Roses and Castles
Leaving Brentford we battled against a heavy headwind on the towpath to reach the comfort of the Cowley cafe. Crammed into the small rooms we tucked into a tasty cheese omelette and beans safe from the downpour outside. Like the other canal cafes of Batchworth and Frans the café is run by real enthusiasts and the inside of the café is like a canal museum. The owner told us she fitted it out herself in the old building – British Waterways wanted to clear the whole place out when they sold it her :-The price on the canal map shown is five shillings. The discerning may also notice the roses and castles picture sheltering behind the lamp on the fireplace mantelpiece. This next picture shows a door panel of Roses and Castles canal boat art by the master Ron Hough trained under Braunston’s –Frank Nurse.Talking to canal people it’s obvious that the canal is seen as a single locality. Conversation switches easily between Apsley, Uxbridge, Ricky and Brentford. The equivalent watering stops in Brentford would be the conversation and memories in the Six Bells and the dockland pictures in the Beehive. Though sometimes miles away from Brentford these waterside pubs and cafes are culturally related and really a different dimension of our Brentford heritage.
Michael Fletcher ● 6410d3 Comments