More about Halesowen. A rare town walk for me

The Shenstone Way turns off Furnace Road just after this pub.

However, this is where the path is supposed to go. Totally blocked by head height brambles, old mattresses etc. Shame on you Halesowen!

So I had to follow the road instead. I emerged by this wonderful performing arts statue in the grounds of the Earls Secondary School

I continued to the town centre up this steep hill

...past this rather wonderful timbered building,

...to reach this church 

I was not expecting to see its fine Norman archway. It looks modern because of having been painted, but it's from the 11th century.

Not just one Norman archway, but a second one round the corner

This is the cross. Originally from Halesowen Abbey, it was moved to the Cornbow market area after the Reformation. It then blew down in a gale in the 1900s, and was finally located here in the church yard

The gravestone of William Shenstone. He'd turn in his grave if he saw the state of the path named after him...

...and the distinctly underwhelming pub named in his honour!

Some of the buildings in the High Street are old,

 ...but many are more recent

This street is wide because it was once a market

The Zion Christian Centre, so very different to the old Norman Church, yet just as thriving

Very few of the paths I have walked have been past a MacDonalds,

I had to have a Big Mac before continuing, thereby undermining many of the benefits of the walk.

To be continued