12/06/26 - On the Trail of..... Penda's Fen

Play for Today

Always on the lookout for new walking inspiration, I was intrigued when The Dispatch newspaper drew my attention to Penda's Fen. Alan Clarke's 1974 Play for Today—the same director who later made Scum and The Firm—is remarkable for more than just its storyline. In less than ninety minutes it tackles Christianity and paganism, sexuality, nuclear annihilation, working-class identity and the nature of England itself. The hyperlink provides a summary of the plot and its ongoing impact quite nicely.

More extraordinary still, it was broadcast on BBC1 at 9.30pm. At a time when there were only three television channels, the British public effectively had a choice: watch Penda's Fen or go to bed early.

Penda was the seventh-century Mercian ruler remembered as England's last great pagan king. The drama is set in Pinvin, near Pershore - a village whose name in Old English is Penda's Fen - although filming took place in Chaceley, across the River Severn from Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire.

The only walk I have in the area is from an old Country Walking Magazine. This, and some internet-based sleuthing to determine filming locations and a day out for exercise, followed the previous day on the sofa watching the DVD.

I start in the nearby village of Forthampton. In the play, The Vicar visits a parishioner on his death-bed to perform the last rites. I have my first location - an external shot of an impressive house opposite the church.

The last rites were shunned - the dying man happy that he had lived his life on earth

Forthampton Church is "doors open" and I am distracted before taking a step.

Forthampton Church

A Saxon Devil's Head above the front door - Other treasures include a rare stone altar and medieval pews

I'm off and away. The play's eeriness matched by an unchanged for centuries agricultural landscape, with many ancient dead and dying oaks hosting roosting corvids, which take cacophonous flight as I disturb them on approach. I am aiming for the weir at Upper Lode, with constant views of Tewkesbury Abbey on the opposite side of the River Severn.

Dead oaks and Tewkesbury Abbey in the far distance

The weir at Upper Lode

A long stretch of riverside walking passing a couple of pubs. I am too early for the Lower Lode Hotel and Yew Tree Inn, which marks the return inland. A road leads to Chaceley, the site of many of the filming locations.

The main characters family home at the Old Vicarage

The home of the TV scriptwriter

Chaceley Church features prominently - the main protagonist plays the organ there and during his crisis of faith, has a vision when the floor cracks and a voice is heard imploring "free me". It's "doors open" - with a sign saying to close the door behind otherwise birds will get in. There are already three ravens inside.

Chaceley Church

Church Organ

Another devil's head - in the keystone of the arch

Green lanes take me back to Forthhampton. I've been too early for the pubs found on route and nothing is to be found here. A remote good beer guide tick is available at the Railway Inn, Ripple. A 15-minute drive away.

Walk Details

Distance - 8 miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - The Dispatch Newspaper and Country Walking Magazine, January 1995 Walk 12

18/11/25 - On the Trail of...... The Au-Pairs

Rock and Roll Meltdown

I've never previously heard of the Birmingham band The Au-Pairs before. Having listened to their debut album - Playing with a Different Sex - I can confidently say they are the band the Gang of Four could have been.

It was an article in The Dispatch that gave me the band background and move from right-on equality to Fleetwood Mac style squabbling.

The Au-Pairs, a pioneering post-punk band formed in Birmingham in 1978, built their reputation on energetic performances, politically charged lyrics, and a rare ethos of equality—two men and two women sharing songwriting credits and profits. Their debut album Playing with a Different Sex earned critical praise, and their success took them from local charity gigs to iconic venues like Whiskey A Go Go in LA.

Rooted in Birmingham’s DIY music scene and fueled by the city’s spirit of activism, the group embodied the era’s fight for equal rights and creative freedom. The original line-up—Paul Foad, Jane Munro (Dowsett), Peter Hammond, and frontwoman Lesley Woods—quickly became champions of feminist punk, with influences from second-wave feminism and anti-fascist movements shaping their sound and politics.

Despite their collective beginnings, relationships within the band eventually soured. Recent plans for a 2026 “reunion” ignited a public feud when it emerged that Woods had trademarked the band’s name and would perform with new members, excluding her former bandmates. The dispute centers on allegations about control, songwriting credits, and the band’s legacy, with former members insisting on their equal contributions and Woods claiming creative ownership.

My latest Birmingham AZ walk was taking me to Bohemian Moseley, so it made sense to seek out some of the locations that were key to the bands early development. A quest that took me to unexpected places. 

The First Rehearsal - The Earl Grey

The Pershore Road was also where Paul and Lesley first met - but no one needs to see a picture of a bus stop. The upstairs room of the Earl Grey was where the first rehearsals were held. Now hosting a legal firm, it's a location already marked for exploration as a Lost Pub of Birmingham.  Looks like three of the original line up could use Isaac Legal Services... and God knows what services Teeny Haven are offering from the front of the building.

The Earl Grey

Early Gig Venue - The Fighting Cocks

In better pub news, The Fighting Cocks is not only operational but also a CAMRA Heritage Pub.

The Fighting Cocks in Moseley is a CAMRA Heritage Pub with a rich history dating back to at least 1750. Originally called the "Fox and Dogs," it was first built as the Fighting Cocks in 1778 and later rebuilt in 1899 by Holt’s Brewery. Its name derives from the historical use of the building for cockfighting events, which were popular until made illegal in 1835.

The current building is notable for its original features like glass, windows, and Art Nouveau tiles at the York Road entrance, as well as an L-shaped bar with original mirrors. It maintains much of its historic character with a largely open-plan interior and several segregated seating areas. It is a Grade II listed building due to its well-preserved historic architecture.

Note the dial in the Lower Left

Complete with their own leaflet

The first things one notices are the meteorological devices embedded into the front walls. Not sure if they are working though. The Daily Express are predicting the return of the "Beat from the East", whereas the needle on this device simply points to fair?

In a bid to drum up business, it's 20% of cask on a Tuesday. It's not having much impact. Wetherspoons over the road is packed full of punters on 6% Oakham Green Devil for "£1.89 a pint.

Another Lost Gig Venue - The Carlton Cinema

A concert ticket led to another place to investigate.

The Au-Pairs at the Carlton

A memorial garden is all that remains, taking the odyssey down a much darker route.

The Carlton Cinema in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, has a layered and fascinating history reflecting both its resilience and its cultural significance. Originally, it was a grand cinema serving the local community, but its story took a dramatic turn during World War II. On the night of October 25, 1940, the cinema suffered a direct hit during one of the heaviest bombing raids on Birmingham, resulting in the tragic death of nineteen people watching a film. Despite this devastation, the Carlton was rebuilt after the war and continued operating as a cinema and live music venue until its closure in August 1977, with Twentieth Century Fox proposing its demolition afterward

The film? Typhoon

A newspaper article tells me there is a memorial stone. Some kids went to pay their respects but were outraged by the mess in the park, generating the headline;

Caring kids' fury after finding Balsall Heath cinema bomb memorial garden 'full of rubbish and poo'

Despite walking the found corners of the park, I couldn't even find stone. And if anything, the filth has got even worse. It's been quite depressing walking past the mountains of rubbish piled on every street corner - apparently, the Agency staff employed to complete the work of the striking bin men have gone on strike themselves. Birmingham is not being run as a tight ship.... it's a shite tip.  Even the rats have given up.

First thing spotted in the Carlton Memorial Garden

Depressing walking - in supposedly one of the nicer areas of Brum - but the music has stood the test of time remarkably well. Having listened to the album several times, I am not getting Spotify notification for future gigs for (25%) of the band.

Walk Details

Distance - 5 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - AZ - Hidden Walks in Birmingham Walk 11 

Previous Birmingham AZ Walks - Walk 1 & 2, Walk 3, Walk 4, Walk 5, Walk 6, Walk 7, Walk 8, Walk 9, Walk 10