Tuckers Hall, Historic building in Exeter, England

Tuckers Hall is an historic building in Exeter. Almost camouflaged from view, Tuckers Hall is nestled on Fore Street and is a supposed ‘must do’ of Exeter. After visiting I would concur. It is not, however, the place you would naturally stumble across or perhaps even notice.

It was during some pre-trip planning that I found out about this lesser-known site. Described as ‘a remarkable survival’ and originally built as a chapel, it is a testament of Britain’s enduring history. Join me as I delve into the history and explore the lesser-known Tuckers Hall.

Visiting Tuckers Hall

Tuckers Hall Location

The historic Tuckers Hall is sandwiched between the local and independent shops of Fore Street in Exeter. Fore Street is a road that runs downhill from the city centre towards the river Exe. At the start of Fore Street is St Olave’s Church. This fascinating church is worth visiting and sits opposite the Exeter corn exchange. Halfway down Fore Street you will see an alleyway pointing to St Nicholas Priory (Exeter’s oldest building), just after that is Tuckers Hall.

Tuckers Hall Opening times

To visit the Tuckers Hall careful planning is required. The site is only open for visitors on Thursdays and Saturdays between 1030 and 1300 all year round. From the beginning of June through to the end of September Tuckers Hall also opens on a Tuesday (1030 – 1300).

Contacting the Hall prior to visiting is advisable and potentially may open opportunities to visit outside these hours. This is of course at the Hall’s discretion. All other times the site is generally closed. The hall can be hired for private events and functions.

Admission prices to Tuckers Hall

It is free to visit Tuckers. Bonus! Donations are of course welcome. Maintenance of an historic building is not cheap. I donated £5 and couldn’t believe it that in return I was given a guidebook and postcards. The guide was invaluable in providing knowledge of this fantastic building.

Tuckers Hall History

Beginnings

Tuckers Hall began life as a chapel. In 1471 the guilds of clothmakers known as the Weavers and Tuckers (will learn more about these later in the post) were given a plot of land by William and Cecilia Bowden to build a chapel. This was a place that they would be able to meet and worship. The building/chapel was known as the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The walls were constructed out of local red stone with a spectacular timber wagon roof. Entry was gained through the entrance that is still used today. There were 6 perpendicular windows installed, only one remains to this day.

In 1490 Shearmen were added to the title of the guilds. As it became common practice to group certain trades together. In 1564 the guild received its Grant of Arms.

Reformation

I would never have guessed that the origins of this building were religious. That is due in part to the fact that religious aspect of the hall was removed during the massive upheaval of the Reformation. To save it passing to the crown it was sold to a member of the guild.

After the Reformation major structural changes were made to the building. A complete first floor was installed which separated the building into two distinctive areas and resembles the current layout of the place. The lower floor was turned into a school room and the upper floor into a Court room. A chimney was also added around this time along with changes to the windows, the wagon roof was covered in plaster and murals were painted on the walls.

Royal Charter

In 1620 King James granted the guilds the status of ‘Incorporation of Weavers, Fullers and Shearmen’. This was the result of ‘jack of the trades and master of none’ types infiltrating the system and giving Exeter and the region a bad name. Not only was the reputational damage severe, so too was the impact on the prices of goods exported.

The Royal Charter gave the guilds the ability to set the standards of producing quality not quantity of cloth. This also gave them an independence to govern themselves, control production, maintain standards and conduct their business without interference by the city officials.

The Golden Age

With the king’s seal of approval, sorry I mean, Royal Charter, Exeter flourished, and the excellence of their product propelled the city into the golden days. It became the 3rd most important city outside of London.

After the turbulent times of the English Civil War the impact of the golden age was fully felt as developments within the city such as a provincial bank was built (first outside of London), and a navy was created to protect and export their product. I’m sure a visit to the Exeter quay will be enlightening.

In 1634 oak panelling was installed to hide the wall paintings just prior to when the Civil War broke out. The Civil War was negotiated, with the city loyal to the Royal cause. Further research may prove if the charter brought loyalty from members of the guild to the crown.

In Exeter’s golden age there was an increase in production to a staggering 1,000 pieces of cloth being produced a day. That resulted in around 400 master craftsmen belonging to the guild. Exeter’s importance as the 3^rd city in England was confirmed by producing about 25% of the country’s woollen cloth. 70% of Exeter’s population was employed or in associated trades with the Cloth industry.

Revolution

The industrial revolution and wars of the time brought an end to Exeter’s cloth trade. By the year 1850 the trade was over. The building would fall into a poor state. The guild was finding a new way to survive. One member managed to save the building from demolition when they paid for the front wall to be rebuilt.

Modernisation

Early in the 20^th century the building was given a new lease of life. Major works were completed in 1908 to expose the roof timbers. A new entrance corridor and traditional staircase were also installed. Electricity arrived at the site in 1936.

Yet the ‘site’ and the ‘Incorporation’ weren’t sustainable. The trade on which it was based was a thing of the past. It was decided to expand the membership to include local businessmen and tradespeople.

Educational Tuckers Hall

The knowledge learned has been picked up from two valuable sources of information. Firstly, the guidebook that I acquired when I donated. Secondly, from the valuable information signs dotted around the site.

Weavers

Weaving is a process that refers to the production of the cloth. Weavers in the title refers to the master weavers of Exeter. Across the county of Devon this role was done by children, men and women. In the Guild, work was completed by ‘Master Weavers’. The masters employed apprentices who would do most of the work as they took a back seat.

The weaving process has some main terms associated with it, loom, warp, weft and shuttle. I will not try to explain each one as I don’t fully understand it myself, but I will quote my guidebook.

“Weavers used a loom, a wooden frame, on to which yarn known as the ‘warp’ was secured from top to bottom. Then other yarns were woven in and out through the warp from one side of the frame to the other using a tool called a ‘shuttle’. These second lengths of yarn were known as the ‘weft’.”

Tuckers

The name given to the persons responsible for cleansing and thickening of the cloth. The woven cloth still contained the sheep’s natural oils and greases. This cleaning process was done by pounding and kneading the cloth in water which turned it into the finished article.

The first step in this process was the scouring. Cloth was covered in soda and soap before being put through troughs of hot water. It was then put through rollers or stamped on. In the second stage the wools were taken to Exeter’s water-powered mills. The clothes were put through the ‘fulling stocks’ (a model of which is shown on the ground floor of Tuckers Hall). This is where the process of large wooden mallets pounded the cloth. The cloth was then finished with a final wash.

Shearman

In the upper hall, on the middle table appeared to be ‘larger than normal’ scissors. They were in fact a pair of shears. The final stage of the cloth business required a strong and steady hand. The cloths were laid out on tables so the “shearing” could be completed. This highly skilled task was well paid and would take several hours as perfection was sought and a reputation was built.

Beadle

Another name picked up from my visit to the hall was that of ‘The Beadle’. According to the dictionary a ‘beadle’ is a ceremonial officer of church, college or similar institution. This is confirmed after reading one of the information signs dotted around the building.

The Beadle’s role is an important one in the day-to-day running of Tuckers Hall. Evidence of this was confirmed on the visit as it was the current Beadle who showed us around whilst answering numerous phone calls and directing staff and deliveries.

The Beadle’s duties also cover leading the Master and Wardens in civic processions, welcoming visitors and ensuring the security of the building. The Beadle also holds a key part in the Incorporation’s dinners and functions, where they take on the role of master of the ceremonies as well as ensuring the necessary gowns and regalia are there for the Master.

Tuckers Hall Architecture

The architectural brilliance in this building is on full display when you walk into the upper hall. The wooden wagon roof is fine example of carpentry. Bosses seem to take shape on the ceiling, I assume these are bosses as they look like those seen at Exeter cathedral.

On the south side of the building light pours through the plain stained-glass windows. Closer inspection shows one of the windows top pieces displaying the ‘Grant of Arms’ which is made up of the key tools used by the guild.

On the walls is the oak panelling. These hide any evidence of the murals painted on the walls. The oak panels are fascinating to look at; 11 grotesque masks have been carved into panels at differing points. Heraldic shields also adorn the panelling. In the mantel piece tools of the weavers and tuckers trade are also carved in.

At each end of the room are two other notable pieces. One is the royal coat of arms which I would guess is associated with the royal charter. At the opposite end are three tablets. The tablets record the charitable endowments of notable members of the guild.

Tuckers Hall Phrases

I will leave below pictures of phrases that were displayed around the building relating to cloth trade. They certainly caught the attention.

Tuckers Hall Summary

Tuckers Hall is a little gem in the city of Exeter, a secret perhaps few know about. The building is a ‘remarkable survival’ with the upper floor an intriguing delight to witness. The building is a joy to discover; the wagon timber roof is wonderful. On the ground floor are display boards making a fascinating learning experience which caters for all.

As I leave there is an optimism in the air that I have discovered one of the cities hidden gems. I’m sure there are more to find, not only in Exeter but in all towns and cities that I visit. I would be fascinated to know of any ‘lesser known’ places you may know about that I should discover for myself. I will continue to keep meandering my way around the country, exploring and challenging myself to find those gems and bring them to your inbox.

October 12, 2025October 17, 2025

Exeter Cathedral, Architecture, History, South West England

Exeter Cathedral is one of the great cathedrals of England. The anglican cathedral is properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter. For nearly 1000 years it has stood proud and dominated the cathedral green in the heart of the city. The city of Exeter is the administrative centre and capital of the English county of Devon in the southwest of England. Exeter cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Exeter and throne of the Bishop of Exeter.

Exeter Cathedral is a place of worship, full of history, unique in design and home to some fascinating features. In this guide I will explore these features which include the medieval west front image screen, an intriguing minstrel’s gallery, an astronomical clock, a towering bishop’s throne, a couple of impressive Norman towers, stunning vaulted ceiling and the impressive great eastern window.

Visiting Exeter Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral Location

Opening times of Exeter Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral is generally open 9-5 Monday through to Saturday. On Sunday reduced hours are 11.30-3. Depending on how you wish to visit will determine the time you spend in the cathedral.

Admission prices of Exeter Cathedal

If you are visiting to pray and worship, then entry to the cathedral is free. If you’re looking to explore the cathedral then an admission fee is charged (currently £10 – if you gift aid, you can return visit as many times as you want or are able in a 12-month period). The wealth that cathedrals enjoyed in their hey days is long gone, so the admission fee helps towards maintenance of such an incredible building.

Tours of Exeter Cathedral

These are invaluable sources of knowledge and information and have helped me bring these guides and information to you. Exeter offers a 60-minute tour as part of the admission ticket. They do offer other tours, most notably the Onwards and Upwards tour. It cost £22.50 and was worth every penny. Access is provided to the top of North Tower (weather permitting) for wonderful views over the city of Exeter. On the tour you will walk above the vaulted ceiling and underneath the disjointed roof. There are other tours available. Please let me know if you’ve been on any.

Exeter Cathedral History

Founding of Exeter Cathedral

The first bishop of Exeter was Leofric in 1050 (buried in the Lady Chapel). Leofric moved from his then current base in Crediton after gaining permission from the Pope and King Edward ‘the Confessor’ (former King of England and buried in Westminster Abbey). Prior to this change Devon’s bishop was based in Crediton which is to the northwest of the city in mid Devon.

There have been several buildings on the cathedral site. The first cathedral was dedicated to St Peter. It is marked by a standing metal cross near the steps in front of the Western entrance of the current cathedral. Bishop Leofric established a cathedral community that was secular, ‘a brotherhood of canons’ working for the bishop. Exeter Cathedral was never monastic, which is an important fact to remember when considering what took place during the reformation.

Norman Cathedral

In 1114 works were begun to build a new cathedral by Exeter’s third bishop, Walter Warewast. This was Exeter’s 2^nd cathedral and built in the Romanesque style. Norman cathedrals were built like castles – strong thick walls with very few windows. The only remaining evidence of this part of the building is the North & South towers. Completion was completed towards the end of the 12^th century. The partly completed Norman castle was consecrated in 1133. The Norman (Romanesque) cathedral was completed in 1180.

3rd Cathedral

Work began on a new gothic cathedral in 1270. It would take another 100 years or so to complete the building that we admire today. Inspiration for the new cathedral was taken from the cathedral at Salisbury. Work began at the eastern end with the Lady Chapel and flanking chapels.

In 1286 Edward I visited the city to preside over the trial of Lechlade’s murder that had taken place in 1283. The murder, or at least the escape of the perpetrators, was made easy by the fact that the south gate in the city’s fortifications had been left open. Before Edward left he granted permission for Bishop Quinil to construct a 12’ high security wall around the cathedral precinct. This wall included 7 gates. This was like other cathedrals in the land, for example, at Norwich and Winchester. Lincoln begun building a similar wall in 1285 with Edward I’s permission. Other examples can be seen in Wells, Worcester, Canterbury & Chester.

Bishop Walter Stapledon (1308-26 – Walter founded Exeter College in Oxford with his brother) had a major piece of cathedral furniture constructed and this remains to this day. This is the bishop’s throne canopy, sometimes referred to as the cathedra. This medieval piece of woodwork stands 16m tall and is made from local Devon oak.

Building the Nave

By 1328 the cathedral works had progressed to the eastern end of the nave. Work was done to include the two Norman towers as the transepts. This unique design is different from other England cathedrals that favour the central tower. This design allowed the longest vaulted stone ceiling in the world to be created.

The nave was built on top of the old Romanesque church footprint with the work being completed in 1342. Evidence can be seen when looking around the walls of the nave of the old existing church.

Work began when the nave was completed to build the screen that is visible on the outside at the western end of the cathedral. This was done in several stages and by different bishops. The completion of the screen shows how much of an afterthought it was as it was built over the bottom end of the Western window!!

Victorian Restoration of Exeter Cathedral

A name that was mentioned continuously throughout the tour was that of Sir George Gilbert Scott. During the Victorian years he led a program of renovations which uncovered and restored original elements of the building.

Exeter Cathedral Tombs

Sadly, there are no royals buried at Exeter Cathedral. Most of the tombs are of bishops. Bishops back in the day were more than bishops – they were landowners, politicians etc. There is one tomb of particular interest that will pave, I hope, the way to further explorations.

In the southern transepts there is a monument to Hugh Courtenay, 2^nd Earl of Devon, and his wife Countess Margaret. Sir Hugh was owner of Tiverton and Okehampton Castles and played an important role in the Hundred Years wars. His son would go on to become the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Courtenay family still exists today and resides in Powderham Castle just outside of Exeter.

Dotted around the quire and in chapels are several tombs and these include Bishop Leofric, Bishop Henry Marshal (related to the famous William Marshal discovered in recent meanderings to Wales), Bishop Walter Stapledon, Bishop Edmund Stafford, Bishop Walter Bronescombe and Bishop Hugh Oldham.

Monument and effigy of Bishop William Cotton

Monument of Hugh Courtenay (2nd Earl of Devon) & Countess Margaret

Fascinating features

Norman Towers

The two Romanesque towers are the oldest parts of the building, dating back to the early 12^th century. Admire them equally from the outside and the inside. On the outside you will notice the Romanesque style, its lack of windows, almost castle like. From the inside – stand in the towers and look up and you will see a timber vaulted ceiling. The southern tower houses the bells.

West Front Image Screen

The screen was completed in two phases between 1342 and 1480. In the screen you will find figures of angels (the bottom row), kings, prophets and saints (the upper rows). On close inspection you will notice that some are missing or damaged. The screen was an afterthought, as clearly shown when you look at the top of the screen it obstructs the bottom of the western window. In its heyday this stonework would have been highly coloured and is described as a vision of heaven.

Vaulting

The longest continuous medieval stone vault in the world. Sprinkle in over 400 incredibly detailed ‘bosses’ and it leaves you standing in amazement at the vibrant display. Concrete versions of palm trees were laid to support the ceiling. These are symmetrically aligned all the way through the nave. It is a true display and testament of the incredible craftsmanship of builders back in the day. Truly astonishing. The style of vaulting is known as ‘tierceron’.

Minstrels’ Gallery

When walking along the centre aisle of the nave, look above the gothic arches on the northern side. You will notice something unique. It is called the Minstrels’ gallery. Built in 1350, its purpose is unknown, but the gallery is adorned with 14 carved angels. If you look closely 12 of them are playing medieval instruments.

Astronomical Clock

On the wall in the Northern tower, you will find the Astronomical clock dating back to 1484. The centre of the clock is the earth represented by a golden ball. The black ball in the next ring is do with the moon with the outer ring pointing to the hour of the day. Beneath the clock is a door with a fascinating entrance. This was for the cathedral cat (the original cat flap?) who would kill the rodents who feasted on the mechanism for the clock.

Bishop’s Throne

In the choir (quire) area of the cathedral you will find the bishop’s throne. It is like nothing I’ve seen before. It dates to early 14^th century. The Devon oak used in its construction is held together with wooden pegs. It is huge (Why? one asks), at over 50 feet tall. Thankfully the throne was taken out of the cathedral during World War Two (WW II) to save it from any damage.

Great East Window

The glass in this incredible window dates from around the 14^th century. Thankfully, like the bishop’s throne, it was taken out and stored safely during WWII. This foresight (Exeter was badly bombed during the war) means we can appreciate the incredible display. It is best seen with the sun behind to show off the colour of the glass. The top three figures in between the tracery at the top of the window are Abraham, Moses and Isaish.

Exeter Cathedral Summary

It is said that Exeter Cathedral is one of the ‘great cathedrals of England’. My mission now is to visit all the cathedrals in England and see if this statement is true. It certainly is an impressive place to visit. The longest vaulted ceiling is something to behold.

People have preferences when visiting cathedrals. Some prefer exploring on their own especially if pushed for time. Others favour knowledge being shared with them. This was the first time I had completed a tour of a cathedral. It was highly informative and very insightful. What also made it was the tour guide. He mentioned that a visit to the church at Ottery St Mary, might be beneficial as the church there resembles this masterpiece. Challenge accepted.

My visit has inspired me to explore a couple of places local to Exeter. Crediton to see if there is any evidence of the earlier Bishopric before it moved to Exeter. The second place picked up on this visit is that of Powderham Castle where the Courtenay family lives.

October 5, 2025October 5, 2025

Tintern Abbey, Cadw, Historical Landmark, National Icon

This blog commences a change in writing style, which I hope you approve. The emphasis up until now has been on facts that have been discovered/learnt on each visit. While this part of the format is retained the visit to Tintern Abbey has highlighted a new area of knowledge.

It is not so much dates against events but the ability of the site to stir the emotions. Coupled with this is the discovery (I am not that well-read) of another era in man’s history. I learned about the renaissance in Italy and Florence and its connection and influence upon the art that I saw there. Of course, the renaissance was not confined to Italy. It became a way of life throughout Europe and almost governed the thinking of the day.

At Tintern Abbey I found out that visits made to the Wye Valley in the late 18^th century was the start of British tourism. This led to famous people like Wordsworth and JMW Turner visiting and expressing their thoughts and feelings about the place in either poetry or art. These men, along with others throughout Europe, led the period of man’s history known as romanticism.

This blog will lift the facts about Tintern but also draw on the poetic language, much of which I do not understand, that was used to describe the place. Questions will be asked; it may well be that my language becomes quite flowery. Let’s see…

Iconic Tintern Abbey

Tintern Abbey is a ‘national icon’ situated on the banks of the River Wye in Monmouthshire. It was once a Gothic masterpiece. At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries nearly 500 years ago, the abbey was destroyed, and it became a set of ruins. 200 years ago, however, dare I put it this way, romance filled the air.

Artists and poets alike composed masterpieces of the iconic Tintern abbey. Read on as I explore the site, understand its history and admire the architecture of the abbey whilst learning about the ‘beautiful, ‘picturesque’ (was this a new word in the English language back then) and the ‘sublime’.

Tintern Abbey Location

Tintern Abbey is perched on the western banks of the river Wye. Its location was first chosen for its detachment and remoteness which aligned with the strict behaviour expected of Cistercian monks.

The river Wye meanders its way through the valley and is the 4^th largest river in Britain. It runs from its source in Mid-Wales, and acts as the border between England and Wales for about 45 miles before it meets the River Severn.

Tintern Abbey’s prosperity grew under the marcher lords at the nearby towns like Monmouth to the North (11miles), Chepstow to the south (7miles), Usk to the west (15miles) and Raglan northwest (14miles).

Tintern Abbey Architecture

The traditional cruciform plan of the church is evident. The impressive nave, transepts and presbytery are clearly seen from differing angles although not all accessible.

Entrance to the site is made through the main kiosk which leads out to the monks’ living quarters which are to the north of the abbey. There are ruins of the day room, warming house, refectory, kitchen and parlour. Most of all that remains of these is at foundation level. A lot of imagination is needed to visualise its former glories!!

Between these buildings and the northern side of the nave was the cloister.

Entry into the abbey itself is through the western end of the nave. The towering gable end shows its sheer size, and particularly, of its nave. The central nave had additional northern and southern aisles at a much lower height than the central nave. The western window towers above the doors and leads to a smaller window above.

The nave consisted of 6 bays. To the northern side remains much of the external northern aisle wall but not much of the northern nave wall. On the south side the pillars and Gothic arches remain with windows above them which are part of the nave wall. The roof over the southern aisle seems to have been repaired and replaced.

The crossing towers straight up and is connected to the nave, transepts and presbytery. Sadly, this is all that can be seen from afar as metal barriers and scaffolding restrict access and views. There is no sign of any of the graves that might have been in the chapel. I am informed that these would have been destroyed during the suppression of the abbey. The tall and elegant windows remain in each of the outer ends of the transepts and presbytery.

The arches of the Nave on the southern side

Cistercian Order

This was founded in France in 1098 and born out of frustration at the lack of monastic observance in the Benedictine monastic community. The name ‘Cistercian’ comes from Citeaux (Latin, Cistercium) which was the mother abbey in Burgundy, France. The Cistercian Order follows a stricter observance of the rule of St Benedict. It is commonly associated with the wearing of white.

The Cistercian order is part of the Roman Catholic church that flourished in England in the medieval ages. The first Cistercian abbey established in Britain was in 1128 at Waverley (Surrey) with the second to be established here in Tintern. The founding of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire marked the beginning of the development of the Cistercian religious movement in Britain. To delve deeper into the Cistercian order a trip to Yorkshire might prove to be necessary. The county was the heart of the Cistercian community in Britain with several abbeys close by.

The Cistercian monasteries fell from grace and favour when Henry VIII left the Roman Catholic church. The pope did not grant him a divorce and this led to the dissolution of monasteries. This in turn boosted the monarchy’s coffers.

Without realizing, I have already visited a Cistercian abbey and written about it when I first embarked on this learning journey many years ago (Forde Abbey in Dorset). I may have to revisit and stump up the money to visit the inside this time though.

Tintern Abbey History

Founding of Tintern Abbey

Tintern Abbey was founded in 1131 by Walter de Clare. The powerful ‘de Clare’ family name was discovered on a recent trip to Usk Castle. I’m not sure of the links between Walter (Chepstow) and Richard (Usk) de Clare. The early founding of the abbey consisted mainly of timber buildings, the same as the early motte and bailey castles would have been.

Kingswood Abbey

By 1139 the community was thriving, and the overcrowded Tintern was able to colonize a first daughter house in Kingswood in Gloucester. Roger de Berkeley, Baron of Berkeley and owner of Berkeley Castle acquired the land in Gloucester. Barely anything remains of the abbey in Kingswood save for an Abbey Gatehouse. This abbey is part of English Heritage is free to visit if ever you’re passing by.

Tintern Parva

In 1189 William Marshal (discovered at Usk castle) became Lord of Chepstow, through his marriage to Isabel de Clare (Isabel and her two sons are buried at Tintern Abbey) and became a patron of Tintern Abbey. William authorized the second and final daughter house of Tintern Abbey on his lands in Ireland and called it Tintern Parva (little Tintern). He had made a promise to God during a stormy sea trip to Ireland that if he remained safe, he would establish an abbey. Ruins remain here and look worthy of a visit if I can make it back to Ireland. The abbey ruins in Wexford Ireland are part of Heritage Ireland.

Roger Bigod III

In 1245 the Lordship of Chepstow passed to the Bigod family. Roger Bigod III took a keen interest in Tintern Abbey. Roger became the Duke of Norfolk in 1270 and continued until 1306. At the turn of the 14^th century he granted the abbey a valuable asset, his Norfolk manor of Acle. Roger is the man who helped to build the church we admire today. Works began in 1269 and were completed in 1301. Such was his impact on the abbey that when the dissolution of the monasteries came the monks were still distributing alms to the poor 5 times a year in repose for Roger’s soul.

Royal Visitor to Tintern Abbey

Tintern Abbey had a royal visitor in 1326 when Edward II took refuge at the house when fleeing Roger Mortimer’s army. He spent two days at Tintern Abbey.

William Herbert

In 1469 William Herbert (1^st Earl of Pembroke, known as Black William) was beheaded after the battle of Edgecote and buried at Tintern. The Herbert family was discovered in detail at St Mary’s Priory, Abergavenny (his father and mother are buried there, along with his brother who was beheaded with him).

Dissolution of the Monasteries

The destruction of the monasteries began in Henry VIII’s reign. As previously learned, this was done in two acts, the first in 1536 and the second in 1539. The monasteries owned about a quarter of the land in England.

Henry acquired a lot of wealth by removing them. Tintern Abbey fell peacefully in the first Act of Supremacy. The abbeys in northern England revolted which led to the ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’ in October 1536. In this first act small monasteries and abbeys with an income of less than £200 were closed and their buildings, lands, and money taken by the crown.

The larger abbeys and monasteries fell in the second act of suppression in 1539. Tintern Abbey was sold to Henry Somerset, the then current Earl of Worcester. Henry would go on to strip the monastery of its valuable resources. Tintern Abbey, like many other abbeys, fell into ruin.

Romantic Tintern Abbey

Tintern Abbey’s fate was to take a turn for the better in the 18^th century. A popular engraving in 1732 by the Busk brothers started it all off. Reverend William Gilpin’s best-selling account of ‘Wye River Voyage in 1770’ described Tintern as ‘the most beautiful’ scene of all and people were hooked. Whether or not his description was accurate is a matter for debate (there is a comments box at the bottom of this blog – I would love to hear your thoughts on all matters raised in this blog as well as all others).

Gilpin was a notable travel writer, an artist, a church of England cleric and a schoolmaster. He is famous for being one of the first promoters of the term ‘picturesque’. William also wrote ‘Observations on the River Wye’, which was first published in 1782. He evidently felt that the River Wye was the place to visit.

It could be argued that the early Romantics were revolutionary but the observation of events in France (the Reign of Terror) resulted in a shift towards the power of nature and the importance of the imagination. The French Revolution and Napoleonic War kept travelers out of Europe and adventurers wanted to explore the wild landscapes of Britain. The ivy-covered ruins of Tintern were to provide inspiration for poets searching for the ‘sublime’ and ‘picturesque’. This brought a flock of people to the area and as a result, British tourism commenced. The guidebook had come to stay!!

JMW Turner painting of Tintern Abbey in 1794

J.M.W Turner was a romantic landscape painter. Renowned for his oils, he became one of the greatest masters of British watercolour landscape painting. His work is now in galleries all over the world. The painting relating to Tintern is now housed in the Tate Modern in London and I must see it for myself. The painting in question shows the crossing of the abbey looking towards the East Window. He beautifully captures the elegant glamorous ruins of Tintern Abbey complete with its ivy.

William Wordsworth's famous poem (1798)

William was an English romantic poet. Along with Samuel Taylor Coleridge (he was born in Ottery St Mary in Devon, and I must go to see the superb church there and the graveyard for its Coleridge connections) they launched the Romantic Age in English literature. They wrote a book together called ‘Lyrical Ballads’ which a collection of their poems. William included his poem associated with Tintern. William revisited Tintern Abbey 5 years after his first visit and famously composed ‘Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey’. He describes the gentle sounds of the rivers and streams running down the ‘steep and lofty cliffs’.

Tintern Abbey conclusions

There was once a seductive allure to these mystical ruins. It was once a place of seclusion, detached from life and home to those who followed a strict devotion. Those monastic times seem a long time ago. They were a long time back and were ended abruptly. The church which provided a sanctuary was left to become a heap of ruins.

As if by poetic justice, the Romantic era, coupled with the input of a devotee to the Wye valley itself, gave the ruins a new meaning and a new beginning. People were stirred to visit these towering and overgrown ruins. The ivy crawling around pillars of stone with the sun or moonlight beaming through vacant arches, open windows and a roofless building as captured by the artist became inspiring.

My reaction on Tintern Abbey

Sadly, these romantic ruins that provided so much inspiration didn’t and don’t have the same allure for me. Yes, they’re incredible to witness. It is nice to see its roofless splendour and the towering size of a once monastic masterpiece. Imagination is also needed above ground level. Ugly scaffolding sticks to the building like a forgotten plaster. The rest of the site is a sterile theatre, a doldrum of corporate preservation and presentation.

The noisy sounds of cars passing by drown out those gentle sounds of rivers and streams, though, to be fair, Wordsworth wouldn’t have been troubled by motor cars. To be fair to myself, Wordsworth hardly described the abbey but the river by which it is located. The poem seems to eulogise the power of nature to restore and has nothing to say about something man-made like the abbey.

He seems to delight in nature itself, and one wonders whether he could have been having the same thoughts as he did in another place with his dancing daffodils. To me the people at the turn of the 18^th to 19^th centuries led much less sophisticated lives than modern man and, evidently, were inspired.

Perhaps the current works will enhance the site – they will do nothing to curb the engine noise.

Listen to me going all Wordsworth and yet describing the antithesis of the romance of the place. Am I being too controversial? Does Tintern Abbey deserve this level of controversy?

I’m intrigued to know your opinions. If you have been please let me know your thoughts. Were you romantically inspired? In a fast-changing world did you feel the urge to get your easel out? Or jot down a few words of poetry. Do you find the place pleasing on the eye?

If you haven’t been, have I inspired you to go? Has Gilpin, Turner or Wordsworth? Leave your thoughts in the comments below….

September 28, 2025September 29, 2025

St Mary’s Priory, Anglican church in Abergavenny, Wales

St Mary’s Priory is a historic church at the eastern end of the market town of Abergavenny. The church is known as ‘the Westminster Abbey of Wales’. The church is home to many treasures which include a collection of beautiful tombs and monuments, a medieval font, and several impressive stained-glass windows. But its greatest treasure is an incredible 15^th century carving of Jesse, father of king David in the Bible, as the base of a much larger work known as the Jesse tree.

This guide provides details on what to see, the layout and architecture of St Mary’s Priory church, its history, links with Abergavenny Castle and a look at some of the names of those buried in the church.

St Mary’s Priory Layout

St Mary’s Priory is mainly a Victorian refurbishment. Sadly, very little, if any, of the Norman church remains. St Mary’s Priory is a traditional cruciform layout plan, although this is hard to see when first walking in. Entrance is made into the centre of nave.

The nave is impressively large but confuses me slightly. To the northern side there is clear evidence of the bays that are normally seen in churches and cathedrals. The northern aisle is similar in shape and design to that of nave. To the south is a fixed wall, external looking, with windows offering much light into the church. It appears that maybe the southern aisle was forgotten in the rebuilding process. The contrast of north and south sides of the nave is stark.

At the crossing is a nave altar with a central tower above. The transepts to the north and south are clearly visible and lead to separate chapels – Lewis chapel to the north and Herbert chapel to the south. In the northern transept is a Wooden effigy of Sir John de Hastings II.

The choir is sandwiched between these two chapels (Lewis and Herbert) with the sanctuary being at the far eastern end of the church. In the choir are finally carved monastic stalls from the 15^th century.

The Lewis chapel is named after Dr David Lewis who was the first principal of Jesus College, Oxford. Dr David became a judge of the High court of the Admiralty in the reign of Elizabeth 1^st. The Herbert Chapel is named after a couple of gentlemen who are buried there.

History of St Mary’s Priory

St Mary’s Priory founding

A Benedictine Priory and church of St. Mary was founded towards the end of the 11^th century by the first Anglo-Norman Lord of Abergavenny Hamelin de Ballon. Hamelin was granted the Lordship of Abergavenny by William II and was the man who built Abergavenny Castle.

St Mary’s Priory was attached as a ‘cell’ to the Abbey of St Vincent near Le Mans in Normandy. This is like the recently visited St George’s Priory Church in Dunster, which was a cell of Bath Abbey. I presume the link with Le Mans is due to Hamelin being a Norman knight who was born in Ballon, near to Le Mans, in France.

A ‘Priory’

As my learning flourishes it is important I find out what a priory is. A priory is a religious community built to house monks or nuns. In Abergavenny’s case monks lived in a monastic order and followed the rule of Saint Benedict. A priory church was built within their community to allow prayer and worship. This would have been separated from towns people who would have had their own church. Priories could have been independent or a cell of an abbey.

Medieval St Mary’s Priory

St Mary’s Priory went through good and bad times. Being so far away from its master abbey I’m sure this led to some of these problems. Rumours, many substantiated, of ill-discipline, drinking, gambling and adultery by the monks and prior had left the priory neglected. When the then current Lord of Abergavenny (John de Hastings) discovered these misdemeanours, reformations were made, with notably more lands passing to the priory.

When Owain Glyndwr destroyed Abergavenny, so too was St Mary’s Priory. Rebuilding took place after the Pope gave a grant of indulgence for church repairs in 1428. The people of Abergavenny also raised money to help with the repairs. This led to the priory enjoying a period of great prosperity. A tithe barn was built to collect annual tithes from people working on the priory’s lands.

Dissolution of the Monasteries

When Henry VIII’s divorce from the Roman Catholic church took place, the effects were felt across the land. St Mary’s Priory being part of the Catholic order was no exception. By now, though the local community influence was great, they were already using the church (sharing with the remaining monks) as they had outgrown their church (St. Johns on the other side of town).

A settlement was made through the Lord of Abergavenny with Henry VIII that St Mary’s Priory church would become the town’s parish church. Then with some of the revenues from the priory a school would be established in their old parish church.

English Civil War

Not only did St Mary’s Priory survive the reformation, but it navigated its way through the Civil War as well. A visit to Abergavenny Castle showed how Abergavenny played a role in the Civil War as King Charles I tried to raise an army before Cromwell and his army garrisoned the castle. Cromwell and his troops vandalised much of the country, pursuing the Puritan way but somehow the ‘Jesse’ carving avoided Cromwell’s ravages.

St Mary’s Priory in the 19th century

During the Victorian period St Mary’s Priory changed severely as the nave and northern aisle were demolished and rebuilt. The Victorian refurbishment program, sadly, leaves little traces of the original Norman architecture. They did, however, find the Norman baptismal font in the churchyard.

Treasures of St Mary's Priory

Jesse

The greatest of the St Mary’s Priory treasures is now housed in the Lewis Chapel. Dating back to the 15^th century is a unique representation of Jesse. This piece was carved from a solid piece of oak and makes it unique. It is part of a reredos (an altarpiece) that would have stood 20-30 feet high with carvings of the exalted Christ and the Virgin Mary at its apex. ‘Jesses’ were normally displayed in stone and stain glass. Behind its current location is the ‘Jesse Window’. Created by Helen Whittaker of Barley Studios in York, it encapsulates the various themes and messages from the bible.

Eva de Braose

The oldest monument in St Mary’s Priory Church belongs to Eva de Braose. She died in 1256 and was part of the infamous de Braose family that had such gruesome history with Abergavenny Castle. If you look closely at her monument the shield that she is holding is decorated in the Cantilupe (the family she married into) fleur-de-lis (lily flower). You will find her monument in the chancel area.

Sir Lawrence de Hastings (d.1348)

The Hastings dynasty rebuilt much of Abergavenny castle and the last member of the family to be buried here is Sir Lawrence de Hastings. Sir Lawrence fought at the battle of Crecy (1346) and Sluys (1340) in the 100 years’ war. Sir Lawrence’s son John married Margaret Plantagenet, daughter of King Edward I.

Sir John de Hastings II (d.1324)

Sir John’s wooden effigy is in the northern transept. John’s effigy has been beautifully carved and shows him praying with his feet on a lion. John was heavily involved in rebuilding of St Mary’s Priory in 14^th century.

Sir Richard Herbert (d.1469) of Coldbrook & Margaret

Sir Richard was the owner of Coldbrook Estate, Llanover, Monmouthshire. A short drive south of Abergavenny, the estate remains but the house is no more. Sir Richard was the second son of William ap Thomas (William brought and greatly expanded Raglan Castle) who is also buried in St Mary’s Priory. Richard Herbert and his brother were heavily involved in the Wars of Roses and after losing the battle of Edgcote (24^th July 1469) were beheaded. Edgcote is in West Northamptonshire, and the battle took place between the earls of Pembroke and Devon loyal to the crown and a rebel force led by the Earl of Warwick.

William ap Thomas and the Lady Gwladys

William fought in the battle of Agincourt (1415); his exploits led to his knighthood. This brought about much wealth and power. He purchased the norman Raglan Castle and along with his son William Herbert (William took the name Herbert when Edward IV gave him the title Baron Herbert) built the ‘grandest castle’ ever built by a Welshman.

Sir Richard Herbert of Ewyas

He was the illegitimate son of William Herbert 1^st Earl of Pembroke (Richard was the grandson of William ap Thomas and nephew of Sir Richard Herbert both buried in St Mary’s Priory). His family tried to give him respectability by giving him the lordship of Ewyas. He married into the Cradock family. His eldest son would marry Anne Parr, sister of Katherine Parr (Henry VIII’s sixth wife).

St Mary's Priorys other monuments

In the Herbert Chapel there are two other tombs of note. Firstly, the tomb of William Baker (d.1648) and his wife, Joan. William was the nephew of David Augustine Baker.

Secondly, the tomb of Judge Andrew Powell (d.1631) and Margaret. Margaret was the daughter of Mathew Herbert of Coldbrook.

Located elsewhere around the church are the pre-Norman font, a bell dated from 1308, and the royal arms of Queen Anne dated 1709. The pre-Norman font is older than the original church itself. A very proud church warden informed me of this on my visit, and this has been confirmed in the guide he gave me. As mentioned previously this font was found buried in the courtyard. Where it was perhaps hidden during the Commonwealth period when the baptism of infants was unacceptable.

The tomb of Sir Andrew Powell (d. 1631) and his wife Margaret (d. 1641)

The medieval font dating from the 12th century

'The Bell of John' Dating from 14th century

St Mary’s Priory Conclusions

St Mary’s Priory has been wonderfully pleasant visit – surprising in matter of fact. Assumptions are never good. Looking from the outside it wasn’t that impressive but after stepping inside I’ve been blown away with the history that is entombed inside.

It’s not called ‘Westminster Abbey of Wales’ without reason. It is not on the scale of Westminster Abbey or boasts the same number of famous tombs and monuments but in St Mary’s there are several important persons from yesteryear who are buried there.

It’s a shame that little of the medieval church survives but the links between the church and castle are fascinating. The famous people learnt about at Abergavenny Castle are buried in the church.

The church layout confused me somewhat with a lack of the south aisle throwing my understanding of the church plan out the window.

This meandering though has taught me something new about the royal coats of arms that are often displayed in churches. I never knew why they were there. Henry VIII instructed the royal coat of arms to be displayed in all churches after his reformation to show that the monarchy was now the head of the church. A lot of these were removed by Mary I. Many were replaced during the reigns of Elizabeth, James I, Charles I & II, William III and Mary II. Something to keep my eye out for when next stepping inside a church.

The two chapels at St Mary’s Priory provide me with further inspirational meanderings. After learning about William ap Thomas and the ‘Herbert’ family a visit to Raglan Castle seems a necessity. How easy it is to visit Dr David Lewis’s connections to Oxford University and Jesus College remains to be seen.

September 21, 2025

Abergavenny Castle, Museum in Abergavenny, Wales

A visit to Abergavenny Castle and museum is very pleasant and thoroughly enjoyable. It is a place marked by intrigue, deception and murder throughout its long history and is associated with Welsh Marchland castles and the English Civil War.

Abergavenny Castle sits above the River Usk, with panoramic views as far as the Blorenge, Sugarloaf and Skirrid mountains (all worth a climb). Sadly, all that remains of the castle is a small section of picturesque ruins. Imagination is required!! These ruins are hidden from sight when visiting the town but follow the signs to the entrance gates where notice of free entry assists any with an inquisitive mind.

Join me as I explore another Marchland castle. It shares a similar history to those that have been recently visited but with a couple of dramatic and treacherous events. From its very early beginnings, it was an important castle. It played host to visiting monarchs as well as being the headquarters of the lordship of Abergavenny.

Abergavenny Castle History

Abergavenny Castle was established in 1087 by the Norman’s first Lord of Abergavenny – Hamelin de Ballon. The initial castle was motte and bailey. The motte is still clearly visible. Hamelin de Ballon, along with his brother Wynebald de Ballon, founded the Benedictine Priory in the town (will explore that later).

Hamelin’s two sons died without leaving an heir, so the inheritance was passed to Hamelin’s nephew Brian Fitz Count. Brian, like his uncles, left no heir so the Abergavenny Castle reverted to the crown (Henry II who reigned from 1154-1189). This Lordship of Abergavenny was then passed to 1^st Earl of Hereford – Miles FitzWalter of Gloucester.

The lordship passed through all his sons (one of the sons, Henry FitzMiles, was killed by forces of Seisyll ap Dyfnwal – many Welsh names of the time feature the word ‘ap’ meaning ‘son of’), but with none of the sons having any heirs, the inheritance passed to the daughter Bertha.

She was already married to William de Braose who became very powerful at the result the unexpected value in the marriage. His son, also called William (there were a lot of people called William de Braose who were lords at this time – this one was the 4^th Lord of Bramber, in Sussex, and lord of a number of places including Abergavenny and even places in Ireland and France), would become the most famous family member.

Christmas Massacre 1175

During these times there was a lot of tension between the Welsh princes and Normal lords in Wales. It took a turn for the worse when Henry FitzMiles was killed in the 1160s by Welsh forces of Seisyll ap Dyfnwal. William de Braose took it upon himself to avenge Henry’s death.

William’s treachery and trickery played out at Christmas 1175. He organised a dinner and invited Welsh noblemen and, of course, Seisyll, and his eldest son, for dinner. His invitation was, nominally, to overcome their differences and find a new path to peace. Upon their arrival they were asked to surrender their weapons at the gates (why did they do that?), before entering the Great Hall.

Once inside the doors were bolted shut and instead of a peaceful dinner and negotiations, the armed men of De Braose slew all inside. Once the gruesome act was complete, William and his men rode to Seisyll’s house and, reputedly, murdered his youngest son (aged 7) and captured his wife. De Braose’s had his revenge for his uncle’s death.

Revenge 1182

The result of William’s ruthless revenge sent shock waves across the land. The massacre was not well received by the English monarchy (Henry II). The castle and lands were removed from William and passed to his son, also called William (there’s a surprise!!) who had committed the atrocious act. The Welsh sought revenge, which was achieved when Hywel ap iorweth (Lord of Caerleon) attacked Dingestow Castle (which was destroyed) and Abergavenny castle (which was burnt).

Abergavenny castle rebuilt, attacked and rebuilt

Abergavenny’s strategic location was still important, guarding the River Usk and surrounding lowland areas. The De Braose family was in favour with King Richard I (reigned 1189-199) and King John I (reigned 119-1216) so work began to rebuild the castle. A new keep, surrounding stone curtain walls, and towers were built in red sandstone. King John I visited the castle in 1215.

In 1233 Abergavenny was one of the many castles in the region attacked and destroyed by Earl of Pembroke.

After the De Braose association with Abergavenny castle came to an end, it passed through the De Cantilupe family (they married into the De Braose family) to the Hastings family in 1273. The Hastings family continued an expansion program of the castle with two western towers, a circular and a polygonal tower added. The remains of these works are what may be seen today. Some members of the Hastings family, along with Eva De Braose, are buried in the Priory Church of St Mary.

Abergavenny Castle grounds looking at St Mary's Priory

Abergavenny Castle & Owain Glyndwr

The Owain Glyn Dwr rebellion swept across Wales early in the 15^th century. As I learnt during my visit to Usk Castle, this threatened the security of the English in the region and an alarmed King Henry IV (reigned 1367- 1413). King Henry IV gave instructions to strengthen and reinforce Abergavenny castle and increase the size of the garrison.

The barbican (which you walk through first) was built to replace the original gatehouse. The then current lord was William Beauchamp. In 1404 the town of Abergavenny was besieged by Owain Glyn Dwr and his followers, but the castle was never captured or damaged. St Mary’s Priory didn’t fare as well; I shall explore this in more detail when I visit. William Beauchamp was ordered to stay at the castle and defend it and the town until 1409. The garrison included some 80 mounted soldiers and around 400 archers.

Civil war at Abergavenny Castle

In the years after the Owain rebellion Abergavenny’s castle, like the other castles visited in the region, began to fall into a state of ruin so that by the time of the Civil War (1642-1651) the castle required reinforcement.

Abergavenny castle at this time was held by the royalists, loyal to King Charles I (reigned 1625-1649), who was to visit the castle twice in 1645, trying to raise a new army after being defeated at the battle of Naseby. When King Charles I left the second time, the Roundheads (Parliamentarians but also called Roundheads by their enemies because many of them had short, cropped hair) were fast approaching, and he ordered that the castle’s living quarters be destroyed.

The back-and-forth nature of the Civil War meant that after Charles I had abandoned Abergavenny, the Roundheads made it their base a year later. The Parliamentarians were able to hold Abergavenny after the royalists attacked the castle. Two years later, in 1647, after the surrender of Raglan Castle (in 1646) had taken place, orders were given to slight the castle (make it indefensible).

19th century – Abergavenny Castle

Sat on top of the motte (the oldest part of the castle) is a conspicuous building. It is the former hunting lodge (now the Abergavenny Museum) built by the Marquess of Abergavenny (William Nevill) in 1818-19. Though a relatively modern building, it was built to look like a former medieval keep. In 1881 the castle grounds were opened to the public due to the increasing popularity of the picturesque views that were possible.

Abergavenny Castle Today

Abergavenny Castle is sandwiched between the shops of this market town and the river Usk. Abergavenny Castle is a hidden gem and loaded with history.

It is an atmospheric and historic spot for a picnic, to meet people and for kids to run about tirelessly. If kids can be persuaded to take a break from expending their energy there is much for them to learn. Some research and reading are required to understand its turbulent past but carefully situated around the ruins are numerous information boards. These provide detail on what the castle would have looked like.

A walk up the former motte is highly recommended. “Why?”, I hear you ask. The views are rewarding and you’ll find Abergavenny Museum. The museum, like the castle and grounds is free to enter, and provides much information and resources about the town and castles history.

Abergavenny Castle has similar history to other nearby castles (Usk & Three castles) visited. Its fascinating history has brought different characters to the fore and opened other avenues to pursue. I hope you enjoy visiting as much as I have.

September 14, 2025September 15, 2025

Usk Castle, “Usk’s Enchanting and hidden Gem”, Usk, Monmouthshire

Mysteriously set on top of the hill and hidden from view are the romantic ruins of Usk castle. Its strategic and military position become obvious when walking around as it provides a beautiful view over the local area. No prizes for guessing that the village and river it overlooks are also called Usk.

The castle is privately owned with its owners opening the castle to visitors on Sundays between April and September for a small donation (£4 in 2025). A leaflet has been created to help guide visitors around the castle.

Join me as I discover this lesser-known marchland castle, exploring its remaining ruins and try to piece together its history which culminated in the battle of Pwll Melyn.

There is no guidebook to purchase, nor can I find one online. Perhaps getting hold of a copy of Adam of Usk Chronicles might be a good source of valuable information and knowledge. The book’s age and rarity mean this is merely a pipe dream, as the only one seen for sale is over £200!!

There are some connections between Usk castle and the ‘Three Castles’. The final military action seen at Grosmont Castle links heavily with the battle of Usk that took place here. The research compiled on Usk castle builds on the knowledge gained at the ‘Three Castles’ but leaves me in a bit of a muddle, with similar names causing much confusion. Understanding the complexities of Medieval England is hard work.

Usk castle History

The origins are hard to trace back. The Romans created a legionary Roman Fort in Usk called Burrium (around AD55). Whether it incorporated the hill that the castle sits on I don’t know. The Romans left Usk and moved to Caerleon.

The first written mention of the castle of Usk comes in 1138 where a small wooden motte and baily castle was established overlooking the town and captured by the Welsh. Much of my research is inspired from the paintings of ‘characters’ that I assume are associated with the castle’s history on the ceiling of a wooden gazebo in the grounds.

Richard de Clare aka ‘Strongbow’

Ownership of the castle at this point was in the de Clare family who were the Earls of Pembroke and Striguil (former name of Chepstow). There was a brief interlude when Hywel ap Iowerth controlled the castle. Hywel was the Welsh lord of Caerleon.

Richard de Clare, the 2^nd Earl of Pembroke also known as ‘Strongbow’, built the original gatehouse around 1170. He is the first person of interest from this information ceiling. Strongbow gave the town its first charter and he founded Usk priory. He would go on to conquer parts of Ireland for Henry II. He left a son and daughter, the son died too young to take the earldom and it passed to his elder sister Isabella de Clare.

William Marshall

Isabella was very wealthy and married the famous William Marshal. His name cropped up in the ‘Three Castles’ as he and Hubert de Burgh were the most powerful men of the time. William took ownership of Usk castle upon his marriage and set about adding stone defences.

William added the curtain walls around the perimeter along with several towers. William was known as the greatest knight and solider in the realm. His battle experience gave him the knowledge to build the round keeps. The round garrison tower installed in Usk is like those associated with William at Pembroke and Hubert at Skenfrith.

Elizabeth de Burgh

By 1289 the castle fell into the hands of Gilbert de Clare 7^th Earl of Gloucester (builder of the second largest castle in the UK at Caerphilly). Gilbert’s great grandfather was William Marshal. I’m not entirely sure if he was in any way a relation to de Clares who first occupied the castle. Gilbert died at the battle of Bannockburn (1314).

Usk castle passed to Elizabeth de Burgh (de Burgh the name taken from her first marriage) who was the third daughter of Gilbert. She is also there on the ‘information ceiling’. She must have had some serious history with the place. My research informs me that she poured much of her wealth into funding Clare College, Cambridge (the second oldest of Cambridge’s 31 colleges). I believe there is a link between the de Clare name and the small village of Clare in Sussex. Elizabth did go on to erect the hall block, chapel and solar (an upper chamber in a medieval building) on the northeast side.

The castle later passed to the Mortimers, a family dynasty who held great power over the Welsh marches and political eminence between the 13^th and 15^th Centuries. Usk Castle was one of the last castles the family acquired. The Mortimers built a wall around the outer bailey on the south with one round tower and a rectangular gatehouse.

Adam of Usk

Usk’s most prominent piece of history came in 1402 and 1405. It was also around this time that the town’s most famous son lived. Adam of Usk (1352-1430) was a Welsh priest who wrote a Chronicle covering the late 14^th and early 15^th century. He trained as a lawyer at the university of Oxford, before serving the Archbishop of Canterbury and King Henry IV. His chronicle covers the years 1377 – 1421 and, in particular, the Welsh revolt against English rule led by Owain Glyndwr. He is buried in the priory church in Usk.

Owain Glyndwr

After ousting his cousin Richard II, Henry IV set about quashing rebellions. The last major Welsh rebellion against the English was led by Owain Glyndwr. Owain burnt the town of Usk in 1402 before his forces returned in 1405.

After sacking the castle at Grosmont they turned their attentions to Usk. Owain’s forces under the leadership of his eldest son were defeated trying to capture Usk castle. They came up against a substantial force under the command of Lord Grey of Codnor who defeated Owain’s forces at the battle of Pwll Melyn. The defeat left 300 prisoners who were all killed at Usk Castle after the battle.

After the rebellion the castle was repaired and became a residence more than a military stronghold. The castle reverted to the crown. Slowly the castle fell into a state of disrepair. Stone from the castle was removed to build the Great House in Usk. It survived the English Civil War with only a little damage.

Usk Castle today

The final picture in my history of Usk castle from the ceiling is that of Rudge and Anne Humphreys. I’m led to believe they purchased the castle for £525 in 1933. The family open the castle to visitors on Sunday’s for a small donation. The castle can be hired for events.

Usk Castle Layout

Entering the castle is along a driveway and through a set of gates. Sitting on top is a crown and two lions. After paying your entry fee make your way along the edge of outer ward towards the castle keep.

The outer ward is now the family home of the Humphreys, and no access is allowed – understandable but a shame.

By the family house is a beautiful tithe barn there is a 13^th century dovecote which looks a fine example and would add knowledge to the one discovered in Dunster.

The sign on the castle keep is dated 1170. This was the work of Richard Strongbow. After capturing a few images, I retrace my steps back to the outer edge of outer ward and walk up to the castle gate. The sign here informs me that the gate dates to around 1214 which was during Willima Marshal’s ownership.

When you walk through the castle gate you enter the inner ward. Directly in front of you is the garrison tower. I will work my way around to the tower shortly but for now I take an anticlockwise approach around the inner ward. This leads me to, in my opinion, the most valuable item in the castle – the wooden gazebo near the guard tower.

Moving around the inner ward I arrive at the northern tower. A little exploration here and you’ll find the former chapel of St George along with the banqueting hall, which the sign informs me is 1326 and the time of Elizabeth de Burgh.

From the banqueting hall you can pick up the curtain wall and walk along the top of it to the Garrison tower. The date on the sign here is 1212 which confirms is the time William Marshal installed the walls and towers to protect the inner ward. Access can be made down through the tower back into the inner ward. Sadly, this is the only section of the walls that can be traversed.

I leave behind the garrison tower and walk inside the remaining walls. A sign above a door in the wall is the only evidence of the remaining south tower. There is a gap in the walls at this point that affords two wonderful views. Firstly, the best view of the tithe barn and dovecote. Secondly, the village of Usk.

The final part of a walk around the inner ward brings me back to the other side of the castle keep where my tour first began.

Usk Castle conclusions

My visit to Usk castle was achieved by pure luck rather than precise judgment and planning. It is off the beaten track and is another tremendous place about which to learn. Medieval England is proving a great fascination and challenging learning experience. Each visit on this trip is making the call of Pembroke Castle even louder. Also add to that Temple church in London to visit the grave of William Marshal. Visits are also required to the small village of Clare in Suffolk and to Cambridge.

Simon Jenkins writes in his Wales: Churches, Houses, Castles, that Usk Castle is “everything a Cadw castle is not. It is wild, unmanicured and idiosyncratic. Where a government castle is scrubbed and tidy, Usk respects the dishevelment of age… If ruins must be ruins, let them be like this.” Meandering around the castle it’s hard to disagree with Mr Jenkins. I hope that I have inspired you to visit the castle by delving into its history and exploring the castle. If you’ve been I would love to know your thoughts, if you haven’t been I hope you will visit one day.

September 7, 2025September 13, 2025

Three Castles, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales

‘Three Castles’ refers to a trio of Norman castles set in the Monnow valley in southern Wales. The Monnow valley is carved into the hills of Monmouthshire and very close to the English and Welsh border. The castles of Grosmont, White & Skenfrith are excellent evidence of the turbulent history of the Welsh borderland area (known as the marchland or marches) in the medieval centuries.

After their conquest in 1066, the Normans set about protecting whilst expanding their newly acquired kingdom. The Three Castles are each of motte and bailey construction and were to protect the route between Wales and Hereford. Much of what we see today is due to Hubert de Burgh’s foresight.

Join me as I explore each of the ‘Three Castles’, cheating slightly as I drove to each one, rather than doing the 19-mile circular walking route between them. I learn about motte and bailey castles and explore some of the fascinating history of England and Wales. Each individual castle is surprisingly free to enter and now managed by either the National Trust or Cadw (a Welsh organisation protecting historic sites – cadw is a Welsh word meaning to keep or protect).

Motte & Bailey castles

This style of castle was basic in construction, relatively quick to build, and designed to intimidate. The Norman motte and bailey castles were built in strategic locations to help consolidate power and secure towns after their successful invasion.

Motte & bailey castles were made up of two structures – a motte, and a bailey. The word ‘motte’ means mound which was often artificial but sometimes on a natural formation. It was the chosen place to build a wooden or stone keep on its top. This was then surrounded by a palisade (a defensive wall of pointed wooden stakes). The height of the mound provided a valuable viewpoint out across the local landscape with the mound providing a line of defence against attackers.

At the bottom of the motte would be a protected area known as a bailey. Any palisade built was there to protect buildings as another layer of defence. In some cases, outside these fortifications there would have been a ditch or moat offering yet more defence. A gatehouse provided entrance/exit to and from the castle.

History of the Three Castles

Looking back through time doesn’t provide much evidence as to who first established the origins of the Three Castles. Possibly it was William FitzOsbern, Earl of Hereford, who instructed some basic fortifications at the sites of the Three Castles to be built towards the end of the 11^th century.

But by the 12^th century there is evidence of their existence. After a couple of rebellions, the most notable being in 1135, the then current King (Stephen) unified the three castles under one lordship known as the Three Castles.

The Three Castles in the 13th century

At the beginning of the 13^th century a name that is symbolic with all three castles is that of Hubert de Burgh. Hubert was an excellent military man and a loyal servant to King John I who rewarded him with the lordship of the ‘Three Castles’.

Hubert would fall in and out of favour with the monarchy. In his pomp Hubert was one of the most influential and powerful men in England as he took on the role of Chief Justiciar and given the title of Earl of Kent.

The ownership of the Three Castles passed to his rivals a couple of times during his ownership when he fell from grace. Much of the Three Castles we see today is the result of the works undertaken by Hubert.

When Hubert passed away the castles found their way back to the monarchy. On the throne at the time was King Henry III. Henry III completed some works on the Three Castles before granting them to his eldest son, Edward (later Edward I) before they were passed to his second son Edmund ‘Crouchback’ Earl of Lancaster (second son of Henry III).

This was the start of a lengthy association between the Three Castles and the earldom (later duchy) of Lancaster. This ended in 1825 when the castles were sold off. Henry III’s son, Edward I was known as Edward Longshanks (Hammer of the Scots, William Wallace and all that). Before his wars in Scotland, Edward I conquered Wales in 1283 with the help of his brother. A result of their success made the Three Castles and other castles in the region redundant, as the whole of Wales fell under English rule.

Last military action at Three Castles

The castles maintained an administrative position and were maintained in the years after. The Three Castles saw their last military action in 1405. A year earlier in 1404 Owain Glyndwr lead a revolt to overthrow English occupancy in Wales. He besieged the castle at Grosmont in 1405, but a force sent by Prince Henry (later Henry V – born in nearby Monmouth) defeated them. This was a prelude to the Welsh attack on Usk castle (a place I will visit shortly) a few months later which ended in disaster.

As a result, by the 16^th century, the Three Castles had fallen into a state of disuse, disrepair and ruin and never to be recovered to their former glory. Now the ‘Three Castles’ under the ownership of Cadw and National Trust provide us with an insight into their wonderful history.

White Castle

The first of the three castles visited is White Castle or to use its original name was Llantilio Castle. The castle is very remote and completely detached from civilisation. Its ruins are excellent evidence of the motte and bailey castle, although the signage and guidebook refer to the motte (inner ward) and bailey (outer ward).

It seems to be the furthest away from the English/Welsh border and the last of the three to developed. Its location may explain why it never saw any military action. Finding a safe space to park the car was tricky. A gentle stroll from the car park led me to the outer gatehouse.

White castle is now a peaceful ruin. It clearly shows the curtain wall that surrounded the outer ward. Evidence can be seen of 4 towers placed at different points of the wall along with the gatehouse. Entry is through the gatehouse. As you walk over a bridge the ditch that would have surrounded the outer ward is evident. The outer ward is now a wild meadow and perfect spot to have a picnic. It is hard to imagine the hustle and bustle that would have been here in medieval times.

Leaving behind the outer ward I approach the bridge across the moat (severely dried up after a long hot summer). Two imposing round towers help form the inner gatehouse. Upon walking through and into the inner ward it is completely derelict. There is broken gap in the curtain walls in one corner, otherwise the walls remain intact although not accessible.

In the inner ward the floor plan resembles a pear shape, with ground evidence of a chapel, hall, kitchen, accommodation and a well. There were enough facilities to make the castle habitable for previous owners. Cross shaped windows provide some views of the neighbouring countryside.

Skenfrith Castle

The second of the Three Castles visited was Skenfrith Castle, which, unlike White castle, is in the centre of a small village. The river Monnow meanders alongside the edge of the castle and was used to provide the water for the moat. In the middle of the village there is a charming church (St Bridget’s) which is well worth exploring whilst on the outskirts is delightful restaurant and hotel (The Bell Hotel) which provides refreshments and accommodation.

This castle is also now owned by the National Trust and managed by Cadw. Perhaps it is this combination of owner and manager that has been instrumental in continued free entrance. Parking can be made right next to the castle and a short walk to the entrance is made before climbing some steps into the raised earthworks of the castle.

Skenfrith Castle could be literally described as 4 walls and a keep, a quadrilateral floor plan with towers in each corner. In the heart of the castle is the remains a keep tower. All the ruins that are witnessed here are from the Hubert de Burghtenure. Upon acquiring the Three Castles Lordship he pulled down the existing castle and rebuilt the current one. Apparently, it was easier to do this than modify what was already in place.

As you enter the inner ward, you’ll be immediately drawn to the round keep tower. Hubert was a military man, and his excursions would have exposed him to castles within France at the time. The round keep was developed by Philip II, king of France, against whom Hubert battled. A visit to Villeneuve-sur-Yonne would provide evidence of Philip’s keep. Hubert gained his knowledge and ideas of building them from his visits to France. An example of the round keep a little closer to home is at Pembroke castle where Hubert’s ally William Marshal (who also fought against Philip) built one.

Round Keep looking through the North-West Tower

Grosmont Castle

The last of the Three Castles is situated overlooking the village of Grosmont. Park on the high street of the village and walk up a lane where, at its end, you pass through a farm gate to behold Grosmont Castle. Entry is made through a picturesque gate with the name Grosmont forged in and over a bridge. Walking across the bridge shows the steep ditch that was part of the castle’s defences.

Grosmont castle seems smaller than the other two castles visited. There is also a major difference in design here as a distinct hall like structure forms part of the outer perimeter. Attached to two corners are curtain walls that enclose the inner ward. Three towers and the gatehouse are situated in these walls. The walls and towers were constructed by Hubert de Burgh during his ownership. Access can be made to parts of the wall’s walkway and the southwest tower, which is a very pleasant surprise.

The construction that took place in the 14^th century is evidenced firstly by the tall octagonal chimney which formed part of the north block. Secondly there are enlargements made to the southwest tower. These would have been completed by the Earl of Lancaster at the time.

Three Castles conclusions

This concludes an unexpected exploration of the Three Castles. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience which was greatly enhanced by free admission to all 3!!

The visits brought to life parts of England’s history about which I was blissfully unaware. The tumultuous times of medieval England are fascinating to learn about. King John I (Robin Hood memories and buried in Worcester Cathedral), Henry III (visit to Westminster Abbey), Edward I (warfare against the Scots) were all monarchs of whom I had tiny bits of knowledge, but that has been greatly enhanced during this discovery.

Another aspect of knowledge that has greatly been enhanced is castle architecture. Motte and bailey, palisade, curtain walls, gatehouses, inner and outer wards have all been learned about on this trip. Further inspiration to visit Pembroke Castle is a must along with other marchland castles. A visit to Usk castle also seems to be essential in understanding the local history (watch this space).

So, I leave this delightful area on the border of Wales and England with a spring in my step – the Three Castles has been very educational. I look forward to exploring more of this historic local area.

August 31, 2025September 13, 2025

Southwark Cathedral, Cathedral in London, Southwark, London

Southwark Cathedral is the mother church of the diocese of Southwark and another London Landmark added (click here to see others). The cathedral is a peaceful sanctuary from the busyness of the modern metropolis. Its exact location is a little hidden from view as it’s sandwiched between the river and the railway. The bright lights and smells of Borough Market distract or attract many a passerby so much so that its very existence may not be known to the masses.

This charming Cathedral is one of England’s youngest having been raised to cathedral status at the beginning of the 20^th century. There has been a church at the site for over 1000 years. Join me as I explore the gothic architecture and history of this cathedral nestled in the heart of London.

Early History of Southwark Cathedral

Its origins are a little hazy – a sign outside says it was a convent as early as AD 606. The first written evidence comes from the Domesday book of 1086 where reference is made of a minster.

In the year 1106, two Norman knights (William Pont de l’Arche and William Dauncey) re-founded the church as a priory for Augustine Canons. At this point the church was dedicated to St Mary and was called ‘St Mary Overie’. The consensus is that Overie means ‘over the river’. Sadly, nothing remains of the Norman church after a fire destroyed what was there in 1212.

The church’s location on the Thames Southbank was incredibly strategic as at the time it was the only crossing point of the River Thames. During its time as a priory church, it became part of the Diocese of Winchester (a city some 60 miles away from London in a south westerly direction).

The Diocese of Winchester, one of the oldest and richest dioceses in the land, meant it had a great deal of influence. In acquiring the lands around Southwark, it allowed the bishop of Winchester to build a palace for his London residence (just like Lambeth).

When walking along the Thames embankment you pass what looks like some random ruins. These ruins are what remains of the former great hall of Winchester Palace. I missed these on my way to the cathedral possibly by being distracted!! This building is evidence of an important link between the Bishop of Winchester and Southwark Cathedral. During these times the powerful bishops of Winchester were involved in shaping and building of the church at Southwark.

A Royal Wedding

In 1424, the Bishop of Winchester (Henry Beaufort, who was the illegitimate son of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster) chose to marry his niece, Joan Beaufort, to King James I of Scotland. Also, during the 15^th century, a benefactor of the church was John Gower. Upon his death he left a large sum of money to the priory and has a beautiful tomb within the nave of the church.

Southwark Cathedral History continued

The dissolution of the monasteries was covered in 2 Acts (1535 & 1539) and resulted in the destruction of the monasteries in England. When travelling around the country abbey ruins may be seen – Glastonbury, Tintern, Fountains, Bolton, are some fine examples. There are always exceptions to the rule – Bath, Sherborne and Westminster. The church at Southwark took a different path as it became the property of Henry VIII. He decided to rent the church back to the congregation. Perhaps this ‘saving’ of the church led to its renaming as St Saviour’s.

William Shakespeare lived during the end of Elizabeth’s reign and during James’s reign. He is associated with the Globe theatre (also on the Southbank). A memorial is placed in the nave of the church in his honour though his burial place is at Stratford -upon-Avon. William’s brother, Edmund, is buried in the church.

After the Tudor period, the congregation was tired of renting from the king, so, a group of merchants brought the church from King James I in 1611 for £800.

John Harvard was baptized in the church on 29 November 1607. His surname is famous around the world. His generosity led to the founding of Harvard University. A private chapel is dedicated to John.

The only Bishop of Winchester to be buried in the church. Lancelot Andrewes was laid to rest in 1626. He was involved in the translation of the King James Bible (1611).

In the following centuries the church flowed with the times. Alterations were made, repairs patched it up until the church became a real cause for concern. It managed to survive being flattened to make way for a new ‘London bridge’. With its survival lead to the restoration of the building by architect George Gwilt.

Southwark’s association with the Diocese of Winchester came to an end in 1877 and it was transferred to the diocese of Rochester. A new nave was designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield paving the way for the church to receive cathedral status in 1905 along with the creation of the new diocese of Southwark.

Southwark Cathedral Design

The cathedral layout is that of a traditional cruciform plan. The nave consists of 6 bays. Pointed arches on either side of the nave display the gothic design. They lead majestically up to the crossing. Above the arches is a plain rib vault ceiling giving a light and airy appearance.

The nave was rebuilt several times with the final rebuild taking place between 1890 and 1897. This new part of the building was criticised by Pugin who wrote, “It is bad enough to see such an erection spring up at all, but when a venerable building is demolished to make way for it, the case is quite intolerable.”

The crossing is a painted ceiling with central tower above. The northern and southern transepts are filled with monuments to those buried in the cathedral – monumens to Dr Lionel Lockyear and Richard Blisse are two that have been photographed.

Harvard Chapel

Next to the north transept is the Harvard Chapel. This name is associated with the famous American university. A stained-glass window depicting the baptism of Christ with written words to the memory of American colonist John Harvard may be found there. The top windows have the coat of arms of Emmanuel college (Cambridge) and Harvard University.

Founder of Harvard University in America

The Great Screen and Altar Piece

The Chancel at the eastern end of the church includes the choir and the high altar. Behind the high altar is the Great Screen and a treasure of the cathedral. The original screen would have been lacking in the detail we see today. It was completed during the reformation when statues were forbidden.

The figures are a who’s who of the priory, church and cathedral history. The statues were completed somewhere around the beginning of the 20^th century with the majority carved by Messrs Nicolls of Lambeth. Some of the carvings included are Cardinal Henry Beaufort, Saint Thomas Becket, John Gower, Saint Swithun, Henry I, Edward VII, Richard Fox and Lancelot Andrewes.

Southwark Cathedral Conclusions

The visit to Southwark Cathedral was fascinating. It is the oldest gothic church building in London – blink when you’re walking about London and you may miss it.

The history of the cathedral coincides with this country’s illustrious past. The visit has increased my growing knowledge of church and cathedral construction. It has highlighted some differences between English and Italian churches. In England a ‘cathedral’ is associated with ‘City status’. City status is at the discretion of the monarch but need not be granted to cities having a cathedral. Southwark, of course, falls under the greater London area.

The cathedral is the mother church of Southwark diocese. The diocese covers a large area from Kingston-upon-Thames to Thamesmead and all the way down to Gatwick airport.

Much of the cathedral’s history is associated with Winchester. I have been there before but feel that I need to revisit. Also, I’ve learnt that the streets of London are loaded with history, and I regret not investigating the former Great Hall of Winchester Palace.

August 24, 2025September 13, 2025

Lambeth Palace, Offical residence of Archbishop of Canterbury, London, England

Nestled on the south bank of the River Thames and opposite the Victoria Gardens and Westminster Palace is Lambeth Palace. A lesser-known London landmark but one full of history and importance. It is off the beaten track with access limited to visits on only 3 days per year. Best book well in advance!!

Lambeth Palace is the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury. In this post exploration is made over whys and wherefores of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Lambeth Palace has been the Archbishop of Canterbury’s London home for over 800 years. There is a lot of history to delve into and a palace to explore. This visit includes access to the Great Hall, Chapel, Crypt & State Room.

The Archbishop of Canterbury

The first Archbishop of Canterbury was Augustine back in 597AD. He was sent to England by Pope Gregory I. It was his mission to convert the natives to Roman Christianity. He landed in Ebbsfleet in Kent. Kent was one of a few separate kingdoms in England at that time. With Canterbury its capital city under the reign of King Aethelberht. In 601 Augustine was appointed archbishop and established his seat in the capital at Canterbury.

Supposedly Pope Gregory I wanted the centre of Christianity in England moved to London. At the time London was part of another kingdom called Essex. So, Canterbury remained the centre of Christianity, even to this day, even though London would ultimately overtake Canterbury and become the capital of a united England.

The role of the Archbishop of Canterbury has been consistent since its foundation, apart from a few gaps. The most notable of these was during the 17^th Century Civil War. Its role can be split into two “halves”. In the first period its role was part of the Catholic church with the Pope being the head of the Church.

I have often referred to the reformation which coincided with Henry VIII’s reign. Henry’s legacy was his ‘divorce’, not only maritally speaking but from papacy (the pope in question at the time was Clement VII – 2^nd Medici Pope). In 1534 the Act of Supremacy was invoked by parliament that made the monarch the head of the church. At this time the archbishop was Thomas Cranmer. The act was briefly repealed in 1555 under Henry VIII’s catholic daughter, Mary I, but adopted again in 1559 during the reign of his second daughter, Elizabeth I.

Thomas was well known for his reformation of the church which began during the reign of Henry and continued during his son’s reign (Edward VI). Mary undid much of what Cranmer had accomplished and the conflict between these two ended with Cranmer executed. He was a believer of the divine right of kings and the rule of the church and is often referred to as the spiritual founder of the reformed church in England.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has a long list of roles. The archbishop is the senior bishop and spiritual leader of the Church of England (Anglican), a senior member of the house of Lords, head of the worldwide Anglican communion and the bishop for the diocese of Canterbury.

On recent meanderings I have discovered that a diocese is an ecclesiastical province or area. In this case it is Canterbury. At the head of a diocese is a bishop who is based at a cathedral.

The diocese of Canterbury covers eastern Kent and includes towns like Thanet, Romney, Dover, Maidstone and Sittingbourne. In the church of England there are a total of 42 dioceses.

The Church of England and its 42 dioceses are presided over by two archbishops: the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is ‘primate of All England’ (30 dioceses), and the Archbishop of York, who is ‘primate of England’ (12 dioceses).

History of Lambeth Palace

Lambeth Palace was originally known as the Manor of Lambeth. The palace has a story to tell, as it has played witness to the differing political and religious events of this country. If only walls could talk!!

Lambeth’s location is important. It is close to Westminster (on the opposite side of the River Thames) and it was crucial in the strong ties between the church and state. During medieval ages the archbishop was one of the monarch’s chief councillors. He often took on the role of the Chancellor.

Like many great points of interest there have been building changes through the ages. These are commonly associated with desirable and fashionable changes or as the result of natural damages or conflict of war. Lambeth Palace is no exception.

Early in the 13^th Century the first set of works took place at Lambeth as a small palace which included private apartments, a chapel and a great hall. The monks of Canterbury felt so threatened over the building of the chapel that they appealed to the Pope to stop it. A compromise was made that only a small church would be built here.

Towards the end of 15^th century, the site’s most iconic structure was built – Morton’s Tower. It is named to this day after Archbishop Morton who ordered its construction to replace the existing gatehouse. Castle like in appearance it is 5 storeys high. It was originally used as a porter’s lodge, prison and accommodation for senior household members. Sadly, access wasn’t permitted during my visit. Research informs me, though, that from the tower, ‘dole’ (bread, broth and money) was given to the poor and needy.

Under Cranmer’s leadership the palace played a central role in the reformation. Cranmer followed the design of his monarch Henry VIII’s residences. Henry VIII was a frequent visitor to Lambeth. Private chambers and a long gallery were added. Most of these were demolished in the 19^th century.

Early in the 17^th century Archbishop Bancroft founded the Lambeth Palace library. He bequeathed his collection of books to the library. This was the first public library in England.

King Charles I was executed early in 1649, and Lambeth Palace fell into a state of disrepair. The position of archbishop was abolished with the palace turned into a prison. Parliamentarian soldiers were camped there from 1642 – 1660. The great hall was pulled down, the chapel damaged and archbishop Parker’s tomb was desecrated. His remains were thrown onto a dung heap in the stable yard. The first archbishop after the restoration of the monarchy of 1660 was Juxon. He set about getting the chapel repaired, reinterred Parker’s remains and rebuilt the great Hall.

Come the 19^th century and a survey by Edward Blore was completed with devasting conclusions. He recommended that all the buildings be pulled down and rebuilt. Money was raised by archbishop Howley from his own pocket along with getting a mortgage.

During the Blitz of 1941 the Palace was severely damaged. All windows were blown out of the palace and the Great Hall went up in flames. This required another period of restoration.

Painting of Morton tower & St Mary's church

The Great Hall at Lambeth Palace

The grand hall is a modern representation of the hall that has stood here since the early 13^th century. As mentioned in Lambeth’s history it has been rebuilt at least twice. Firstly, during Cromwell’s Commonwealth period, the hall was pulled down with the bricks being sold. Secondly the hall was destroyed by a fire during the blitz.

The great hall was built as a venue to entertain. The archbishop would have hosted important dignitaries be fitting their role in the monarch’s council. It is now home to the library although on my visit there is only small evidence at each end of books being stored. Nothing in comparison to the images shown in the guidebook or on the website.

Looking up at the ceiling of the Great Hall

The Chapel at Lambeth Palace

One of the oldest parts of the palace dating back to early 13^th century. A private chapel for the Archbishop of Canterbury. It has seen many additions and alterations. The most recent was its rebuilding after being hit with an incendiary device.

The small chapel consists of five vaults. Its most striking feature is several murals painted on the vaulted ceiling. I would be astonished if the murals aren’t a topic of much debate. They’re bright and striking to say the least.

The 5 vaults cover 5 subjects: St. Augustine’s arrival in England; the life of Becket (Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry II and murdered in the cathedral in 1170); the consecration of Matthew Parker; the Lambeth Conference and, the head of Christ at the east end.

Mathew Parker is the only archbishop buried at Lambeth Palace.

Stained glass window in Lambeth Palace Chapel

State Drawing Room at Lambeth Palace

This was restored after the blitz and reconstructed according to Edward Blore’s original design. The room overlooks the Palace gardens. The room used to be the archbishop’s daily living room but now is used for entertaining visiting guests. In this room there are portraits of Sir Robert Walpole, Cardinal Reginald Pole, King Charles I & Katherine of Aragon.

The room leads into the Dining room. The table is laid out with crockery with an emphasis on green. On the wall at the head of the table is a painting of ‘The Four Latin Fathers of the Church’. The corridors in this part of the palace have portraits of former Archbishops of Canterbury.

Information regarding painting of Katherine of Aragon

The guard room at Lambeth Palace

Known as the Great Chamber before it was the named the Guard Room. Its name change occurred when the archbishop had his own private army. They stored their weapons in here. This was the most important room in the Palace in the 14^th, 15^th and 16^th centuries. It was here that the archbishop would have greeted visitors. On my visit it displayed some pieces of Art on the walls. One picture captured my attention – a portrait of St Catherine of Siena.

Conclusions

A visit to Lambeth Palace provides a chance to explore one of the lesser-known landmarks – another London landmark added!! I found its history more appealing that the physical palace itself which was quite ordinary. The building is generally a replica of what used to be here.

The visit has given me inspiration to visit the county of Kent. I must visit the city of Canterbury, and its cathedral. A visit to Lambeth makes a trip to Canterbury seem imperative.

June 1, 2025September 13, 2025

Royal Observatory Greenwich, Observatory in London, England

Introduction

As I walk through Greenwich Park and up a steep hill, I begin an approach to the former site of Greenwich Castle. Once at the top it is easy to see why this would have been the perfect location for a castle. The views from the top are rather impressive. Sadly, the castle is long gone, and though I was not here primarily for the wonderful views over the Thames and greater London they were a bonus. I was here to visit the ‘Royal Observatory’, another London Landmark and part of the Royal Museums Greenwich. This was to be a meandering full of education, and one that, as always, I hope provides inspiration! During this visit I delved into the world of astronomy, time, longitude and latitude. Read on as I walk back through the corridors of time on a voyage of discovery.

Early beginnings

During the 17^th century England had suffered some turbulent times. I have always been fascinated by the struggle between Oliver Cromwell and Charles I. I have never paid much attention to what happened next. After the Civil War, then the execution of the king in early 1649, the subsequent republic and then the death of Oliver Cromwell, the monarchy was restored. Charles II was defeated by Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 and had to flee to Europe where he remained in exile until 1660 when the English throne was restored to him. He was 30 years old. He was a controversial character but left a lasting impression by way of improvements in navigation and ship design.

Under his orders he founded the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. The world and, particularly, European nations, were now relying on the sea for trade as their empires were expanding. These ships needed to know where they were headed. Incredibly they could work out their position using the sun and stars to work out North and South (latitude). They had no idea how to work out East and West (longitude). So, Charles was convinced by leading scientists that an observatory was needed to find longitude and put England back at the forefront of seamanship.

Flamsteed House

John Flamsteed was appointed as Charles II’s astronomical observer. As he was the first Royal Astronomer, I begin to understand why the oldest building at the Royal Observatory is named after him – Flamsteed House. John was appointed on 4^th March 1675, but it wasn’t till 22^nd June that the decision was made to build ‘a small observatory within our park at Greenwich, upon the highest ground’.

The name Christopher Wren has come up in my previous meanderings in Oxford and more recently at Kensington Palace. A well-known architect, I have yet to write about his most famous work, St Paul’s Cathedral, London. Watch this space! Before Christopher became a well-known architect, he had been a professor of astronomy at Oxford. He and his assistant, Robert Hooke, suggested the ruined site of Greenwich Castle. They reasoned that solid foundations were already in place, there was excellent access to London via road and river, and the site was far enough away to avoid air pollution from the city.

The foundation stone was laid 10^th August 1675 by John and 11 months later, on 10 July 1676, he moved in. John was to spend the next 40 years observing the moon and the stars. On entering Flamsteed House, you are provided with information regarding the 10 Astronomers Royal that lived and worked here:

John Flamsteed (1675-1719), Edmond Halley (1720-1742), James Bradley (1742-1762), Nathaniel Bliss (1762-1764), Nevil Maskelyne (1765-1811), John Pond (1811-1835), Sir George Biddell Airy (1835-1881), Sir William Henry Mahoney Christie (1881-1910), Sir Frank Watson Dyson (1910-1933), Sir Harold Spencer Jones (1933-1955) & Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley (1956-1971).

As I walk round Flamsteed House it becomes clear that the Royal Observatory’s life began to evolve from the early days of a basic observation post into more of a family home. The tour looks at the families of two of the Astronomers Royal and their families – The Maskelyne & Airy Family. Observatory life began to change as guests would be wined and dined, and the families began to live with the astronomers. This meant that Flamsteed House was expanded to accommodate more people as seen when walking around.

The Octagon Room

As I leave the first rooms visited, we make our way up into the Octagon room. It is a bland and tall room, full of windows which beam natural light in and is filled with clocks. The eye is drawn to the many fascinating devices. When the room was built there were no instruments installed so John Flamsteed had to bring in all his own.

The Octagon room design didn’t consider the true north south line so, was unsuitable for measuring star positions. Instead, John used this room for the observation of specific events like the appearance of comets and eclipses. Most of his work was completed in a purpose-built structure nearby. A lot of the clocks in there were supplied by Thomas Tompion, London’s leading clock maker and paid for by John’s patron, Sir Jonas Moore.

The time ball at Royal Observatory

The rest of the visit to Flamsteed house is spent looking at a vast array of clocks, chronometers and other such devices. The Royal Observatory established itself as a centre for measuring and sharing time.

When leaving the house, look immediately at its roof. You will notice a funny looking pole, located on top of the Octagon Roof, with a large red ball. This was an installation by John Pond, the sixth Astronomer Royal, in 1833. Nearly 200 years later it is still in operation. Fortunately, I timed my visit to witness the time ball descend at 1300 though I had no prior knowledge that this event took place each day. This time ball is dropped to provide a visual time signal. Having walked up from the River Thames I reckon that a telescope is needed to observe the red ball and its movement.

It was designed so that all the ships at the docks in London could see the ball drop and know that it was 1pm and set their clocks to the right time. You could say that this was the beginning of establishing Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) as measured at the Meridian Line (the earth’s zero degree line of longitude). I found it interesting to learn that, around Britian up until the mid-19^th century, the sun was used to set local time in villages, towns and cities. For example, this meant that Yarmouth to the east was 7 minutes ahead of Greenwich and somewhere as far west at Penzance was 22 minutes behind.

The development of railways was to change all this. There was the need for a centralized time. The chaos and lack of management from trying to run a timetable where every destination was in a different time zone on such a small island is beyond contemplation. Sir George Airy saw the potential in a new clock system. He ordered one for Greenwich which was made by Charles Shepherd of London and had it mounted on the gates to the Observatory. It is known as ‘The Shepherd Gate Clock’. It was then linked to other parts of the observatory and London train stations.

Airy wrote of this system ‘I cannot help but feel a satisfaction in thinking that the Royal Observatory is thus quietly contributing to the punctuality of business through a large portion of this busy country’.

Shepherd Gate Clock at Royal Observatory

The Meridian Observatory

The other important building of the Royal Observatory is the Meridian Observatory building. I mentioned above that John Flamsteed did most of his work away from the octagonal room in a purpose-built structure. By the time his successor took over the building was subsiding and falling away which meant that subsidence rates had to be factored in to measurements of star positions!! Edmund Halley commissioned a new building to replace the old and installed an improved quadrant device and accurate timekeeper supplied by the prestigious clock maker from London George Graham.

James Bradley was Halley’s successor, and he was granted money to build additional spaces to Halley’s original buildings, which included a new observatory, bedroom for the assistant, a library and calculating room. These were the rooms which I saw on my visit. It is also where the astronomical work was completed until the 1950s before such work was carried out at the rural location of Herstmonceux in East Sussex.

As time went on, each Royal Astronomer kept collecting more data and improving the instruments in use. The 7^th Astronomer, George Biddell Airy, designed the Airy transit circle. This was the defining instrument of the world’s prime meridian. Unlike the equator which provides a natural zero line north and south there wasn’t a natural prime meridian for longitude.

In 1884 at the international Meridian Conference in Washington delegates recommended that the Meridan passing through Greenwich should be used. They also recommended that Greenwich be the starting point of the day, year and millennium at the stroke of midnight Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This applied to the whole world thus creating the time zones system with which we are familiar today.

Transit instrument, Edward Troughton, 1816

Device from inside the Meridian Observatory

The Camera Obscura

Across the courtyard from the Prime Meridian line is the camera obscura. This is an example of how attempts were made to capture images before photography was invented and developed. This obscura was a former summerhouse. On clear days you can see a projection of Romney Road and the Queen’s house.

Sadly, this isn’t the original. John Flamsteed’s original was removed quickly after his tenure before Nevil Maskelyne installed a new one during his stint at the observatory. The one that I visited today was built in 1994 and provides a chance to see London the way they did back in the day.

Conclusions about Royal Observatory

This concludes a fascinating and educational visit to the Royal Observatory. Being close to the Cutty Sark it was convenient to expand my knowledge of Maritime Greenwich. The visit to the Royal Observatory taught me about longitude and latitude. I found out that it is possible to navigate using the moon and the stars! The importance and history of this site will be remembered every time I talk about time, travel, etc.

The visit has also challenged me to revisit Christopher Wren’s masterpiece and finally write about St Paul’s Cathedral. Yet, surprisingly, it has given me a completely different direction in which to travel as I feel a visit to Herstmonceux in East Sussex would prove very inquisitive and interesting in building on the knowledge gathered here. I hope that you have enjoyed reading about my visit to the Royal Observatory and have joined me in learning about longitude, latitude and GMT.

May 18, 2025May 20, 2025

Cutty Sark, Royal Museums Greenwich, Greenwich, London, UK

Cutty Sark
Royal Museums Greenwich, London, UK

The Cutty Sark is one of the most famous ships in the world and is another London landmark that has been visited. Not a battle-hardened ship, with stories of famous victories. Instead it was a state-of-the-art and record-breaking tea clipper. The Cutty Sark now resides in Maritime Greenwich close to the banks of the Thames.

It is an award-winning visitor attraction and is part of the Royal Museums Greenwich site which also includes the National Maritime Museum, the Queen’s House and the Royal Observatory. Join me as I explore this iconic ship and learn about its dramatic life, the tea trade and how it was saved before coming to ‘live’ in London.

Cutty Sark

The ship was built by Scott & Linton at their premises Woodyard at Dumbarton on the bank of the River Leven, Scotland. It was commissioned by John Willis. John had retired from sea to take over his father’s established shipping business. John paid Scott & Linton £16,150 to complete the works by July 1869. Design problems resulted in cashflow issues which meant that works were suspended before creditors, most prominent among them being William Denny & Brothers, completed the building.

The Cutty Sark was a clipper ship which was designed for speed. The Cutty Sark’s clever design, neither a wooden nor an iron ship but a composite construction. This meant that there was more space for storage as well as having high speed. 138 iron frames and over 20,000 bolts were used to construct the Cutty Sark. The hull was sheathed up to the waterline with thin plates of Muntz metal (this was done to protect the hull and ensure it wouldn’t slow down).

The main mast is 153 feet high and if all the sails were out, they would measure 32,000 square feet in total. The Cutty Sark is 64.7m long and 11m wide. Its Scottish origins meant it was given the name Cutty Sark, which means ‘short skirt’ and came from the garment worn by the witch Nannie in Robert Burn’s Poem ‘Tam o’Shanter’.

China Tea Trade

Walking on to the ship you’re immediately greeted by differing educational stations where you can learn about the China Tea Trade, Opium wars and the Cutty Sark’s history. The British have a reputation for drinking tea, but did you know that it didn’t reach these shores until the 1650s. This was primarily due to Catherine of Braganza (wife of King Charles II), who was from Portugal where tea drinking was already popular.

At the time tea was heavily taxed which meant that only the higher echelons of society could afford to enjoy drinking the tea. But, by the 19th century taxes were slashed. This was because of the extensive smuggling network supplying tea and driving its popularity across the nation. As a result, the great tea races were born. Ships were built for speed and competed to be the first boat back carrying the cargo. These races were the reason that the Cutty Sark was built.

The Cutty Sark would complete only 8 of these races. As steam ships developed and the opening of the Suez Canal happened making the ship almost redundant.

Australian Wool Trade

Having been forced out of the tea trade, the Cutty Sark entered the Australian wool trade in 1883. It was here that the she made her name. Upon its first entry in a race to sail halfway round the world, it beat its competitors by 25 days in 1883 before, in 1886, Captain Richard Woodget mastered the ship and set a record of 73 days for the trip from Sydney to London.

The wool trade was to succumb to the same fate as the tea trade as the steam ships made their way into the market. Not making money, the Cutty Sark was sold to a Portuguese firm.

Portuguese Ownership

The purchasers of the Cutty Sark were the Ferreira & Co. of Lisbon who paid £2,100 for her. Upon acquiring the ship, the owners renamed it Ferreira, and it became a cargo ship. It was responsible for transporting goods between Portugal and countries in its own empire. The Cutty Sark managed to come through the First World War unscathed but was starting to show signs of ageing.

A stroke of good luck occurred when, after suffering damage during a storm, she was sent to Falmouth for repairs. It was here that a retired sea captain, Wilfred Dowman, recognised her and was determined to save her. He paid £3,500 to buy her, which was more than she was worth, and more than Ferreira & Co had paid for her.

Cutty Sark’ first Restoration

Wilfred completed the purchase in October 1922 and made plans to restore the Cutty Sark to its appearance in 1870 with help and support of his wife Catherine. They succeeded and in 1924 they opened the ship as visitor attraction and training ship for cadets. It was to stay in Falmouth till 1938.

Wilfred died in 1936 on a homeward voyage from the West Indies and was buried at sea. Wilfred’s widow gave the Cutty Sark to the Thames Nautical Training College along with a generous gift of £5,000 to help with its maintenance. The ship was taken from Falmouth in 1938 and remained as a cadet ship until the end of the Second World War.

With the changing times the Cutty Sark became redundant as more modern ships were utilised. The college took possession of HMS Exmouth and started ploughing its resources and funds into that ship. The Cutty Sark had become unloved and unwanted.

Cutty Sark at Greenwich

The ship’s final saviour was a Frank Carr. He was Director of the National Maritime Museum (mentioned above as one of the 4 museums that make up the current Royal Maritime Museums). Frank set about forming the Cutty Sark Preservation Society. He managed to persuade HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to join who provided much support and enthusiasm. The funds were raised and after a short period of display it was moved into a purpose-built dock.

And so, the Cutty Sark came to her final resting place, a memorial to Britain’s illustrious maritime history. Following further restoration, the Cutty Sark was opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. The Cutty Sark would go on to be one of London’s famous and most successful tourist attractions.

A significant report was completed in the mid-1990s that highlighted that without further work the ship would cease to exist. Thankfully the funds were raised with the help of the Heritage Lottery fund and work began in late 2006. In May 2007 a fire broke out which delayed the project but thankfully didn’t destroy the ship. The works were completed, and the Cutty Sark was finally re-opened on 25th April 2012 by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This was the second time, 55 years after the last time she did the honours.

Conclusion

This completes an educational visit to the iconic Cutty Sark. Built for speed in the transportation of cargo and exclusively for the tea trade, she had a very small window of operation, before different ways have been found to preserve her. She was a record breaker when she started to ferry cargo for the wool trade.

My visit taught me about the tea trade and the Australian wool trade, both of which I was blissfully unaware. Her home port was London and is fitting that this is where she found her final resting place. A big thank you to all those who helped preserve her for future generations to enjoy and to learn and appreciate the history that made this country great.

May 11, 2025September 13, 2025

Dunster, Village in England, Exmoor, Somerset, England

Dunster
Somerset, Exmoor

You may not have visited Dunster. You may never have even heard of Dunster. But, I hope I can portray this small, charming and beautiful medieval village. Located off the A39 near the seaside town of Minehead in Somerset and on the northeastern edge of Exmoor National Park, it is England at its best.

Whether you have a couple of hours or can manage a couple of days it is a fascinating place to visit and the perfect base from which to branch out onto Exmoor. Full of interest and intrigue, Dunster has it all. There are around 200 listed buildings and monuments that form the village.

There are beautiful cottages, a historic castle, a desirable high street, elegant church, medieval buildings and a unique Yarn market that grace the village – what more could you want! It was once a thriving trading port before its wealth came through the wool trade. Join me as I explore this dreamy village.

The National Park Centre

The National Park Centre in Dunster is one of three located across Exmoor (the other two being at Dulverton & Lynmouth). I have found when travelling and exploring anywhere in the world, not just the UK, that these venues provide the perfect starting point to gather information, resources, tips and advice.

A visit here is made to gather information regarding the special habitats that exist across Exmoor for when one moves away from Dunster village. There is plenty to see and do on the moors. On this occasion they provided me with a useful map of the town of Dunster and some other leaflets which should inspire me to visit other places it its environs.

The road, the A396, which leads to the village from the A39, is known as Dunster Steep before it continues through the village and out onto Exmoor. The National Park Centre is located on the left-hand side as you approach the village. After my visit I leave here following my map and take a short walk towards the village before taking a footpath on my right which leads me to Conygar Tower.

Conygar Tower

To the naked eye this tower could be easily confused as part of the castle, but as one approaches or explores the village of Dunster you soon realize that this is a separate site to the castle. It still has connections to it though as it was commissioned by Henry Luttrell and designed by Richard Phelps to enhance the landscape around Dunster Castle.

Standing on top of the hill it offers views out over the bay of Minehead. Conygar Tower is circular in design, has no roof, is a grade 2 listed building and was built in 1775. It stands about 18m in height. The word Conygar comes from two medieval words: coney which meant rabbit and garth meaning garden. The surrounding woods offer a very pleasant walk up to the tower and it should be added to everyone’s ‘must see’ list when visiting the village of Dunster.

After walking up to Conygar Tower, I retrace my steps back to the main road and walk along ‘The Ball’, a narrow road that leads to a footpath. Along the way and before the footpath is reached is the chance to capture the iconic ‘picture postcard’ image of Dunster. After walking along the footpath I reach my next discovery, Dunster Butter Cross.

Dunster Butter Cross

The unknown and rather puzzlingly situated Butter Cross is found on the outskirts of the village. Once a staple of high streets in many market towns across the country they provided the people of England with a reminder of the death and resurrection of Jesus. On closer inspection you may find that this particular cross is more of a stump than a cross. This is due to its relocation from the high street to its current location at the end of a footpath.

This cross dates to the 15^th century and is referred to as ‘butter’ cross as this is where the butter would have been sold on market day. The cross could have been damaged during the years of the reformation, but again there is no proof as to when. There is also little evidence as to ‘why it was moved’ but adds a layer of intrigue to this fascinating village.

After a photo and learning about the ‘Butter Cross’, I turn left down St George’s Street and head back towards the village centre. You can perhaps guess where this street leads to by the name of it as it refers to St George’s church. Before St George’s Church is entered time was taken to turn left along ‘Priory Green’, a road which leads back to the footpath accessed previously. Instead of walking the length of this road, there is but a short distance to discover the Dovecote, Memorial Garden and Tithe Barn which are all located opposite each other.

Dovecote

This charming building is tucked away opposite the Tithe barn and walls of the Priory Church of St George. There is no evidence of when it was built but it is estimated that the building was built around the 13^th and 14^th century as it similar in design to others known to be of that period. The Luttrells did some repair work in the 18^th and 19^th century.

The Dovecote was to provide the privileged with fresh meat in the form of squabs (newly hatched pigeons) which meant that the buildings were often referred to as Pigeon houses. These buildings are Norman in design, and it was estimated that 26,000 of them were situated around England in the 17^th century. There is another example in nearby Porlock, so I will have to keep my eyes peeled when we leave this fascinating village.

Tithe Barn

Also dating back to the 14^th century, this barn was originally part of the Benedictine Priory. Sadly, very little of it remains due to several refurbs, it now serves the community. A tithe refers to an ancient Christian tradition based on Old Testament law. A tithe of 10% of the annual produce in crops was to be stored in the barn for the owners. The information board nearby lets us know that this was once part of the Dunster Estate under the de Mohuns before it was transferred to the Priory when William de Mohun established one here.

Memorial Garden

Completely hidden and sheltered is Dunster’s Memorial Garden and is probably unknown to many. It is a quiet and peaceful place and offers a chance for reflection. Access is through a small gate hinged in a beautiful archway in the tall wall that surrounds this former cloister garden of Dunster Priory.

The garden now takes the name of Memorial Garden as it was dedicated to the lives lost in conflicts.

This walking tour takes us back to the entrance to St George’s church where it is possible to walk through the graveyard, past the preachers cross and the western Norman entrance to the southern entrance.

St Georges Church

A religious building has stood here almost as long as the castle. Sadly, nothing remains of that era. You can read more detail of the discoveries made when I visited the inside of the church, here. The parish and priory church of St George is a fascinating church. The priory was dissolved in 1536 on the order of Henry VIII at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries.

It is claimed that the rood screen is the longest in England. Inside one can learn the basics about the villages’ two famous families, the de Mohuns and the Luttrells.

Leave the church to the south and come out on Church Street (also the A396) and take a right onto West Street before taking a left just after the Forrester Arms and along Park Street and head towards Gallox bridge.

North Western entrance to St George's Church — North western entrance to St George's Church

Church, showing tower, Nave and southern entrance

View of St George's church from Gardens on Castle Hill

Gallox bridge

This picturesque medieval stone bridge crosses over the River Avill and was originally known as ‘Gallows Bridge.’ Dating back to the 15^th century, the bridge was built for the packhorses to transport fleeces from Exmoor to Dunster. These bridges are apparently commonplace across Exmoor, so it is best to keep eyes peeled when out and exploring. Access to the bridge from the town side is along Park Street at the end of which are some very handsome cottages. On the other side of the river there looks to be a dead end, but those with time on their hands can pick up the public footpath to Bats Castle (an old Iron Age hill fort).

Return over the bridge and retrace one’s steps slightly and then take a right turn up Mill gardens which leads to Dunster Watermill and Castle grounds entrance.

Dunster Castle

The castle, it could be argued, is the jewel in Dunster’s crown. In the Dunster Castle blog there is detail of the two families who built the castle we appreciate today. There is little to no evidence of the castle that stood here nearly 1000 years ago but evidence from the 13^th century onwards can been seen and is worth the entrance fee. The site is now run by the National Trust.

After completing a visit to the castle, leave by the main entrance and follow a little road down to the high street.

Dunster Yarn Market

The high street of Dunster village offers a picture of ‘British High Streets’. Quintessentially English it has charming independent shops and eateries that are interspersed with pubs and hotels. No doubt little has changed in appearance in preceding centuries. The shops, food and accommodation will likely draw you in but shouldn’t distract you from the octagonal building situated at the far end of the high street. This octagonal structure, known as the Yarn Market, was built in 1609 by George Luttrell of Dunster Castle with repairs being made in 1647. It was a covered market where the sales of local broadcloth and homespun and is evidence of Dunster’s once flourishing wool trade.

This brings us to the end of the tour around the historic and charming village of Dunster. Slightly further afield are two places that also form part of the village and shouldn’t be ignored. They are within walking distance but can be reached by car.

Timber frame work of Dunster Yarn Market

English Heritage Information Board at Dunster Yarn Market

Dunster Station

One way of arriving at Dunster and avoiding all the busy roads is by a heritage steam train. Previously mentioned the West Somerset Railway runs steam trains here during the season, just like the line’s original plans. The line was an extension of the line that was bringing success to the neighbouring Watchet, so, George Luttrell, seeing its success, encouraged an extension of the line to Minehead. The Luttrells sponsored the building of the station for visiting guests, most notable polo players. Rumours are that George did not want his picturesque castle and polo grounds disturbed so the station was set a fair distance (about 1 mile) from the town centre. Goerge did invite the Maharajah of Jodhpur but was a little surprised when he turned up with his full team which included 62 polo ponies. Other players from all over the world came to play polo at Dunster and included Winston Churchill.

Dunster Beach

A fair walk from the village centre is Dunster Beach. The West Somerset railway line runs along the coast edge from Blue Anchor Station and arrives at Dunster Station. The beach on its northern side is that of Dunster beach, a pleasurable mix of sand and shingle. Views from the village are exquisite on a good day. The beach is nearly a mile and half from the village centre so is often overlooked when visits are made to Dunster. Wooden posts in the beach segregate individual sections of the beach and there is a “pill” box guarding the bay. These concrete pill boxes were built as a defence against unlikely invasions during World War II. Sadly, access isn’t permitted to these.

Conclusions

This concludes an excellent meandering to the village of Dunster. My trip was one of complete discovery, education and admiration. It began with the understanding of a church’s construction as phrases and names were better understood. It has left me with a little bit of inquisitiveness that maybe answered with a visit to the Abbeys at Bath and Glastonbury. A visit to the village’s 11^th century castle built on the initial findings of the names de Mohun and Luttrell as I discovered these families’ association with the village. The castle has been on the site for nearly 1000 years and has witnessed the great and gory history that shaped these lands. Dreamy Dunster is a picture of England, I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have!

April 27, 2025September 13, 2025

National Trust – Dunster Castle and Watermill, Castle in England, Somerset

Dunster Castle
Dunster, Exmoor

The strength and power of England is encapsulated in the majestic view of Dunster Castle which is gained when arriving along the A39. The view from the railway line that runs between Minehead and Bishop’s Lydeard (now run by the West Somerset Railway and using preserved steam and diesel locomotives) is equally grand. It’s an artist’s dream and quite photogenic. Cattle graze lazily to give a canvas of England’s green and glorious lands which lay low in foreground coupled with the darker hues of green which grace the hills that surround Dunster castle and village in the background. Between the two and perched on top of the tor, Dunster Castle is a classic picture of English stately elegance. The exotic and diverse shades of greenery surrounding the castle almost camouflage its very existence. Read on as my ‘education through exploration’ follows on from my visit to St George’s church. In St George’s we discovered two family names – de Mohun and Luttrell. On this visit I discovered that they were the only families to own the castle. A visit to Dunster Castle explores 1000 years of history and expands my recently acquired knowledge and caused me to search for further details regarding the families. During my tour of the castle I made a fascinating discovery before going off to explore the castle grounds and working watermill.

View from Cafe — Looking out from the cafe

The de Mohun’s – a medieval military base – 1086-1376

The castle’s history covers all the great and iconic moments of England’s history over the past 1000 years. If buildings could talk, I’m sure that it would have many tales to tell. Dunster Castle’s history begins not long after the Norman invasion of 1066 and subsequent victory at the battle of Hastings. William de Moyon (this was his French name, and he adapted this to his English family name of de Mohun) was a Norman lord who assisted William in his conquering invasion. His efforts and loyalty were rewarded when he was granted some 55 west county manors which included lands in and around Dunster. In 1084 he became the sheriff of Somerset and is also credited with the founding of Dunster Priory (which we learnt about in our visit to St George’s Church). His son William de Mohun II became the first Earl of Somerset and between him and his father set about building a motte and bailey timber castle atop the tor to keep guard over a rebellious west country. William de Mohun II was the most prominent of the de Mohuns, becoming infamous in the west country during the power struggle between Matilda and Stephen in the Civil War of 1139-1153. The castle was run by the de Mohuns for about 300 years. During the ownership of the castle by the de Mohuns, they built it into a powerful medieval stronghold as stone battlements, towers (there is half a tower remaining) and the lower-level gateway and oak doors (the only complete parts that remain) were added to its fortifications. In 1376 John de Mohun died and was the last senior male in the line of the de Mohuns of Dunster. Having no heir, his widow, Joan, then decided to sell the castle to Lady Elizabeth Luttrell (you might remember her name, when we discovered her tomb in St George’s church). Lady Elizabeth was the head of the Luttrell family and agreed to pay 5000 marks (in England and Scotland we used marks as having monetary value though they did not appear as a physical coin; their value at this this time was two thirds of a pound sterling) to transfer the ownership of the Dunster castle and estate post Joan’s death.

Iron bound doors through defensive inlet

Looking out the gateway with the stables and St George's church in the view

The Luttrell’s – a family home – 1376 – 1976

Lady Elizabeth (a granddaughter of Edward I) died before Joan, so her son Sir Hugh Luttrell acquired the castle after Joan’s death in 1404. You can begin to see why he had such a grand tomb in St George’s church as the first of the Luttrells to own the castle. Sir Hugh didn’t move into the castle till Christmas 1405 but set about repairing and expanding it into a country home fit for the family. This included glazing all the windows and, in 1420, building the gatehouse (at a cost of £250) by which entrance to the castle is made to this day.
When the quick tempered and argumentative George Luttrell inherited the castle in 1571, he set about converting it into a luxurious country home. In 1617 he employed William Arnold (a master mason and designer who had worked on Wadham College, Oxford and Montacute House, Somerset) to reform the castle into a Jacobean-style mansion (James I was king of England at the time).
Luttrell allegiances during the years of the Civil Wars of 1642-1651 changed back and forth. They were on the side of Parliament when the wars broke out. When the castle was under attack by the Royalists (those loyal to King Charles I), the Luttrells surrendered to the Royalists and switched sides! This change in allegiance meant that Prince Charles (later Charles II king of England, Scotland and Ireland 1660-1685) stayed in the castle (a bedroom has been named after him). Parliament forces then seized the castle in 1645.
After the war Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland 1653-1658) decided that the castle walls needed to be demolished to ‘slight’ the castle (we saw the same evidence of this when we visited Berkley Castle, Gloucestershire). It took about 200 men 12 days to complete his wishes. Thankfully, and for our benefit George Luttrell managed to convince the men to only destroy the outer walls.

Former passage to church at Dunster Castle

After the turmoil of the English Civil Wars and over the next few centuries, each generation of Luttrells spent money on improving the “castle” (castle in inverted commas as it became a country mansion rather than remain a castle). One of those whose improvements that can still be seen today happened after Francis Luttrell married a wealthy Dorset heiress, Mary Tregonwell, in 1680. She brought much needed funds to the project. These additions included the wooden staircase that provides us with access between the two floors, a new dining room and elaborate plasterwork ceilings.
Other improvements were made by the next generations, which included the employment of Salvin. He altered the exterior of the house to resemble a castle once more. Two new towers and battlements were added to give it a more aesthetic appearance. George Luttrell inherited the house in 1867, and with the help of Salvin they altered the exterior of the property by building two new towers and adding some additional battlements to ensure a more picturesque castle. He probably did as much destruction as he did construction, as, sadly, he removed the chapel. His extensive modernization project also included the supply of running hot water, the conservatory, Victorian windows, a billiard room, drawing room, a library, outer hall and a new gallery on the first floor.
The end of the Luttrells’ association with Dunster Caste came in 1976 when Lieutenant Colonel Walter Luttrell gave the castle to the National Trust thus concluding his family’s fascinating history with Dunster Castle.
Dunster Castle has a fascinating history from its origins as a Norman and medieval fortress before evolving into a family home. The current keepers of the castle are the National Trust who do a great job striking the right balance between conserving the castle and allowing people to enjoy its special charm and character.

Wooden carvings on chairs at Dunster Castle

The leather Gallery In Dunster Castle

One room in a tour of the castle requires special attention as the works displayed there are unique. A conversation with the gentleman who kept an eye on this room’s treasures revealed that if there was a fire then everyone would run to this room to save the paintings. The paintings on display depict the love story of Roman general Anthony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. The detail in these paintings is incredible and unique as they’re painted on leather. Details of how they were produced is given on note boards. On closer inspection one can see where the work was cut and stuck back together. As I read my guidebook it informs me that, as they weren’t commissioned for Dunster, they were altered to fit the room. It is astonishing that such works of art were so freely cut and rehung. As the only collection in the UK, they should draw a crowd, but I wonder how many pass by, blissfully unaware of the significance and wealth in these paintings.

Dunster Castle gardens

Remember our first view of Dunster Castle, where an exotic and diverse view of greenery almost camouflages the castle! One imagines that this was not always the case, as we learnt about the castle’s strategic importance. Flourishing flowers and green trees would have been the last thing on a garrison’s mind. It was during the Luttrell family occupancy that the castle became a family home, and changes were also made to the gardens. The castle’s location perched on top of a tor means that the gardens are steep. Different Luttrells have added their splash of creativity to the gardens as fashion and trends have changed through the centuries. It was in the 19^th and 20^th century that the garden really took the form that we see today as George Luttrell built an impressive Victorian garden full of terraces and colorful borders. But it was Alys Luttrell, an avid gardener and plant collector, who transformed the Victorian garden into a subtropical haven. Dunster’s climate provides the opportunity to thrive! Meandering along the eastern edge of the castle grounds is the river Avill.

View from the Southern Terrace out to Bristol Channel

View from Southern Terace over the Dunster Estate

Watermill

The river Avill provides the water to power this working watermill. A watermill was a necessity years ago, but it is remarkable to see one still in action and producing goods. The watermill currently produces 14 tonnes of flour a year.

Conclusion

Dunster Castle has provided a fascinating insight into the history of two families closely associated with the village of Dunster. Details of this history are in notes on display in the various rooms of Dunster castle. Specialized tours are also available at various times and at an extra cost. Dunster Castle is a lesser-known castle compared to some of the more illustrious of our land, Windsor, Edinburgh, Warwick, Cardiff, Dover, etc. It is, however, fascinating with its own story to tell. My explorations have built on the initial findings made in St Georges Church as meaning was put to the names of the tombs found inside the church. Dunster Castle has survived the ravages of war and somehow managed to remain in the family during so many political and social changes. As the castle has evolved the transformation from a timber motte and bailey into a splendid country house is remarkable and well worth a visit. Though no longer a family home it has been carefully passed on to the public to enjoy as their country home!! I hope, like me, you enjoy a visit to this castle, and feel free to let me know your thoughts!

April 20, 2025September 13, 2025

St George’s Church, Anglican church in Dunster, England

The dreamy and historic village of Dunster, Somerset, England, is situated on the northeastern edge of Exmoor National Park. Like most villages, towns and cities in England there is a church at its heart. St George’s church in Dunster is in a prominent setting also like other towns and villages across the land. England’s rich history is entwined with religion. In fact, religion has shaped our country through the centuries to leave us with a fascinating and complex mixture of various Christian based faiths and buildings.

The priory church of St George’s church in Dunster provides the perfect starting point to learn not only about this church and the Church of England in general, but, about Dunster and its associated history. Read on as this ‘education through exploration’ examines the fascinating St George’s Church.

Outside St George's Church

When arriving at a church one is normally drawn to its grand appearance, majestic architecture and lavish decorations (certainly true in some of the churches and cathedrals that have been recently visited – see elsewhere on Marks Meanderings) but St George’s church is not lavish or grand in appearance from ground level. St George’s Church is a reddish sandstone colour.

Walking through the graveyard that surrounds it you may notice a preaching cross. This marks the spot where preachers addressed parishioners. As you walk around the church you will immediately notice a smallish tower in the middle of the church but it’s not until a postcard is examined that the layout of the church is revealed. Looking from above or flying over the building it appears that it has been constructed in the shape of a cross, and this is surely by design to represent the cross on which Christ was crucified.

Beautiful building at southern entrance from Church Street

St George's Church Nave

My church building education begins with a step inside St George’s church from the southern entrance. Entrance is made into the ‘nave’. Traditionally a ‘nave’ runs from the western entrance to the transepts (we will learn about these later). The axis for most ancient church buildings is east west.

The nave (Latin for ship; think naval) is easily recognised as the place where a congregation generally sits. Historically, wooden pews were lined up either side of central aisle (a common set up in an English church) and some of these were boxed pews of which may remain. Large pillars support the structure (especially the roof), and pews often are designed to let the congregation see what happens without having their view obstructed. These days there are many places where individual seats are used, then stacked and stored for another service to allow visitors the freedom of the nave.

The pillars at St George’s Church date back to the 15^th century which was a wealthy period for Dunster and when wealth was invested in church building. In St George’s Church the ceiling and roof are of a fascinating timber construction where the trusses have been spread the length of it, and this, to my mind, is a perfect illustration of how roof construction takes place. On the western face of the church is the main entrance to the church, which is generally used on special occasions.

The doors here are basically Norman but were heavily restored in 1860s. Surmounted above the door is a circular stained-glass window. Between the two entrances is the font (this holds the water used in Holy Baptism). You will generally find the font at the entrance to a church as when a baptism takes place it symbolises an individual being admitted into the church. At the opposite end but on the northern side is the pulpit (the pulpit being where sermons were generally delivered from). This pulpit dates to Victorian times.

Timber trussed roof — Timer trussed roof

The screen at St George's Church

As we leave the nave we come to the main educational point in this exploration, a beautifully carved timber frame that runs the entire width of the church. This ornate, timber partition is known as the ‘screen’ or ‘roodscreen’ (rood is derived from a Saxon word meaning cross) and the one at St George’s is rumoured to be the longest in England/Europe, depending on your source of information. The church was originally a priory church and the main religious centre in Dunster. As a result of Dunster’s newfound wealth, which came through the wool trade, there was a need for a church for the townsfolk. This dispute was settled after an arbitration at Glastonbury (I assume Glastonbury Abbey and that this was when the country was Roman Catholic, and abbeys were the power of the land (cathedrals didn’t really exist till Henry VIII pulled us out of Roman Catholic rule). A future visit to Glastonbury Abbey may shed some light on this). The result of the tribunal ruled that the area to the east of the transepts should become the Priory Church with the remaining area (the nave) to be the Parish Church.

The Transepts at St George's Church

As we step through the beautifully carved screen (there is an abundance of these beautiful roodscreens in the West Country) we pass through the choir area and enter the ‘chancel’. This is the area of St George’s church, the centre of the cross as looking from above if we like, where the high altar is situated with the tower directly above. Then to the north and south of the chancel are what is referred to as the transepts. Transepts relate to the two parts forming the cross shape. The southern transept now houses a bookstall and a café with seating area. An additional chapel was added to the southern transept and eastern part of the church in the 14^th century. This is known as St Lawrence Chapel.

St Lawerence Chapel

Between the southern transept area and the chapel are other artefacts of interest – 3 chests, a tomb and a monument. The tomb and monument demand closer inspection. The Luttrell monument is raised to the memory of Thomas Luttrell, his wife and son (George) and wife. The tomb on the floor is that of Lady Elizabeth Luttrell mother of Sir Hugh Luttrell. This family name is integral to Dreamy Dunster’s history, and one that I will certainly learn a lot more about as these meanderings progress.

Stained Glass window of St Lawrence Chapel

The Priory Church

The eastern part of the St George’s church (or the top of the cross when looking from above) is known as the Priory Church. It also goes by the name of the Lutrell chapel. In the corner on the southern side of this church is a tomb, which is said to be the tomb of Lady Christian de Mohun, a name that will be referenced again as we broaden our explorations. Opposite her tomb is the tomb slab of Sir Hugh Luttrell and his wife Catherine de Beaumont. Sir Hugh was the first member of the family to take possession of the Dunster Estate, and don’t forget his mother’s tomb was in St Lawerence Chapel.

Sir Hugh Luttrell and his wife Catherine de Beaumont

The de Mohun Chantry

This area of the church is located on the far northeastern corner of the church and was formerly known as the Holy Trinty Chantry. It is the only remaining chantry chapel of 3 that were part of the church. The chapel was founded in 1491 by Henry Franke (I can’t see a connection with the current name given to the chapel). An information board provided me with the following: ‘When a chantry chapel was founded and endowed, a priest, or chaplain, would be appointed to say prayers for the souls of the founders. The priest was appointed by Feoffors (trustees) and he was independent of the church’s incumbent’.

Summary

Thus concludes my exploration of the Church of St George in Dunster. It has been a fascinating experience, and I have learned more as I have explored in more detail than when I have visited other churches. I am beginning to come to terms like nave, chancel, roodscreen, transept, etc. as I have taken more interest in the inner architecture and structure of a church. This will be a journey where more terminology will be discovered. Almost by chance, we discovered the largest roodscreen in England that was used to create a barrier between the townsfolk and the priory, and this has led to a link with Glastonbury and its abbey (I can’t wait to explore this one). The church is one of the furthest from Bath in the diocese of Bath & Wells. As a starting point to exploring the village of Dunster it has been enlightening, and I reckon that I will be seeing the names of Lutrell and de Mohun a lot more as I make my way around the town and not only here but further afield.

October 22, 2024April 28, 2025

Coronation Church, Westminster Abbey, London, UK

Blog writing is a journey. What may have started as a set of reports about trips made to many destinations has developed. Speaking generally – to write about a trip to a place with a sunny climate to spend time on the beach presents no real challenge and this was realised early in the journey, but, with increased age, an awareness and pursuit of delightful places to explore, observations to be made, history to be learnt, etc., has happened. This has not been by chance but by design.

London is not a sun seeker’s destination – certainly not in April. Not too many beaches there either but, with care, the mind can be broadened by a trip there. By now seasoned followers will have gathered that a long list of London landmarks that I would love to see has been formulated. In this blog I try to explore and investigate an architectural wonder but on walking away from the site I have a thousand more questions than I had when I entered. That’s not a bad thing. It is good to question.

Now, I am not averse to entering a church, abbey or cathedral. I find them good places to calm down and contemplate life. Often, I am there alone with my thoughts but on this occasion (as was the case in July 2022 at St Paul’s cathedral) I was there with my father. He, like me, was bowled over by the fact that a timed entrance slot had to be pre-booked and further surprised to see so many people inside Westminster Abbey. There were significantly more people inside this building than there were in the height of summer at its neighbour on the hill. This was the first difference but, immediately on entering, our minds raced back to our previous experience together (I paid for him that time as well!!) and noted each further difference with each step that was taken as we were shepherded on a one-way system around the building. It was all rather regimented but necessary due to the volume of foot traffic.

Perhaps it was the phenomenal number of things to see, the multitude of tombs/memorials of/to famous people to locate and the number of visitors sharing the experience with us that contributed to a feeling of confusion. I was completely baffled by it all and I don’t think that my dad was too far behind me (I refer to his feelings rather than his walking pace!!).

The building is very famous, strikingly beautiful and massively interesting. To me it was an intriguing and beguiling place. To us Brits there seems to be a lack of appreciation or willingness to visit such iconic places but to foreign tourists, there appears to be incredible levels of fascination. The ‘abbey’ is situated in the heart of central London, in the city of Westminster (some people refer to Westminster as one of its boroughs, however, I call it one of London’s two cities) and a short walk from the River Thames. It stands
proudly alongside the Houses of Parliament with the Supreme Court nearby. The first question I have is – is there a link between all three? It is left open ended as I search for the answer to this and many other questions.

We in England, and I speak generally, associate what transpires at Westminster Abbey as the apparent religious heartbeat of the nation. Perhaps even this statement is a basis for debate. This was my first visit inside the building and, possibly my father’s first as well (he may have been taken inside the building as young lad by my grandfather but that would have taken many years ago!!). Both of us had witnessed (via the TV!!) special occasions with people dressed appropriately and ushered to a set place according to a
seating plan and not one of them wearing headphones. The pomp and circumstance of these occasions are manifest in a carefully scripted programme that leaves the TV viewer, to our minds, focused on the people involved, the music that is played, the words that are spoken/sung and the way they are delivered, the colour, the pageantry, the precision, etc., rather than the surroundings. Now we saw the building from a different angle alongside people from all over the world and there are no complaints. The experience was not to be missed and thoroughly enjoyed. The trip to St Paul’s was on a Friday, I believe. This was a Saturday. Did the change in the day of our visits have anything to do with the marked difference in footfalls? Perhaps that is something to be considered ahead of a return visit.

From my point of view the experience was eye opening, sometimes jaw dropping but a rather confusing visit. There was no dome that required craned necks to see the inner detail and then to climb to stand on it and view London from a never-before-seen angle. There was no crypt that we found that housed memorials to the famous and noble. And yet there were plenty of ornate memorials to kings and queens that were above ground so to speak. Notwithstanding the beauty and the splendour of the things seen, I came away with a range of thought-provoking observations.

Church, Abbey or Cathedral?

You may question this question as there is a clue in the name. Westminster Abbey is in fact its historical name or should I say nickname. So no, it is not an abbey. Confused? Bear with me. I’m sure we’re well aware of the reformation during the reign of Henry VIII, where he famously broke away from the Roman Catholic church though not for the same reasons as, say, Martin Luther. He and others ruthlessly ravaged, and destroyed and dissolved many of this country’s abbeys, and took a lot of their wealth and land. When we picture an abbey we see romantic ruins and not a perfectly kept building. Maybe Westminster Abbey survived the iconoclasm of the 16th century due to its incredible royal connections and the fact that Henry VIII’s father, Henry VII, is buried here. I’m led to believe that it was re-founded as a cathedral after those dissolution days and spent a few years changing back and forth from an abbey to a church, but when Elizabeth I acceded the throne over ten years after her father died, she made it a church and a royal peculiar and it has remained such ever since. So contrary to its name, it’s neither abbey nor cathedral. There is a Westminster Cathedral but that it is another building a little further down the street. Westminster Abbey is, in fact, a church and it’s real name is Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster. That begs another question – what is a collegiate church? Let us consider this new term that I have encountered.

Royal Peculiar

For the next part of this blog, I had to resort to reading books and guides (which is not a bad thing) as it soon became clear after the visit that I understood very little about what I had seen. My father has lived significantly longer than I and is equally not averse to entering churches recognizing in them places to learn, among other things, about our rich history. He had never heard of ‘Royal particular’ either. What is one of these? The questions were coming thick and fast and the desire and need to learn came with them.
Much, if not all, of this knowledge is gleaned from reading books and guides. This church is owned by the monarch. It is another jewel in his crown and possibly the reason for it being so impeccably maintained. I am not yet able to understand the workings of the church of England. Perhaps after some really serious studying I can explore this in a separate blog. All we need to know is that this church doesn’t belong to a diocese (areas of the country in the care of a bishop) or answer to any bishop but instead to the monarch. This means that the Dean of Westminster runs the show and not a bishop. The Dean of Westminster features in the ceremonial occasions that take place at this prestigious building. Here’s another question I have to investigate – what is the difference between a dean and a bishop, an archbishop even, for the archbishop of Canterbury performs most royal ceremonies at Westminster Abbey?

Mausoleum?

For a layman it is hard to see how this is a place of worship. I would hazard a guess that the majority of visits are made to look at the graves to learn about English history and to admire the architecture rather than worship God. To be fair, that was the purpose of our visit and we were in no way disappointed. It was staggering to learn that over 3000 people are buried in the abbey and there seemed to be countless other memorials that occupy the available space. Upon entering the building, one feels small and dwarfed, a forgotten person, a mere mortal as the great marble statues of illustrious 18th & 19th century prime ministers loom high above the recent entrant in the reception area. There was a statue of Disraeli – his form is hard to miss. I remember seeing a statue of Robert Peel. There was a monument to William Pitt. These are perhaps excessive and over the top, but best sum up, in my opinion, the nature of the place. The presence of these statues be the confirmation of the political and religious links of the two neighbours. As one is borne along with the crowd, it is vital to constantly look down, up, left, and right, as with each step a grave or monument is seen and it is easy to memorials to really famous people. Stephen Hawking’s grave is a particular favourite of many of the visitors to the church. My own fascination is with the former monarchs of the land. At the very centre of the church is the resting place of Edward the Confessor. He was perhaps not laid to rest in this place as he was moved several times, and he was believed to be responsible for miracles and favoured by God. Edward the Confessor is surrounded by 5 kings and 4 queens. He is now laid to rest in St Edwards the Confessor’s Chapel. He died in early 1066 and his death triggered the events that led up to what we know affectionately as ‘1066 and all that’.

Henry VII Lady Chapel

To the east of Confessor’s chapel is the jaw dropping and glorious Lady Chapel. A truly spectacular and astonishing architectural achievement. Calling it splendid doesn’t do it justice – it is that sublime. I can’t recall ever walking into a place and being so amazed at what I saw. For a moment, a lengthy one at that, I was completely spell bound. The level of detail and expense put into such a place can see why it was described in 1545 as ‘the wonder of the entire world’ and a century later as ‘one of the stateliest and daintiest monuments of Europe.’ Questions flooded into the mind – what is a lady chapel? Why at the east end of the building? Why behind the main altar? Why are most churches built on an east west axis? How did the people back in the 15 th century construct these buildings (I refer to the fabulous fan vaulting in particular)? I am told that the lady chapel is built in perpendicular style (what does this mean?) with its most striking feature its fan vaulted ceiling. I hope the pictures do it justice. The flags add tremendous colour to the perfectly crafted yellow looking stone. Is this next sentence too strong? I implore you to visit it yourself. It is truly magnificent. There are a further 15 kings and queens buried in here alone, including Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth I and her sister queen Mary.

Coronation Church

The recent coronation of King Charles III was the 40th to have taken place in the church and provided further incredible evidence of our long-standing traditions. This dates back to the first coronation taking place at Westminster Abbey on December 25th 1066 (funny day to choose but maybe Christmas was celebrated in the same way or on the same day back then) when William the Conqueror decided to reinforce his claim to the throne. All the future monarchs have taken the oath here apart from two, the boy king (Edward VI) and the king who abdicated (Edward VIII). There are, no doubt, many tales of these coronations where it was not the perfect spectacle that we witnessed (albeit by TV) in May 2023. Thinking of the previous coronation on June 2nd 1953, my father wasn’t even born and, though there is footage of the events of that day (it was very wet outside I was told by an aged aunt), these seem to be of the placing of the crown upon Queen Elizabeth’s head and not of the rather weird parts of the ceremony that lead up to the crowning event. That day taught me a lot via the TV screen. I am still confused in that during the coronation ceremony it was not the dean, head (if that is the right term) of the most important church in the land, but the Archbishop of Canterbury who placed the crown upon Charles’s head. As we know, the coronation uses one of the most famous pieces of furniture in the world. It is over 700 years old and can be seen in a corner of the church, well protected by surrounding glass. This was removed during World War II when London was under attack from the air in the Blitz and taken to Gloucester cathedral and, no doubt,
stored in the crypt there.

Gothic Masterpiece

Construction of the church that we see today began in the 13 th century by Henry III when he decided to rebuild the church that had been raised under Edward the Confessor’s direction. He laid the foundations before running out of money!! The church was not finished when he died. The building is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture but what does this mean? Similar great projects were underway across medieval Britain and Europe in the middle of the 13th Century. The lady chapel was not started until the early part of the 16th Century and took 10 years to complete some six years after Henry VII died and his charismatic son assumed the throne. General observations I’m always in awe of the arches, the stained-glass windows (did we see many of these at either St Paul’s or Westminster Abbey?), the monumental tombs and ceilings that adorn the many churches and cathedrals in our land. There are terms which I still do not understand – it seems like a different language is used in these places and, by this, I mean all Church of England buildings that I have visited, and others as yet not seen – but I will find out. Whether I remember them or not is another matter. For some examples, what is a reredos (how is it even pronounced?)? What is a chancel (the spell checker wants to put in the word chance!!)? What does it mean? Where is it located? A nave? A transept? A misericord? A cathedra? A quire? A rood screen? The pelican in her piety? The lamb with the flag? The green man? The list is lengthy and this does not contain questions about other people who run these churches and cathedrals.

This building is a masterpiece but is by no means the only architectural wonder in Britain. Arches, both small and large, are spread in perfect unison from north to south side. Stained-glass windows adorn spaces along with windows providing natural light. Some of these were made in medieval times. Presumably the golden coloured dividing structure between nave and quire (?) and adorned with a memorial to Sir Isaac Newton to one side of the part that faces west is the rood screen, but it is quite unlike the beautifully carved wooden though narrower ones that are prevalent in churches throughout the land. Almost everything is confusing despite its undoubted beauty. The lady chapel is the jewel in this crown though the rood screen (I call it this not knowing if I use the right term) is marvellous. I am left thinking that if the fan vaulting has been made these 500 years or more, what could we construct in 2024 that looked anywhere near as nice and that would stand the test of time.

Another London landmark seen and many more to go – watch out for the next one! Coronation church is certainly a favourite.

Conclusions

This is starting to read like a report now but my (our) visit challenged me (us) to look beyond the narrative and explore what I was seeing. I hope that I have raised some interesting thoughts about this place and lesser places like it and perhaps inspired you to get out and explore. I’ve learnt about a royal peculiar and not I alone! I have delved deeper into the history of our monarchy and left with some puzzlement over the makeup of the church. An increased appreciation of architecture and construction grows with every visit as I try to learn and understand these engineering feats. I could and probably should have written a lot more but will hopefully leave you wanting to explore these places for yourself.

September 17, 2024May 12, 2025

Victoria’s Birthplace, Kensington Palace, London, UK

On a late summer’s Sunday, we took the opportunity to expand our knowledge and view of London’s landmarks by ticking another off our ‘must see’ list. Kensington Palace is a lesser-known building than some of the city’s more iconic ones. It is the second royal residence in London behind Buckingham Palace.

Kensington Palace clearly lacks the pomp and circumstance associated with other royal residences of the land. There are no red coats at the gate, or visible police presence protecting a so-called palace. We can only recall the odd statement from a palace security guard warning of pickpockets!! Our visit seemed slightly surreal as autumn seemed ever closer there was a real warmth and friendliness amongst the crowds of people wandering the palace and grounds. It certainly drew more of a crowd than we were anticipating.

The palace is nestled on the outer western boundary of Kensington Gardens which are joined to Hyde Park. Some way from the central sights of London, it certainly is a long walk from central (downtown for you Yanks) London, however, we made the short walk from Paddington station. Upon arriving one sees a statue of one of our most famous monarchs, Queen Victoria. Her connection with this palace was our main reason for visiting. Queen Victoria was born and raised at the palace and this connection is shown throughout the first part of the residence.

We walked through the first set of rooms of the palace which are associated with Queen Victoria. They were bland and plain, though Victoria’s father thought differently when he wrote this in a letter on the day that she was born there, “The apartment could not have been more comfortable, calm, close to the town but with the view over the most magnificent park with a beautiful bit of water”. It is very hard to disagree with this opinion as the view from the window of ‘the pond’ is, indeed, beautiful. The modern metropolis that now surrounds the pond in the distance brings a different perspective from yesteryear. There is a plaque by a window on a wall that reads ‘In this room Queen Victoria was born May 24^th, 1819’. By all accounts, Victoria had a very lonely and unhappy childhood through no fault of her own. She was manipulated and controlled by her mother’s partner and clearly out of favour with her uncle, the Prince of Wales, who effectively was king due to his father’s health and who became king George IV early the following year.

It is sad to think that Victoria was left hidden away here, and, even sadder, that this treatment was possibly a sort of punishment. Sir John Conroy was definitely a favourite of Victoria’s mother, Lady Flora Hastings. The potential was there for a young Victoria to become queen and Conroy realised this. Could it be that the introduction of ’The Kensington System Rules’, a set of strict regulations imposed on young Victoria, were designed to bring her under his control so that when she acceded the throne, he, in effect, had control of the Empire? Whatever his mindset we know that any such manipulation backfired on him for he was banished from the Royal household as soon as Victoria became queen. The rules are displayed on one of the walls for all visitors to see. Perhaps her closest friend during her childhood stay here was her furry friend Dash. Another couple of noticeable items on display are jewels (one of which was designed for Prince Albert as a gift) and a dolls’ house (which is a scale version of Kensington Palace). At around 0600 on the 20^th June 1837, Victoria was woken to be informed she was Queen and to make her way to the Red Saloon to meet the Privy Council. The Red Saloon remains and houses a painting of that famous meeting.

After visiting the Palace, the main attraction for me became the state apartments. These certainly felt grander than the Victoria rooms. A visit allows one to explore and educate oneself on a period of our British monarchy’s history of which I was previously unaware. When William III and Mary II, who were our first and only joint sovereigns decided to move here, they purchased a Jacobean mansion formerly known as Nottingham House (built in 1605 by Sir George Coppin). At the time of purchase, it was a two-story Jacobean mansion and was clearly going to require some work. They instructed Sir Christopher Wren to complete works on this mansion and to enlarge it to become a palace. Sir Christopher decided that to save time and money, he would keep the original house intact and add three story pavilions at each of the 4 corners.

Mary II’s sister (Queen Anne) would go on to finish these works and make significant improvements to the gardens. This included the construction of the Orangery (now a restaurant offering elegant lunches or indulgent afternoon tea). The Queen’s apartments include a staircase, gallery, closet, dining room, drawing room & a bedroom. Compared to the King’s apartments they come across very bland and basic. The King’s apartments are, in our opinion, the most appealing part of the palace.

The penultimate monarch to fully live here (George I) spent lavishly on the palace. What is seen here is the staircase, the presence chamber, the privy chamber, the cupola room, drawing room and the King’s gallery. The staircase immediately attracts one’s attention upon entrance. This grand entrance is a must see and was painted by William Kent as a vivid recreation of George I’s court. The other room which is superb, splendidly decorated and worthy of admiration is the Cupola room. This was the work of William Kent and his first commission. On looking upwards, the fictive coffered dome with the centre piece of the Star of the Order of the Garter is seen. This beautiful room was home to lavish parties given by George II, but in 1819 the baptism of Princess Victoria also took place here.

Our tour of Kensington Palace was complete but as we left, we walked around the grounds as everyone can do without purchasing an entrance ticket. Maybe this is where those pickpockets lie in wait!!

Our impression is that the beauties of this palace are relatively unknown, but, in our opinion, is testament to 300 fascinating years of royal history. As palaces go, it did seem to come across as more of a home and most definitely when in the Victoria rooms. The Queen’s apartments stir up the thoughts of being in a palace, but it was the king’s staircase and cupola room that give this place its ‘wow’ factor.

As we left London again, it was with a slight spring in our step. Another summer has passed by and we have completed another fascinating, educational and inspirational visit that has more than satisfied our curiosity and we are encouraged to return to this great city for more visual treats by way of our further education.

December 5, 2022May 12, 2025

Loving London, England, United Kingdom

Not a war time cry across the wireless but a phrase from the lyrics put together by ‘The Clash’ and with which its song leads I feel ‘London Calling’. The Clash would follow up their leading line with ‘to the faraway towns’, and this is so as I sit on the train back from this incredible city and return to my faraway town.

Some would associate London calling with the punk record or look back at memories of when it was the leading line on the wireless before the BBC would deliver reports on the darkest periods of World War II. Relaxing by letting the train take the strain I start to ponder how on earth I can write a single blog about the ‘greatest city’ on earth, that has become the laughingstock around the world recently’ apparently. I will stay away from the politics, after all this blog is about travel, London has been calling me for a while now, but though my mission to visit every city has taken a hiatus, everything now looks to be getting back on track.

A city like many others on this personal journey, it is steeped in so much of Britain’s history, which is infused through every nook and cranny of this metropolis. It was the Romans who first established this city some 2000 years ago, before many ups and downs created what is seen today. The Black Plague, the Great Fire Spanish flu and even the German Luftwaffe tried to destroy it, but she still stood firm. These are just a few periods of its incredible history that have shaped the city seen today and perhaps are reasons for so many visitors.

London lures many people to visit, to work or even to in live in, I’m included in that number. What is the reason? Politicians strive for power, investors and bankers seek their fortune, some people arrive for a glimpse of the monarchy, or others just like to find fame in that ‘Instagrammable’) location. The facts surely speak for themselves. Before the pandemic struck, some 18 million people came to visit the city every year. This is further evidenced by London being voted the greatest city on the planet on numerous occasions. This, of course, is open for debate.

Someone wise once said, ‘Why, sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’ Sadly, as I write this, I tend to disagree because, on this day, I am willing to leave London. Has the world changed greatly from the day that this was said? In my opinion it has greatly! In my eyes the hustle and bustle are okay for a day or two, but full time? Not for me! That’s a rat race I don’t want to win. Perhaps many Londoners shared the same view as they flocked away from the city during the pandemic. As I see it there is a call from afar of green and pleasant lands that offer a quality of life that the city can’t match. Full time bloggers dedicate their blogs to this city. I’m just an inquisitive individual trying to learn about these lands.

It’s that thirst for knowledge that has taught me London is two cities the City of Westminster and the City of London. The City of London is surely a far cry from the small fort the Romans would have established when they invaded these lands. When the Roman Empire fell and the Romans left these shores, the city has evolved from sticks and stones into the financial hub of the world (would need confirmation that this is still the case). Now referred to as ‘the square mile’. It is adjoined on the western boundary by London’s second city, the ‘bubble’ (sorry City) of Westminster (the chaos of that City is reflected in the daily news, and I will leave that for you to follow). These two Cities combine to form the central heartbeat (downtown – if you’re reading from across the pond) of what many people associate as being London. The gothic grandeur sprinkled throughout as modern & medieval architecture stand side by side complimenting each other is a sight to behold. London’s addictive atmosphere evokes curiosity & excitement. This is true for me as a visitor, but for those who live here 24/7 they may have other feelings. These two cities, together with 31 boroughs, combine to form the Greater London Area (GLA). Camden, Hammersmith & Fulham, Richmond, Southwark, Greenwich to name a few. Six of these boroughs do not have “London Borough” in their names: the City of London and the City of Westminster, and the Royal Boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, Kensington, Chelsea, and Greenwich. For someone living in the countryside its astonishing to think that an incredible 9 million people call London home which is more people than live in Wales and Scotland combined or the entire population of Austria. This amount of people surely gives the city its rich & diverse culture. Over a third of this 9 million were born abroad which means London is probably as international as it is British.

These cultures combine to give a mix of cuisines like no other city. Forget ‘the best of British’, as food lovers are spoilt for choice. When visiting or living in London people are spoilt for choices. There are a remarkable 87 Michelin star restaurants in the city and 3 at the highest 3* level. There are even rumours that there are more Indian restaurants in London than in Mumbai and that the food is better than can be found in that city. A quick troll through Instagram will show you some of the famous ones, normally accompanied by a rooftop view for drinks – they certainly are the craze these days. If food isn’t what you seek, then perhaps a pint maybe calling you. Pubs are part of the very fabric of Britain, and it is claimed that in London you are never no more than 7metres from one (again how true this is I shall let you decide). The capital boasts some 7,000 public houses and inns. Afternoon tea is another very British tradition, and London (where it originates from?) does it like no other. A visit to the Ritz, Claridge’s, Browns, Dorchester and The Berkeley are all worth the financial outlay.

But London is more than food & drink. It can boast an incredible 4 separate world heritage sites. It has 2000 years of history. Meaning it has something for everyone. The Romans established it, it survived the dark ages before evolving through the Middle Ages, and now as technology advances at a rate of knots who knows what she might become. The great British Isles are blessed with many castles, London incredibly only boasts one these days, The famous and much visited tower of London. At one time there were 9 castles surrounding the city, but the only one remaining is to the west, which is her late majesty’s resting place, Windsor. A town not so far away, only a day’s march back in the day is well worth a visit but shouldn’t distract you from the time that would be lost to the vast amount of museums London has to boast. You could spend a couple of weeks in London and still not visit all the museums, as there are over 170 of them. The best thing is that most of them are free! Half of the 2 millennia (of the Christian era) have been ruled by the monarchy. Westminster Abbey (along with the Tower of London) dates back to the Norman invasion. Westminster Abbey is where our kings and queens are crowned. There is a fascination with the monarchy from old to young and far and wide, and while it gives us our rich traditions, values and pomp and circumstance the whispers grow louder for its very existence. London’s more recent history has been absorbed in political infighting that has come off the back of pandemic management. As we leave the ‘pandemic’ London, like the rest of the Europe, survived as it did the great Plague and fire. During the great plague some 40,000 Londoners were wiped out in 1665 and a year later the great fire tore through the city, but she still survived. As the city evolved from the turmoil of an epidemic and then ash, it rose again. The present St Paul’s Cathedral is testament to this. It left the medieval ages and golden years and went on to become the modern masterpiece everyone seems to love now. The impression I have is that much of London’s success can be put down to the Victorians. There may be similarities with the here and now as Britain looks to carve its new place in the world post Brexit. Perhaps some inspiration can be gleaned from its great and long-standing history. London is also home to some quirky street names.

I mentioned ‘wannabe‘ social media stars flocking to the city for the perfect location for food or spending money in the city’s fashionable drinking and eating establishments. Their arrival is clearly the city’s business gains. London is also one of the 4 fashion capitals of the world and is home to more shops than Paris. Oxford, Regent & Bond Street are famous as are Harrods in Knightsbridge, Saville Row or, my personal favourite, Covent Garden. Fashion is so popular in London that it requires two weeks and not one in the calendar year for its fashion week. The city has also produced some famous names in the fashion world – Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss to name a couple.

With many people living, working or visiting the city, it needs a transport system like no other. Green taxes and overcrowded roads mean driving in London isn’t for the faint hearted. London is served by the largest city airport network in the world. The 6 airports that form this service to the city are Stansted, Luton, Southend, City, Gatwick and Heathrow. The London Underground with its famous map is an experience not to be missed when in the city. It’s the oldest metro system in the world, 402km long and boasts an incredible 270 stops. It is reported that 1.3 billon single trips are made each year on the ‘Tube’. It is also an interesting fact that more of the underground exists above ground. How could one write about transport and not mention London’s iconic Black cabs and red buses. They used to dominate the roads of the city, but now they are competing with uber, and bicycles as alternative forms of getting round. As the world looks to green alternatives, possibly the best way to explore the city is by foot. It’s certainly my favourite way to explore the place. You’ll hopefully be able to read my blogs soon of when I completed the Thames path which took me right through the heart of the city. The City is classified as a national forest. There are an estimated 8 and half million trees in the city with over 300 gardens. This equates to 40% of London being parkland.

So, as I draw this slightly longer blog to a close, I can only apologise for its length. Hopefully you can see how difficult I have found to condense this blog about the city, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. So, as I look to explore this great city in further detail, the capital of capitals, watch out for more and more blogs on this fascinating city. I will return to that famous quote ‘when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’ I’m not tired and look forward to returning. Are you tired of London? Answers on a postcard (email) please….

December 15, 2020May 12, 2025

Seymour’s Sudeley, Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire

Blissfully located in the northern environs of the Cotswolds and a stone’s throw from the town of Winchcombe lies the little known Sudeley castle. Ignore at your loss or take the detour to explore a castle steeped in history!! One can only imagine the grandeur and splendour that Sudeley castle enjoyed in its heyday, as it seems to be a place that was unwanted throughout the centuries. There was a reluctance to retain ownership of it. Its occupants’ loyalty to the king during the Civil War and subsequent lack of caring owners for a couple of centuries mean that it has been left to decay over time. The site now appears to be a combination of a stately home and some castle ruins. Imagination is necessary on any visit! The ramparts and fortifications are long gone; any visitor is left to wonder at the true size of the castle from the ruins that remain. We must be grateful to local glove makers who purchased it and, along with their descendants, ensured its survival.

Sudeley Castle is the only castle in the Cotswolds, which is an area of natural beauty in the UK and not to be mistaken with a national park. Much of its beauty and reputation lies in its famous wealthy villages and churches, and people from all over the world are attracted to this quaint region to capture the same images they have seen plastered over the gram. Thankfully, Sudeley Castle seems to be off the beaten track such that it has not been subjected to this racket and has retained its freedom from Instagram fame.

This area of England boasted much wealth throughout the centuries, and this may be seen when visiting the area. The delightful stone-built houses are the subject of photos to adorn chocolate box lids. Sudeley Castle, of course, fed off that wealth. It was established in the valley sitting underneath the wealthy town of Winchcombe. In medieval times, lands and wealth were associated with the church until midway through the 16th century when Henry VIII’s greed took over. The tithe barn that remains on the Sudeley Castle site may have connections with the church and it may well be that local farmers had to give a tithe (tenth) of their crop to the church and this was stored in these barns.

Prior to Henry VIII becoming king, his father, Henry VII, united the Houses of Lancaster and York (their emblems being the famous red and white roses) when he married Elizabeth of York and inaugurated the Tudor dynasty. There had been a massive power struggle that had lasted many a year and culminated in the famous battle of Bosworth, where Richard III was the last/only(?) monarch to be killed on the battlefield in 1485 – ‘My horse, my horse; my kingdom for a horse’; Leicester car park and all that. Richard actually owned the castle a couple of times, as before he was the king, he was known as the Duke of Gloucester. His brother Edward IV had given him Sudeley Castle and estates and the Duke used this castle as a base during the famous battle of Tewkesbury (1471; another beautiful place to visit as there is a nod to those days everywhere). I guess as Richard got more ambitious, he then made the decision to move up north to pursue his dream and exchanged the castle at Sudeley for Richmond castle in Yorkshire (another tremendous place and, again, well worth a visit). No doubt it was a motive of becoming king that led to this move and the subsequent actions. On becoming King Richard III, he acquired the castle for the second time. He set about building the great banqueting hall and state rooms but all that remains today are scattered ruins.

When Henry VII defeated Richard III he became king of the land and set about healing the divisions. One of his main supporters was his uncle Jasper Tudor. Henry rewarded this loyalty with the Sudeley estate. Jasper Tudor died at Christmas time in 1495 with no children and heir and this meant that the castle passed back again to crown. It was perhaps Henry VII’s son and Jasper Tudor’s nephew, Henry VIII, who reigned from 1509-1545, of whom everyone has heard in connection with our history. He wanted to cut ties with Europe (similarities could be made to today) but his desire stemmed largely from a selfish motive to break from the Roman Catholic faith. His legacy, especially that seen in the established Church of England, still plays out in modern Britain with much of our pomp and ceremony associated with the state church.

Controversially, Henry manipulated people and circumstances so that he had 6 wives during his 55-year life. Divorce, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded survived, we all know the riddle. It was his third and sixth wives that perhaps are associated most with this castle. When Henry VIII had Anne Boleyn’s head cut off (he did visit Sudeley with Anne) he had fallen for Jane Seymour and she gave him the son he desperately craved – Edward VI. This meant that the family name (Seymour) grew in strength and power.

When Henry died, he left a widow – Katherine Parr (she died the year after Henry VIII), and a very young king. The new King’s uncles manoeuvred themselves to positions of strength with the elder (Edward – 1^st Duke of Somerset) becoming Lord Protector of England for his young nephew (Edward VI). He granted his younger brother Thomas, the Sudeley estate and Castle, and granted him the titles of Lord Sudeley and later Lord High Admiral. Thomas was an ambitious man, which was also his undoing. He pursued the hand of the dowager queen (the Queen mother) and he married Katherine Parr in April or May 1547 a few months after the death of Henry VIII who had earlier claimed her hand in marriage ahead of Thomas Seymour.

Upon their marriage they moved to Sudeley Castle where Thomas refurbished the castle for his new bride and her massive entourage. Katherine Parr was wealthy of her own accord, a widow prior to marrying the king, she was also granted much wealth from the king on his deathbed. She also carried on caring for princess Elizabeth (latter to become Elizabeth I). She was to die at the tender age of 36 of puerperal fever shortly after giving birth to their daughter Mary, her only child in this her fourth marriage, who herself died at the age of 2. Katherine was laid to rest in the chapel of St Mary (located in the grounds). This makes Sudeley Castle the only private castle in the land to have a queen buried in it. Thomas Seymour was eventually executed for treason, as one of his many crimes was to try to marry Princess Elizabeth and pursue his own powerful agenda. This resulted in the castle passing to the crown and Mary I granted the castle to Sir John Brydges. Finally, Sudeley castle remained in the same family for about a century. During this time Queen Elizabeth visited on a number of occasions, the third and final time was a 3-day party to celebrate the victory over the Spanish armada (Sir Francis Drake and all that).

Elizabeth was the last Tudor monarch. She never had an heir, which leads us to the Stewart dynasty, another iconic part of our history as it was during this time that the only Civil War this country has experienced took place. King Charles I believed in the divine right of kings and this brought him into verbal conflict with parliament. This developed into something far uglier. He was ultimately unsuccessful in defending his crown and was beheaded early in 1649. Everybody picked sides, either Royalist or Parliamentarian, and the Brydges (Lord Chandos) backed their king. He left the castle in charge of armed tenants and servants to join the king at Shrewsbury in 1642 and the castle fell into the hands of roundheads (another name for Parliamentarians) who turned the church into a stable and slaughterhouse before Prince Rupert of the Rhine (nephew of Charles I), came back to take it into the Crown’s hands in January 1643. They lost it again in 1644, in the topsy and turvy affair that was the Civil War and Cromwell (he is the subject of another story) decided the castle should be ‘slighted’ or rendered untenable as a military post. This resulted in the castle being left to rot and fall into ruin for 2 centuries.

Then in 1837, Sudeley Castle was given a lifeline. The wealthy Worcester glove-makers, brothers John and William Dent, began an ambitious restoration programme. This was continued by the family and means that much of what one sees today is down to their hard work and good will.

Only a tenth of what was once a wealthy estate of 12,000 acres remains, but what is left leaves much to the imagination and fascination. ‘Sudeley Castle and gardens’ may seem like a misnomer as it appears more stately home than castle. The gardens are charming, there is an iconic church which is home to a famous grave, and a castle that has been battered with Britain’s history. It may not look like a castle (think Windsor or Warwick), but British history has decided that for us. We can appreciate what it is and the stories that it must tell. It is and will always be a favourite of mine.

Sudeley Castle, Tewkesbury, South West England, United Kingdom

November 11, 2020May 12, 2025

Berkeley Berserkly, Berkeley Castle, Cotswolds, England

It was the start of the new season. The autumn air that normally fills my lungs with joy was interspersed with the dark cloud of coronavirus. It is like a sword of Damocles hanging over us, but thankfully, protected as best we could have been, the sun finally broke through the clouds on our latest venture. Its warm rays provided the ignition to light that fiery display that this time of year provides, its crescendo some time off, as that pallet of orange that so normally splashes upon landscape views, was only a mere sprinkling of colour. Only the promise of the colour cacophony could be seen that day as the green leaves that provided lush memories of those warm summer’s days had started to fade away. This was no ordinary beginning to the autumn fall; we were escaping the restrictions of a national lockdown and entering a crazy new world. A weird world, where a pandemic had spread throughout it like wildfire, raging berserkly and evoking pendulum wide opinions. We all were imprisoned in their own homes and this had been absolutely necessary. Now we dared to still explore, governed by rules and regulations. These were not the sort of meanderings I’d ever experienced before. Pre-booking, ‘the new norm’, has taken away that spontaneity as military like agendas needed to be created to meet COVID requirements. We judged it best to meet these and at least get out of the house. It is a hard thing to admit but travel and adventures have largely, though not completely as there is a real need to venture out, lost their appeal in this new norm. And as we come to terms with what a future world might look like it is with a sense of despair and sadness that, perhaps, things will never be the same again. Not one to dwell on the future but to live in the moment, Berkeley Castle provided the first chance of freedom.

Berkeley Castle unattractive, rugged structure provides a differing form of intrigue and illusion, one that such historic places create. The name of Berkeley is well and truly etched in every stone for the family name has lived here for almost 900 years. If only these stones could talk……. They could relive the battles they have witnessed or recalled the visitors that graced the place or even borne witness to a murder. For so much of Berkeley’s Castle beauty lies within its ‘tales’.

Berkeley castle was first built as a Norman motte and bailey. A wooden fortress built on top of the mound, and throughout the centuries was alternatively strengthened and weakened. When Robert Fitzgerald’s loyalty to the crown was rewarded with the grant of the castle and estates in 1153, he set about building the stone keep at the heart of the castle that one sees today (and where one’s tour starts as one climbs the steps to the first floor).

Over the next 300 years the family was in and out of favour with the monarchy as most families seem to have been in their time. At one point the Berkeley family were one of 50-70 noble families who helped govern the land but as their fortune ebbed and flowed, so did their wealth and favour. They were given dubious responsibility of holding a famous prisoner. In 1327 Berkeley castle kept the deposed king, Edward II, who was then murdered here (as you enter the Kings Gallery (named after the family’s collection of paintings of kings of England) one sees where the not-so-pleasant deed was committed – allegedly). By now the castle was clearly being expanded and strengthened. The kitchens, butteries and great hall (displays a large flag which we missed on our first visit as we were drawn to the stained glass windows; we returned to this room when we came back from the kitchen and noticed it hanging there) were added, which are now part of the interesting tour that one embarks on when visiting. By the mid 1500s the castle was very appealing to some who wanted to get their hands on it, and upon the death of the fourth Lord Berkeley, an inheritance dispute took place, and with no direct heirs, it was fought amongst a couple of cousins, the crown and another earl wanting to get his hands on it. Years of dispute ensued. In between all of this it made its way into the hands of crown on a couple of occasions and Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite, the Earl of Leicester, most certainly took a fancy to it. He managed to persuade the queen to hand it over to him – the castle and estates were so valuable. It eventually made its way back into the hands of Lord Berkeley at a great cost (this throws into doubt the claim that the same family has lived here for 900 years). By now the Tudor dynasty was coming to an end to be replaced by the Stuarts (the Tudor period is referenced on the tour by the name of the room one enters when leaving the King’s Gallery – Drake’s room – which houses a number of paintings of ships).

The Stuart era was a fascinating period of English history as civil war broke out, the only time this country has experienced such turmoil, and Berkeley was no exemption as far as choosing a side to support was concerned. Berkeley castle’s location halfway between Bristol and Gloucester meant it was possibly a key strategic location. It changed hands an incredible 5 times between the parliamentarians and the royalists. Part of the successful Oliver Cromwell’s legacy ensured valuable and interesting items were destroyed as he went about rebuilding the land in his own image by removing any vestiges of Catholicism. Even the castle’s defences were destroyed, and one wonders why this should have been. I guess Oliver Cromwell sought loyalty from people in return for him giving back their lands; I guess he needed to know that the castle could never be used against him. So, Cromwell instructed the breach of the keep wall so that it could never be used as a fortress again. During the years the family has inherited some properties, estates and lands. Their most notable inheritance was Berkeley Square in London; sadly, this no longer belongs to the family as it was plundered during its ownership to service their lavish lifestyle but adds another point of interest to visit when returning to London one day.

As the sun was still shining it would have been rude not to explore the gardens – in many properties that is all that can be seen in these trying times. We Left Berkeley Castle and went to explore what autumn had done to the foliage in the grounds. We followed the ‘new norm’ – the one-way system. Whether or not we followed it correctly was anyone’s guess, it was not that clear which way it went. The steepness of the steps going down meant that much landscaping of the gardens was difficult, and really all that is left is a walled garden. We managed to find some water features which led to a pond. This area provided a time to sit and reflect; I sometimes wonder in 20 to 30 years’ time how I would describe this year and I am left puzzled as to how I would explain it.

So, as autumn begins to warm my heart, I have to disentangle myself from the ever-increasing number of spider webs that now appear. It’s a favourite time of the year – we are so blessed to have 4 seasons. Its spectacular display of colour captivate my attention and I muse upon the fact that I should be preparing for the winter hibernation and not the start of our first travel plans of the year. I’m grateful for the history of this land, further enhanced from this visit to Berkeley Castle, as it will provide me with distraction, and, thinking positively, welcome mental activity, during these lonely and scary times.

Berkeley Castle, Stroud, South West England, United Kingdom

September 23, 2020May 13, 2025

Eton, Windsor, Berkshire, England

I love the Boatman for there I can eat in style. It is great to sit by the river in the grounds of the same pub mentioned in the piece on Windsor. I was in good company this time and the sun was shining. Lunch had been demolished and I toyed with the idea of indulging in some broken pavlova, mixed in with strawberries and lashings of cream. Instead I decided to cross over Windsor bridge and explore the town of Eton rather than indulge in its namesake dessert. My waistline almost expressed its gratitude for non-indulgence as I set about seeing if there was a link between the town and the dessert. It is rumoured that the dessert was to be served at some time during a cricket match between Eton and Harrow, it was dropped (hence the mess), and scooped up and served as it was.

I crossed the famous bridge, like so many have done before me. I expect that many visitors to Windsor have not gone on to explore the other side of river and the famous town but rather stay on the bridge and capture an image of the castle from there. Instead I left Windsor behind and started to make my way up the high street which is possibly like no other in the land but, sadly, on this day resembled more of a building site than a bespoke arcade. The ubiquitous British flags and bunting still adorned the street, providing much colour above as cars littered the street below. Whilst walking along the pavement I was drawn to some lonely books for sale outside a bookshop. I picked up one that said, “considered to be Dickens’ finest novel”. What a great purchase this may prove to be, as I look to create my own library and find a love of reading. Oh, where was this appetite when I was young? I went to purchase the book and grabbed a booklet regarding the “Eton walkway”. To my delight I was informed by the quaint man behind the desk that it was free. I was delighted that purchasing a book had resulted in the acquisition of a free guide to my afternoon of meanderings. So, I left with one of England’s finest works and a guide to show me the best bits of this town.

As I wandered up the high street, I was able to identify the points of interest as my step by step guide explained them all to me. A red pillar box, for example, once a common feature on the streets of our nation, only this one is a rare one indeed. Only 10 of these types of box exist in the country, and as a result it is grade II listed. A vertical slot for posting letters was puzzling to see. The guide took me further up the high street passing the Porny School towards Baldwin’s bridge. Just before the bridge are a couple of colourful shops that, on closer inspection, proved to be tailors. How does such a small town justify two tailors? Well this high street probably relies heavily on its ‘town and gown’ tag for just over Baldwin’s bridge lies Eton College.

The famous college was founded in 1440 by Henry VI and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. As one approaches the college from the high street the first part one sees is the chapel. Not looking like a chapel, one can only assume what it’s like on the inside. The windows in the chapel were destroyed in 1940 during the bombing raids on England. On the outer edge of the chapel and, unlike much of the college, able to be seen by all is a plaque regarding William de Waynflete, a former bishop of Winchester, who paid for the completion of the chapel.

From here one approaches the main gates to the school. It costs around £14,000 per term for education at the college. Originally 70 scholars were educated for free and provided with accommodation. Whether this is still the case in these financial times I’m not sure – I doubt it. Access to the school is very limited but a sneaky look through the grand gates will allow one to see the statue to the founding king in the centre of the quadrangle.

The college dominates much of the town, with 24 houses providing accommodation for over 1300 pupils. The mind begins to boggle at the finances this school operates with – oh how different to the budgets in state schools. On the other side of the road lies the second main quadrant of buildings for the school. Immediately you are drawn to what lies in front of the centre archway. What school do you know that has a historic cannon on display? A completely different world. It does provide wonderful photo opportunities as the marvellous stonework behind the cannon adds to the image.

The walkway then started to bring me out of the town. It was here that perhaps the finest view of the college was captured. As I stood there and took the picture I wondered if I was actually taking a picture of a college in Cambridge. Is there a link between the two establishments? It was also at this point I had passed some surprising iron rungs in the wall with my guidebook informing me that these are there to provide pupils access to the top of the wall to watch the ‘The Wall Game’. This takes place in the autumn term and is perhaps unique to this college.

The next part of the walkway involved me getting a little lost as I tried to pick up access to more of the buildings across the college’s greens. I eventually found my way back onto Common Lane which brought me back to the main college buildings and the top of the high street. It was here that I found ‘the burning bush’. Designed to help the boys cross the road safely, it was moved from its original location when the cannon was put in place. Now a significant landmark of the town and photographic opportunity, it also takes its place in front of a doomed building which bears similarities to that of Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.

Pressed for time, I return towards the river, passing some other points of interest which include the natural history museum and the museum of antiquities before coming across the church of St John. The church is now a shadow of former glories and has had to find a new way of surviving, the school coming to the rescue and converting it into accommodation and a local doctor’s surgery. Oh, how the religious landscape of this nation has changed.

My return to the river beneath Windsor castle completed the ‘Eton Walkway’. It had been an incredibly informative and pleasantly surprising walk. I left with another book for ‘my library’ and many happy memories. Anyone who visits Windsor must plan a longer trip than those arranged from London as they only give the visitor a couple of hours here. Windsor and Eton are worthy of more than a casual glance. Stay a night and spend some serious time here and you never know what you might find for across the river lies the town of Eton, dominated by a famous school and the town is associated with a dessert we all surely love. Why wouldn’t you want to explore Eton?

Eton, England, United Kingdom