2017 has just started and today, 2nd January, was a glorious day in this part of the world, so it seemed a great opportunity to get outside. We took a trip to Croxden Abbey, or more formally, Abbey of the Vale of St. Mary at Croxden, in Staffordshire. The abbey started life in 1176 when…
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…
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.…
Among the many excellent sites managed by English Heritage is the ruins of Kirby Muxloe Castle, or Kirby Castle for short, in Leicestershire, not far from Leicester itself. It is an interesting site in the small town of Kirby Muxloe, in a residential area of the town. The castle is actually a fortified manor house,…
On Easter Day on Sunday, we went, like many I’m sure, for a family outing. We headed off to Kenilworth Castle, one of the many sites managed by English Heritage, which was certainly more successful than some previous days out like this one… I have recently mentioned some prehistoric sites that English Heritage look after,…
I wrote recently about the wonderful Castlerigg Stone Circle as managed by English Heritage, which is one of the UK’s prettiest ancient monuments, and is in the form that most people assume with a stone circle, with the stones standing in a circle. There are other sites where the stones are in a different arrangement,…
I have written recently about travels in the Middle East and in North America, as well as tales of travel in Ethiopia and odd happenings in Singapore, and in doing so, it is easy to forget about the splendour and beauty that is much closer to home in the UK. As well as natural beauty,…