Francis Drake, according to accepted historical legend, was playing bowls at Plymouth Hoe when the Spanish Fleet appeared on the horizon, and he mobilised his navy to chase the armada round the British Isles until the bedraggled Spanish fleet made it back to Spain.

As well as his connection with Plymouth, a less reliable source associates Drake with the Forest riverside hamlet of Gatcombe, one of several Forest riverside hamlets which are not on the way to anywhere else. When there were trading vessels sailing up and down the River Severn, there were pubs along the river to cater for passing sailors. There is a rumour that Francis Drake visited Gatcombe on a trip up the Severn, but sadly this rumour can only be traced back to the nineteenth century, 300 years after Drake. There is a house known as Drake’s House in the village of Gatcombe, which the dodgy rumour suggested that he had visited. The village pub was originally known as the Gatcombe Boat, but later became the Sloop and then the Ship. The pub did not survive the decline in river traffic, and closed before the 20th century.

Another pub at the dead end of a road was the Old Ferry Inn at Beachley. This was my introduction to the Forest under the then new Severn bridge, visiting with friends from Olveston on the other side of the river. That pub, with great views of the river and the Cotswold Hills, did not survive the closure of the local Army Apprentices unit. The Red Hart at Awre is another riverine casualty, as is the Old Severn Bridge at Purton.

I’m pleased to apologise to Alec Kear for my suggestion in an earlier Forest View that Yorkley Cricket Club has folded. Mr Kear was a member of the Yorkley Cricket Club since 1945, but there was a period a few years ago when the Club was no longer active and Parkend Cricket Club used the Yorkley pitch. The wicket at my club Parkend was unplayable for a season due to some unwise work on the Parkend pitch commissioned by ill advised non cricketers on the Parkend Playing Field Committee, which had made the Parkend Cricket Field unplayable.

We took over the Yorkley ground for at least one season, and my old friend the late Ferdy Wilkins, Parkend’s Mr Cricket for many years, and I, would travel up to the unused Yorkley pitch for each match of the season to prepare it for our home cricket fixtures. I thought that was the end of the Yorkley Cricket Club, but I’m pleased to be proved wrong. I’m delighted that the Yorkley Club has re-formed, and that the great Yorkley cricket field, with wonderful views across to the River Severn, is back in use, and I send my apologies and best wishes to Mr Kear and the Yorkley Cricket Club.