Was the joke on you?

Hi Friends and Followers.

This is a joke free zone on April Fools Day, you have my word. Did you get caught out?

Pinch and a punch for the first day of the month and no return. April is here and I guess we can look forward to showers from time to time. We can also look forward to warmer days and lighter nights, so that is a huge plus.

We were listening to BBC Coventry and Warwickshire this morning and Keith Wedgebury was at The Lord Leycester Hospital, in Warwick viewing their gardens.

It was then we learnt the gardens were open for free today, so we decided to walk down and have a noisy around the gardens.

Behind the ancient buildings of the Lord Leycester Hospital lies the tranquil oasis of the Master's Garden. They are beautiful.

The gardens are surrounded by the old town walls, you enter via a knot garden. The gardens are over 600 years old.

Features include a Norman arch, a sandstone urn dating back 2000 years, thatched summer house, gazebo and pineapple pit. It is worth a visit.

I particularly love the striking perforated steel sculpture of Warwickshire's emblem, the Bear & Ragged Staff, he is a handsome chap and beautifully made. The Bear & Ragged Staff sculpture is dedicated to David Eliot Mycroft (1970-1998) after his parents in Leamington sponsored the work of art in memory of their son after his death.

We enjoyed visiting the gardens, even though the weather was doing its best to rain on us. We ended up going to Wetherspoons for a late breakfast. The place was packed, getting a table was not easy, but we did eventually find somewhere to sit and enjoy a vegetarian breakfast and a cup of tea. On Saturday’s Warwick holds its market and today it was especially busy, which was lovely to see. I got approached by a young woman offering me a free hair cut if I was her model at a local hairdressers. Now to anyone else they would of jumped at the chance for a free wash, cut and blow dry, but I had to turn her down sadly. Because of allergies, I use my own shampoo and there only ever have a dry trim, so I was going to be of little use to this hairdressing student. I did thank her for asking me though. I love my long hair and so would not of wanted it cut off. First time that has ever happened to me.

On the stroll home from the town I always pass the old Leper Master’s House and Chapel.

The hospital, which was founded by Roger, Earl of Warwick in about 1135, is classified by English Heritage as a scheduled monument. The remains of two of the hospital buildings can still be seen on the site - a chapel and the 15th century, two-storey Master's House. They are both grade II* listed buildings.

What is so very sad, is that despite the Mater’s House being covered in Tarpaulins it is in a bad state of repair and nothing is being done to preserve one of the last remaining places of its type in England. In 2013, it was thought that a The Order of St Lazarus was going to take it on. The Order of St Lazarus dates back to the 11th century when its founders actually built a leper hospital outside the walls of Jerusalem. Sadly a complication meant they pulled out of taking the site on. I sincerely hope someone takes it on soon, otherwise the master’s house maybe lost forever.