Who was the fine lady of Banbury Cross? | Through the Hedge #5

[@miketipping1583]

There are several Banbury crosses around the town, most are just marked with plaques though, I think there is a walking route around them all. You missed the biggest feature of Banbury... The coffee factory! It used to be Nescafé I think but now it's Dow Egbert, so posh instant coffee. If the wind is in the right direction the whole town smells of coffee.

[@MattBrunton1965]

Or alternatively, I have smelt Bird's Instant Custard (i.e. vanilla) when driving though (admittedly a few years back)

[@miketipping1583]

Yes I remember the Custard smell too. Apparently there was a custard powder explosion in 1981... there aren't many towns that can claim that!

[@julienorton1067]

Hi NB'S and Duncan and Rebecca😁.. what a lovely helpful business... So rare in this day and age... Your book looks Amazing. Love this tour of Banbury... haven't been through there since I had my white horse🦄, and the rings on my fingers, and bells on my toes🎶🎵... thanks for the reminiscence tour...😊😉💖🐶🐾

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

That’s lovely. Thank you

[@Hazel2033]

Brilliant ‘through the hedge’. Only been to Banbury once many years ago. It’s quite busy now.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you

[@AndyB59]

Munchy must be getting big headed being the star of the book! Watching you two always makes me smile. You are a lovely couple and make such charming videos. Thanks for the laughs and smiles.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Munchy is nearly unbearable. Lol

[@BRNOZKK601]

My daily routine, read all the local and overseas news and current affairs to keep informed. Then go to The Narrowboat Experience to see what Kath and Anna are up to. Such a pleasure to follow your lives on the canals, positive, lighthearted and informative. Excellent video as always, thank you.

[@richardboulanger3393]

As a child, I spent some time in Overthorpe, just outside of Banbury. I used to walk with my surrogate grandmother to market in Banbury. Was a lovely town then (63-66) and it retains that charm. I recall many times watching the lock fill and empty on the canal in summer. There was a bakery out towards the cross on High Street and sold lovely sugar mice.

[@pootle2768]

That was brilliant. I haven’t been to Banbury for ages. It was lovely seeing it again. The book looks like it will be fantastic! X

[@lloydbaker7104]

Looked up the rhyme and beautiful town!

[@MichaelsMustang]

The spot in Banbury where you did the introduction looked like a hedge just made of buildings not trees, so just a different hedge. Kath we did use to have those horses in Australia but only guessing Anna’s age I think they were long gone when Anna was born. 👩‍🦳👩‍🦰

[@tareefaires4766]

I loved that tour... thank you for sharing. I remember that nursery rhyme and the statue was beautiful. Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes... I love that one.... what a sweet place.

[@marianjacobs5597]

Another great vid girls loved all the hanging pot in the main street so colorful, a pretty town ... thank you for the post

[@Kath1320]

Fantastic vlog. Cheerful, informative with a sprinkle of fun, well done

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Yay. Thanks

[@narrowboatlane2241]

That was ace girls. It looks atypical english town... have you done oxford yet? That would make a cracking through the hedge.. loads to see.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

We aren’t going that far so no Oxford TTH. Not sure what will be the next one!

[@suetaylor5186]

Well you now have pole position since CC is off on his sabatical....Love your journeys keep up the most excellent work.xxx

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Pole position!!!! Yay

[@sylviapage8572]

Great episode. Interesting to see Banbury. Thanks.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

You’re welcome

[@katerh3198]

I'm an Aussie - I know the nursery rhyme well, I read it to my children too. Ikea umbrella - what a good idea :)

[@sarahmartella3381]

Thank you for the wander around Banbury. Just watched you on the television! found out how to watch you tube on a bigger screen : - ) both looking very well. Looking forward to your book. Take care xxx

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks so much. Wow the big screen.

[@slockey]

There is a theory that the “Fyne Ladye” might well have been Ladye Godiva of Coventry fame. I was borne and brought up in Banbury. Had a NB called “Fyne Ladye”.

[@sherrionboardsunflower97]

Brilliant vlog! Thankyou! Can’t wait for munchies book!

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you. Books out soon.

[@johninokla2635]

Hmm, that was interesting. Too bad I'm almost a year late seeing it. lol I hadn't heard of the Banbury Cross thing so this was all new to me. I enjoyed the music, the video and the history lesson. 😁 👍 edit: To add I liked the painting of the cleaning lady pulling up the side of the building to put the trash in there. 😀

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks

[@timwhite10]

That nursery rhyme was certainly known in my part of Australia many years ago.

[@janeabbotts]

Yes, mine as well. I think Anna is perhaps a little younger, maybe children don't learn nursery rhymes now days.

[@davidbell2056]

A through the hedge with no hedges the day after I ask about them 😁 thanks. Nice to promote local businesses. Great video again 👍.

[@elspethawake4541]

I really enjoy the Through The Hedges, whatever you are doing. I've heard that poem about the "fine lady with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes" but it's not one of the more popular nursery rhymes where I live in the US. Singing "London Bridge is falling down" was way cooler when I was a kid.

[@micheleoftheoaks5506]

The printer was really nice. I especially liked how he answered your question by saying you were the best narrowboat artist to ask them to print a book about a grey cat. He knows his marketing. By the way, as an American I've heard of Banbury Cross before. Isn't it in a nursery rhyme, or something?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

He was delightful

[@joannapocock6055]

Great vlog thanks for sharing it with us

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

You’re very welcome

[@lizhaydon2250]

What an interesting town.

[@davidharris6581]

"Rings on her fingers and belles on her toes." Knew the rhyme, did not know it was a real place.

[@SongOfEire]

Ride a cockhorse to Banbury Cross, to see a fine lady upon a white horse, Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, She shall have music wherever she goes! (To be sung while bouncing a child on your knee) I grew up on that rhyme, as did my children and grandchildren, all in America!

[@alifenomadic]

We’ve been driving past the Banbury road sign recently and the nursery rhyme is the first thing I think of , loved seeing the statue , was the wall art a Banksy?

[@2Sugarbears]

It' looked like a Banksy...but I bet it wasn't.

[@BruceJSkelly]

So if Banbury Cross is in the middle of a roundabout shouldn't they rename it to something like Banbury Circle?

[@MrWarneet]

Like Melbourne in the summer - just perfect....

[@beckyholmes8519]

I thought there was a nursery rhyme that talked about Banbury Cross but can't remember the rhyme anyway that statue is gorgeous.

[@2Sugarbears]

Ride a cock horse to Banbury cross, to see a fine lady upon a white horse, rings on her fingers and bells on her toes and she shall have music wherever she goes.

[@neilbullen26]

Great stuff girls !

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you

[@Quickblood1]

Lovely video. Silly question but what's the heatwave like aboard a narrowboat?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

It’s hot. Imagine living in an oven. We are managing ok as we found shade in the hottest part and the last few days haven’t been as hot.

[@Quickblood1]

Wow that sounds like my worst nightmare. I guess If I ever get myself a boat I'll just have to budget in 3 grand for an air con unit. Summer may be relatively short in England but it's brutal for the likes of me.

[@Andy_U]

Hiya. I had to laugh at the end, seeing the male narrowboater trying to multi-task. Lol

[@derrickfelix503]

Kath, cause they didn't. Skippy was in. Sorry. You have just to get one. Tamdone canoe, only how would sit up front? Lovely leading photo. Your looking so well, great choice you made this year, well done you. Cheers

[@PhilPage227]

Great video Ladies.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks for watching.

[@jayoneill1533]

Thanks for the tour of Banbury, it’s always fun to go ashore with you two. Historically, who was the lady on a horse?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

That’s the dilemma. No one is sure.

[@danensis]

@@TheNarrowboatExperience - it's actually a Ffyne lady - they were one of the big landowning families in the area.

[@MrBblhed]

So there is going to be a book of Munchi paintings? Will Alice be in it, and when will it be out? Also, will there be an expanded video showing more of the town or are you moving on now?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Munchys book is an illustration only book. He’s not a big talker. Alice’s book will be full of bossy talk.

[@runvidr]

I learned that rhyme from my mother, as well. She's from New England, which may be why...

[@runvidr]

But to be fair, I also learned the Kookaburra song, so take that how you like.

[@daviemccallum7759]

Just wondering how does it effect you that some of the canals are closed

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Depends if we are planning to be on them. At the moment we will give Leeds and Liverpool a miss

[@colinstobbart599]

There is a new thinking that it is a FIENNES lady that you go and see, as that is the very famous family around here, and apparently long ago they had a young lady that like to ride her horse and sing much like a troubadour. They own Broughton castle nearby, and if you think you recognise the name then you may well do from the acting family and the explorer family. I was born in Aus and I know the rhyme, but that could be because I have British parents, but I had forgotten it until I moved here 5 years ago.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

You’re not alone in that thinking. I quite like that idea also

[@TheAmpair]

The wall art was magnificent, but the stuff the printer had looked better. More portable too. Banbury looks like a nice place, for somewhere so thoroughly foreign.

[@DonaldSimsProduction]

Be careful going through the hedges. Beware of heffalumps and woozles dropping down upon you as you pass under them. It is nice to see good local service. That is getting hard to find in any country.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks

[@ralphwood9865]

SongOFEire I did too*L* and my mum's fave song was"Galway Bay sung by Bing Crosby

[@AnthonyChew]

7:23 Where all your problems go ..

[@urbanimage]

I always associate Banbury cakes with Banbury - can't think why.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

It’s a mystery

[@urbanimage]

It is to me.

[@markbulla1851]

I'm not familiar with Banbury Cross.. Thanks for showing me, though!

[@pete-the-nete]

If you're still in Banbury and enjoy pubs, try The Reindeer (www.ye-olde-reinedeer-inn-banbury.co.uk/). Good beer and food. If you intend travelling south beware! Quite a few pounds short of water. I really enjoy your vlogs - ta!

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Oh yes. We went there. Heaps of history

[@ronnielloyd4676]

That's where I first bumped into Magnus and Wendy of "Life in a Nutshell". Several beers later we were great friends :)

[@chriscross9505]

No need for a smelly diesel engine, Cath did a great job pulling that model boat to simulate a real one. Think of the money you would save on fuel. #GiddyUp

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

I’ll ask