An Exmoor bench - and why it's worth reading ALL the plaques....

 

Poetry on the Ripple bench

 A real honour for this bench-lover, to see my words engraved on James Tunnard's beautiful Ripple bench at Lullingstone Country Park. 

Listening benches

 

I love the idea of listening benches - somewhere strangers can sit to talk to each other.  This one above is in Grange Gardens in Lewes, and was installed after restoration work by Lewes FC Supporters. 

It's not the only football listening bench though, this one below was designed by George Best's son, Calum, who tweeted back in 2021, that  'I hope the design and idea welcomes people to sit down and share a convo or listen to someone else.'

A bench with a tender view

 

Guardian bench

 I loved this inscription on a bench found in Putney, London. 

                    IN LOVING MEMORY OF DEREK DUNCKLEY, 1931 TO 2001 

                     STILL WATCHING OVER HIS BELOVED RIVER THAMES. 

I don't always look up the people named on the benches. Sometimes it's nice just to sit and let the imagination flow but this time I did, and found this on the Vesta Rowing Club site... "It is with the deepest sadness that we must report the death of one of Vesta's most stalwart members. Derek Dunckley, our dearly regarded Bar Steward, vice president and ex-captain, died on Friday, 31 August at home. He will be greatly missed by all of his many friends within Vesta and along the Tideway and by those who knew him through his organisation for many years of the Vesta Veterans Head, or just through being the jovial, if occasionally grouchy, presence behind Vesta's bar."

Jovial, if occasionally, grouchy... it was a pleasure to sit on your bench, Derek.

The bench of serenity

 

Apparently this beautiful bench in the middle of the lavender fields at Castle Farm in Kent is apparently one of the most photographed benches on Instagram. To be honest, I can see why - to sit there feels like being in a beautiful dream! 

The perfect writing and thinking bench - Cambridge Botanical Gardens

 

Summer benches...

Henry Valentine - Hyde Park, London

Smelling the Sea Air - Brighton