Girls in tablecloths

The venerable Abbots Bromley Girls School was one of the early institutions in this country to educate girls, and it has been independent for over 140 years.

The residents get a treat each year with the Jerusalem Heights aka Commemoration Day Procession, which sees the youngsters process from the school premises through the village along to the church.

The pupils walk not in order of age or year-group, but in order of height, and wear white veils fringed with light blue (unofficially referred to as "the tea-towels") which makes it all rather endearing.
It's not dramatic enough an event to draw tourists, but local residents do stand and smile, as well as parents.

The members of the school choir (see pictures) get to wear an additional ankle-length white veil (unofficially referred to as "tablecloths").  As they go, they wave banners and sing the hymn "Jerusalem my happy home".  

Slightly batty, but then so many English customs are!

UPDATE  Sadly, the school closed its gates for the last time in 2019, so there will be no more such processions

Battle marker

This rather unprepossessing marker shows the spot where the only significant batle of the Civil War took place in Staffordshire - the Battle of Hopton Heath. It's also in a rather undistinguished spot, as much of the site is covered by ugly Ministry Of Defence buildings.
Still, it was down to the effort of a concerted local campaign that this marker was finally erected and unveiled in March 2003, on the exact 360th anniversary of the battle.

As for the battle itself, both sides claimed victory.