There and Back

Although we were going to visit Folkestone this week anyway, it was brought forward, as a tyre was needed! However, we spent time exploring, so no time lost. Folkstone is the terminal for the Eurotunnel, the rail link to Calais in France. Just 35 minutes away it says. Needless to say, we kept away from that side of the town. Although these images were not all taken the same day, they blend together quite well, starting at the Hythe end and progressing along to Folkstone. Then a short hop to Dover. After starting our walk from Hythe, one of the first things to catch our attention were the beach huts. I couldn't believe that there was no system in the display. I was right, as we came across a notice advertising `Creative Folkestone Artworks`. These beach huts were part of this display which covered all areas of Folkestone. If I had only known earlier! Rana Begum - No. 1054 Arpeggio Commissioned for Creative Folkestone Triennial 2021 in partnership with Folkestone & Hythe Distric

This was just a short break in the Llangollen area (we actually stayed in Glyndyfrdwy), having easily planned to fill our 4 days including a family visit. As always in Wales, you hope for rain free days. We had no rain, but at times it was very misty - we can`t have it all can we!  The village is historically renowned for its association with Owain Glyndwr. It was here at his Manor of Glyndyfrdwy that Owain (Baron of Glyndyfrdwy) proclaimed himself “Prince of Wales” on 16th September 1400 so beginning his 14-year rebellion against English Rule. This was our holiday let in the village of Glyndyfrdwy overlooking the river Dee and the village. Quite a view from our bedroom window. Angler fishing on the Dee just below our holiday cottage. Sunday morning, and a short drive past Llangollen to this magnificent castle of Chirk, now owned by the National Trust.  Chirk castle now stands proud amongst the chain of defence castles built in North Wales

Tuesday dawned rather dull and it was difficult to guess what the weather would do. However as the sun began to peep through, we headed out to Raglan Castle. First impressions were spot on - the place is huge!  It is a magnificent Tudor-period sandstone structure, which was not built specifically as a defence as the other great castles of Wales had been. Instead, it was designed mainly as a statement of wealth and influence.  A manor had existed on the site before William ap Thomas acquired the property through marriage in 1406. A veteran of Agincourt in 1415, ap Thomas enjoyed the favour of King Henry VI and was knighted in 1426. He wanted to demonstrate his upwardly-mobile status, so set out on an ambitious building plan for Raglan. In 1435 he began work on the Great Tower, also known as the Yellow Tower of Gwent, but he was never to see it completed, as ap Thomas died in 1445. The building work was continued by his son, William, who took the surname Herbert.  Herbert continu

Little Wenham is a small village in Suffolk, England. It is part of the civil parish of Wenham Parva (the ancient name for Little Wenham) within Babergh district. A village with no public roads but fortunately some rights of way. Its most famous building, Little Wenham Hall, is largely hidden from view. To quote Sir Nikolaus Pevsner from his “The Buildings of England” series, “The house was built c.1270 - 80, probably for Sir John de Vallibus and his successor Petronilla of Nerford. It is of great historical importance for two reasons. The first is that it is built of brick, and represents one of the earliest uses of home-made brick in England. Flint is used only for the base of the walls and stone for the much rebuilt buttresses and dressings. The second point of outstanding interest is that the house is a house and not a keep. It is fortified of course, but it is in its shape and appointment on the way from the fortress to the manor house and so ranks with Stokesay and Acton Bu

The Lulworth Estate extends over 12,000 acres (20 square miles) of the south Dorset countryside, including 5 miles of the Jurassic Coast and internationally renowned landmarks such as Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. Lulworth estate pedigree can go back as far as Doomsday times in the 11th century and beyond, and, since 1641, it has been owned and managed by the Weld family. In 1641 Humphrey Weld, grandson of a rich London Merchant and direct ancestor of the current owner, purchased the Lulworth Estates from Thomas Howard who had built the Castle here between 1608 and 1610 to complement his manor house at Bindon Abbey in the nearby village of Wool. Humphrey did not have the Castle for long before the Civil War erupted in England, during which the manor house at Wool was destroyed and the Estate sequestrated by the Parliamentarians. After the Civil War Humphrey Weld needed to refurbish the Castle’s interior as it was now the main family home and needed alterations to make it permane