Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for england
Monkey Island
By Linda Tancs
Monkey Island Estate is a luxury hotel on a private island in the River Thames in Bray, England. Once the haunt of monarchs, aristocrats and artists, the estate may have taken its name from the 17th-century fresco that adorns the ceiling of the ground-floor Monkey Room. Another theory is that the name evolved from Monks Eyot (eyot being Old English for island) after the Augustinian monks who settled there in the 12th century. Among its 40 exquisite guest rooms is the Wedgwood Suite (so named and designed after the most recognizable name in British ceramics), which is Grade-1 listed.
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A Living Work of Art
By Linda Tancs
Located in Wiltshire, England, Stourhead is an estate boasting a Palladian house and world-famous landscape garden. When it first opened in the 1740s, a magazine described it as “a living work of art.” Indeed, the home (one of the first grand Palladian-style villas built in England) boasts a spectacular collection of furniture, artwork and heritage pieces collected by the Hoare family. It’s also home to some of the most spectacular follies (decorative structures) in Britain. The most famous folly is arguably the Temple of Apollo, which made its way into the film Pride and Prejudice. Another folly, the Pantheon, was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. And another one, Alfred’s Tower (named for King Alfred the Great), offers panoramic views over three counties. Events at the property include Behind Closed Doors tours, guided walks and daily activities.
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An Iconic Tower in London
By Linda Tancs
Built in the 1960s, London’s BT Tower was once the city’s tallest building (at around 581 feet) until NatWest Tower opened in 1980. A national landmark, it was initially used for transmitting signals to television broadcasters and later featured a revolving restaurant and viewing platform (until an act of terrorism shut it down). As its role in telecommunications diminished with the evolution of fixed and mobile technology, the landmark saw new use as a giant banner of sorts when a wrap-around LED screen was installed around the 36th and 37th floors to provide messaging for various national events and even social media posts. The building has been sold to MCR, a major hotel group boasting properties like New York’s TWA Hotel and The High Line.
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The Bradford Gudgeon
By Linda Tancs
Just 12 minutes by train from Bath, England, Bradford-on-Avon is a picturesque little town located on a bend of the River Avon. It’s known for its iconic, arched stone bridge built in the 13th century. A feature of that bridge is the domed building topped with a fish-shaped weathervane known as the Bradford Gudgeon. In the 17th century it served as a prison (Lock Up), or holding cell, for criminals awaiting their date with the magistrate, who were said to be kept “below the fish and over the water.” You can experience the wait yourself this month, when the Lock Up is open for a few days during Heritage Open Days.
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Forgotten by History
By Linda Tancs
Forgotten by history, Britain’s Fitzwilliam family of South Yorkshire was once one of the grandest families in the nation. Having made their fortune with coal, they owned over 100,000 acres in England and Ireland. Their stately home, Wentworth Woodhouse (now owned by a preservation trust), testifies to a bygone era of royal visits by the likes of Queen Victoria as well as King George V and Queen Mary. Take a guided tour of the house (featuring the State Rooms) and stroll the gardens, where you can follow a trail from the stables. There are regular bus services to the village of Wentworth and train stations at Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster, all with linking bus services.
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The Straw Bear of Whittlesea
By Linda Tancs
In the market town of Whittlesea (or Whittlesey), England, don’t be surprised to see a straw bear paraded through the streets. The custom dates back to the 1880s, when the Tuesday following Plough Monday (the first Monday after Twelfth Night) would be marked by getting one of the members of the plough to dress in straw. Once in decline, the tradition is alive and well thanks to the Whittlesea Society. The procession these days includes over 250 dancers, musicians and performers accompanying the straw bear and a decorated plough, making its way up Market Street. This year’s Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival takes place from January 12 to January 14. The bear appears on Saturday.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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Burning the Clocks in Brighton
By Linda Tancs
Today marks the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the longest night of the year. To brighten it up a bit, head to Brighton, England’s famed seaside resort, where a carnival-like atmosphere presides on this night every year. The event is known as Burning the Clocks, a family-friendly festival featuring the parading of handmade lanterns through the city to the beach where the event concludes with a massive bonfire and fireworks. The fun begins at The Royal Pavilion, just a few minutes’ walk from the seafront.
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A New Landmark in Cambridge
By Linda Tancs
Constructed between 1977 and 1980, Robinson College is not only Cambridge University’s youngest college but also its first co-educational facility. And now it enjoys Grade II (protected) status, hailed as “a stunning city landmark.” Among its gems are the artistic interiors of the chapel (particularly the window) and the library. Sporting distinctive red brick exteriors, the college was funded by David Robinson, a major contributor to British horse racing.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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Courtside in London
By Linda Tancs
Close to a statue of Abraham Lincoln on Parliament Square, the Supreme Court is the final court of appeal in the UK for civil cases and for criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Housed in a neo-Gothic building (formerly Middlesex Guildhall), it’s open to guided tours each Friday. Highlights include the beautifully-appointed courtrooms and library. Visitors can also sit in on live hearings during the week.
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The Blackfriar
By Linda Tancs
Built in 1875 on the site of a Dominican friary, The Blackfriar pub is set in a historic, Art Nouveau Grade II wedge-shaped building on Queen Victoria Street owing its survival to a group of conservationists. It features mosaics, ornamental balconies and the famous guardian black friar above the front door. You’ll enjoy the friezes of mottos or little jokes that give a glimpse into late 19th-century England as well.
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