The ancient city of York is filled with impressive buildings, mainly dating back many centuries, like Clifford’s Tower, which I wrote about recently. However, one of them stands out above the rest and can be seen not just from most of the city, but even when entering and leaving York. The grand cathedral church that…
I’m in York today, and one of the outstanding monuments in the centre of the city is Clifford’s Tower. The tower is the remainder of the Norman keep that formed part of York castle that was built under orders from William the Conqueror to stamp his authority on the formerly viking city of York. The…
Last weekend saw the Moira Canal Festival 2015, on the Leicestershire / Derbyshire border, at Moira Furness. I have been going along for the last few years, and have written about the 2013 and 2014 shows, which were, like their predecessors, great fun. This year saw the return of some favourites, including Morris Dancing –…
As the name may suggest, the Leicestershire town of Coalville has an industrial past that includes mining, and one of the former pits in the area now forms the centre of Snibston Discovery Museum and park. Visitors can learn about how technical innovation has changed the lives of people over the last five centuries, and…
This week say St George’s Day, the 23rd April, the patron saint of – among other places – England, and from where the English flag originates. Several English Heritage sites were hosting events to celebrate this weekend, and we headed off the the event for St George’s Day at Kenilworth Castle. The castle is impressive…
Bolsover Castle is unsurprisingly found in the Derbyshire town of Bolsover, and is a sight familiar to many people, particularly those who use the M1 motorway on a regular basis. The castle is easily spotted by those passing by on this main arterial route through the county, and is a short drive from the motorway.…
I wrote recently about the 750th anniversary of Simon de Montfort’s great Parliament at Westminster, and to mark that event, I went along to the Worcestershire town of Evesham where de Montfort, the former ruler of England, is buried at Evesham Abbey. Evesham Abbey was founded by St Egwin around 700AD, with the legend being…
The Giant’s Causeway is one of the most famous natural landmarks in Northern Ireland, with the hexagonal basalt columns looking curiously man made, and giving rise to the legend that provides the name of the rock formation. The story goes that Finn MacCool, a local giant, built the causeway to meet Benandonner, a giant in…
The Dark Hedges is the local name given to part of Bregagh Road not far from Ballymoney in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The road has a series of beech trees that were planted by the Stuart family in the eighteenth century to impress visitors to their home at Gracehill House. The coach house and stable…
I realised that last time I wrote about the Donington Aero Park, the aircraft museum beside East Midlands Airport, I mentioned the Nimrod there but did not include any photographs of the aircraft. I took a trip back there at the weekend, and it seemed a good opportunity to take a few photos of the…
I have mentioned before that I grew up in the Northern Irish seaside town of Larne, so when I saw that BBC NI were showing a programme called “I Love Larne” on Monday evening, I was keen to see how they would promote my home town. However, it is fair to say that many of…
Anyone who has spent any time in Scotland will know that you do not have to travel far to find a castle, or at least a fortified building, and I have visited several and stayed in a few. However, I recently visited one that was slightly different from any other to which I had been.…