Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for england
Oxford’s Bridge of Sighs
By Linda Tancs
Although never intended to pay homage to Venice’s famous bridge, Oxford’s Bridge of Sighs (Hertford Bridge) is England’s lesser known replica of sorts. Completed in 1914 by Sir Thomas Jackson (one of the most distinguished English architects of his generation), it acts as a skyway connecting two sections of Hertford College. It’s located on New College Lane.
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An Island of Adventure in Plymouth
By Linda Tancs
Almost in the middle of Plymouth Sound, Drake’s Island marks the spot from which Sir Francis Drake (the isle’s namesake) sailed in 1577 to circumnavigate the world. His statue stands on the Hoe, overlooking the island. Fortified as a British defense against the French and Spanish, Drake’s Island held a strategic position guarding Devonport’s growing naval base. Later, it was used as a prison. The most prominent person to be imprisoned there was Major-General John Lambert, who had hoped to succeed Cromwell as Lord Protector. Nowadays, it’s privately owned. Content yourself with views from the Hoe and Smeaton’s Tower.
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Britain’s Oldest Manufacturer
By Linda Tancs
London’s Whitechapel Bell Foundry is listed in Guinness World Records as Britain’s oldest manufacturing company. How old, however, is a matter of debate. Once thought to be established in 1570 (during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign), additional research has revealed an unbroken line of founders in Aldgate and Whitechapel back to the year 1420 (in the reign of Henry V). Regardless of its age, the world’s best known foundry on Whitechapel Road is responsible for some very big chimes. The largest bell ever cast there (in 1858) is none other than Big Ben, weighing in at 13 1/2 tons. Another famous bell hailing from the foundry is the original Liberty Bell, commissioned by order of the Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania in 1751 for the Statehouse in Philadelphia. Other exports followed worldwide.
UPDATE 5/8/17: The foundry, once open for guided tours on select Saturdays year round, is sadly closing its doors. The very last tower bell to be cast at the Whitechapel site is for the Museum of London, to which the foundry is donating many artifacts including old machinery, items to provide a display about bell manufacture and items that the foundry has in its possession pertaining to the making of Big Ben.
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Breaking the Code
By Linda Tancs
A birthplace of modern information technology, Bletchley Park is the home of British code breaking. It was the site of the British Government Code and Cypher School, where methods were studied and devised to enable the Allied forces to decipher the military codes that secured German, Japanese and other nations’ communications during World War II, particularly the German Enigma and Lorenz ciphers. Once one of Britain’s best kept secrets, it is now an increasingly popular museum where you’ll find a replica of The Bombe, the machine invented by Alan Turing to break the codes. Located in Milton Keynes, the museum is easily accessible via train from Euston.
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Top Stones in London
By Linda Tancs
So what does a famous London cemetery have to do with geology? The answer lies in the rocks, of course. The rocks used for headstones at Highgate Cemetery make it a great place to see a wide range of geology in an urban setting. In the East Cemetery (highly popular due to the burial site of Karl Marx) these include granite, gabbro, larvikite, marble and some limestone monuments containing fossils. Thanks to the range of rocks and stones used as headstones, mausoleums and monuments, the cemetery was voted one of the top 100 geosites in the U.K. and Ireland by The Geological Society. Built in 1839, Highgate was one of Victorian London’s most elaborate cemeteries, with Gothic catacombs and mausoleums in Egyptian and Classical styles. Visitors may roam the East Cemetery freely with payment of an admission charge. The West Cemetery is open to guided tours only. Take Archway, not Highgate, tube.
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Over the Welsh Hills
By Linda Tancs
Looking for a pleasant respite from the business of everyday life? You’ll find it at Wirral Peninsula in northwest England. Located between the cities of Chester and Liverpool and bounded by the River Dee on one side and the River Mersey on the other, you’ll enjoy stunning views of the Welsh Hills as well as 22 miles of coastline and 50 miles of walking trails (including the Wirral Way). The area boasts a 19th century model village known as Port Sunlight, created by William Hesketh Lever for his soap factory workers. Another gem is North Wirral Coastal Park on the peninsula’s eastern side, home to Leasowe Lighthouse, Britain’s oldest brick lighthouse. This getaway is just 45 minutes from both Liverpool John Lennon and Manchester airports. A local rail network connects Wirral to the national rail network via Liverpool Lime Street station.
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Newcastle’s Hidden Heritage
By Linda Tancs
At first blush, England’s northern city of Newcastle would owe its fame to the beer it sired. After all, its namesake brown ale was first produced at the Tyne Brewery in 1927. But in 2007 production was moved to Tadcaster in North Yorkshire by current owner Heineken, so that part of the city’s heritage is but a side note these days. There’s another part of its heritage that’s alive and well, though—albeit a bit hidden. That’s the Victoria Tunnel. Running beneath the city from the Town Moor down to the Tyne, it was built in 1842 to transport coal to riverside jetties for loading onto ships. In 1939, it was converted into an air-raid shelter to protect hundreds of Newcastle citizens during World War II. Part of the tunnel is open year round to the public for guided tours which must be booked in advance.
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Journey of a Music Hall
By Linda Tancs
Restored earlier this year, Wilton’s Music Hall in London’s East End is the only intact survivor of the City’s Grand Music Hall era. Of outstanding architectural and archeological significance, the arena has gone full circle—from music hall (in 1839, as an adjunct to an ale house) to mission house to warehouse and back to music hall. In its early heyday, two of its stars, Arthur Lloyd and George Leybourne (Champagne Charlie), were the first to perform for royalty. Extreme poverty in the East End in the late 1800s forced its conversion to a mission house that would last for 70 years. Once the mission closed in 1956, the building saw life as a rag sorting warehouse. When redevelopment plans came calling in the 1960s, the campaign began to save the landmark, ultimately bringing it back to life. The hall gives opportunities to emerging artists and presents a year round program that includes theatre (new commissions and classics), opera, dance, magic, music, cinema, circus, traditional music hall, comedy, puppetry and other art forms.
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Britain’s Beloved Models Turn 60
By Linda Tancs
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the very first Corgi diecast model car. Introduced in July 1956, the miniature vehicles were manufactured in Wales and named after the Welsh dog breed. Eventually Corgi achieved market dominance over Dinky, the British company that ushered in the modern era of toy cars in 1933. Its prized collections include The Aviation Archive, Hauliers of Renown, Vanguards and The Original Omnibus Company. They’re celebrating their special anniversary with limited edition models of famous vehicles and liveries from the air and the road. The Hornby Visitor Centre in Kent offers visitors a journey through the history of Britain’s best-loved toys, including Corgi, Hornby, Scalextric and Airfix. The retail shop offers an array of these products as well.
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Portobello Gins Up Interest in Hotel
By Linda Tancs
What could be better than ginning up interest in—gin! The opening of a new gin distillery in London, England, might not garner that much interest but for the fact that you can eat, drink and sleep in it! That’s the idea behind a new hotel from the folks at Portobello Road Gin. Opening in November, the new venue (at Portobello Road, where else) will include not only a boutique hotel but also a gin museum, blending rooms, a Spanish style “Gintonic” bar and restaurant, an actual distillery and the “Ginstitute,” a mixologist’s delight. Better book early for this spirited respite.
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