For Beatrix Potter fans you can visit her home at Hill Top House - the house, farm, and nearby villages feature in some of her best known books.
Did You Know?
Why so many Lake District cottages are painted white.
ADRIAN BLACKLEDGE |
Being born and bred in the North West of England I have fond memories of, and a real soft spot for, the Lake District. With a dozen or so of the largest lakes in the country, the highest mountain in England, and nearly 2000 miles of rights of way you can walk, climb, cycle, horse ride, go sailing, rowing, motor-boating, kayaking – you can even walk on water in water-walking ball! To keep the kids entertained there are Adventure Playgrounds, Tree-Top Nets (walkways, slides and tunnels made out of nets), organised workshops, and a whole host of walks and events with the whole family in mind. It’s not all activities though – there are many attractions to visit. If it’s the animal kingdom you’re interested in then there’s an Aquarium, a Wildlife Oasis and a Bird of Prey Centre. Other places to visit include Castles, Museums, Cottages associated with the famous poet Wordsworth as well as the Church where he is buried. For Beatrix Potter fans you can visit her home at Hill Top House - the house, farm, and nearby villages feature in some of her best known books. Did You Know?Why so many Lake District cottages are painted white. A. Houses and farms used to be treated with red lead and then lime-washed, which whitens, to keep out the damp. Many of today’s homeowners have continued this look by painting their houses white.
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Next month sees a Royal Reburial – that of the much maligned King Richard III "Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deform'd, unfinished, sent before my time Into this breathing world, scarce half made up, And that so lamely and unfashionable That dogs bark at me as I halt by them;" William Shakespeare The re-interment service will take place at Leicester Cathedral on Thursday 26th March 2015 and will be attended by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex. Four days earlier on Sunday March 22nd there will be a procession through the City and County as the Monarch’s remains are taken on a journey that partly follows Richard’s own march to Bosworth Field, scene of the 1485 battle at which he was killed and which ushered in the Tudor Dynasty. The remains of the last Plantagenet King, who reigned from 1483 – 1485, were discovered in 2012 buried beneath a car park in the City of Leicester where once stood a Franciscan Friary – Greyfriars. How much of Medieval History will now have to be re-written? Was he really the evil, murdering tyrant depicted in Shakespeare's play, or a brave warrior, a wise and just ruler denigrated and defamed by Tudor propaganda? You can find out more about Richard III and the discovery here: University of Leicester There is also a Visitor Centre at the actual location – entitled Dynasty, Death and Discovery – where you can view the exact spot where Richard’s remains were buried, and a whole lot more. Click here for further details: Richard III Yesterday I took some friends for a 2 hour tour of the British Museum. With so many artefacts and exhibits on display it's sometimes difficult to choose what to focus on, so I did a kind of Highlights Tour visiting various galleries and exploring different periods, cultures and beliefs. Here's an overview: We met up outside the South entrance to the Museum, which is in Great Russell Street, where I did a short history of the building and focussed on the statues in the pediment above the main door. The statues represent The Progress of Civilisation with man emerging from a rock as an ignorant being and developing into educated man by expanding knowledge and understanding. Having entered we gathered in the Great Court, the largest covered space in Europe I'm told, for an introduction to the collection, how it came about and developed into one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world; then we were off: The Rosetta Stone was the first item - arguably the most well known and, judging by the numbers of visitors that gather around it daily, one of the most popular. Well justified given its role in finally being able to decipher Egyptian Hieroglyphs after 1400 years! Next we visited Mesopotamia in the 8th & 7th C BC and the 2nd Assyrian Empire. Taking in the gigantic Winged Bulls of Khorsabad, which are amongst the largest and heaviest exhibits in the collection, we arrive at the stunning Lion Hunt Reliefs from the palace at Nineveh. Such fine detail and realism - imagine what they would have looked like when new and brightly painted. The Parthanon Sculptures followed - so Ancient Greece and the Acropolis. The Parthanon, or Temple to the Goddess Athena Parthanos, was built in just 15 years (447-432 BC) and still sets the standard. There are three kinds of sculpture: a low relief frieze depicting scenes from a great procession; the metopes with high relief sculptures of a mythical battle (picture); and full statues from the pediments at each end of the building. Even though these marble sculptures are damaged and/or defaced all agreed they are nonetheless dignified and beautiful. We then travelled to another Continent - the Indus Valley and the discovery of an ancient civilisation of the 3rd Millennium BC about which nothing was known until some tiny seals, probably used for trade, were found. Subsequent archaeological exploration uncovered the remains of entire cities capable of sustaining populations of 30,000 to 35,000 people! Why these cities were abandoned isn't clear, a shift in the course of the river, climatic change or perhaps a natural disaster, but large numbers of people appear to have been on the move. There seems to have followed a cultural merging and mixing of language and beliefs that perhaps gave birth to Hinduism. We looked at artefacts and exhibits representing some of the Hindu Gods, e.g. Shiva, Parvati & Vishnu, and the stories and legends associated with them. Ancient Egypt - Land of the Pharohs, the Pyramids, Tombs and Mummies - was next. A brief look at pre-dynastic burials, the belief in an After-Life and the need to preserve the body; leading to a description of the process of mummification before we looked around the many fascinating items in these galleries. Finally we looked at some Treasure; three Treasures actually, beginning with the unique Mold Gold Cape. Discovered by chance and painstakingly reconstructed, this superbly decorated, breathtakingly thin solid gold adornment which dates from the Bronze Age is witness to the skills and craftsmanship of the people of that age. The Mildenhall Treasure - 56lbs (25kgs) of solid silver tableware dating back to Roman occupied Britain of 4th C AD with a mix of Pagan and Christian symbolism reflecting the changes in belief occurring at the time. We ended the tour at the exhibition of the Treasures from The Sutton Hoo Burial Ship - one of the most important finds in British archaeology. Stunning! Gold & Garnet fittings from a sword belt, a shield, belt buckle, shoulder clasps and purse lid; silver bowls, spoons & platter; weapons, drinking horns, even a musical instrument. Then there's the warrior helmet ... wow! The Bank of England has been central to the Country's financial health since 1694. In that year King William III found himself running short of funds to finance his war against France. William Paterson and Michael Godfrey, two city merchants, proposed a public loan. The scheme was to found a national bank which would lend its share capital to the government. Investors would receive a guaranteed return – with money being raised through a levy on shipping and alcohol. In addition to maintaining financial and monetary stability the Bank also issues most of the country’s banknotes. These have special security features to make them hard to copy so that fake notes don’t undermine confidence in the real thing - Counterfeit notes are worthless. The proposal was brought to the notice of the Government by Charles Montagu and the plan was approved. In just 11 days £1.2 million was raised by 1268 people and on 27 July 1694 the bank was incorporated by Royal Charter. Bank of England MuseumThe Bank of England has its very own Museum - and it's free! Open weekdays from 10am - 5pm but Closed weekends (& Bank Holidays of course) the museum relates the history of the Bank, and you can see the original Royal Charter. Interactive displays provide the visitor with a 'hands-on' experience; and there's a virtual tour that allows you to see inside the Bank's vaults. The Bank of England has been issuing banknotes for over 300 years. You can even get your hands on a real Gold Bar as well as examine those security features in bank notes. From Monday 23rd March 2015 there will be a temporary exhibition at the museum entitled "Flora & Fauna" which charts the numerous plants and animals associated with the Bank through the centuries. With the promise that "The display will provide an opportunity to see aspects of the Bank's architecture not generally accessible to the public, located as they are within private areas of the building, as well as artworks and artefacts not usually on display" this is an opportunity not to be missed.
To celebrate Britain’s ancient royal heritage, The Royal Arms or Shield has appeared on the reverse side of £1 coins since 2008 – but did you know that 6 other UK Coins have different parts of the shield displayed? It’s very obvious when you put them together like this: Royal MintThe Royal Mint has been in existence for 1100 years, although the minting of coins goes back much further - to the Iron Age (c. 750BC - AD43). During the Roman occupation (AD43-410) unsurprisingly it was Roman coins that were in circulation in Britain. In Anglo-Saxon times, before the Norman Conquest of 1066, there were as many as 70 places around the country minting coins, but by the 13th Century minting was chiefly done in London. In 1279 the mint moved into arguably the most secure place in the country - The Tower of London - where it remained for over 500years! In the early 19th Century the Royal Mint vacated the Tower for new premises close by on Tower Hill which could accommodate the new steam-powered machines. Then finally in the late 1960s in readiness for decimalisation in 1971, the Mint began the move away from London to its present site at Llantrisant in South Wales. The Royal Mint at the TowerHistoric Royal Palaces, in collaboration with the Royal Mint Museum, has put together an exhibition at the Tower of London entitled "Coins & Kings" which explores the story of the Mint during its Tower years. The exhibition is located on the site of the original Mint (in Mint Street oddly enough) and comprises objects from the museum, interactive displays, and fascinating stories about some of the people and events which took place there. A King's Ransom; the Jewel Thief; even Isaac Newton features. Then there's the story of a mint worker falling into a deep and rather long sleep - not even a King could wake him. The Tower of London features in my Highlights of London Tours, or if preferred I can arrange a specific visit and guided tour of this historic site. (Contact)
With London Fashion Week in full swing at Somerset House in Central London my thoughts turn to haute couture shopping. Glittering names such as Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Roberto Cavalli, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent and many others from the world of high fashion can all be found in one London thoroughfare – Sloane Street in Knightsbridge. A shopper’s paradise Sloane Street even has its own website which lists over 60 stores, no fewer than five outstanding hotels, and half a dozen restaurants & bars (click here). If you prefer to do your shopping under one roof then Sloane Street has its own Department Store too – Harvey Nicholls – where you can browse through 8 floors of fashion collections for women and men, fashion accessories and beauty products. If all this makes you peckish then on the 5th floor can be found a Restaurant, Café, Terrace and Bar; as well as a food court and wine shop. (More info here). Still not enough for your “Shop ‘til you Drop” mission – well there’s another famous Department Store just down the road – it’s called Harrods. To get there by London Underground take the Piccadilly Line to Knightsbridge or by bus take any of the numbers 9, 10, 14, 19, 22, 52, 74, 137, 414, 452, C1.
Alternatively, come on one of my Highlight Tours of London and afterwards I’ll drop you there, making sure of course that you have plenty of time for shopping! To arrange a tour click here: Contact With news of the discovery of a lost Sherlock Holmes short story written by Sir Arthur Conan Dolye in 1904 (more here) I am persuaded to review my notes of the many places in London associated with the great detective. Picture: The Sherlock Holmes statue outside Baker Street Underground Station In the singular case of The Resident Patient Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson went on a 3 hour London walk - “What do you say to a ramble through London?" I was weary of our little sitting-room and gladly acquiesced. For three hours we strolled about together, watching the ever-changing kaleidoscope of life as it ebbs and flows through Fleet Street and the Strand. His characteristic talk, with its keen observance of detail and subtle power of inference held me amused and enthralled” Why not follow in their footsteps with a private guided tour? See some of the many literary, film and television locations including:
The list goes on – Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, The Strand, Fleet Street, Smithfield Market, Old Bailey, Tower Bridge – there is even a Sherlock Holmes museum at (no surprises) 221B Baker Street. The museum is a recreation of the detective's lodgings featured in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. If you would like a Holmes themed tour with your own Private Blue Badge Driver Guide just get in touch: Contact
If it’s stately homes you want then Chatsworth has to be very high on the list! Originally built in Tudor times and developed over 5 centuries the place is steeped in history and home to some of the finest collections of paintings, sculptures, furniture, interior décor, books and other interesting items. Chatsworth House is the ancestral seat of the Dukes of Devonshire (but don’t go looking for it in Devon – it’s in Derbyshire!) whose family name is Cavendish, apparently taken from the name of a village in, er, Suffolk. The House boasts some fabulous State Apartments built to accommodate a Royal visit, which never actually happened. There are over 30 rooms to see including the State Apartments, the magnificent Painted Hall, Sketch Galleries, Library, Dining Room, and Guest Bedrooms, with the grand finale being the Sculpture Gallery. Wait! There’s more …. Chatsworth appears in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice as one of the estates Elizabeth Bennet visits before arriving at Pemberley. Then, in the 2005 movie of the same name, Chatsworth is Pemberley; and again for the TV Drama Death Comes to Pemberley (2013). Scenes for the 2008 movie The Duchess portraying Georgiana Cavendish, wife of the 5th Duke of Devonshire, were filmed at Chatsworth. The 12th Duke and Duchess of Devonshire will start welcoming guests to Chatsworth on 28th March 2015 – for more information click here: Chatsworth House
For your own Private Blue Badge Driver Guide Tour click here: Contact Exploring the Myths & Legends associated with the Gods & Heroes of various Ancient Civilisations (from Assyrians & Aztecs to Greeks & Romans) is one of the countless themes that can be used as the basis for a tour of the British Museum which has one of the largest collections of items in the world – some 8 million! Pictured left is a marble statue group of the God Mithras slaying a bull. Mithras was originally a Persian God and is shown here wearing Persian clothing. The cult of Mithras was one of many religions adopted by the Romans as they expanded their empire - which included much of Britain from AD 43 to AD 410. The British Museum, which is free to enter (though you can make a voluntary donation at the door), also has regular exhibitions and displays – current free ones include:
Special Exhibitions coming soon (which can be booked online):
Click here for more information: British Museum To arrange a guided tour of the British Museum (as well as many other London attractions) with me please complete the Contact Form and I will be in touch.
Did you know that a Temple to Mithras was discovered in Central London during rebuilding work in the 1950s? If you want to know more about London's Development from its Roman origins, through the Norman Conquest, the Great Fire and The Blitz and visit some of the famous places associated with these events then come on one of my Guided Tours. Charles Dickens (1812-70) - one of the English language's greatest writers, he filled his storytelling with such descriptive detail, and thus brought all those now familiar characters to life - Fagin, Bill Sykes, Pip, Mrs Havisham, Mr. Micawber, Sydney Carton, the list seems endless. Born in Portsmouth, Dickens spent his early childhood in Chatham, and lastly lived in Gads Hill Place, Kent; but for most of his career he was closely associated with London. Today I visited the only Charles Dickens home to survive - 48 Doughty Street in the Bloomsbury area of London – now the Charles Dickens Museum. It was here that two of Dickens' ten children were born, where his beloved sister in law Mary died, and where he penned two of his most famous novels; Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. A modest fee (£8 Adult, £4 children) secures entry and an informative booklet which provides for an interesting self-guided tour of the recently refurbished house. The Charles Dickens Museum Team has constructed the guide along a "serialised monthly theme" - a reference to how Victorian readers would have read Dickens' novels. Each room contains various original items that belonged to Dickens featuring monthly parts describing their history and significance. The tour is like taking a journey through the author's life, and each room is a window on life in Victorian London. More information about the museum is here: Dickens Museum The Charles Dickens Museum is of course just the beginning - there are many, many places in London referenced in Dickens' novels and stories and also of significance to the author's own life and experiences.
To arrange a tour simply complete the Contact Form and I'll be in touch: Click Contact |
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