Today is the 750th anniversary of what is often claimed to be the first parliament as we would recognise it today, when, on the 20th January 1265 during the Second Barons’ War, an English parliament met at the Palace of Westminster. It was not the first parliament to have met in England, but what differentiated…
We found ourselves in North Yorkshire this weekend visiting some friends, and took the opportunity to return to Skipton, and to visit Skipton Castle. It was a relatively easy choice as, as well as being an interesting historical site which is easy to get to and has plenty to see, is suitable for both a…
This week (5th February 2014) saw the 90th birthday of a British institution that is very familiar every time that it is encountered, and one which many might think now lacks relevance, yet is still fondly appreciated by its many fans. It was, of course, time to say Happy Birthday to The Pips. The Pips,…
Today is the 4th December, and no doubt there are plenty of people advanced in their Christmas planning and Christmas party season – I’m off to my first Christmas lunch of the year today – but there are a few other interesting things about today. 142 years ago, on the 4th December 1871, the…
I have mentioned various events at Moira Furness, including some 1940s entertainment, and the Moira Canal Festival there, complete with Morris Dancing. When I went to have a look around on Sunday, 11th August, I found that it was presenting yet another interesting historical event, this time a 1910s event. There were various items on…
I went to the Classics on the Common event in Harpenden this week, which is a series of classic vehicles that are presented on the various green areas in the centre of the Hertfordshire town. The event has been going on for twenty years now, and there were several hundred vehicles – of various forms…
A few weeks ago, I found myself at the Lotus Formula One headquarters, in rural Oxfordshire, and the trip home involved driving through Banbury. For many people, the word “Banbury” is often followed by “Cross”, and may involve riding a cock horse. For those who are not familiar with this, there is a nursery rhyme…
I spent a rather pleasant afternoon yesterday admiring the exhibits in one of the UK’s hidden gems, the Mossman collection. In case you have not heard of it – and many have not – it is the country’s largest collection of horse drawn carriages. Some may look familiar, including a chariot from Ben Hur, a…
Today is St George’s Day. It is famous for many things; traditionally observed as the date of birth of William Shakespeare, and also his date of death. Not the best birthday… In Roman times, this was Vinalia urbana, the celebration of the wine harvest. On this day on 1014, Brian Boru defeated the Viking hoards…
Anyone who has sailed to or from the port of Larne in Northern Ireland will be familiar with the rather striking landmark that is The Chaine Memorial Tower near the entrance to the harbour. It is a replica of a traditional Irish round tower, and is visible from the harbour and the surrounding area. It…
I have written so far about travelling through Syria, from Damascus to Aleppo via Crac de Chevaliers, then off to the Iraqi border via the Bastion of St Simeon Stylites on the Turkish border. The next stage of our trip was to continue from the Iraqi border., and we planned to get to the ancient…
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,…