Crypt at Worcester Cathedral

Worcester Cathedral was founded it in 680. Saint Oswald then built another cathedral in 983, and established a monastery attached to it. Saint Wulfstan, who rebuilt the cathedral in 1084, began the present building. The cathedral was badly damaged in the civil wars, and as a consequence a major programme of rebuilding was required after the Restoration of Charles II. From the late seventeenth until the nineteenth centuries there were several campaigns to restore parts of the cathedral, but it was the Victorians from 1864-75 who carried out the largest of these.

The crypt shown above, was built in 1084 and refurbished in 1984.

Henley in Arden

Drove to Henley in Arden today, a very pretty town. The one mile long High Street is classified as a conservation area and contains over 150 buildings listed as being of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. In case you're wondering where Henley in Arden is located, this may help you:

I reckon the crime rates in this quaint little town must be low, given the "closed" sign in the door of the Police Station:

Vintage Craft Fair in Worcester

Visited Worcester today and happened upon the Vintage Craft Fair, held inside a church (sans pews) and immediately upon entering the fair, I couldn't help but notice the energetic, warm ambience. There was a small "tea shop" set up along one wall with tables and chairs, retro music playing softly in the background and delightful stalls selling all manner of old vintage clothing and accessories (and a few stalls of newly crafted retro items) which were a visual feast to the eyes, as shown below:

A little reminder of home ...

Wet Weekend by the Sea

Spent the weekend with Teresa and Nev at their caravan by the sea. Unfortunately, we did not have brilliant weather, but in my books, a walk along the beach is welcome anytime.

Gardens Open - Bourton on the Hill

The biggest highlight of this Gardens Open day was the garden at Bourton House. The following photos cannot capture the enormity and feeling of the gardens, but will hopefully give you an idea ...

The fountain garden:

The White Garden (complete with pond):

The Parterre - Gazebo and Gates at front of the house:

The Knot Garden featuring the "Basket Pond" from the Great Exhibition of 1851:

another view of the Knot Garden:

Tewkesbury Medieval Festival

Photos taken at the Medieval Festival where all things "medieval" were offered for sale. Apart from novelty items like children's shields and wooden swords, a market catering to the vast number of volunteers wanting to purchase goods authentically reproduced (ie: no buttons or zippers in clothing, wooden and leather shoes, kitchen utensils fashioned from wood and iron, etc.).

Living the medieval life...

Music added to the medieval atmosphere.

Battle of Tewkesbury Re-enactment

The Battle of Tewkesbury

The Battle of Tewkesbury was re-enacted as part of the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival this past weekend with knights in full armour, gunners, with cannon and hand guns, archers, with the traditional English Longbow, men at arms with swords, spears and other weapons of the period, brought to life by approximately 2,000 volunteer warriors taking place on part of the site of the original battle of 1471.

When not fighting many of the volunteers live as soldiers on the march for the duration of the festival, sleeping in authentic medieval tents, eating food of the period, cooked over open fires in copies of medieval pots and pans, and preparing for the battle as they would have done in 1471.

The battle was between the houses of York, The White Rose, and Lancaster, The Red Rose and was the final battle of the Wars of the Roses. The battle came about because Henry VI was considered insane and the country was without a strong leader. Edward of York, the most able leader at that time, was declared King in 1461, resulting in Henry VI being locked in the tower of London. Henry VI's wife, Margaret of Anjou fled to France with their 8 year old son, also called Edward. When he reached the age of 18, Margaret of Anjou decided to return to England and re-claim the throne for her son. She landed at Weymouth on April 14, 1471, and set off for Wales, where Jasper Tudor awaited her with re-enforcements for her small army.

Margaret gathered supporters as she went, heading to Gloucester to cross the Severn River. When they arrived at Gloucester, they found the city was locked against them, by orders of King Edward. They headed for the next crossing point, Tewkesbury, but found that Edward's army was so close behind they had to stand and fight, rather than cross. Exhausted and outnumbered Margaret's army and the Lancastrian supporters were easily defeated. So many of them were slain trying to get to the river that the field they ran through is still known today as Bloody Meadow.

Margaret fled the scene with some of her ladies and was later found in a priory at Little Malvern. Her son, Prince Edward was killed either during the battle, or immediately afterwards, and is buried in Tewkesbury Abbey. The battle of Tewkesbury was a decisive encounter, ending the second phase of the Wars of the Roses. Edward IV's victory and the death of Henry VI’s son and heir, shortly followed by Henry’s own death and Queen Margaret’s imprisonment, destroyed hopes of a Lancastrian succession and led to fourteen years peace.

Coopers Hill

You might recall my earlier posting in May about the Randwick cheese rolling event we attended. That event was tame by comparison to the cheese rolling on Coopers Hill. To read more about it and see many more interesting photos, please click/copy this link: http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#1XZE59/www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/05/coopers_hill_cheeserolling.html/

Barton on Heath Village Fete

We experienced a Cotswold Village Fete yesterday, on the village green in Barton on the Heath, a small village about 4 miles from Moreton where you could may be tempted to buy a pint of beer or glass of wine, an ice cream cone, bbq'd hamburgers or sausages in a bun, or go for a "cream tea" in the village hall, buy vegetable and flower plants in the gardeners' corner, treat yourself to homemade baked goods like the delicious cupcakes shown above, or buy some second-hand books, children's toys and clothes, or a pre-owned funky bag. Kids could have their faces painted, take on a competitor in the "gladiator" competition, or get in on the milk the cow competition and spoon & egg races. There was a huge oak tree planted in the centre of the green on which brass plaques were affixed commemorating the Silver Jubilee of King George VI, Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth and the marriage of Diana and Prince Charles.

The King's Stone & the King's Men - Rollright Stones

We discovered, on our way home from seeing the Whispering Knights the night before another entrance to the Rollright Stones and upon returning home and and finding more information on the web about the Rollright Stones, that we had only seen 1 of 3 of the "Stones" sites (spread about 400 to 500 yards apart from each other) and so we returned the following day with Rachel and Tyler.

Excerpts follow from the website: http://www.rollrightstones.co.uk/index.php/stones/detail/the-kings-men/




King's Stone: (top photo)

"Its purpose and age are unclear, although it is believed to be of middle Bronze Age origin. Some sources suggest that it might be an outlier to the Stone Circle.

The strange shape (likened to a seal balancing a ball on its nose) of this standing stone has less to do with the weathering effects of nature than with the destructive habit of 19th century drovers who chipped off small pieces to act as lucky charms and keep the Devil at bay. Thankfully this superstitious vandalism no longer goes on."

King's Men: (remaining photos)

"At present there are 77 stones of heavily weathered local oolitic limestone, which were poetically described by William Stukeley as being “corroded like worm eaten wood, by the harsh Jaws of Time”, which made “a very noble, rustic, sight, and strike an odd terror upon the spectators, and admiration at the design of ‘em”.

Aubrey Burl has, in a more down to earth way, called the Rollrights “seventy-seven stones, stumps and lumps of leprous limestone”."

Rollright Stones

Last night Andy and I came upon the Rollright Stones whilst exploring the nearby villages. I could tell we were near the Rollright Stones by the marking on the road atlas, and given we were in the neighbourhood, decided to check it out. The proper access is from the A44; but we had veered off onto a small country lane and spotted the small "Rollright Stones" sign shown in the photo above. We pulled off the country lane and headed in the direction of the sign, through waist high grass/weedy path running parallel with a wheat planted field that went on for some distance. While the views of the nearby countryside are amazing, I must confess, after the first 500 yards with no Stones in sight, I was not prepared to walk for miles, given that I was wearing sandals and a summery dress (not ideal for walking overgrown narrow path lined with stinging nettles), but Andy insisted it couldn't be too far a walk, and we carried on walking through to the next field and about 50 yards into the second field, he spotted the stones in the distance, which ended up being about a 1 mile walk to the Stones and back to the car.

According to a website, the grouping of these rocks are a 5000 year old burial chamber, believed to be part of a Neolithic long barrow, called "The Whispering Knights Dolmen", a small group of five upright stones, who got their name because of the conspiratorial way in which they lean inwards towards each other as if they are plotting against their king. Amazing to think these stones (which would have been put in place somewhere between 9,000 and 8,000 B.C.) have been left untouched in their original position for all these years!

Summertime Walks in the Heart of England

We have done this walk 3 times before, most recently the evening of Sunday June 26 and each time we do it, the landscape is a different. We've watched it evolve from spring time with its budding and flowering trees to the lush fields of clover, shady trees and flowering trails. The pollen counts in England at this time of year are particularly high, which for me bring on hay fever symptons in a big way, especially when walking through the fields. I think I've built up some resistance, having lived here since March, but when Lyden arrived for his visit, despite taking Claritin every day, suffered quite a bit with hay fever.

Todenham

Last night we drove to Todenham, a very pretty Cotswold village just 3 miles north of Moreton and captured these photos of the parish church, St. Thomas a Becket.