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in the footsteps of Geoffrey Chaucer and my Canterbury tales

Posted in around the UK, Fun Stuff, Historical, It's my life, Travel, tagged Camino de Santiago, Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer on February 10, 2011| 10 Comments »

so what does the heading actually mean? Well here’s the thing. I do a lot of research for my new business 3 Days In London, which as the name says, is about London. It has been a great journey so far and during my endeavours and my London #walkabouts I have uncovered and discovered some amazing facts and places. I am learning stuff I never knew and it is all fascinating. London is like an onion, as you peel each layer away, so another becomes exposed. My head is full of facts, and figures and photos and places. It is the best fun I have had and I am delighting in all that I find.

I also have a two day break coming up this weekend.

One of the things I discovered whilst doing one of the London Walks (the cards I got for Xmas), is the ancient George Inn in Southwark. Chaucer is mentioned as having frequented an Inn similar to this one during his lifetime in the 14th Century and certainly at the beginning of his what I have now discovered was his spiritual journey on the Pilgrims Route of the Camino to Canterbury. The Camino is a world-famous pilgrimage and Geoffrey Chaucer travelled from London to Canterbury via this ancient route, and subsequently wrote: The Canterbury Tales. This has intrigued me no end and I will now have to investigate further :). My education continues.

So, getting back to the subject at hand (sorry you know my mind goes all over), I wanted to do the Camino last year with my Dad and my daughter, but circumstances did not allow. (self created?) The Camino de Santiago pilgrims route/s of which there are many start from many places in the world and all end at Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. Whilst doing research for the trip last year I discovered that there is a route that starts in…………….yes!!!! London!!!! hooray! I only just recently discovered that in fact Geoffrey Chaucer also, as mentioned before, followed a pilgrims route to Canterbury. I am not sure if his intention was to go to Spain but he certainly wanted to get to Canterbury Cathedral (see the details on the wiki link). Because of Chaucer, the road from London to Canterbury is by far the most famous pilgrimage route in Britain.

So, here’s the thing…..I still want to do the ‘Camino’ for all sorts of reasons, and my daughter also wants to do it. However, since this is my London/UK year I have no real plans (yet) to go overseas till 2012. But, I do want to start the journey, so it is my plan to start this on……..Saturday 12th February! ah ha! you might say and what will you be doing? Well on Saturday 12th I will be venturing into Southwark to start my journey by eating a late meal at the George Inn,

The George Inn Southwark - National Trust

much as I am sure Chaucer would have done before he set out. I will be walking the streets of Southwark and taking photos of places in the area that may well have been there during his lifetime (like the Inn), having a meal at the Inn and then very early the next day (Sunday) I will venture into Southwark once again and follow the route he followed for the first part of his journey to Canterbury, the details of which I discovered on the web 🙂 I will also visit St James Garlickythe a unique 17th century City Church, and a sacred place since 1100 AD.

Chaucer’s second stop on the route was Greenwich, so I will make my way to Greenwich and assuming I actually get that far…..explore the area for the day, perhaps sleep over at an ‘Inn’ aka a B&B 🙂 and then make my way back home on Monday morning. I have been wanting to explore Greenwich again anyway to gather material for my blogs, so this will be a golden opportunity to ‘kill two birds with one stone’ or not! Perhaps instead of killing birds I will just take photos!

Then it is my plan to take a couple of days each month and pick up where I left off the last time and walk the whole route till I eventually reach Canterbury. This may take a while! But, I reckon that once I have reached Canterbury it should be almost the end of the year and I will be well ready to plan the next stage of the journey and venture overseas to Portugal or Spain to follow one of the many routes there. And I will of course document my journeys on my blog! 🙂

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starting a new family tradition

Posted in family and relationships, Historical, It's my life, tagged birthdays, family history, family traditions, traditions on January 5, 2011| 1 Comment »

I always used to think that traditions were something that already were and it took me some many years to realise that anyone can start a new tradition…..they don’t have to be old and well worn!

I also used to think that to be a family you had to have a Dad and a Mom and a few kids and it was only some years after my breakdown when I was having counselling that the Doctor told me in reply to a comment I made about not providing my daughter with a ‘proper’ family; he said that families come in all shapes and sizes and just coz there was no dad and only her and me did not mean that we were not a family. That was a long time ago.

Over the last decade or so (hahaha, it’s so funny to say that), I have started a couple of traditions, and my daughter who is now all grown up has started a few of her own.

Today we met up for what I realised has become a ‘new’ ‘family’ tradition.

Going back a bit in time, I (officially) moved to the UK in 2002 and my daughter came to visit sometime later and we both ended up loving London and staying, and now consider ourselves to be ‘Londoners’! So we have essentially settled here and that means that our extended family, with the exception of my brother and his wife who live in Hungary, all still live in South Africa. This means that we don’t get to see them for birthdays and family events. Last year for the first time in ages my daughter decided that it was time to start sending birthday cards. Previously it was an adhoc affair with the occassional card being posted, birthdays generally being noted with emails and phonecalls.

This year I realised that we had in fact started a new tradition when on Sunday she said to me that it was time to buy all the birthday cards again for the family, write a message, sign and address and paste stamps – ready to go at the appropriate time. (she will do the mailing of the cards since I am rubbish at sending them off in time and some get there a few weeks after the event).

So Monday we went together to buy the first of the batch, yesterday she bought the rest of the cards and today we met up in town for tea and a ‘card signing’ ceremony. So before the year has really even started we have already bought all 19 cards, written our respective messages, signed, addressed, stamped and mailed the first batch for the January birthdays…. the first of which is on the 7th January the rest of the birthdays spread out over the year, the last of which is on 5th November! The eldest family member will be 93 and the youngest 5!

And so a new family tradtion has been born! How cool is that. 🙂

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31.12.2010 last day of the year

Posted in family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Historical, Holidays, It's my life, things to do in London, tagged around London, Big Ben, Churchill War Museum, Jewel Tower London, London Pass, Old Year's Eve 2010, spending time with my daughter, travel to Twickenham, Westminster Abbey on January 1, 2011| 2 Comments »

I very sensibly put in for a few days of leave over New Year determined not to work again….for the first time in years. Leaving Highgate on Thursday I made my way over to Twickenham, looking forward to spending a few days with my girl. The evening was very therapeutic for both of us; we covered some tricky issues and managed to discuss some painful subjects and without realising it, I made a comment that suddenly gave her a completely different perspective on her current situation and opened a new door, completely inspiring her!

Friday I decided to make the most of my London Pass;

my London Pass

the intention was to visit places I had on my list and try to see as many as possible…. a quick pop in and pop out visit and gather material for the 3 Days in London blog. I managed to persuade her to come into town with me and we stopped off at Waterloo station for Starbucks (of course) and a chat. We then parted ways….she to Tottenham Court Road to do some shopping (part of her Xmas present I promised was a DVD player), and me to one of my favourite places in the world…. Westminster. I had a list of 4/5 places to visit.

I walked past Big Ben

Big Ben - 11 hours and 17 minutes till 2011

stopping only to take a few photos and then made my way to the Jewel Tower opposite the Sovereign’s Gate at Westminster Palace. I had been passed the tower but never yet visited…and it is great. The remains of what was part of the wall of the Westminster Palace complex. It’s a really interesting place to visit and there are some great items on display, amongst which were remains of original 14th Century wooden foundations, removed when the building was underpinned in 1955.

14th century wooden foundations

There is a fab view of the Sovereign’s Gate from the 1st & 2nd levels.

view of the Sovereign's Gate

The stairs, ceilings and walls are original; it’s really weird to walk on stairs where Kings and Queens once trod.

the Kings Privy Tower

From there I walked towards St James’s park via the grounds of Westminster Abbey. I had intended visiting but the queues were too long and I did not have time to waste, so made my to the Churchill War Museum; a place I had so wanted to visit in the past but never had the time. It was awesome. I was allowed to take photos inside and made a few videos too. The bunkers are set out exactly they way they were during WW2 and are quite simply awesome!!

The War Cabinet Room has been laid to show exactly how it would have looked on Tuesday 15th October 1940 at 5pm, shortly before the meeting of the War Cabinet

There is a recording of Churchill’s speeches as well as others and on one you can hear an air-raid siren. Brilliant.

Then I went back to Westminster Abbey and finally the queues were short enough to join. I am so glad I went! I have visited the Abbey before, a few years ago and had quite forgotten how incredible it is inside. The Abbey is so beautifully designed and filled with the most amazing memorials and tombs, and intricate carvings that defy belief. I was totally entranced and enjoyed a very happy 2 hours wandering about, visiting the various tombs, the Shrine of Edward the Confessor, Henry VII’s Lady Chapel, Poet’s Corner, Chapter House, Pyx Chamber

Pyx Chamber

and the Cloisters. The High altar is magnificent and the ceiling in the Lady Chapel is breath takingly beautiful. The Coronation Chair is currently being restored and situated in a glass room near the Great West Door.

Great West Door

Afterwards I made my way back to the river via Big Ben and walked along Victoria Embankment, intending to find a suitable spot to stand and wait for the London Eye fireworks

31.12.2010 - London Eye at 4.30pm

….except that I suddenly didn’t feel like standing for what would at that stage be 8 hours!!! So instead I went up Charing Cross to the South African shop to buy some eats, then along to Trafalgar Square to see the Norwegian tree that they send over each year at Christmas

the Norwegian Spruce Tree at Trafalgar Square - sent over each year at Christmas as a gift from the Norwegians

and then back to Embankment and onto the tube to Richmond and home.

We sat on the couch listening to music, chatting to my sister & her hubbie in SA via skype and then saw in the New Year and watched the fireworks on TV! Exactly what I had said I did not want to do…..see the fireworks on TV, but I was with the most important person in the world to me and we had a fab evening. A few hours later we finally crawled into bed, eyes heavy and ready to sleep, already well into 2011!

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communing with the dead

Posted in Historical, It's my life, things to do in London, tagged Highgate Cemetery, victorian cemetery in london, victorian london on November 28, 2010| 3 Comments »

one of the things I have found most fascinating since moving to the UK 9 years ago are the cemeteries! Not just any cemetery mind….but ancient churchyard cemeteries and gothic cemeteries. They are evocative, secretive, and fascinating in the extreme, offering a glimpse into lives long over, by a multitude of causes from disease to fire with in some instances whole families wiped out by one cataclysmic event, those of children the most heart-rending.

: Fanny Elizabeth Stokes – died 22 February 1873 aged 7 years

Ireland is one of the best countries for visiting really ancient cemeteries and graveyards, one of which of course would be Glendalough (see the link below)…..absolutely fascinating.

I have visited hundreds of churchyards since living in the UK and find the smaller graveyards in old churches to be of great interest. So much about a village can be told by the stories written on the memorials and gravestones. Nearer to home (currently) and on a much larger scale is the Highgate Cemetery….in Highgate of course 🙂 north London. Often on my way to the village I walk along the perimeter of the cemetery and spend time peering through the railings at the gravestones reading their stories. I also take loads of photos; of course! 🙂

entrance to the west side of Highgate Cemetery - the older section

Highgate Cemetery is a Victorian Gothic cemetery first used in 1860 to inter a young lass; Mary Ann Webster, a baker’s daughter.

Highgate Cemetery, originally known as the Cemetery of St James at Highgate, is one of a series of large, formally landscaped burial grounds established around London during the early part of Queen Victoria’s reign, and offers a fascinating glimpse into Gothic London.
Victorian society had been outraged by the scandalous practices and overcrowding in existing burial grounds and the consequential insanitary conditions which this engendered. Parliamentary action enable private companies to create a ring of burial grounds around London which could reflect the eclecticism of Victorian taste; secure, elegant, ordered and imposing!

orderly rows of the dead

Highgate Cemetery is the most prestigious and dramatic evocation of these features.
Situated in the north of London N6, the first interment was on June 12th 1860 – 16 year-old Mary Ann Webster, a baker’s daughter was buried. The Cemetery, still a working burial ground has been run by the FOHC Friends of Highgate Cemetery, a non-profit organisation, since 1981.
Amongst the many tombs and graves that fill the cemetery to the brim, in excess of 50,000, are the world-famous Egyptian Avenue, catacombs, and a great number of ostentatious memorials heavily decorated, some featuring eye-catching inscriptions as well as poems.

169,000 people buried in 52,500+ graves

Highgate Cemetery is one of England’s finest Victorian cemeteries and is listed as a site of ‘Outstanding Architectural and Historial Importance’, a Grade I listed park. There are some 169,000 people buried in more than 52,500 graves in the east and west sides of the cemetery.
The formal borders and shrubberies planted by designers of Highgate Cemetery in the 19th century have largely gone and in their place, gentle decay, resulting in a ‘romantic confusion of plants, memorials and crumbling buildings.’

sunken graves and lop-sided stones

By the 1970’s the invasive sycamore created havoc as branches and roots damaged memorials and buildings. The cemetery offers a diveristy of wildlife and the introduction of native trees such as oak, willow, birch and hawthorn have greatly increased the diversity of insect life and provided a wider basis to food chains for wild life, with a developing woodland canopy with it’s undertow of shrubs, herbs and grasses, neadow areas and pathways where flowering plants such as greater burnet, knapweed, ragged robin, lords and ladies, ox-eye daises and many others grow, as well as ferns and and mosses.

this is one of my favourite pic - check how the vine has wrapped itself round the headstone, now almost one with the tree

A walk round the cemetery offers a remarkable insight into Victorian London and many famous persons are buried here; namely:
Douglas Noel Adams 1952-2001 – author of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
George Eliot 1819-1880 – English novelist and author of Silas Marner & Middlemarch etc.
Michael Faraday 1781-1867 – one of the greatest scientists of the 19th Century.
William Alfred Foyle 1885-1963 – Bookseller – founded the world-famous Charing Cross Road
William Edward Friese-Greene 1855-1921 – claimed inventor of cinematography.

memorial to William Friese-Greene 1855-1921

John Lobb 1829-1895 – maker of bespoke boots & shoes; shoe-maker to Royalty
Anna Mahler 1904-1988 – award-winning sculptor born in Vienna, daughter of composer Gustav Mahler
Karl Heinrich Marx 1818-1883 – the world’s most influencial political philosopher.
Richard ‘Stoney’ Hovis 1836-1900 Baker who in 1886 launched Hovis, the 21st mass-produced brown (wheatgerm) bread.

And many many more.

Visiting the cemetery: http://www.highgatecemetery.org.uk/

Glendalogh – glen of two lakes

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The Lord Mayors Show 13 November 2010

Posted in Fun Stuff, Historical, interesting things that happen in London, It's my life, things to do in London, tagged The Lord Mayors Show London 2010 on November 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Wow!! what a fantastic show. I had the best day ever on Saturday, was totally impressed and can tell you one thing for sure….no other country can do Pomp and Ceremony like the Brits!!! F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.

Pomp and Ceremony

The day started out grey and grim and I sent a tweet to my twitterverse to please wish for sunshine….we almost made it. By the time I left home I could see patches of blue sky…and the rain held off for the day!! Bloody marvellous.
I was so excited by the time I headed off for the bus…I have been in the UK for 9 years now and this is the first opportunity I have had to attend the Lord Mayor’s Show; a nearly 800 year-old tradition in The City of London. An annual event of 3 miles of fun, music and pageantry to welcome in the new Lord Mayor.
The lastest mayor being one Alderman Michael Bear, 683rd person to be elected to office, and latest in a long line of Lord Mayors that stretches back through centuries since 1189 when Henry Fitz-Ailwyn first held office.

cariciature of The Lord Mayor 1881

An illustrious position once held by Whittington, Lord Mayor of London thrice in his lifetime, the first in 1398.
“Turn again, Whittington,
Once Lord Mayor of London!
Turn again, Whittington,
Twice Lord Mayor of London!
Turn again, Whittington,
Thrice Lord Mayor of London!

The Lord Mayor’s Show dates to 1215 when King John allowed the City to elect it’s own mayor. The processional route takes you through thousands of years of history; a rich tapestry of events, places and streets of London over the centuries.

the processional route

Starting at the Guildhall

The Guildhall (1411-1440 15th Century Gothic)

and accompanied by the Mayor’s personal bodyguard,

Pikemen and Musketeers

Pikemen and Musketeer The Lord Mayors bodyguard by Royal Warrant

the coach winds it was through the streets of London, preceded by floats, the Pageantmaster,

The Pageantmaster - responsible for organising the event

Livery Companies, organisations, Merchantmen, buses, businesses, flambouyant carnival style costumes, marching bands, horse-guards charities, Freemasons, members of the Territorial Army, Cadets and a long line of wonderful coaches bearing the Aldermen of the City of London, 145 in all as well as zulu warriors and dancers

Zulu warrior

– supported by Standard Bank and reminescent of the Lord Mayor’s roots.. More than 6,500 people take part in the show and hundreds of thousands of spectators from far and near line the streets to see it.
The Lord Mayor’s State Coach,

The Lord Mayor's Coach

built in 1757 has pride of place and travels to St Paul’s Cathedral where it stops briefly (about 5 minutes), the Lord Mayor is welcomed into the city and blessed by the Dean of St Paul’s, a ceremony that takes place on the steps for all the citizens of the city to witness.

re-joining the parade from St Paul's Cathedral

From there it re-joins the parade and proceeds along Ludgate Hill, into Fleet Street past Prince Henry’s Room

Prince Henry's Room - Fleet Street

and into The Strand to The Royal Courts of Justice,

in front of The Royal Courts of Justice

the crowds following close behind. The journey pauses here for just over an hour while the Lord Mayor swears his allegiance to the Crown.
The procession starts once again and winds it’s way through Temple, along Victoria Embankment up past Puddle Dock, into Queen Victoria Street and thence to Mansion House – (completed in 1758 a rare surviving Georgian town palace) – the home and office of the Lord Mayor for the time he is in office.
Thereafter a gap of approx 2.5 hours and to end the event a fabulous display of aquabatics, a row-past by the Thames Traditional Rowing Association, (at which point I waved enthusiastically to Joe (from twitter) of The Brightside Six) who were part of the regatta,

Thames Traditional Rowing Association

dancing water fountains and fireworks on the Thames.

The Lord Mayor's Show - fireworks on the Thames end the show

fireworks on the Thames - a sparkling end to a sparkly day

The Lord Mayor is not to be confused with the Mayor of London, a completely different role. The Lord Mayor is primarily an international ambassador for the UK and spends 90 days a year travelling to around 23 countries, promoting the Square Mile aka the City of London.

griffin and herald - City of London

I was lucky enough to find a fabulous spot right near the steps of St Paul’s for that part of the ceremony and then another just past the Royal Courts of Justice for the 2nd part. I then followed the parade right to the end at Mansion House and thence to the Guildhall to see the coach in it’s display case.

The Lord Mayor's Coach

It was quite amazing to be part of this historical procession and to witness an event that has been re-enacted for almost 800 years. It was quite weird to see a funfair at St Paul’s too!!!

the fair comes to St Paul's

I phoned my sister in South Africa so she could listen to the bells ringing but unfortunately all she could hear was static. The bells rang out across the city, almost continuously for the whole time except when the Lord Mayor was actually at the cathedral. The streets were lined with thousands of people and an air of excitement pervaded the city. I had ever such a fabulous day, rushing along the pavements and streets of London following the parade, chatting to people, being cheeky with the police (heehee), and generally having a brilliant time. The day ended off with a pledge fulfilled and fireworks… the pledge was to Joe from twitter…I had said I would wave my pink scarf as they went by and so I did….and he saw me!!! how much fun is that!

It is fantastic to be able to witness these events and I am eternally grateful that I now live here…….London for ever 🙂 I am truly addicted!

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even Katie Price has nothing on this guy!!

Posted in around the UK, Fun Stuff, Health, Historical, interesting things that happen in London, things to do in London, tagged bonfire night, events in the UK, gunpowder plot of 1605, guy fawkes, Traditional events in London on November 5, 2010| 4 Comments »

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot…

Yup, it’s that time of the year again….Bonfire night! aka ‘Guy Fawkes’ night. Guy Fawkes; infamous for attempting to assassinate King James I. All round about the UK this event (or non event) is celebrated/commemorated with Fireworks,

fireworks for November 5th

burning effigies,

effigies

and lovely brightly flaming bonfires!!

bonfire night

the sound and smell of autumn and the commemoration of an event that happened (or didn’t) 405 years ago!! talk about keeping yourself in the news!! Even Katie Price has nothing on this guy! excuse the pun! 🙂

Guy Fawkes - still in the news even after 405 years!

Guy Fawkes (13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606),born in 1570 in Stonegate, York, the second of four children born to Edward Fawkes, and his wife, Edith.

aka Guido Fawkes, the name he adopted while fighting for the Spanish in the Low Countries
Guy Fawkes belonged to a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605
Fawkes was born and educated in York. His father died when Fawkes was eight years old
His mother then married a recusant Catholic and Fawkes later converted to Catholicism
Left for the continent; fought in the Eighty Years’ War on the side of Catholic Spain against Protestant Dutch reformators
Travelled to Spain to seek support for a Catholic rebellion in England; unsuccessful. Later met Thomas Wintour, with whom he returned to England
Wintour introduced Fawkes to Robert Catesby, who planned to assassinate King James I and restore a Catholic monarch to the throne
The plotters secured the lease to an undercroft beneath the House of Lords, and Fawkes was placed in charge of the gunpowder they stockpiled there
Prompted by the receipt of an anonymous letter, the authorities searched Westminster Palace during the early hours of 5 November, and found Fawkes guarding the explosives
Incarcerated in the Tower of London,

Tower of London - Traitors Gate

over the next few days, he was questioned and tortured, and eventually broke

implements of toture at the Tower - the rack and manacles

Immediately before his execution on 31 January, Fawkes jumped from the scaffold where he was to be hanged and broke his neck, thus avoiding the agony of the drawing and quartering that followed
Fawkes became synonymous with the Gunpowder Plot, which has been commemorated in England since 5 November 1605
His effigy is burned on a bonfire, often accompanied by a firework display.

And with the fun and fireworks comes the dangers associated with fire. Of course this year the Fire Brigade have chosen this weekend to air their grievances with a strike that starts on Friday 5th thru to Sunday 7th November.

Here is some advice to keep you safe:

use a taper to light fireworks and stand well back

once fireworks are lit, dont go back!

if you are building a bonfire, keep it clear of buildings, fences, barns, garden sheds, foliage and flammable liquids

never ever use flammable liquids to light the fire!! they are explosive and can cause massive injuries, even death

be sure to keep your bonfire under control and never leave it alone and untended

keep children at a safe distance and dont leave them unattended.

keep a bucket of water handy to douse any escaping flames or sparklers and use said water to douse the embers once the bonfire has burned down.

Bonfire night is a wonderful excuse to don those winter coats, scarves and hats and head off to the professional events that are held country wide! have a great time and be fire-wise!!! Here is a site with Bonfire Safety Advice…take a look, it’s worth the time spent.

wish you all a great time and enjoy the firework displays if you get to go!!

thanks to: edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com; chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com and telegraph.co.uk for the pic off google images

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Halloween……….

Posted in Fun Stuff, Historical, Interesting articles, tagged halloween on October 31, 2010| 2 Comments »

Jack-o'-Lantern on Halloween

Halloween (or Hallowe’en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31, primarily in the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holiday All Saints’ Day, but is today largely a secular celebration.

Common Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching horror films.

The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the “lighter half” of the year and beginning of the “darker half”, and is sometimes regarded as the “Celtic New Year”.

The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family’s ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces. Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames. Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.

Another common practice was divination, which often involved the use of food and drink.

The name ‘Halloween’ and many of its present-day traditions derive from the Old English era
The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even (“evening”), that is, the night before All Hallows Day. Up through the early 20th century, the spelling “Hallowe’en” was frequently used, eliding the “v” and shortening the word. Although the phrase All Hallows is found in Old English (ealra hālgena mæssedæg, mass-day of all saints), All-Hallows-Even is itself not attested until 1556.

thanks to wikipedia for the photo and info…..for much more click here

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Halloween in Twickenham

Posted in around the UK, family and relationships, Historical, It's my life, Travel, tagged 19th century cemetery, halloween comes to twickenham, sweetie pies cupcakes, Twickenham on October 24, 2010| 3 Comments »

Halloween at Sweetie Pies in Twickenham

Yesterday my daughter and I went to Sweetie Pies Boutique Bakery in Twickenham to do some strategy planning for her business (just an excuse really to partake of the cupcakes 🙂 ). Sweetie Pies as you have probably gathered is one of my favourite places to visit when I am out this way….their cupcakes are heavenly and the store is quaint and adorable.
Yesterday was no exception and when we arrived I noticed the cutest cupcakes on display for Halloween.

Sweetie Pies cupcakes in Twickenham

In fact why not head out to Twickenham for Halloween in Church Street this coming Saturday 30th. They are marking the event with a host of goodies and fun entertainment for all the family.
Sweet Memories will have face-painting from 12 midday and a trick and treat corner, all for £3.50 per child.
Sweetie Pies often host themed events and with Halloween coming up they are planning a Cupcake decorating day on Saturday 30th October. The workshops take place in the Sweetie Pies creepy courtyard (weather permitting) between 4-5pm (ages 4-7) and 5.30-6.30pm (ages 7-12) for £12.

Spook-tastic Halloween cupcake decorating at Sweetie Pies

Langtons will be holding a Spooky Story time from 2pm in the childrens section – Free. In The Square you will be able to enjoy the witches scene from Macbeth performed by the Mary Wallace Theatre. There will be apple-bobbing from 5.30pm and a Fancy Dress Competition at 6pm with prizes for the scariest costume.
The Fox will be hosting the Eel Pie Pirates; a live local band from 8.30pm onward. So go on down and enjoy their grooves.

We had a most enjoyable couple of hours at Sweetie Pies; chatting, planning and drinkings copious cups of tea. Being autumn, the days tend to darken rather early so by 5pm when the shop closed we headed down to the river for a stroll along the riverside. The stroll only lasted about 5 minutes….it was too darn cold, so quickly taking a few photos of the setting sun over the river,

sunset on the Thames at Twickenham

we then made our way back to St Margaret’s which is where she is now living. On the way we passed an old, now disused 19th Century cemetery and slipped through the massive wrought-iron gates for a look around.

19th century cemetery

Although the cemetery was closed in 1955, generations of people living in Twickenham have ancestors buried there. Here you will also find buried contemporaries of Nelson and Wellington as well as a grave from the First World War. The cemetery is now a haven to a multitude of wildlife; a tawny owl, squirrels, foxes, pipstrells, the great spotted woodpecker and many other smaller birds. A suitable venue for the season.

autumn

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off with their heads….

Posted in around the UK, Castles of UK and Ireland, Historical, interesting things that happen in London, things to do in London, tagged The Tower of London on October 19, 2010| 2 Comments »

The Tower of London holds many secrets and hides a bloody past behind it’s walls.

The Tower of London

Not so hidden is the place where many executions took place. The youngest person to die at the hands of the executioner was just 16 years old; Lady Jane Grey… queen for just 9 days and then beheaded!

Tower Green

If nothing else the citizens of this tiny island were a blood thirsty and violent bunch. A visit to the Tower of London is a fascinating trip back in history and parts of the tower date back to 1075 when William the Conqueror started work on what is known as The White Tower

The White Tower

– the Norman Tower; built on the south-east of the ancient Roman city to control Londoners and deter invaders. Between 1238 and 1240 Henry III expanded the castle beyond the Roman city boundary. I took a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) tour which was highly entertaining, filled with fascinating facts and amusing anecdotes.

Yeoman Warder

This lasted for 45 minutes and the I took myself on a tour of the grounds, towers and ramparts. It always gives me a thrill to walk in the footsteps of well known figures like King Henry VIII who used to wait at the riverside gates for his brides and Ralegh who was imprisoned 3 times in the tower.

Ralegh's walk

Tower Green is the spot where 3 queens, two lords and two ladies were beheaded as traitors. Walking in the footsteps of Ralegh, Edward I and Henry III is beyond amazing, and in the medieval palace they have recreated King Edward’s chamber.

King Edward's chamber

Dotted on the ramparts are wrought-iron figures depicting soldiers and archers in battle-stance.

soldiers on the ramparts

The traitors gate,

Traitors Gate

chapels and towers make for a fascinating visit with the highlight being a visit to see the crown jewels, the most secured area in London. They are quite beyond magnificent with jewels to make your eyes water. 130 people in total live in the Tower and they host many events and on occasion re-enactments of historical events. The ravens of which there are 9 (3 for back-up) are well looked after, legend has it that if the ravens leave the palace the monarch will fall……so, as you can imagine these are the most well looked after birds in history!

the tower ravens

There are laods of guns, cannons and various items of weaponry dotted about the grounds, of which this was by far the most magnificent!

bronze 24-pounder gun and cast-iron carriage

This gun, which weights 5 3/4 tons was probably made in the Low Countries in 1607, commissioned by the Knights of Malta. It is richly decorated with a variety of images representing the Order’s Religious and Humanitarian role. It was brought to England around 1800. An awesome place to visit.

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discovering London

Posted in Fun Stuff, Historical, interesting things that happen in London, It's my life, things to do in London, tagged All Souls Church, Barclays Bicycle hire, Beau Brummel, Burlington Arcade, Burlington House, Charing Cross station, Fortnum and Mason, Regent Street, sheep in Savile Row, St James's Church, The Haunch of Venison, Waterloo Place on October 13, 2010| 2 Comments »

As you will have noticed from yesterday’s post I went #walkabout through London again on Monday afternoon! 🙂 boring of me to say this again, but……London is my all time favourite place to be and I enjoy discovering new things each time I go walkabout! 🙂

The reason for this particular excursion was of course to see the sheep in Savile Row… that was fun, albeit not as exciting as the elephants back in 2006 and many of the other fab events that London hosts on a regular basis. So going by the indicator on the map on the Timeout website I headed towards Oxford Circus, which if the hustle and bustle is anything to go by…..is a real circus! Some time back the Mayor very sensibly approved a scheme to make the area more easily traversed (The redesigned Oxford Circus, which opened November 2nd 2009, after a two-year, £5m makeover, contains two big innovations. As well as crossing the intersection laterally, pedestrians now have a 30-second window when all traffic stops and they can go at a diagonal along a giant X marked into the junction with metal studs. Known to road engineers, slightly alarmingly, as a “pedestrian scramble”, it is modelled on the famously frantic junction adjoining Shibuya station in central Tokyo.)

Oxford Circus London

Following the general direction on the website map I passed John Lewis where I noticed a fab wall sculpture ‘Winged Figure’

Winged Figure - John Lewis on Oxford Street

After a fair amount of walking and realising that evidently Savile Row was not where they said it was I headed back towards Oxford Circus and decided to start at the top end of Regent Street and make my way down till I found what I was looking for 🙂

I absolutely love these new direction finder maps dotted around London

In so doing, I finally got to visit a church that had been on my list of ‘places to visit’ for ages – All Souls Church, Langham Place. All Souls Church is unique as the last surviving church built by John Nash, who also developed nearby Regent’s Park and Regent Street, and was completed in December 1823 at a final cost of £18,323-10s-5d, and opened in November 1824.

All Souls Church, Langham Place, London

Eventually I found my objective and thoroughly enjoyed the brief encounter.

sheep in Savile Row 🙂

Finding at myself at the end of Savile Street it was an easy decision as to where my next stop would be; just to the right I had spied what appeared to be a fascinating building that I had not seen before! Cool!

The Haunch of Venison....I know!!! what a name and what a fab building

After exploring the perimeter and being curious I ventured inside….OhMyWord!!! It is lovely! In contrast to the exterior which is old and quite grubby with the buildup of debris over the years, the interior is just fabulous!

a sweeping staircase leading up from the foyer

I will write more about this fabulous gallery in another post on my 3 Days In London.info blog. Suffice to say it is going to be added to my list of great places to visit. After a most satisfying visit looking at artwork that leaves your mouth agape, I then made my way back to Regent Street and decided to continue on to Piccadilly Circus. Enroute I passed Burlington Arcade; Burlington Arcade was Britain’s very first shopping Arcade, opened in 1819 to great acclaim and now recognised as an historic and architectural masterpiece

Burlington Arcade - Piccadilly, London

I strolled through the arcade enjoying the goods on display. Burlington Arcade is locked up at night and boasts it’s own Police Force, independent of the London Metropolitan Force. Exiting into Piccadilly I noticed that across the road was Fortnum and Mason, due a visit! But before that I was totally intrigued by a buidling on my left that certainly deserved further exploration!

Burlington House, Piccadilly, London

Burlington House was originally a private Palladian mansion expanded in the mid 19th century after being purchased by the British government. The main building is at the northern end of the courtyard and houses the Royal Academy. Again this bears further exploration! From there I then crossed over for a visit to Fortnum and Mason

Fortnum and Mason, Piccadilly, London

Whoa!! Beautiful, beautiful. The window dressings are gorgeous and the shelves inside groan with delicious goods, from the four corners of the planet as well goodies for the more macarbe occassions we celebrate.

halloween comes to Fortnum and Mason

From there I visted the Piccadilly Arcade: The Piccadilly Arcade has always offered traditional quality, luxury and style. The same is true today as it was in 1910, with a unique blend of specialist shops.

Piccadilly Arcade, between Piccadilly and Jermyn Street

As I wandered through the arcade I was whisked back into my childhood by a window display –

Toy Soldiers!!!!

My Grandfather had a fabulous collection of toy soldiers and such like when I was a kid and I remember being entranced by the little characters, and this was a trip down memory lane for me!!! I stepped into the store to take my fill of the display. The proprietor of ‘The Armory of St James’, was happy for me to take photos. 🙂 I had noticed at the end of the arcade, resplendent in the sunlight, the statue of a ‘dandy’….I am simply unable to bypass a statue without stopping to find out who and when! I then made the acquaintance of ‘Beau Brummel’ 1778-1840 and the quote: “to be truly elegant, one should not be noticed”.

Beau Brummel 1778 - 1840. to be found in Jermyn Street, St James's, London

Turning left I walked passed Princes Arcade (for which I have been unable to find much historical info)

Princes Arcade - east of Piccadilly Arcade

Princes Arcade is adjacent to St James’s Church on Piccadilly so that was my next stop! St James’s Church is one of Wren’s Churches; The foundation stone was laid on 3 April 1676 by the Earl of St. Albans and the Bishop of London and in Robert Hooke’s Diary for this date is an entry — ‘St. Albans Cornerstone layd’— which presumably refers to the event.

St James's Church - Piccadilly; a Wren church

the church is really lovely inside and imbues a sense of peace and calm. I found a beautiful marble font

beautiful marble carved font

The church boasts a magnificent organ that towers over the interior

the organ in St James's church

By now I was famished and parched……like being in the ruddy desert!!! So without further ado I set off to find somewhere to have a cuppa! I spied with my little eye…..

Costa Coffee!!! cuppachino and an almond croissant...yummy 🙂

Fully satiated and raring to go, I set off to walk the end bit of Regent Street and explore Waterloo Place where I made the acquaintance of Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale

she stands in front of a magnificent memorial to the Crimean War

memorial to the Crimean War

as well as many other fascinating memorials and statues….well worth a visit for a look into history.

memorial to Field Marshall Lord Clyde

There is a very pretty little park nearby and some gorgeous buildings with interesting facades. For cycling enthusiasts there is one of the Barclays Cycle hire stands

Barclays cycle hire

From there I skipped down the stairs past the column that supports a statue of Frederick Duke of York, 2nd son of George III that presides high on his loft with a fab view of St James’s Park and surrounding area.

Frederick, Duke of York. 2nd son of George III

There is a doorway at the base and I am curious to know if the top of the column is accessible….the view must be phenomenal. Must find out some time! A short walk took me to St James’s park which is looking so gorgeous…the weather was fabulous and it almost feels like spring rather than autumn where the citizens of our fair city and tourists alike were making the most of the sunshine

St Jame's Park just off The Mall

There is a really lovely memorial on the corner of St James’s park

memorial on the corner of St James's Park

as you walk towards Admiralty Arch. A short walk then took me past the Police Memorial,

Police Memorial adjacent to the Citadel near Horse-Guards parade

past Capt. James Cook’s statue, through Admiralty Arch and past Trafalgar Square which is really just gorgeous in the sunshine

Trafalgar Square

by now my time was running short so it was time to head home. Enroute to Charing Cross station I walked past Craven Street (where I discovered Benjamin Franklin’s house a few weeks earlier), so nipped down the steps for a quick photo. And another of the Barclays bicycle stands are right there! There are also some really lovely modern buildings in the area and I was particularly entranced by this one

beautiful day reflected in a beautiful building

then a short walk later and I was at Charing Cross station

Charing Cross Station

and so to home……………

directional signboards inside the station

what a marvellous day. I am particularly impressed with the directional signboards that now dot the city, they prove to be very helpful when you are just not quite sure where a particular road is, and also give you an approximate distance in time.