Seeing England With a Pekingese

17/03/2024

Salisbury is quite a small city, with a variety of historic buildings and structures. Its most prominent can be spotted from miles around.

THE CATHEDRAL, ITS AMAZING SPIRE, AND THE MAGNA CARTA
Salisbury Cathedral, was built between 1220-1256. Since 1549, it has the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom, (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), at 404 ft. (123 m). Its clock, is among the oldest working clocks in the world. Adding to the prestige of this grand edifice, it is home to the best surviving original copy of Magna Carta*.

< Tower Tour >
Visitors can take the ‘Tower Tour’, where the interior of the spire, with its ancient ‘wooden scaffolding’, can be viewed.

< Cloister and Close >
The Cathedral has the largest cloister, and close, in Great Britain, (England Scotland and Wales), at 80 acres. The close comprises buildings associated with the Cathedral.

< Magna Carta >
Issued in June 1215, it was the first document to put into writing the principle that, the king (a monarch) and his government are not above the law. It sought to prevent the king from exploiting his power, and placed limits of royal authority by establishing ‘law as a power in itself’.

—
A point of reference:
The association between having an Anglican cathedral, and being called a city, was established in the early 1540s. King Henry VIII founded dioceses, each having a Cathedral, in six English towns. He granted them city status, by issuing letters patent. A city with a cathedral is often termed a cathedral city.

27/02/2024

- Part 3 of 3
“Lindum Colonia, was the Roman settlement which is now called Lincoln, in Lincolnshire. It was founded as a Roman Legionary Fortress.

Lincoln was developed from an Iron Age settlement of Britons. Over time, its name was shortened to Lincoln, after successive settlements, incL Saxons and Danes.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindum_Colonia

27/02/2024

- Part 2 of 3
“Lindum Colonia, was the Roman settlement which is now called Lincoln, in Lincolnshire. It was founded as a Roman Legionary Fortress.

Lincoln was developed from an Iron Age settlement of Britons. Over time, its name was shortened to Lincoln, after successive settlements, incL Saxons and Danes.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindum_Colonia

27/02/2024

- Part I of 3
“Lindum Colonia, was the Roman settlement which is now called Lincoln, in Lincolnshire. It was founded as a Roman Legionary Fortress.

Lincoln was developed from an Iron Age settlement of Britons. Over time, its name was shortened to Lincoln, after successive settlements, incL Saxons and Danes.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindum_Colonia

30/01/2024

(p**nunciation in British English: ‘worik’)
.

“Warwick is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon.

Warwick has ancient origins, and an array of historic buildings, notably from the Mediæval, [500 to 1500AD], Stuart [1603 to 1714AD], and Georgian [1714 to c.1830 -1837) eras. It was a major fortified settlement from the early Middle Ages, the most notable relic of this period being Warrick Castle, a major tourist attraction.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warwick

18/01/2024

AND
South Kensington
.

Having an interest in tapestries, especially authentic Mediæval ones, I set out to see the V&A’s amazing collection, which form only a small portion of the Museum’s immensity. All the corridors and galleries combined, constitute around 5 miles of wall to wall priceless artefacts.

As usual my darling Henry was with me. Unfortunately, because of the dim lighting I was unable to capture his sweet face in the pictures.

I hope you enjoy the tapestries. The collection ranges from the Mediæval period, (500 AD to 1500), and Renaissance (15th & 16th century) masterpieces. I’ve added some sculptures and others for your enjoyment.

https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/if-youre-into-it

15/01/2024

THE CITY AND
CATHEDRAL
London

London’s City district and Southwark Cathedral, [p**n. suthark] are neighbours. Although this visit was on a Sunday, there were so many people strolling around. Mostly folks from overseas. Henry was kept warm in his buggy, with a blanket and a heat pad.

Southwark Cathedral:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwark_Cathedral

City district of London:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_London

05/01/2024

THE ‘CHILTONS’ (Part 2)
(Incl. Princes Risborough, and, erm … Bryants Bottom)
High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire.

Photos of the stately Manor House and green areas.

03/01/2024

THE ‘CHILTONS’ (Part 1)
(Incl. Saunderton, Princes Risborough, and, erm … Bryants Bottom)
High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire

- The Chilterns -
“Lying just north-west of London, the Chilterns AONB covers 324 square miles of rolling chalk downlands, iconic riversides and ancient woodlands across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire. The area is easily accessible from major towns”

- Princes Risborough -
Princess Risborough is a market town, at the foot of the Chilton Hills. The town is overlooked by the Whiteleaf Cross, a chalk cross carved into the hillside, that's just northeast of the town. The town has a story which stretches back over 5,500 years with Neolithic farmers, Saxons and Romans - all having left their mark on this ancient landscape.

- Bryants Bottom -
Located in a deep valley, Bryants Bottom consists of 66 households and is surrounded by farmland and beech woods. The Chilterns around Bryants Bottom is a heavily wooded landscape, with the famous beechwoods the jewel in the crown. The changing colours of these woods, through spring green above carpets of bluebells to rich autumn golds adds variety and beauty to the valley.

- Hughenden Manor (house and grounds)-
Hughenden Manor is a Victorian mansion, with earlier origins, that served as the country house of the Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield.

02/01/2024

Another full day of rain. Grrrrr!! Will it never end! Henry is sooo fed up. We need adventure!
Come on, you ‘Powers That Be’, bring us some dry days, and blue skies, so we can get out. 🌧️☔️⚡️😩

31/12/2023

Rain and hazardous high winds, have put the kibosh on our England days out … actually, for that matter, any days out, to ‘anywhere’! Since our last trip, Basildon Park, (Berkshire), the weather has been quite horrendous.

Right! That’s it! 😫 No more of this negative prattle - we’ll head out, and see England, regardless.

Mediocrity be gone!

All the English historic buildings - the Palaces and stately homes, are closed over Winter, but there’s plenty more to see. Watch this space for updates.

I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year! 💛🧡❤️🐾🍷🥳

23/12/2023

Hi folks
It’s Winter here - cold, wet and with reduced light, in England, U.K. our trips outside of London are temporarily suspended. Henry Peke and I are still getting around London though. We hope to bring you more photos soon.
Wishing you a wonderfully-merry Yuletide. 💛🧡❤️🐾

18/12/2023

,
London
(Previous to being incorporated into Greater London, Chingford formed part of the county of Essex).

“4,270 acres of ‘ancient woodland’, with grassland, heath, streams, bogs and ponds. It was designated a royal forest meaning that only the monarch had the right to hunt deer. The area that became Epping Forest has been continuously wooded since Neolithic times.” ….

The forest has a rich and fascinating history.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epping_Forest

18/12/2023

, England

“The house was built between 1776 and 1783. Never fully completed, it passed through a succession of owners. In 1910 it was standing empty and in 1914, it was requisitioned by the British Government as an army convalescent hospital. It was again sold in 1928 and quickly sold again. In 1929, following a failed attempt to dismantle and rebuild the house in the US, it was stripped of many of its fixtures and fittings and all but abandoned” …

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basildon_Park

02/11/2023

Church College, University of Oxford.

You may recollect seeing this place before. That’s because arry’s Potter’s HOGWARTS dining hall was filmed here. It’s real name, the ‘Christ Church Great Hall’.

“‘Christ Church (Latin: Ædes Christi, the temple or house, ædēs, of Christ, and thus sometimes known as ‘The House’) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniquely a joint foundation of the university and the cathedral of the Oxford diocese, Christ Church Cathedral, which also serves as the college chapel and whose dean is ex officio the college head.’”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church,_Oxford

02/11/2023

Including the campus of , University College.
Built in 1546

Photos taken, during a very brief evening stroll, in one of the world’s most renown university cities. I plan on returning during daylight hours, to see and photograph a lot more.

“[Cambridge] is most famous as the home of the University of Cambridge, which was founded in 1209 and consistently ranks among the best universities in the world.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge

25/10/2023

When National Rail trains suffer delays, cancellations, or worse still, industrial action, (in other words, strikes), one can always rely on diverse, educational and inspirational, London.

This church is relatively modern, its interior is largely in the Gothic Revival style, of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

ARTS & CRAFTS MOVEMENT
Founder: William Morris
“The Arts & Crafts movement emerged in the second half of the 19th century, in reaction to the social, moral, and aesthetic chaos created by the Industrial Revolution. The A&CM was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America”.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_movementa

WILLIAM MORRIS
(1834-1896)
Founder and pioneer, Arts and Crafts Movement, (A&CM), and, member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of groundbreaking painters. Morris’s pieces, comprised:
- Mediæval-revival furniture, (featuring ornate wooden carvings)
- soft furnishings and,
- wallpapers, (featuring British flora and fauna).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morris

EDWARD BURNE-JONES
(1833-1898
- Co-pionner, ‘Arts and Crafts Movement’.
- Painter, member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood).
- Stained Glass Glazier (designed and made the windows, at this church and a number of others around England).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Burne-Jones

PRE-RAPHAELITE BROTHERHOOD
(19 c. painters)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Raphaelite_Brotherhood

DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI
Founder, Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante_Gabriel_Rossetti

08/10/2023

My Pekingese, Henry, and I spent a lovely afternoon in the Hertfordshire countryside today, in Broxbourne, to be precise. We had some lovely walks, a pub meal, (Henry enjoyed roast potatoes; broccoli, carrots and Yorkshire Pudding). Also we visited a lovely Norman church, with a noble battlemented tower, faced with flint … and the churchyard. Also, we enjoyed a tiny boat ride, (where Henry acted as figurehead and Skipper 🤣).

A LITTLE HISTORY OF BROXBOURNE
“The Manor of Broxbourne has an entry in the Domesday Book. It was then spelled, Brochtsborne. The manor was held in the time of Edward the Confessor (1042-86), by Stigand, the Archbishop of Canterbury. It later but passed into Norman hands following the Norman Conquest.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broxbourne

ST. AUGUSTINE’S
Norman church, (a Grade I listed building)
“The church is mentioned in the Domesday Book, which lists Broxbourne parish and its priest, though details about the church building are not mentioned. The current structure is believed to have been built by 1460 and paid for by Sir John Say whose tomb is located south of the chancel. “
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Augustine%27s_Church,_Broxbourne

THE DOOMSDAY BOOK
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesday_Book

08/10/2023

Dear friends, would you kindly share this post with other ‘England’ and ‘Peke’ lovers, please. Thank you so much. ❤️🐾
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550561828607

07/10/2023

(The and Baths)


“Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, 97 miles (156 km) west of London and 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Bristol. The city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and was later added to the transnational World Heritage Site known as the ‘Great Spa Towns of Europe’. [The city] was named after its Roman-built baths.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath,_Somerset

Roman Baths
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Baths_(Bath)

Bath Abbey
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_Abbey

05/10/2023

(and Camber Sands)


“Rye is a small town and civil parish in East Sussex, two miles from the sea.

At the 2011 census, Rye had a population of 4,773. Its historical association with the sea has included providing ships for the service of the Crown in time of war, and being involved in smuggling. The notorious Hawkhurst Gang used its ancient inns The Mermaid Inn and The Olde Bell Inn, which are said to be connected to each other by a secret passageway.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rye,_East_Sussex

05/10/2023

AND GROUNDS
,

“This rare and atmospheric 17th-century house sits on the banks of the River Thames in Richmond. It is the creation of the tenacious Duchess of Lauderdale and her husband, the Duke, who together transformed Ham into one of the grandest Stuart houses in England, [surviving the English Civil War 1642-1651].

Ham House is internationally recognised for its superb collection of paintings, furniture and textiles, largely brought together 400 years ago. Some of our unique objects include a rare Chinese teapot, one of the earliest and said to have been used by the Duchess herself, and an exceptional ivory cabinet. The house is reputed to be one of the most haunted in Britain. Some visitors have reported the ghostly aroma of the sweet Virginia pipe to***co that the Duke smoked after meals in the dining room.“

The period drama, ‘Young Victoria’, was filmed here.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/london/ham-house-and-garden?campid=GMB_Central_Website_LSE_Ham-House-and-Garden

29/09/2023

A wonderful place, though getting to Bodiam is quite the ordeal, if using public transport. Buses from Hastings train station, run every two hours, and they don’t correlate with train arrivals. A cab, for the 14 mile journey, costs £30, (2023). It’s well worth it though, to witness the splendour of the castle.

The custodians, the National Trust, lock the castle at 5pm in Autumn, though the grounds are open for longer. I feasted my eyes and senses on the romantic, fairy-tale-like scene. Once I’d had my fill, and took these photos, I took the bus back to Hastings station - yes, by bus!

Hastings, (is an integral part of English history. Every kid in the land has, hopefully, heard of The Battle of Hastings of 1066), and if they haven’t, shame on them.

REFERENCES:

Bodium Castle (1385)
- Mediæval
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodiam_Castle

The Bodiam portcullis (1385)
- Mediæval - oak and iron:
https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8863/portcullis-bodiam-castle/

The Battle of Hastings - 1066:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hastings

28/09/2023

and
ST
CHURCH
City of London

25/09/2023

A WALK, FROM , TO
London

For over a thousand years buildings have been crammed into London’s City area. There is a historic gem to be found around every corner.

“It constituted most of London from its settlement by the Romans in the 1st century AD to the Middle Ages, but the modern area named London has since grown far beyond the City of London boundary.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_London

22/09/2023

, , ) AND
London.

15/09/2023

Hellooooo
If you enjoy this page, do please let others know about it. Here is the direct link (if it helps).
Thank you so much.
Jeanette

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550561828607

Day trips in England, with travel companion, Henry, a London Peke. We go everywhere together.

15/09/2023

and Mediæval history. What a glorious place Chester is. So much to see.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester

04/09/2023

Covent Garden is historically associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square. It’s now a popular shopping and tourist site. Street performers and most of the historical buildings, theatres and entertainment facilities, including the London Transport Museum and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Theatre are contained within this historic area.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covent_Garden

01/09/2023

. ’S
, EC3

The Docks area is charmin to stroll around in the evening, and there’s always some scene or other to capture. Henry, my Peke, is with me, of course, and, when I told him we were about to tuck into some delicious and freshly caught mussels, he licked his lips, (tic). Joking aside, he does love them though. I gave him just a few, as they’re very rich. I gave him a few chippies too, (chips=French fries).

This is such a relaxing place, yet vibrant at the same time. It’s just a stone’s throw from Tower Bridge, (near the Tower of London).

Henry and I later headed for the Dickens Inn. A beautiful 18th century structure. This is the very place where Charles Dickens drank, while he soaked up the east London atmosphere, serving as inspiration for his Pickwick Papers novels. The Inn is thought to have been built in the early 1700s.

I reckon I’m no more than 7 miles from home. It’s a very different ambience though. Charming and very down to earth.