The only way is up - apart from the song of the same title it is fair to say that we are heading in the right direction . Covid seems to be for the time being under control and Spring apart from last night when the wind howled and the rain fell heavily is on its way. We had another football match to watch and after the excitement of Tuesday night we were up for it . The game should be interesting to say the least . We had as always time to spare . Time of our hands to fill . And that can be the problem . We had done so much walking around the town there was little to see . The only option a cafe . How about La Baguette . Not too far to walk and should be fine to waste half an hour .
Sadly La Baguette was closed . We were not sure if that was because it was Saturday afternoon or because of Covid. Perhaps it did not open on match days . Its shutters were down and the place had a rather derelict air to it . Still it was not
a problem as across the road was the County Building . The old home of the local constabulary and the magistrates courts . Now the town museum . I had promised a visit and felt that this was probably the right time to do it .
The old buildings had gained a glass roof which provided a neat and tidy courtyard area where the cafe was situatated. We sat down and made ourselves at home . The cappacino was very nice according to the driver and the cakes looked delicious . The barista thought needed a lesson in making espressos. Probably not the favourite tipple of coffee in the town she did not quite get the hang of making it . Normally it would be served in the tiniest of cups . A couple of inches of thick black coffee. Today I received a coffee sized cup with weak coffee . I drank it but it was not the best I have ever tasted and next time will probably ask for milk in it .
After sitting and people watching it was time to visit the museum . In the hallway were the copper stills used in Wrexhams
long brewing history . Around the corner were classrooms and play areas and a maze of rooms each one depicting something of the history of the town . Smelly Wrexham - the kids would love it . A reminder that the town once like many others would have smelled bad . Mondays were the worse days when the brewing took place and the town smelt strongly of hops. The cattle market was in town so the smells of the farm came to town . Add onto this the stink of the tanning industry, the towns gas works and the Monsanta chemical factories and you get any idea of the charm of Victorian Wrexham .
The displays were fascinating and varied . One case showcased bobbies helmuts all bright and shiny emblazoned with Denbighshire Police . Truncheons and police paraphanalia . A second housed impliments and safety equipment from the coal mining and steel industries . Ingots of various shapes, sizes and colour filled the disply cases. A rich heritage that has long gone . I remembered the steelworks at night when the furnaces lit the sky bright red . Like the fires of hell the mountains were bathed in
blood red . The Bronington Hoard was housed in another case . Coins that were hastily hidden away and were undisturbed until two metal detectorists found them and dug them up. A gold ring from the same period . The Esclusham Hoard - Roman coins found near the town . For me the star of the show was the bright shiny gold Richard II noble . A huge piece of bling minted during between 1367 and 1400.
School life was reflected with an abacus, inks and pens that were familiar even to us as children of the 50s and 60s. Add to this a section on the wars from the Boer to the 2nd world war . Decorated ostrich eggs brought back from South Africa . Colourful silks from China . The iron age was covered with gold hair accessories probably broken and destroyed as an offering to the gods. And Brymbo Man - an ancient cyst tomb found when trenches were being dug in the village of Brymbo. The skeleton of the occupant still there .
