The Entrance to the Mermaid Inn
This picture was taken a few steps up Mermaid Street, just before the entrance to the Mermaid Inn on the right. It was the middle of June, so everything—especially the roses—was in full bloom. So much of the south of England looked this way. Most of the houses you see on the left are private residences and have been since they were built in 16th Century. We loved the Tudor construction, the moss, the ivied walls, and the way the wavy roofs have seemed to settle like icing over the years. Note how narrow the street is, and yes—it’s open to traffic. The Inn’s sign appears to point to the house across the street.
The image below is a screen shot from Google Maps, showing the entrance to the Inn and the car park. This was my first time driving in England. Lucky for me, the Skoda’s mirrors folded in. As I was inching the car through the entrance, I saw the sign that said re-built in 1420 and envisioned the headlines in the next day’s Times: “Daft American couple destroys England’s cherished Mermaid Inn.”
