UK Travel - Part 5

England: Lindisfarne, Northumberland

A Serene Sanctuary or Viking Venture

by Bonnie Hart

It is low tide as we pull up to the causeway that joins Lindisfarne or Holy Island to the mainland of Great Britain. We are struck by the serenity of the scene. The remnants of the North Sea’s high tide silently recede enabling us to drive over the causeway to the site of one of the earliest centers of Christianity in Britain’s Dark Age. Perhaps more famously, it is also the site of one of the first recorded Viking raids in the United Kingdom. In the year 793 AD the setting was not so serene. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written late in the 9th century, the…

…fierce foreboding omens came over the land of Northumbria and the wretched people shook; there were excessive whirlwinds, and fiery dragons were seen flying in the sky. These signs were followed by great famine and a little after…that same year, the ravaging of wretched heathen people destroyed God’s church at Lindisfarne.

Fascinated with the early history of the Vikings and the British Isles, the tidal island of Lindisfarne was a site that we had to see on our trip to the region. It is located on the northeast coast of England in the area called Northumberland, which lies along the northern border of England. We had been driving south from the Scottish Highlands and made our way towards Berwick-upon-Tweed which is an English coastal city about 2-1/2 miles or 4 kilometers south of the Scottish border. If you follow the A1 (highway) south of Berwick towards the town of Beal, Lindisfarne is only a short drive.

Lindisfarne Itself is about a mile or 1.6 kilometers off the mainland. There is a causeway that makes its way across the tidal flats and then winds through the dunes along the island’s shore. A walking path is also there for those who are so inclined. It is along this route that pilgrims traveled as far back as the 6th century to reach one of the great centers of Celtic Christianity founded by an Irish monk named Aiden. Posted at either end of the causeway and also on the island’s website are tidal charts. When planning your visit to the island you must plan around the incoming and outgoing tides. Failure to do so may result in being stranded on the causeway as the tide rises. The tide times differ from month to month and day to day so it is imperative to consult the charts for the day or days you plan to visit. You do not want to be caught by a rising tide. Because this has happened in the past there is an escape tower situated along the route. If you choose to walk, the Island’s website suggests that it is a good idea to be accompanied by someone familiar with the area. With an overcast sky the drive is rather bleak and, for those of us unfamiliar with oceans and tides, there is just a bit of apprehension as we head down the causeway. With the tide out there is a broad plain with pools of water remaining here and there. We hope we understood the charts correctly.

Once across there is a parking lot where visitors must leave their vehicles. Be prepared for a fairly long walk to get to the village, ruins and the castle. However, for those who wish to use it, there are shuttle buses that will take you into village and even up to the castle. They run at specific times so check the schedule. The walk to the town itself is scenic as you leave behind the barren shoreline. Trees line the street and there is fresh produce for sale at a roadside stand. Stone buildings in the town and cobblestone streets give a pervasive atmosphere of going back in time.

Because very few vehicles are allowed, it is very quiet and people wander about the streets at their own pace. You can visit the Lindisfarne Priory, which is not the original, which was destroyed by the Vikings. There is also a museum and visitor centre that details the history of the island. Here is a wealth of information about the founding saint of the monastery, Aidan and of Saint Cuthbert and the story of the Lindisfarne Gospels. This ancient book was written at the monastery about 700 AD in honour of St. Cuthbert. The original manuscript, which has survived to this day, is ornately decorated and is now housed in the British Library in London.

Although the museum does have interactive displays chronicling the history of the Viking invasions we find that this part of the history of the island is very low key. I am surprised at this because when I first heard about Lindisfarne, it was in the context of the Viking Invasion. Historians claim that many of the monasteries and religious settlements of the time period were situated along coasts, on islands and at river’s mouths. This avoidance of interior lands kept them out of political contentions. However they seemed not to realize the threat from the seaward side. The Vikings found unarmed settlements with amazing treasures in their churches. Although the Vikings conducted a number of raids plundering the monastery and destroying many of the buildings the actual invasion and settlement occurred on the mainland nearly a century later. The museum does, however, house a number of interesting Viking artifacts as well.

As we explore the village, we see, rising in the distance, a great rocky outcrop crowned by Lindisfarne Castle. Although it was built in 1550, long after the Viking era, its presence is not incongruent with the rest of the town There is a bit of an uphill trek if you wish to explore the castle but it is worth the effort.

A small fortification by castle standards, it was situated in an area that had been vulnerable to attack for centuries; first from the Vikings and later from the Scots. Henry VIII’s policy of dismantling church land holdings and monasteries had already put the priory out of use and stones from it were used to help build the castle. Over the years it was eventually used less and less until it was refurbished in 1901 in the Arts and Crafts style by Sir Edward Lutyen for its new owner, Edward Hudson.

Unlike many castles that we visited which are in various stages of ruin, this castle is completely furnished giving it an almost homey atmosphere. The view from the castle ramparts overlooking the small harbor and back towards the town is also impressive. In the opposite direction is the great expanse of the North Sea. Descending the pathway from the castle we find upturned herring boats, which have been turned into, sheds, another project of Sir Edward Lutyen. We make our way across a grassy plain towards the ruins of the monastery. As was with the priory, the ruins of the monastery are of a more recent era than those that were in existence in 793 but they add an air of solemnity not only by their enormity but also because of the statues of saints like Cuthbert that remain, As we wander through the ruins we get a sense of people’s devotion and their willingness to commit massive amounts of toil and effort to please God.

Heading back to the center of the village we pass by St. Mary’s Parish Church. It stands upon the site where the original monastery was built by Saint Aiden (some scholars believe the next Bishop named Finnian built the first wooden church). The service is in progress. Services are held three times a day every day of the week.

In the village there are various places to eat. There is an inn and many different accommodations including Bed and Breakfasts and Self-Catering units. To be able to stay on the island book well in advance as during the summer season it can be busy. Even places on the nearby mainland fill up quickly.

There are many other things to see and do on Holy Island and one afternoon is not nearly enough time to explore, read and absorb the historical information, sample the cuisine and just experience the atmosphere. Because of other commitments we had to move on but I would love to come back another time to actually spend a few days.

In retrospect I understand why the history of the Viking Invasion is so low key. It was a time of great terror for the people. As mentioned before, it was not an armed stronghold and the community would have been made up of mostly rural people and those affiliated with the church. The sight of the longships landing on the beach would have most undoubtedly had a most terrifying effect. As the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle put it, “…the wretched people shook…” Today it is peaceful with an almost hallowed air. It is a wonderful place to explore.

Alnwick Castle and Lindisfarne Day Trip from Edinburgh

If You Go:

▪ Consult the Holy Island website for tide charts, hours of operation, admissions and things to see and do.

▪ Consult the above website for shuttle bus times if you are unable to walk moderate distances.

▪ Bring change for the unmanned parking kiosk. Many businesses do not provide change.

▪ If you are a fan of historical fiction, Lindisfarne and area is mentioned numerous times in Bernard Cornwell’s “Last Kingdom” series.

▪ If you like movies, Lindisfarne was a filming location for Roman Polanski’s 1966 classic film, “Cul-de-sac,” and was used as a location for various scenes in other motion picture productions.

▪ Visit the meadery: St. Aiden’s Winery and check out the local crafts.

Note: Historical information is taken from Wikipedia and various tourist publications from the area.

About the author:
Bonnie Hart is a history enthusiast and enjoys traveling especially to places of historical significance. She has begun working as a freelance writer and her article “North to Alaska” was featured in Bus Conversion Magazine in September of 2013. Various newspapers have also published articles by Bonnie on a number of topics.

All photos by Bonnie Hart.

Scotland: The Battlefield of Culloden

by Yehta Pearl

Did you know that the spirits of the dead talk to us? It is sometimes uncomfortable, but can be comforting as well. On the site of the Culloden battlefield in Scotland, near Inverness, the energy of the slaughtered Jacobites lingers, eager to spread their message to all who can hear.

Beginning in August of 1745, the Jacobites serving under Bonnie Prince Charlie (Prince Charles Edward Stuart), mainly Highlanders, engaged in a fierce struggle with the British to attempt to restore the British crown to the Stuarts. They had early success, with victory at the Battle of Prestonpans, and continuing to Carlisle then Derby, which are in England.

The Highlanders were famous for their fearless charge, which was intimidating to the enemy forces. They would choose an even downhill slope, then remove their lower garments so to be unencumbered. As one, they screamed in Gaelic as they charged in clusters directly toward the enemy! They fired their weapons, then under the cover of the smoke, ducked to avoid the return fire. Immediately after, they leaped into action again, being upon their foe with swords before they could be seen through the smoke! The Highlanders experienced early success in battle this way, in spite of being poorly armed and supplied.

Once it was perceived that the Jacobites were a serious threat, the British stepped up their defenses, forcing a slow retreat to Inverness, each side both winning and losing battles along the way throughout the winter. As time and battles continued into the spring, many of the crofters and farmers who made up the Jacobite regiments stole off home to tend their fields and feed their families.

By April of 1746, the remaining Jacobites had been fighting and on the march for five months. They were out of money, sleeping where they fell down at night. They were starving, reduced to eating what they could scrounge from the countryside. The men were weak in body, but still full of heart and unwilling to abandon the fight. The night before the battle of Culloden, a group of the men were led under cover of darkness to attempt a night attack on the British camp. This failed when they got lost, and they turned back shortly before dawn, having accomplished only more exhaustion. Others had left the camp to search out food. Thus it was that when morning came, they were reduced in number, exhausted and hungry, poorly equipped to fight.

In contrast, the British army was well fed and equipped. They were high in morale, having just celebrated the birthday of their Commander, the Duke of Cumberland. They were 8000 strong, and united in their cause.

The Jacobites and the British met in the early morning hours on April 16, 1746, on Culloden Moor. The moor was boggy, with greatly uneven ground and marsh between the lines of the armies. The lines were formed by each side, ready to fight. Unknown to the Jacobites, the lines were uneven, so that when they charged, one side would reach the British before the other. This, in combination with the marshy ground and the necessity of going around the worst spots, led to utter defeat at the hands of the British. Scotland and the clans have been altered forever since this heartbreaking battle.

Today, the moor looks much different than it did then, with growth of heather and shrubs, and much less marsh and bog. There are paths and walkways, with stones marking the graves of the clans. A memorial cairn was built in 1881, the same year the stones were placed.

Since 2007, there has been a Visitor Center at the site which tells the tale. The Visitor Center is well worth your time to go through and learn all about the battle before heading outdoors to the moor itself. You can take an audio tape out with you which gives details about the battle and armies, a good choice. If you have the stomach, experience the circular video re-enactment of the battle inside the center. It is easy to feel respect and admiration, as well as heartache, for the doomed men who battled bravely, knowing they were charging into their death.

When you walk out onto the moor, listen. The birds sing here again, but their song seems muted somehow. In the hush, the breeze rustles the grass and it feels very peaceful. The dead are there, waiting to whisper in the receptive ear, “Remember us and what we fought for. Remember the way our loved ones suffered. Let it not be in vain.”

If You Go:

The Culloden Battlefield is approximately 6 miles from Inverness. To get there, you can drive, take a taxi, or take a bus. Driving or taking a taxi will take about 10 minutes. The Line 5 bus leaves from the Marks and Spencer Monument in Inverness every hour and takes about half an hour.

The battlefield is accessible every day of the year.

The Visitor Center has interactive displays, the video re-enactment, access to audio tapes (for an extra fee), rooftop viewing area, the gift shop and restaurant, plus washroom facilities. It is open daily from February 1 to December 23. Adult admission is £11.

If you want a group Guided Tour, please call ahead to arrange this. Address: Culloden Battlefield, Culloden Moor, Inverness, Highlands, IV2 5EU. Telephone: 01463 796090. Email culloden@nts.org.uk

Full-Day Private Invergordon Shore Excursion: Clava Cairns, Loch Ness, Culloden

Culloden Battlefield website

National Trust for Scotland – Culloden

About the author:
Yehta Pearl caught the travel bug in 2009 when she and her family traveled to Ireland, France, and a bit in England. Now she travels as often as she possibly can, within her life as a healer. Her travel writing can be seen on travelthruhistory.com. Her website is www.yehtapearl.com

All photos by Richard Smith

London: Tracing The Indian Link At Two Venerable Museums

by Susmita Sengupta

London can be called the city of museums, or more correctly, a city well known for offering free admissions to its museums that are home to arguably the world’s greatest collections. As a frequent visitor to this multicultural city, my family and I make it a point to visit and revisit two of the most famous museums of London, namely the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. These museums hold a treasure trove of South Asian relics and antiquities as a direct consequence of British rule over the Indian subcontinent.

In a recent visit, starting at the British Museum, we decided to bypass the heavy crowds at the Rosetta Stone, the inscribed rock discovered by Napoleon’s soldiers in Egypt, and we walked past the Elgin Marbles from the Acropolis in Greece. I decided to not get tempted by the magnificently detailed carved stone panels from Nineveh or the Assyrian stone sculptures and reliefs from 7th and 8th century BC. On most other visits, these rooms are what would attract me the most, thereby depriving me of the chance to devote time to the galleries related to objects from the Indian sub-continent.

The South Asian collection at the British Museum began with Sir Hans Sloane in the 18th century and continued on with Sir Augustus Franks who used his connections to add to the collection, most notably from Sir Alexander Cunningham, the first Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India appointed in 1871. The ASI was preceded by the Asiatic Society founded by William Jones in 1784 in Kolkata, who started a periodical journal which focused on the antiquarian wealth of India. Thus the 18th and 19th centuries proved to be a ripe period for the British to accumulate South Asian antiquities.

The crowd was sparse in the gallery when we entered compared to the other halls where the world famous artifacts are present. The South Asian objects are in Room 33 and the first thing I saw after walking in was the Mathura Lion Capital from the first century CE. Discovered in 1869 in Mathura, in central India, about 112 miles from New Delhi, the capital belongs to the Indo Scythian period (200BC – 400CE). It is covered with inscriptions in Prakrit, the predecessor of the ancient classical language Sanskrit, using Kharosthi script. The capital also shows the triratana symbol, meaning the Three Jewels, emblematic of the Buddha, his Dharma and the Sangha. This was the first of the many objects present from the rich Buddhist period of ancient Indian history. The museum has an extensive collection of Buddhist figures and reliquaries on display ranging from the ancient to the relatively modern era of 13th century India. A section of the gallery is also devoted to Buddhist objects from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Burma, Japan and China.

However, the prized possession here is certainly the remnants of the Amaravati Stupa, from the 2nd century BC. The region around Amaravati located in South India, was a major Buddhist hub during the Ashokan period. Ashoka the Great, the third Mauryan Emperor (304BC – 232BC), is well known to historians as the king who devoted himself to Buddhism after the human deaths he saw in war. His rule extended from the borders of present day Afghanistan and Iran in the west to the borders of current Bangladesh and Burma to the east. Only the southern tip of India and the country of Sri Lanka was outside his reach along with the state of Kalinga (presently the state of Orissa), located to the south of his capital Pataliputra (now called Patna). Ashoka wanted to conquer Kalinga, and where his illustrious ancestors had failed, he was hugely successful. The Kalinga War of 265BC caused a huge impact on the Emperor. Buddhist texts talk about the morning after the war when he went to review the battleground. He was struck by the carnage he encountered and became a convert to peace. The years after the Kalinga War saw a proliferation in the building of stupas, monasteries, edicts and pillars by Ashoka and he aided in the spread of Buddhism beyond India.

Similar to the Elgin Marbles of the Acropolis, the remnants of the Amaravati Stupa are sometimes known as the Elliot Marbles. I walked into the Amaravati gallery and felt myself being transported to a different, serene world. All around me were intricately sculpted discs, crossbars, slabs and railings stacked and displayed high up almost to the ceiling. I could see beautifully carved limestone discs in shapes of lotus flowers and railings and crossbars carved intricately with worshippers around an empty throne, a symbol of Buddha. There were drum slabs with gorgeous carvings of events in the life of Buddha.

The Amaravati Stupa, also known as a Maha Chaitya or Great Stupa is considered to be the largest stupa in India, even larger than its most famous counterpart, the Sanchi Stupa. While the Sanchi Stupa is a major tourist attraction in India, the Amaravati Stupa suffered a different fate. Evidence has shown that the stupa built during the reign of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, remained a major religious site well into the 14th century when Hinduism had become the primary religion in India. Till about 1344 AD, various successive dynasties, helped in building and extending the stupa and its surrounding areas.

After that it fell into disrepair and remained hidden till 1797 when Colonel Colin Mackenzie, a Scottish army officer in the British East India Company made its discovery. He carried out some excavations in 1816 after being appointed the first Surveyor General of India and also made detailed drawings, a folio of which survives at the British Library. Then in 1845, another Scottish officer, Sir Walter Elliot excavated more sculptures from the site and a whole collection of these were sent to the erstwhile India Museum in London. Subsequently, the sculptures were acquired by British museum after the closure of the India Museum in 1879.

The gallery also boasts of a sprawling collection of Hindu bronzes, statues and sculptures known almost misleadingly as the Bridge Collection. I admired the dark, seated stone figure of the Hindu sun god, Surya from 13th century Orissa, part of a group of eye catching sculptures which show the nine planets or the “navagrahas”. My eyes rested on a marvelously carved, seated stone figure of Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, also from the same era, depicted unusually with five heads and ten hands. The entire collection was amassed by Charles “Hindoo” Stuart, an Irish officer in the East India Company, known for his affinity to Hinduism and Indian culture. He collected antiquities mostly from the states of Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Central India and displayed them at his home in Kolkata. After his death and burial in Kolkata in 1828, his impressive collection was transferred to England where it was sold in auction to John Bridge in 1829-30. Thus the collection was given to the museum in 1872 by the Bridge family heirs.

The next day at the Victoria and Albert Museum, we entered the South Asian galleries, and found ourselves in the era of 16th-19th century India. That is not to say, the V & A does not have ancient Indian artifacts. Here too we saw the statues and relics of Buddhist periods and early Indian dynasties. But the hallmark collection here belongs to the Mughal period (1526-1748), Rajput kingdoms and the Indian rulers defeated thereafter. The spectacular collection also includes textiles, paintings, photographs and myriad objects of decorative arts from all regions of South and Southeast Asia.

The immense collection at this museum has its beginnings in the East India Company’s India Museum, founded in 1798. The V & A, which was known as the South Kensington Museum in the 1800s, received this collection in 1879 but the India Museum was formally integrated and the name abolished only in the 1950s.

From the era of the Mughal Empire, the white nephrite jade wine cup of Emperor Shah Jahan (1592-1666), builder of the Taj Mahal, caught our attention because of its exquisite craftsmanship. Made in 1657, the cup is a unique example of artistic unity from China, India, Iran and Europe. We moved on to the Akbarnama, the chronicle of Akbar’s reign (1556-1605) by his court historian and biographer Abul Fazal. It is a collection of manuscripts painted in watercolor by royal artists with Persian inscriptions at its bottom. We looked at rooms full of outfits, furniture and everyday living objects belonging to British men and women who lived in India during the Raj. We spent our time reading everything, trying to take it all in.

But we hadn’t yet seen the two most significant holdings of the museum. The first one is the solid gold throne of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh empire who ruled over undivided Punjab that stretched to the borders of Afghanistan from 1799-1839. The throne kept in the Sikh treasury came in to the possession of the British after Punjab was annexed in 1849.

Following this, we walked over to see Tipu’s Tiger. Considered by the museum to be one of its most precious and popular objects, this intriguing musical tiger mauling a red coated European soldier was made for Tipu Sultan, the king of Mysore, sometimes known as the “Tiger of Mysore” in South India. Tipu ruled from 1782 to 1799 and fought three wars against the British East India Company before being finally defeated and killed in his capital, Seringapatam in 1799. His treasury was immediately divided among the Company soldiers and the tiger was first displayed at the India museum in 1808. After the dissolution of the East India Company, this semi-automaton musical instrument was moved to the South Kensington museum, now the V & A and has been on display ever since. I realized that a visit to these two museums can be an enlightening as well as a poignant experience for most Indians.

Private Guided Tour of the British Museum in London
from: Viator

If You Go:

British Museum: As per the website, Room 33 is undergoing major renovation and will reopen in Nov. 2017.

Victoria and Albert Museum: Room 41 – The Nehru Gallery

Private Tour: Victoria and Albert Museum
from: Viator

About the author:
Susmita Sengupta is a freelance writer who loves to travel. She and her family have traveled to various parts of the USA, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Middle East, Southeast Asia and India. She resides in New York City with her family.

All photos by Susmita Sengupta:
Outside the British Museum
The Mathura Lion Capital
Carved Railing Detail from Amaravati Stupa
An Intricately Carved Sculpture of the Deity Ganesh
Emperor Shah Jahan’s Jade Wine Cup
The Gold Throne of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
The Lacquered and Carved Musical Instrument, Tipu’s Tiger

The Best Places To Find Peace And Quiet In London

by Elizabeth von Pier

London is noisy and teeming with tourists and horn-honking traffic. Crowds queue up in line or push and shove to see the sights. I spent three weeks there this past summer and, along with everyone else, I visited the usual attractions, queuing up in lines and pushing and shoving. But I also found that not far from the mayhem are lovely little places where you can quietly sit on a shady bench and rest and renew yourself. Here are some of the gems that I discovered.

Japanese and Dutch Gardens in Holland Park

Location: Abbotsbury Road and Holland Walk
Closest Underground: Holland Park, High Street Kensington
Website: www.rbkc.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks/holland-park

Holland Park is a lovely 54-acre park in an elite section of London, a few blocks west of Kensington Palace and Gardens. Stunning Victorian houses and terraces line the streets in this area, and shops, cafes and restaurants cater to an affluent clientele. The park opened in 1952 on what remained of the grounds of Holland House, a large Jacobean mansion dating from the 17th century which had been largely demolished. The northern half of the park is mainly woodland abundant with wildlife (including peacocks), and the southern part is used for sports and recreation.

The Japanese and Dutch Gardens are in the central section, surrounding the ruins of Holland House. This is a more formal area and, besides the gardens, includes an orangery now used as an exhibition space and a restaurant where the old ice house and ballroom were located. The Dutch garden was laid out in the 19th century when Holland House was in its heyday as a gathering place for socialites, artists, writers and politicians. It contains formal beds of perennial and annual plantings along with some modern sculpture and grassy areas where people lounge. The Kyoto Garden was donated by the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce for the 1991 London Festival of Japan. It is a magnificent space containing all the elements of a Japanese garden—water, rocks, a bridge, stone lanterns, trees, flowers and fish. Children holding their parents’ hands walk along the stone walkway over the pond, listening to the waterfall up above and fascinated by the koi down below.

Garden of St. Michael’s Cornhill

Location: Cornhill Street and St. Michael’s Alley in the City borough
Closest Underground: Bank, Monument
Website: st-michaels.org.uk/

As you walk up Cornhill Street toward Leadenhall Market and Lloyd’s of London, a blue door on an extremely narrow church next to an even narrower alleyway will catch your eye. This is the Parish Church of St. Michael Cornhill and it stands on one of the oldest Christian sites in Britain, dating back to the Roman occupation. The church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672.

To get to the churchyard, walk down St. Michael’s Alley to the corner, take a left at The Jamaica Wine House and go to the farthest gate. The churchyard is laid out as a garden with lawns, flower beds, shrubs and trees and is an enjoyable place to spend some time on one of the benches or stretched out on the lawn. It is very quiet here, except for the sound of low voices coming from the wine house.

Kensington Roof Gardens

Location: 99 Kensington High Street, entrance on Derry Street
Closest Underground: High Street Kensington
Website: www.virginlimitededition.com/en/the-roof-gardens/the-gardens
Phone 020 7937 7994

This is an amazing place. It is an event venue so you have to plan your visit according to their schedule. Check their website, which they update weekly, and call before you go. The small effort is well worth it.

The roof garden was created in the 1930’s on the 6th floor rooftop over Derry & Tom’s department store, now home to many smaller stores. It consists of three lovely themed gardens on one and a half acres. The Spanish garden is small and formal and brings to mind Spain’s Alhambra. It has lovely tiles, arches, wicker sofas and chairs, throw pillows, palm trees, a Moorish sun pavilion and panoramic views over London’s skyline. The brick-walled Tudor garden is made up of three courtyards and vine-covered Tudor-style archways and is often used for weddings. And the English woodland garden has a big variety of trees, a running brook, a giant chess set and a pond stocked with fish. There are over 70 full-size trees up here, families of ducks in the brook, and four resident pink flamingos. Kensington Roof Gardens is a spectacular and extraordinary landmark that has won many awards over the years and you should not miss it.

Millenium Courtyard of Southwark Cathedral

Location: Montague Close
Closest Underground: London Bridge
Website: cathedral.southwark.anglican.org

Sitting in the cloister-style courtyard, you are surrounded by lovely grassy areas, benches, trees and shrubs, and a giant chess set. Birds chirp and people talk in low voices. Looking up, you see the spire of a gigantic new building, the Shard, in stark contrast to the architecture of the 15th century church.

The Cathedral is on the south bank of the Thames, close to London Bridge and Borough Market. For over 1,000 years, Christians have worshiped here—it was a convent in 606, a priory in 1106, a parish church in 1540, and a cathedral in 1905. It is the oldest Gothic church building in London and has some exquisite stained glass windows, a 13th century wooden effigy of a knight and a chapel dedicated to John Harvard, founder of Harvard University who was baptized here in 1607. William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer and Charles Dickens worshiped here, and it is believed that Shakespeare was present when John Harvard was baptized.

Lunchtime Concerts at St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Location: Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square
Closest Underground: Charing Cross, Leicester Square
Website: www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/

This church is home to The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, a world renowned chamber orchestra, and three high-quality choral groups. You may be lucky to catch one of their free lunchtime concerts or a rehearsal for an evening concert. Leaving the mayhem of nearby Trafalgar Square, I was there mid-afternoon on a Saturday and delighted in the music coming from a group of talented artists practicing for the Vivaldi concert that night.

There has been a church in this spot since medieval times. The current church was designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1726 in a simple neoclassical style that has been copied throughout North America. The window behind the altar is of a stylized cross and is very unique and controversial. The pipe organ was acquired in 1990 and is considered one of the finest in London, and the acoustics in the church are superb. Handel and Mozart performed here. Downstairs in the crypt is a gift shop and bookstore, a cafe and restaurant, and a brass rubbing center where families can enjoy the Victorian craft. St. Martin’s ministry is committed to social justice, humanitarianism and international issues, and it uses the medium of music to increase appreciation and understanding of other cultures. This church has it all, providing fuel for the mind, the body and the soul.

Little Venice and Regent’s Canal

Location: North of Paddington Station and Regent’s Park
Closest Underground: Warwick Avenue (Little Venice End) and Camden Town

Little Venice is a charming area around Browning’s Pool, a picturesque basin of water where the Grand Union and Regent’s Canals meet. It is an affluent area surrounded by multi-million pound homes. It also is a tranquil and serene place where you can relax at one of the waterside cafes or pubs or just sit on a bench and lazily watch the world go by. Charming houseboats painted in purples, oranges, reds and blues are moored here and a floating cafe is docked at the side of the lagoon.

After taking in picturesque Little Venice, you can stroll Regent’s Canal along a paved walk that follows the canal all the way to Camden Lock and beyond. It is peaceful here, traveled only by the occasional walker and narrow barges that take passengers to destinations north and west of Little Venice.

Private Tour: London Walking Tour

About the author:
Elizabeth von Pier is a retired banker who travels extensively throughout the world. In her retirement, she has written and published articles in travelmag.co.uk, WAVE Journey, Travel Thru History, hackwriters.com, and GoNomad. Ms. von Pier lives in Hingham, Massachusetts.

Photos by Elizabeth von Pier

England: Hampton Court Palace

A Royal Residence Through The Ages

by Susmita Sengupta

Henry the VIII, who has not heard of him? The English monarch who ruled England from 1509 – 1547, is famously known to everyone as the king who had six wives, and forged the path for English Reformation in his quest for marriage to Anne Boleyn. Also known as Henry Tudor, he was born to Henry VII and Elizabeth York, at Greenwich Palace, in Greenwich, London in 1491.

Hampton Court Palace, located in East Molesey, Surrey, is one of the many palaces of King Henry the VIII but only one of the surviving few. This is the place from where the King and his advisers first sent out letters to Rome threatening to break up with the Catholic Church. This is where he married Kateryn Parr, the final Queen Consort. Henry’s son Edward VI was also born here.

But first here are some details about King Henry the VIII and his political and matrimonial saga. After the death of his brother Arthur, at age ten he became Henry VIII, king of England. At the age of seventeen, he married his brother’s widow, Katherine of Aragon, in the year 1509. Katherine and Henry had one surviving child, Mary but Katherine was unable to provide him with a male successor. Henry’s eyes were now on Anne Boleyn, his queen’s lady-in-waiting. In order to marry Anne, Henry in 1527 began seeking annulment of his marriage to Katherine. It was a long struggle as is well documented in history which culminated in Henry marrying Anne in 1533. For this marriage, Henry broke away with the Catholic Church and the Church of England was formed with the king as its head.

Anne became the mother of Elizabeth I who would go on to become one of the greatest monarchs of English history. In 1536, Anne was executed on charges of adultery and conspiracy against the king. Henry then married Jane Seymour who provided the longed for male heir. Edward VI ascended the throne at barely ten years of age and ruled for about six years before he died of illness. Jane Seymour, Edward’s mother died within two weeks of childbirth and Henry after two years, in 1540, married Anne of Cleves. The marriage, a diplomatic effort, did not work out and it was dissolved within six months. She was awarded the title of “The king’s sister”. Henry’s next wife was Catherine Howard, first cousin to Anne Boleyn and lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves. This was once again a love match and Henry and Catherine were married that same year soon after the annulment with Anne of Cleves. The King at forty nine was in love with the teenaged Catherine and lavished gifts of jewels and land to her. Catherine Howard suffered the same fate as her cousin Anne Boleyn as she too was executed in 1542 on charges of adultery. The sixth and last wife of Henry VIII, Kateryn Parr, married him in 1543 and outlived the King who died in 1547. Kateryn Parr passed away in 1548.

On a sunny September morning, my family and I boarded a train from London’s Waterloo station to Hampton Court Palace. By the time we reached Hampton Court, the train had emptied out, thereby showing me that not too many tourists traveled to see this palace. It was a short walk from the station to the large, gilded gates of the palace and we arrived at a virtually empty ticket entrance. This was certainly in stark contrast to the crowds at Tower of London and we were happy to be away from the pressure of the heavy tourist areas of the city.

We started our visit at the rose garden, also next to which is the kitchen garden. These are but two of the various gardens that cover about sixty acres of landscaped gardens along with about 750 acres of royal parkland. One would need an inordinate amount of time or multiple visits to see all the different garden areas such as The Maze, the Great Vine, the Orangery, the Fountain court gardens to name just a few, all of which would make for a delightful outing for garden enthusiasts. But we were pressed for time and so we decided to focus on the palace instead.

The Hampton Court Palace which started out as a manor in 1494 was rebuilt in a grand manner by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the Lord Chancellor for Henry VIII. The king took over the palace in 1528 after Wolsey fell out of favor with him because of his failure in procuring an annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon. The palace would now become a Tudor royal residence, an impressive edifice with all the hallmarks of Tudor architecture.

There was the fabulous gatehouse with the still functioning astronomical clock with its Renaissance bas reliefs. I realized that the palace is clearly divided into parts, each highlighting the eras of the different monarchs who occupied it. Therefore, the palace also has a distinct Baroque side as it functioned as home for later Stuart and Georgian rulers.

We made our way through the Tudor side, stopping to admire the grandeur of Great Hall, impressive with its ornately carved hammer beam roof and walls covered in elaborate, medieval tapestries, a hallmark of English Gothic architecture. This was followed by the Chapel Royal, a truly, magnificent prayer room with its sumptuously gilded blue pendant vaulted ceiling. The chapel, a splendid specimen of the Tudor style also had renovations done 150 years later in the Baroque form by the famed architect Sir Christopher Wren, builder of the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. While reading the leaflet about the chapel, I discovered that the altar cross that we were seeing was made by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the architect famous for planning the city of New Delhi in India and also a lot of its buildings.

The kitchens of Henry VIII are the largest such from Tudor England, built by the king to feed his six hundred or so courtiers. There were various rooms filled with mock meat, fish, pies, various kitchen implements and pottery giving us a true picture of the hustle and bustle of everyday kitchen life in medieval England. We finished our tour of the Tudor kitchens after visiting the wine cellar; now better understanding the voracious food habits of Henry VIII and his companions that most of us are familiar with through movies and television shows.

After a bit of a rest, we decided to tackle the Stuart and Georgian portions of the palace. The Stuart sections are associated with the rulers James I (1566 – 1625), Charles I (1600 – 1649) and William III (1650 – 1702) and Mary II (1662 – 1694) the joint monarchs. These are the Baroque sides and the stark difference in the interiors and architecture from the Tudor Perpendicular Gothic style is immediately apparent. I was intrigued to see the difference in the scale between the State Apartments and the Private Apartments of William III. What caught my eye was the spectacularly eye catching display of arms and armors on the walls of the Guard Room. We saw the stunning Privy Gardens from the windows of the Privy Chamber of William III’s State apartments. The Privy Garden is the most accurate restoration of a Baroque garden with its raised terraces, pyramidal topiaries and intricately carved grass turf where the cut out spaces are filled with gravel.

The highlight in the Georgian apartments is the dining room of George I (1660 – 1727) where I first encountered the art of starched linen napkin folding. Folded cloth was turned into folded art depicting animals, trees, architectural shapes and such displayed on dining tables in European courts. Thus this predominantly German art followed the Hanoverian George to England.

Hampton Court Palace turned out to be quite a serene, wonderful trip to discover the lifestyle of Tudor and later England if one wants to spend a few hours away from busy London.

Private Hampton Court Palace Tour from London

If You Go:

Hampton Court Palace is 35 minutes by train from London’s Waterloo station. The palace gates are a short walk away from the station.

Lots more information is available on the palace’s website.

A new addition is the Magic Garden for families which opened in May 2016.

All photos are by Susmita Sengupta:
Cobblestoned palace exterior courtyard
A view of the garden with its beautifully manicured yew trees
The Anne Boleyn Gate with its pre-Copernicus astronomical clock
The Great Hall of Henry VIII
The magnificent Privy Gardens

« Previous Page
1
…
3
4
5
6
7
…
19
Next Page »