty village was worth it. Though we knew we weren’t on trail we carried on regardless and all of a sudden found flour once again (though obviously coming upon it from entirely the wrong direction).
We made a little turn heading back towards the pub, but this took us off the road, through an open field and around the church. After which we met David who put us back on trail (showing us the circle we had all missed at the start) but also telling us a shorter way back. So we headed south into open country with fine views of the downs. Eventually we reached the main road but did not cross it and headed back towards along a quiet approach road.
Back at the pub we were all able to sit out on the patio and enjoy our beverages. Everyone agreed it had been a delightful hash. Thank you David.
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* In the English Civil War the town of Marlborough supported the Parliamentarian Army against Charles I who had his headquarters at Oxford. Charles sent an army in November 1642. After some early skirmishes, Royalist troops infiltrated the town down its small alleyways and soon it was was captured and looted with many buildings set ablaze. One hundred and twenty prisoners were marched in chains to Oxford. The town was later abandoned by the King and took no further part in the war. When Charles II was invited back as monarch many pubs were named The Crown or The Old Crown.