King Alfred’s Tower can be found on the Stourhead Estate, although Stourhead is in Wiltshire, King Alfred’s Tower is just over the border in Somerset. Strictly speaking a folly it is positioned near the spot where King Alfred emerged from hiding in the Somerset levels and rallied the Saxons to defeat the Danish invaders. Continue reading
Originally it was to be named King William the 4ths Square . Trafalgar Square is perhaps one of the best known landmarks in Britain; built between 1829 and 1842, but since Nelsons victory at The Battle of Trafalgar over the combined French and Spanish fleets in 1805, wiser counsels prevailed. Continue reading
From the outside Montacute house is a spectacular building; built in the last years of the 16th century of local stone, in the sunshine it exudes a warm honey colour. It is perhaps one of the best surviving examples of an Elizabethan Manor house. Continue reading
Perhaps the most original and unchanged of the Shakespeare houses, in my opinion the most attractive, it gives the opportunity to see how life was lived in Shakespeare’s time, with original features in the structure and furnished as it would have been in the period. Continue reading
If you’re interested in architecture or history in detail, Wells and Wells cathedral in Somerset are well worth a visit. After the City of London, Wells is the smallest city in England, with city status granted by virtue of the cathedral. It is also the only city in Somerset outside the unitary authority of Bath. Continue reading
Although the Baths, after which the town is named, are called Roman, the hot springs that feed them were utilised by ancient Britons namely Celts, long before the Romans arrived in England. The Celtic tribe named the Dobinni worshiped the springs dedicating them to the goddess Sulis. Continue reading
William Shakespeare is buried in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church, his parish church. The church is worth visiting if you are in Stratford Upon Avon. Over the years it has become a popular destination and contains some interesting artefacts and information about Shakespeare’s life. Continue reading
It is always a pleasure to visit Stourhead Gardens no matter what the season; this time it was late spring the Rhododendrons and Azaleas were out, once again I was struck by the “picture on the front of a chocolate box” appearance of the vistas no matter which way I turned. To me the premier landscape garden in England maybe the World. Continue reading
Mary Arden's House
I must admit to being somewhat confused on my Stratford upon Avon visit earlier this year. It had been many years since I had last visited Shakespeare’s Stratford and memories had surfaced in all the places I visited this time. But Mary Arden’s House; nothing came back to me, it was all very interesting, but I had no recollection of being there before. The mystery was solved when I researched for this blog. Continue reading
My first visit to Lytes Cary Manor in Somerset and I was amazed; this was what I had already imagined a typical Medieval Manor house to be like, before I had even got there, it fitted my impressions perfectly and then the connections to other places we have visited came “thick and fast”. Continue reading