The biggest I have seen there for a while, with the field used for pitches completely full with a couple of DIY pitching areas pitching up outside. Which presumably meant that the pitchers did not have to pay for their pitches and the buyers did not have to walk so far from the car park, assuming that is, that they get into the car booter from the normal, western end, rather than from any other end. Lots of people of the usually exuberant mix: all the shapes, sizes, colours and lingos you could possibly want.
Despite the size, I did not wind up buying very much and I did overhear some sellers moaning about the lack of buying action. But then, don't they always? Picked up one handy length of three by three fencing post in the hedge outside, far too handy to pass by. Some sort of white wood which seemed rather heavy and close grained for pine but some other part of the brain said that it was unlikely to be anything else. Perhaps it would look a bit different if I planed it up. Then inside, one Miss Marple DVD against drought on ITV3, one pot of gooseberry jam and one cheerful shower curtain. There were some cheap rugs - up to £100 sort of thing - which were interesting, but in the end I passed on. Quite a lot of fishing gear. Lots of heavy black leather belts. Lots of DVDs - perhaps these last are going the way of video tapes now that downloading is an option for the connected amongst us. Which excludes us, as our television is not connected and this PC does not do sound without headphones, which I no not particularly like using and which do not work very well for two or more. Plus it - the PC that is - is no where near the sofa which is essential for comfortable viewing.
Out at the eastern end onto the bridle path which runs between what was St. Ebba's Hospital and what is still the Longmead housing estate, from Hook Road to Chessington Road. The St. Ebba's boundary was marked by several fences, including one made of concrete posts and panels, the panels being about 6 feet wide by 1 foot high and slotting into the slots on the posts. The sort of fencing which looks very solid and sturdy when new but can look very tatty when the frost starts getting into the reinforcing bars in the posts and everything starts to crumble. Plus, the panels cannot take being whacked with a sledge hammer, the sort of treatment they need to be able to stand in this particular location.
Chunks of the fence have been repaired with soft wood featherboarding, as illustrated. Small chunks have been repaired using vertical steel piles rather than horizontal concrete panels; an effective if rather ugly and expensive solution.
There is also a lot of space. The path and its borders must be five to ten yards wide, borders presently overgrown and rubbish strewn. Some middle sized trees. But with a bit of money and imagination it could be turned into a handsome green artery running between the old and new housing estates. Is the path the subject of dispute between the developers of the new housing estate and the council? Is the council prepared to spend quality time and money on a path which is going to be subject to persistent anti-social behaviour of one sort or another? Does its present dilapidated condition encourage said behaviour?
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