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Exploring Chester

Posted in around the UK, cities and towns of the UK, Domesday Villages of England, Fun Stuff, project 101, Travel, tagged black and white buildings of chester, chester, chester high cross, chesters eastgate clock, domesday book town, explore chester, https://notjustagranny.com/project-101/project-101-cathedrals/, project 101, roman city walls chester, roman fort, the rows britains oldest shopping arcade, things to do in chester, tower poppies 2014, travel diaries, travel writing on March 9, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Since I only had a few days in Chester, I set off really early the next morning to explore the city, wanting to see and do as much as possible in my allotted time (although setting off at 9.30am is not really that early LOL). Greeted by a mildly overcast day that promised to brighten up, I hastened into the city stopping first to photograph the clock again…of course. Just look at that date!! 1897. wow. I wonder if Queen Victoria even saw this magnificent clock?! Probably not.

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The famous Chester clock located on the East Gate of the city

Next stop the Chester High Cross located next to the Guild Church of St Peter

Chester High Cross

Chester high cross

Chester High Cross

Guild Church of St Peter

I then took a stroll along the galleried walkways of The Rows; Britain’s oldest shopping arcade. The history of these buildings is phenomenal and it felt quite weird and exhilarating to be walking along these corridors where thousands of people have walked for centuries.

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galleried walkways of Britain’s oldest shopping arcade

Next up a visit to the Guild Church of St Peter’s. As with all these wonderful ancient churches, the history is phenomenal and architecture beautiful with stunning stained glass windows telling the stories of the Bible, as well as a phenomenal edition of the Chester Breeches Bible.

The Guild Church of St Peter, Chester where you can see the Chester Breeches Bible

From here I strolled around the streets photographing just about every building I passed and then some LOL they are all so gorgeous. I just wish that the councils of this historic towns & cities would ban shop signs. A discreet sign above the door should be sufficient.

The Black & White style was part of a wider Tudor Revival in 19th-century architecture.

I spied the cathedral looming large at the end of one cobbled street so made my way over for a visit.

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Chester Cathedral at the end of the street

Founded in 1092 as a Benedictine abbey dedicated to Saint Werburgh, the original church was built in the Romanesque or Norman style, some of which you can still see today. What an extraordinary building. I have visited over 30 cathedrals in various cities and countries and they are all so very different and so very beautiful.

Chester Cathedral

Although the site itself may have been used for Christian worship since Roman times, the current Grade I listed building, rebuilt from about 1250 in the Gothic style, which took 275 years to complete, the church as we see it today is a stunning structure with oodles of history; part of a heritage site that also includes the most complete set of monastic buildings in England with remains of Roman barracks on the Dean’s field. The original windows of the abbey were destroyed by Parliamentary troops and the current stained glass windows, dating mostly from the 19th and 20th centuries, are a sight to behold with some fabulous windows in the cloisters that contain the images of 130 saints.

the cloister windows contain the images of 130 saints

After spending an hour or so exploring the church I booked myself on one of the free ground floor tours for the following day, after which the 60 minute Tower tour for £8.

After exploring the church I went walkabout in the city centre… what a cute little elephant sculpture, I would have loved to have a ride on that bus and I saw the ghost of a Roman soldier!!! Hmmmm, maybe not!

Chester – so much to see!!!

From there I then set off for the North Gate to walk the City Walls. Oh my gosh, what a fantastic experience.

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Chester City Walls starting from the North Gate I passed the King Charles Tower (awesome!)

along Chester’s City Walls and passed beneath the East Gate clock (more awesome)

Enroute I diverted slightly to visit the Roman Amphitheatre

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Chester’s Roman Amphitheatre

At the Bridge Gate I made another diversion to visit the river and stroll along in the sunshine, stopping off at the cafe tucked behind the bridge for tea & scones (pre-vegan).

The River Dee flowing through Chester

Then headed back along the pathway past Chester Castle, founded by William the Conqueror in 1070. Someone told me its was a private residence and not open for tours so I didn’t bother to go in, but on further research I see it’s an English Heritage property ….I guess I’ll just HAVE to go back for another visit then LOL no hardship 😉 Also that will teach me to do proper research before visiting a place.

Chester Castle and Water Tower Street

Then back onto the walls till I got back to the North Gate. There are so many things to see from the walls that I can seriously recommend you make the time to visit. Approximately an hours walk will take you around, unless like me, you stop for 100s of photos!

along Chester’s City Walls

The North Gate – currently sections of the wall near this gate are under reconstruction

Welcome to Chester. I used mapmywalk app to record my route around the city

walking the Roman city walls of Chester

Welcome to Chester

There are so many wondrous things to see in Chester, so after my city wall excursion I went walkabout once again. This just fascinated me – 3 Old Arches 1297!! I mean seriously!

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Three Old Arches – 1274 AD – Three Old Arches, at 48 Bridge Street, incorporate part of the famous Chester Rows and is a Grade I listed building. The stone frontage at the street and row levels is considered to be the oldest surviving shop frontage in England.

After my marathon walkabout I strolled back through the city and along the canal back to the BB for a snooze and a meal.

The Canal in Chester’s Industrial Heart and Chester’s Industrial Outskirts

After a short rest I once again headed back into the city centre; I simply couldn’t get my fill of the city walls so had another short stroll along from King Charles Tower, past the Eastgate Clock

Chester at night

and onto the Bridge Gate where I disembarked and walked along the riverfront to the Queen’s Park Suspension Bridge

Ye Olde Kings Head – built 1622 and the Queen’s Park Suspension Bridge built 1852 and my shadow alongside the city walls

after which I stopped for a second meal at Adam’s Fish and Chips. They were sensational and for the 2nd night they created a very clever cone for me to take away my fish cake and chips.

Adam’s Fish and Chips Chester – best ever fish cake and chips

Meandering about the city, trailing a heavenly aroma, eating my chips and fish I eventually found myself back at the cathedral. I saw that the lights were on and could hear music from inside. So thinking it was some night-time service, I strolled around to the side door and walked in. There was a crowd of people milling about and no-one seemed to mind that I was there, so I just meandered about and took some more photos (it’s not like I didn’t already have enough) and then I left.

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Chester Cathedral at night

It seems I actually gate-crashed a private event, but not a soul said anything and the young man at the door even held it open and wished me a good evening when I departed. LOL marvellous. I was thrilled to see one of the 2014 Tower of London WW1 poppies on display…I wonder if it’s the one I planted!! Probably not LOL

I took some more photos of the buildings, looking ghostly in the dark

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The Rows at night

and then with one final photo (again) of the Eastgate Clock

Chester’s Eastgate Clock – 20:30 and all is well

I took a slow stroll through the streets of Chester, along the canal and back to my B&B. What a marvellous day. I can say for sure that I am totally charmed with Chester.

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NOT Nottingham

Posted in around the UK, Castles of UK and Ireland, cities and towns of the UK, Domesday Villages of England, project 101, Travel, tagged cities of england, domesday book, explore nottingham, greens mill and science centre, mortimers cave, notting cathedral, nottingham, nottingham castle, project 101, robin hood, visit nottingham, what to see in nottingham on March 8, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Nottingham has been on my list of places to go ever since I arrived in the UK 17 years ago. It’s taken a while LOL. Getting around the UK is relatively easy with the extensive railway network, but it is prohibitively expensive, so my visit to Nottingham had to wait till an assignment became available…which it did in February. Exciting!! I was thrilled.

When I did the journey planner the station code came up as NOT and as it turned out, NOT pretty much described my overall visit…..NOT Nottingham. It just wasn’t at all what I expected. First impressions were thrilling….the castle built on top of the sandstone caves; gaping wounds in the cliff-face gave an indication of what lay behind the facade.

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Sandstone cliffs and a myriad of cave

A quick walk around the city after checking in at my AirBnB led to the discovery of the fantastic 12th century inn; Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem – apparently the oldest inn in England (disputed by some) and saw the statue of Robin Hood in the plaza out front of the castle walls. I found a superb old Tudor style building nearby and delighted in the stories behind the myriad caves that lay beneath the castle.

Nottingham Castle gates and statue of Robin Hood

Walking further into the city I found that I could have been in any major city anywhere in the UK. Nottingham didn’t hold the quirky charm I had been expecting….high street stores, chain restaurants and charity shops. I felt robbed LOL sorry Robin.

But never one to leave any stone unturned or city unexplored, I delved deeper, determined to find the hidden gems…and I found plenty.

First up a walk through the city’s oldest area: the Lace Market. This historic quarter-mile area was once the centre of the world’s lace industry during the British Empire. Meandering the streets I was enchanted by the quirky old buildings, now dotted with street art and turned over to various other industries and businesses, the area still holds a charming olde worlde atmosphere.

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The Creative Quarter; the Nottingham Lace Market

From there I made my way to The City of Caves, the entrance located on the upper level of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre. For someone who loves caves, this was a real treat. They are fantastic and tell the story of the people who have inhabited the area for aeons, right up until when the caves were used as air-raid shelters during the 2nd WW. There is even the sound effect of an air-raid with bombers going overhead and the wail of a siren. Thrilling. I can recommend this if you enjoy history & caves and don’t suffer from claustrophobia http://www.nationaljusticemuseum.org.uk/venue/city-of-caves/

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Walking above ground, you would never know there were 800 caves beneath your feet…a city of caves indeed.

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the city of caves…..800 caves beneath your feet

I managed to visit 2 churches, one of which; The Church of St Mary the Virgin is located in the Lace Market area

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The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest religious foundation in the City of Nottingham, England, the largest church after the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Nottingham and the largest mediaval building in the city

St Mary the Virgin, aka St Mary’s in the Lace Market was by far and away my favourite building. A Grade 1 listed building, one of only 5 in Nottingham, this fantastic 16th century church has a history is that is just astounding. Mentioned in the Domesday Book it is believed it’s roots go back deep into Saxon times. The main body of the present building (possibly the 3rd on the site) dates from the end of the reign of Edward III (1377) to that of Henry VII (1485–1509), the tower wasn’t completed till the reign of Henry VIII. There are some fascinating memorials in the church with an array of stunning stained glass windows; art works in themselves. The chantry door, dating from the 1370s or 1380s is considered to be the oldest surviving door in Nottingham and contains an example of iron work from the medieval period in the locking mechanism.

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the Chantry door, St Mary the Virgin in the Lace Market area of Nottingham

In the grounds are a number of marvellous headstones that tell a story all their own as well the grave and a memorial plaque to Nottingham’s first black entrepreneur: George Africanus (1763-1834). This magnificent church is well worth a visit in my opinion. They depend on donations for the upkeep of this magnificent building; please give generously https://www.stmarysnottingham.org/

The Church of St Peter with St James

The 2nd church; Church of St Peter with St James is a delightful church right in the centre of Nottingham. I had noticed it previously when I first arrived and was delighted to discover the link with the pilgrim St James. One of the three medieval parish churches in Nottingham, the original church was destroyed by fire in the early 1100s and rebuilt between 1180 and 1220. United with the church of St James which was demolished in the 1930’s, the church is now a Grade I listed building. The stained glass windows are a glorious rainbow of bright bold colours and above the west porch entrance is a fantastic painting of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper. Painted in 1816 by Thomas Barber (1771-1843). This beautiful building offers an oasis of peace and tranquillity in a busy city.

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Nottingham Cathedral.

And the cathedral; Nottingham Cathedral is located not too far from the castle along and just off Maid Marion Way. I loved the fabulous feeling of space in this church and the ceiling seems to soar above you. An unearthly blue light fills the space, the stained glass windows adding to the ethereal atmosphere. Built between 1841 and 1844 by the architect was Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, I was delighted to discover the link to the church in Ramsgate; St Augustine’s, from whence I started my walk along The Way of St Augustine in 2017. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is absolutely exquisite and well worth the visit.

I visited the Castle that isn’t really a castle, but more of an enormous palatial Manor house built after the original castle was destroyed by fire, and explored the fantastic displays and exhibitions quite thoroughly before embarking on a tour of the caves which were just awesome. There is a charge to visit the castle and an extra £5 to visit the caves.

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Exhibitions in Nottingham Castle

Sandstone Caves at Nottingham Castle,

Before I left I managed to squeeze in a visit to Green’s Mill. I’d seen the windmill on the horizon earlier on in my stay, and determined to visit before I left the area. Absolutely charming. It’s a working mill and you can buy freshly milled flour on the premises and a recipe book for various yummy goodies …I bought one bag of flour and a recipe book for my son-in-law who is a keen baker. You can clamber about the inside the mill which offers a look at the many mechanisms required for milling the grain into flour.

Green’s Mill and Science Centre, Nottingham

The views from the top floor are well worth the climb; just mind your head going up!! Green’s Mill also depends on donations to maintain the building, so please give generously. If you’re a UK tax payer remember to tick the Gift Aid box. It all helps. https://www.greensmill.org.uk/

I managed to get in a couple of lovely walks along the canal and river as well as a visit to Victoria Park and the amazing memorial to both World Wars, on the embankment near the fantastic suspension bridge

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In all I spent 2.5 weeks in Nottingham, 2 weeks of which was working, and so, during my breaks I managed to get in quite a few walks around the area, many of which were along the river. On a warm clear day before the snow, I chanced upon and watched a boat race.

Nottingham. Although I was at first quite disappointed, after digging around and finding all these amazing places to visit, I can say that, despite not meeting Robin, in all I enjoyed visiting these amazing places and discovering more about the history of the city and I especially enjoyed visiting the caves.

And so my visit went from NOT Nottingham, to why NOT Nottingham.

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Charming Chester

Posted in around the UK, cities and towns of the UK, Domesday Villages of England, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2018, tagged black and white buildings chester, chester, domesday book villages of england, english history, explore chester, not just a granny travels, project 101, river dee chester, roman settlements in england, the chester clock, travel diaries, travel writing, visiting chester on March 7, 2018| 1 Comment »

I couldn’t believe that I was finally here. After years of wanting to visit, it was thrilling to be walking these ancient streets, lined with all the amazing black and white buildings. I was giddy with elation and came close to photographing every single blessed building LOL

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The wonderful canal, famous black and white buildings and the world famous Chester clock

To say that I was charmed and delighted by Chester would be the understatement of the year.

Soon after I arrived, and after dropping my luggage, I set off from the AirBnb where I was staying and walked back into the city in the waning hours of the day. The sky was painted a soft blue with a pink tinge to the west, the last remnants of the setting sun. First stop was to photograph the lovely little houses on the canal…..the lights casting yellow reflections on the water. I determined there and then to walk along at least a part of the canal during my stay.

I soon reached the city centre and stood with my jaw agape, thrilling at the many black & white buildings, albeit many of them being Victorian restorations, they were utterly charming. I meandered here and there, my camera clicking away, thrilled to see the famous Victorian Chester clock above the city gate.

I love these old Roman towns with their city walls and gates. It always gives me an absolute thrill to walk beneath them or along them. Chester’s city walls are in a remarkably good condition and I noticed that I could practically walk right around the city via the walls……tomorrow.

The cathedral stood majestic and proud, shadows casting a spell in the early evening light, the building looked mystical, magical, ethereal and otherworldly. I walked along the famous Rows in the heart of the city, described as the oldest shopping arcade in Britain they were between 1220 and 1350 when Chester was a booming market town and port.

The Bridgegate, River Dee and

The Bridgegate

The River Dee, Chester

I walked along the 4 main thoroughfares and then with the Chester High Cross behind me I walked down to the river. Passing through the medieval Bridgegate that guarded the approach to Chester from North Wales I soon crossed the medieval bridge over the River Dee. Bliss. I stood there for ages and then retraced my steps through the city and back to the B&B. Tired but happy. I could barely wait to explore the next day.

Originally a Roman settlement, Chester was one of the 1000s of villages listed in the Domesday Book (great survey of 1086) and adds to my ever growing list for Project 101…I may just have to make it Project 202 at this rate LOL. Chester appears in 9 entries in Domesday Book.

One last photo of the clock, and although it was only 7.30pm it was totally dark. And so to bed, perchance to dream…….

the Chester Clock

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And so to Chester.

Posted in around the UK, Castles of UK and Ireland, cities and towns of the UK, Domesday Villages of England, walks around the UK, tagged domesday book villages of england, not just a granny travels, project 101, solo travel, travel diaries, travel writing, visit chester on March 5, 2018| 5 Comments »

I’ve been wanting to visit Chester for ever such a long time, and suddenly, due to circumstances on the work front, I’m able to plan a visit.

I’ve been working up in Nottingham for 2 weeks in February/March and tacked on 2 days for exploring the city while I’m here. I then tackled Google maps to see which places of interest were nearby…..voila Chester came up in my search, and since its just a 2.5 hour train journey away, I’ve decided to travel to Chester afterwards and spend a few days there as well.

Chester, located on the River Dee, has long been on my travel dream list as well as another location for Project101. A walled Roman city, Chester has a fascinating history, some of the most amazing Tudor architecture, a castle, an amphitheatre and a cathedral and nestles alongside a river, over which I’m sure there is a bridge or two. Perfect – at least 6 or 7 of the categories I’m aiming to fulfil. Founded as a ‘castrum’ or fort during the reign of Emperor Vespasian in AD79, Chester was one of the main Roman army camps, it’s original name: Deva Victrix, it was also briefly located in Wales, and is of course mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Known for it’s extensive Roman walls made of the local red sandstone, within the medieval city is The Rows, now a shopping precinct with Tudor-style half-timbered buildings, some of which are Victorian renovations. Just beyond the city’s old walls there’s a Roman amphitheatre and ongoing excavations. I’m excited to see my 3rd Roman amphitheatre.

The Minster Church of West Mercia, founded by King AEthelred of Mercia in 689, became Chester’s cathedral and the town was granted city status in 1541 during the reign of Henry VIII. Apparently it has one of the best preserved Roman walls in Britain, which the Saxons extended and strengthened to protect the city against the Danes. Chester was one of the last cities in England to fall to the Normans after which William the Conqueror constructed a castle, to dominate not only the town but also the nearby Welsh border.

Chester experienced substantial development during the Industrial Revolution which saw railways, canals and new roads being built. I’m so excited to be visiting there and wish I had a few more days…..but 2.5 will have to do for now.

Things I plan to see/do while I’m there:

Walk a circuit of the City Walls; 3kms approx and visit the city gates, of which there are by all accounts 7: Bridgegate, Eastgate, Newgate, Northgate, St Martin’s Gate, Watergate, and Wolf Gate. Awesome. I wonder how it compares to the city walls at Canterbury?

The amphitheatre and excavations – it will be interesting to see the comparison to the Roman amphitheatre at Guildhall in London.

The Castle (of course 🙂 ) – I love a good castle

The Cathedral – one of my favourite types of buildings to visit, they are usually quite exquisite.

The Row with it’s Tudor-style buildings – an absolute favourite in terms of architecture.

Walk alongside the river and cross at least two bridges….a must do 🙂

And last but absolutely not least….visit the famous Eastgate Clock; apparently the most photographed clock in England after Big Ben, which seems hard to believe…. This was one of the very first things about Chester that made the decision for me; I had to visit.

And so to Chester I go…..

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The Beast from the East

Posted in around the UK, cities and towns of the UK, It's my life, Travel, tagged beast from the east, https://www.instagram.com/notjustagranny/, nottingham, river trent, snow in nottingham, travel diaries on March 2, 2018| 1 Comment »

Well we were warned! No-one can say that there weren’t repeated news briefs and weather warnings about the snow and cold that was headed our way.

It all started off rather mildly in Nottingham, a few flurries and a dusting of snow on the ground and it got somewhat colder than the days before. I thought “Oh, is that it?” But no, there was more to come.

The snow flurries got thicker and more frequent and then suddenly the storm was upon us.

Unfortunately, unlike when I was in Montgomery last year, the area I’m working in is quite dull and boring; just houses, shops and fuel stations, so absolutely nothing picturesque to photograph at all.

I did though take the opportunity during one particular lull to have a brisk walk down to the river. beast from the east, snow in nottingham, river trent, tavel diaries

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The Trent Bridge

There wasn’t much snow along the banks, but still it all looked rather pretty and I took a lovely long walk along the canal that leads into the city.

the lock

The worst of the snowfall came yesterday and the temperatures plunged. Now, I love being outdoors, but I’m afraid that this time I’ve decided to give it a miss and have stayed indoors reading instead.

River Trent

My time in Nottingham is drawing to a close and I finish this assignment on Monday, after which I will be spending a day and a half exploring the city before I head to Chester! I’m well excited for that.

To keep up with my travels and the places I explore, and the projects I’m interested in, follow me on instagram or Twitter (where I tend to rant a lot…if you can bear it LOL)

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The homestead of Snot’s people

Posted in around the UK, Castles of UK and Ireland, cities and towns of the UK, Domesday Villages of England, Historical, project 101, Travel, tagged domesday book villages, nottingham castle, places to visit in the uk, project 101, robin hood and nottingham castle, travel in the UK, tunnels of nottingham castle, visit nottingham on February 19, 2018| Leave a Comment »

It is my dream and goal to visit as many places in the UK as I possibly can, especially places relative to my Project 101.

If I could spend every day travelling and going to new places I surely would…in between visiting home and my family of course 😉 I’m looking forward to the day I buy my motor home.

A few weeks ago I contacted the agency I get my assignments from and asked if they could send me farther afield than Kent…I’ve been to so many places in Kent already as well as many in the neighbouring counties, and I really wanted to extend my range again. Since Nottingham is on my list of places to go, so when they suggested a position in the city for 2 weeks I jumped at the chance.

After a long day of travel I finally arrived at Nottingham Station. It’s a long way from Broadstairs to Nottingham…5.5 hours and 3 train changes.

The Nottingham Canal that I crossed over on my way from the station to the B&B opened in 1796. I love seeing canal boats on a river, they always look so quaint and intriguing.

This is my first visit to Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, which is really exciting, as I’m now able to add this visit to a few categories on my Project 101: Domesday Book town, walled city, a major river, a castle, a cathedral city, a cathedral…which remarkably is linked to the Architect Augustus Pugin and ties in to the walk I did last year : The Way of St Augustine.

Can’t wait to explore, although proper exploration will have to wait till the assignment is finished, to which end I’ve booked to stay for a couple of days after. However there is no reason why I couldn’t pop out for a short walk around the city even though it was already dark out.

Nottingham is mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book as “Snotingeham” and “Snotingham”. Named for a Saxon Chieftain ‘Snot’, it was dubbed “Snotingaham” meaning literally, “the homestead of Snot’s people” (Inga = the people of; Ham = homestead).

First on the agenda was a visit to Nottingham Castle. I’d walked past it on my way to the B&B and seriously it was quite simply amazing…..

Nottingham Castle was constructed in the 11th century on a sandstone outcrop by the River Trent. I have never seen any such location for a castle in my life. The outcrop appears to be pock marked with caves and holes…and apparently, after reading the storyboard nearby, it seems that there are in fact tunnels and caves below the castle…..now I’m really intrigued and excited. The opening time is March which means my timing is perfect…thankfully. At the side of the castle is a fab statue of Robin Hood, he of Nottingham Forest and Maid Marion fame…..steal from the rich to feed the poor. Remember the film Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves… I wonder if he looked anything like Kevin Costner 😉

On the way there I passed Ye Olde trip to Jerusalem Inn which according to the blurb, is the oldest inn in England. Apparently this too has tunnels running beneath so of course I absolutely have to go back for a tour.

From there I took a stroll through the streets passing a fab little Tudor style house. I didn’t see many medieval style houses – I must try to find out if there are any.

The pedestrianised area is lined with the usual high street shops and stores…it look so familiar to many places I’ve been I could have been almost anywhere. Is there a template?

I did enjoy seeing the electrified trams…reminded me of Amsterdam and Dublin.

I stopped for a quick bite at Five Guys, I haven’t ever eaten there before, and probably won’t again. The sandwich I had was okay, and the fries edible but nothing to write home about.

Since it was was already very dark I decided to head back to the B&B and settle in for a nice hot bath, some T.V. – one of my favourite shows: Call the Midwife and then an early night is in order.

I’m looking forward to when the assignment is over and I can explore more thoroughly. I enjoyed finding these coats of arms and of course a door is always intriguing..

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The Isle of Thanet

Posted in around the UK, cities and towns of the UK, Domesday Villages of England, historical houses of the uk, seaside towns of Britain, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2017, walks around the UK, tagged historical towns on the isle of thanet, history of the isle of thanet, isle of thanet, ramsgate broadstairs margate, seaside towns of Britain, travel blogging, travel writing on February 5, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Three years ago when we first moved to Broadstairs I had just a tiny inkling of the history of the area known as the Isle of Thanet.

The Isle of Thanet and the Wantsum Channel.

Formed when sea-levels rose after the last glacial period (around 5000BC), with links to the Stone Age and Bronze Age, at the time of the Romans the Isle of Thanet was an actual island, separated from Kent by the Wantsum channel. This channel allowed ships to sail from the English Channel past Ebbsfleet and gain access to the river Great Stour as far as Canterbury. The Wantsum channel eventually silted up abut 200 years ago which prevented ships from entering it’s waters and eventually it was lost with the last ship sailing through the Channel in 1672; now long covered over and given over to motorways, housing estates, farmlands and wetlands.

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I found this illustration at the Brading Roman fort on the Isle of Wight

However, the history of this fair isle has not been lost and recently links were found to Caesar’s invasion of Britain on a site not far from Ramsgate.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/julius-caesar-invasion-britain-uk-site-evidence-first-discovered-kent-a8081056.html

excavated a Roman fort covering up to 49 acres (20 ha) at Ebbsfleet, and dated it to around 55–50 BC

Besides Julius Caesar, and the Vikings, another historical figure; St Augustine, landed not far from this very site in AD597 and went on to establish Christianity and an Abbey at Canterbury.

There are a number of very historical towns on the Isle of Thanet, many of which can easily be visited from London. Three of the most notable are;

Ramsgate – has the distinction of being the only Royal Harbour in the United Kingdom; decreed by George VI in 1821, Queen Victoria was a frequent visitor and first came to Ramsgate on 15 August 1823 at the age of four with her mother, the Duchess of Kent, the harbour was a chief embarkation point for the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940 aka ‘Operation Dynamo’, and the town is home to the Shrine of St Augustine.
Ramsgate
Broadstairs – aka the ‘jewel in Thanet’s crown, Broadstairs was orginally known as Bradstow(e), a chapel was built here in 1601 on an earlier religious site, here on 21 June 1815 the captured French Eagle Standard was delivered with the news of Wellington’s victory over Napoleon, Charles Dickens was a regular visitor and stayed at what is now known as ‘Bleak House, and beneath the town is a network of smuggler’s tunnels.
Viking Bay, Broadstairs
Margate – one of the first English seaside resorts, was a “limb” of Dover in the ancient confederation of the Cinque ports, and their accompanying bays – Viking Bay, Stone Bay, Louisa Bay, Minnis Bay, Palm Bay, Botany Bay, Joss Bay, and Pegwell Bay, is home to oldest building in old ‘Meergate’, the old Tudor House, built in 1525, and the Shell Grotto; an ornate subterranean passageway covered in mosaics created entirely of 4.6 million seashells.
Mrs Booth; The Shell Lady of Margate

Villages on the Isle of Thanet are:

Minster – once the “ancient capital of Thanet”, originally started as a monastic settlement in 670 AD, the first abbey in the village was founded by St. Domneva in the late 7th century.
Cliffs End – on the cliff top above Pegwell Bay is a replica of the Viking longship Hugin, it is believed that St Augutine landed nearby at Ebbsfleet in AD597 (a cross in a field on the Way of St Augustine route marks the spot of his landing, on a clear day you can see the northern tip of the French Coast from the clifftop.
St Nicholas-at- Wade – home to the 13th-century parish church of St Nicholas, after which the village and parish are named, the first rector is recorded as Adam de Brancestre in 1294.
Sarre – located at the point where the old ‘Island Road’ from Margate to Canterbury crossed the Wantsum channel, the late Roman or early Anglo-Saxon Sarre Brooch was found near the village, is home to the now defunct Sarre Windmill built in 1820.
Birchington-on-Sea – first recorded in 1240 as Birchenton, its parish church, All Saints’, dates to the 13th century, the 19th-century Pre-Raphaelite artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti is buried in the churchyard of All Saints, Minnis Bay was once the site of an Iron Age settlement and the village coastline was frequented by 19th century smugglers, and the famous Quex Park and Manor are nearby.

There are of course today a great number of new settlements and villages on the Isle of Thanet, but those listed above are the most notable.

Tudor House, Margate

You can enjoy many wonderful walks along the cliff tops or vast open beaches along the coastline of the Isle of Thanet, and a walk from Pegwell Bay to Margate Harbour will take you past Ramsgate Harbour, Dumpton Bay, Louisa Bay, Viking Bay, Stone Bay, Joss Bay, Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay, Palm Bay and Walpole Bay.

Landmarks and places to see/visit along the way are St Augustine’s Cross near Cliffsend and the Hugin Viking Ship, St Augustine’s Church & The Grange (Augustine Pugin’s house), Ramsgate Royal Harbour, Ramsgate Tunnels, Bleak House and the Dickens Museum, North Foreland Lighthouse, Fort Kings Bay, Kings Bay sea-arch, the White cliffs, chalk stacks at Botany Bay, Turner Contemporary and the Antony Gormley sculpture, the Shell Grotto and the Tudor House.

Kings Bay sea-arch

You will find a number of places to eat or for afternoon tea along the way; my favourite in Ramsgate is Riley’s Cafe, there are a few independent clifftop or beach side cafes that mostly open in summer, and there are the more historic Bleak House and the Old Curiosity Shop in Broadstairs, the Captain Digby Pub in Kingsgate, and the Old Kent Market in Margate.

isle of thanet, wantsum channel, ramsgate, broadstairs, margate

Old Kent Market, Margate

as well as a number of smaller restaurants and cafes.

In summer dozens of colourful gaily painted and decorated beach huts line the esplanade along the beaches in Ramsgate, Viking Bay and Stone Bay

Beach huts in Broadstairs

The Isle of Thanet is a treasure trove of history, interesting places to visit, and a large variety of restaurants to eat at.

Discover some of the many amazing walks on the Isle of Thanet

#100 – walks around the UK

The Way of St Augustine – Day 1

The Way of St Augustine – Day 2

The Way of St Augustine Ramsgate to Canterbury – history

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and now it’s getting real…

Posted in around the UK, cities and towns of the UK, Historical, It's my life, memories of days gone by, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2017, walks around the UK, tagged long distance walks in the uk, pilgrimage, pilgrims passport, the Pilgrim's Way, The Pilgrim's Way from Winchester to Canterbury, walk 1000 miles, walking the Pilgrim's Way, Winchester cathedral on January 22, 2018| Leave a Comment »

I recently wrote about the upcoming and impending pilgrimage along The Pilgrim’s Way from Winchester to Canterbury that I’m planning for summer/autumn 2018.

Well, now it’s getting real 🙂 I received my Pilgrim’s Passport in the mail today!! Hoorahh! Well actually my daughter opened the envelope for me since I’m still up in the north east of Wales, and sent me photos of it. The marvels of technology….whatsapp; geniiius 🙂

the pilgrims way winchester to canterbury, walking the pilgrims way, long distance walking in the uk, the pilgrims way, walk 1000 miles, baby boomers The Pilgrim’s Way – how gorgeous is this passport

the pilgrims way winchester to canterbury, walking the pilgrims way, long distance walking in the uk, the pilgrims way, walk 1000 miles, baby boomers

OMG I can’t tell you how exciting it all is. I love the planning stages; finding places to stay, reading information about the route and receiving the passport is definitely high on the scale of excitement levels …

I’m really excited about having this passport filled with stamps along the way. I remember how fantastic it was to get my Camino passport stamped at the various places I stayed, the restaurants I ate at, and the many churches I visited….thrilling.

the pilgrims way winchester to canterbury, walking the pilgrims way, long distance walking in the uk, the pilgrims way, walk 1000 miles, baby boomers, camino de santiago my Camino Passport and Compostela in Santiago

In fact I’m so yearning to do another long distance walk I’m seriously contemplating walking the 1st half of The Pilgrim’s Way in April and then the 2nd half before I fly to Spain for the Camino Inglés. 🙂

Can I do a happy dance? All on my own! Do you think anyone would find me certifiably insane LOL

I’ve visited Winchester Cathedral a number of times in the past and of course I’ve visited Canterbury Cathedral quite a lot too, but now that I have my pilgrim’s passport, I can’t wait to go visit again.

Winchester is a fascinating city. Besides that it was once a walled city and you can still see some of the medieval walls and gates, there’s King Alfred’s walk around the city, the 13th century Great Hall with a replica of the Round Table; from the mythological tales of King Arthur and the Knight’s of the Round Table, an old mill, a medieval pilgrim’s chapel above one of the gates and so much else besides…. I’m planning on staying for 2 nights and giving myself a whole day of exploring a city I truly love.

My very first visit to Winchester was in 2002 shortly after I first started living in the UK. My visit was in honour of the song: Winchester Cathedral, one of the popular songs from my teenage years, so if course it was high on my list of places to go.

Winchester Cathedral https://g.co/kgs/vmC4DU

But I digress…. It’s the excitement I’m afraid *big grin* I think you’ll be hearing /reading a lot more about Winchester and Canterbury

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It snowed again

Posted in around the UK, cities and towns of the UK, It's my life, Travel, tagged snow in wales, travel diaries, travel writing, villages of wales, winter weather on January 21, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Hoorah!!! I woke up this morning to the absolute quiet you get when it snows. It started sleeting quite early yesterday afternoon and before long we had heavy snow falling.

It stopped just before nightfall and I thought that would be it, but no, to my delight it had snowed during the night. I quickly donned my woolies, shoes and fleece, grabbed my poles and set out for the village green. snow in wales, winter weather, villages of wales, travel diaries

It looked enchanting. I love the snow and am never apologetic for just enjoying the picturesque views it offers. Long may it snow.

snow in wales, winter weather, villages of wales, travel diaries

enchanting

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3 miles to Chirbury

Posted in around the UK, cities and towns of the UK, Domesday Villages of England, historical houses of the uk, project 101, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2017, tagged 3 miles to chirbury, chirbury shropshire, domesday book villages of england, river camlad, travel blogging, travel diaries, villages of the uk, wales to england, walks in the uk, wordpress on January 21, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Ever since I first visited this area last year I’ve wanted to take a walk to Chirbury across the border in Shropshire. It’s 3 miles to Chirbury and my normal walking pace is 5 miles in 2 hours. My break time is only 2 hours and I can’t leave my client alone for longer than that, so in all 3 visits to this area, I’ve not yet been able to get there and back…6 miles; just over my pace limit.

3 miles to chirbury, villages of the uk, walks in the uk, wales to england, travel diaries

However, the daughter came to visit for 2 days, so on Friday I grabbed my chance. The weather was good, no snow or frost, and bright and more or less sunny. I suggested she make lunch for her Dad and keep him company while I took a brisk walk to Chirbury. So that is what we did…..this also gave me a break from meal preparation, which after preparing 3 meals a day for 16 days on the trot, the ‘excitement’ begins to wear a bit thin LOL

Donning thermals and thick socks, my fleece on, but sans hat and gloves (urgh., I cant believe I decided to leave them at home this trip), I grabbed my poles and set off for the 3 miles to Chirbury.

The roads here are narrow…..very narrow and at sections there is not even a sliver of space to step safely off the tarmac when traffic whizzes by. The roads are also very winding with a lot of dips and slopes, so often, even though you can hear the traffic approaching, you can’t see it….ergo they can’t see me either. It’s a tad nerve-wracking, so I keep my ears well clear and when I hear traffic approaching I get myself as far off the road as possible and turn to face the oncoming cars/vans/trucks and ensure they can see that I can see them. I wave and sometimes they wave back. It always amuses me when they swing their cars right onto the opposite side of the road….a tad over the top (no pun intended). But they whizz by safely and I get to continue in one piece. I only had to clamber into a hedge once on the whole 2.5 hour walk and that was coz I had heard a car approaching from behind a small incline, so grabbed some branches and pulled myself into the shrub as far as possible till the car went by….except the sound of his engine drowned out the sound of a 2nd car not far behind and I had no sooner returned to the road that the 2nd vehicle came flying over the top….this require split-second action and I jumped into the bush and grabbed whatever came to hand…..which left my hand all bloody and scratched. No worse than when the cat grabs my hand, but unpleasant.

3 miles to chirbury, villages of the uk, walks in the uk, wales to england, travel diaries

Welcome to Shropshire – Offa’s Dyke

Other than that, the walk went without incident and I relished the sounds of the countryside; birds tweeting and shrilling, sheep baaing across the fields, the occasional sounds of a tractor chuffing about, a horse snorting from behind a hedge, and a herd of cows snuffing their surprise when my head popped up above the edge of their shed. LOL

20 miles from Salop

They are gorgeous creatures, such big doleful eyes and pink snouts….especially gorgeous when there’s a wall between me and them 😉 Unfortunately I couldn’t get close enough for a photo; would have entailed trudging through mud and the farmers property…suffice to say they were pretty. Still young. I always feel sad though when I see them knowing what lies in their future.

Chirbury, situated in the Vale of Montgomery and just over the border from Wales, turned out to be a lot smaller than I anticipated.

Chirbury, Shropshire, England

The landscape is dotted with farms, a few grain silos give a clue as to the crops, a 12th century church; St Michael’s, the ubiquitous pub, a shop and Post Office, a scattering of houses, a barn turned into a pottery and nothing much else. Apparently, according to the 2001 census it has a population of 971!!! I have no idea where they’re all hiding. Although they do have a nursery and primary school, so I guess there must be more houses than was immediately apparent. It’s more like a hamlet really, right on the crossroads of some connecting byways; namely the A490 and B4386 routes, whilst roads and lanes from six directions converge on the village. I’m guessing that’s pretty much how it came into being…..a crossroads developed over time.

According to wikipedia: “The placename was recorded in 915 as Ċyriċbyrig in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and as Ċireberie in the Domesday Book of 1086, and means “the fort with a church”. Its Welsh name, Llanffynhonwen, means “the church of the white well” or “…of the holy well”. The fact that it’s a Domesday Book village is thrilling…now I can add another to the growing list on Project 101.

Houses in Chirbury

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Black and White House in Chirbury

The only church in Chirbury, St Michael’s, a Grade 1 listed building, is dedicated to the Archangel Michael. Built on the site of an earlier Anglo-Saxon church (circa 915), the current building dates from the 12th century with an addition in 1330 & the 18th century and restoration during the 19th century. I love exploring the old graveyards attached to these country churches, they are so full of history.

St Michael’s Church Chirbury

3 miles to chirbury, villages of the uk, walks in the uk, wales to england, travel diaries

I popped over to the pub; The Herbert Arms just in time for them to have closed up to go shopping! *sigh* I was looking forward to a nice hot cuppa and a scone with jam and cream before heading back. Oh well, no afternoon tea then.

the Yorkshireman and his Wife

Instead I dropped in at the Post Office, bought a chocolate, used the facilities and made haste on my return to Montgomery. I got wet a couple of times, but managed the home journey without too much stress. I crossed over a couple of streams on the way and the River Camlad running east and north through the parish.

River Camlad

“CHIRBURY, or Cherbury, a village and a parish in Salop; and a sub-district in Salop and Montgomery. The village stands in a fine vale, near the Welsh boundary, Offa’s dyke”

It was fab to see the border; Offa’s Dyke, between the two countries of Wales and England. I love that although there is a border on paper, the countryside doesn’t have any indication and just flows across hill and dale without a care.

By the time I got back, the light had faded and it was getting quite dark, the sun had disappeared behind a foggy cloud and I pondered the probability of carrying my visibility vest in future.