Yesterday and today is the 20th Annual Show of the Eckford Sweet Pea Society of Wem. Henry Eckford was a Scottish nurseryman who cross-bred and developed the sweet pea, turning it from a rather insignificant, if sweetly scented flower, into the floral sensation of the late Victorian era. In 1888 he set up his development and trial fields for Sweet Peas in Wem. By 1901, he had introduced a total of 115 cultivars, out of total 264 cultivars grown at the time.It's well worth a visit - you can't smell my photos!
The other reason for visiting Wem is to visit T. O. Williams of Wem. Thomas Owen Williams opened his first shop in Wem 1935. They now also have shops in Shawbury, Market Drayton, and Whitchurch
They still make bread the traditional way, "developed by time rather than chemicals". They make butter buns (a traditional cake in Shropshire).They also have an excellent selection of cheeses and a good delicatessen. Their traditional hams are covered with a crust of dough and baked slowly in their bakery ovens. When cooled, the crust is stripped away, the rind removed, and they are dusted with their own toasted breadcrumbs.
T. O. Williams of Wem
17 High Street
Wem
Shropshire
SY4 5AA
Tel: 01939 232552
Web: http://www.williamsofwem.co.uk/
Comments