by Matthew Adams
As the location of a Royal Navy naval base Portsmouth has a fascinating maritime heritage. There visitors can visit the Historic Dockyard, at Queen Street, which includes a variety of naval museums such as the National Museum Royal Navy Portsmouth. The museum documents the rich history of the Royal Navy from the age of sail, to the world wars and up to more recent conflicts in the Gulf.
The museum underwent substantial expansion in 2014.
A variety of recently added high-tech galleries tell the story of the Royal Navy from the dreadnought to present day maritime operations. The museum’s HMS Hear My Story galleries draw upon accounts, photographs, mementos and film from more than 1,000 Royal Navy naval personnel. The museum curator Matthew Sheldon stated, “Through our state-of-the-art interactive displays and exhibitions, we hope it will bring our collections alive – and into the 21st Century – for everyone to discover.”
So now the museum comprises of four primary exhibitions. At the front end of the museum is a Nelson gallery, which documents the naval career of the Royal Navy’s famous officer. The Sailing Navy exhibition covers the wooden ship history of the Royal Navy. Then there are the Babcock Galleries that amount to about half the museum. They include the HMS Hear My Story and Racing to War exhibition, which looks at the first few months of World War One’s naval engagements.
Nelson was a Royal Navy officer who won a number of naval battles during the Napoleonic Wars. In the Nelson gallery visitors will find artifacts from naval battles such as the Battle of Trafalgar, Battle of the Nile, the Battle of Cape St Vincent and the Battle of Copenhagen. There are a variety of artifacts such as pottery mugs, jugs, vases, pocket watches, porcelain cups and medals from those battles displayed in display cabinets at front of the exhibition.
A small glass tunnel connects the Sailing Navy exhibition with the Babcock Galleries. In that tunnel there is a 4-inch gun from the destroyer HMS Lance. The Lance was a destroyer that opened fire on the Königin Luise minelayer off the Dutch coast just a day after Britain declared war with Germany in World War One. It sank the minelayer with the 4-inch gun in the museum.
After passing through the tunnel, visitors enter the HMS Hear My Story galleries. The galleries include narratives which you can listen to with headphones. Those stories bring you closer than ever before to the real Royal Navy.
Within the galleries there is a small open cinema that runs the 15-minute film All of One Company. The film combines film, sound effects and testimonies that provide further insight on the Battle of Jutland, Battle of Atlantic and the Falklands War. Just in front of the All of One Company cinema is a smaller TV display that tells visitors about how the Royal Navy has shrunk in size, the locations of British Empire naval bases and when Royal Marine land battles took place.
However, the interactive timeline is perhaps the main highlight of the new galleries. That shows visitors a 20th/21st century timeline of the Royal Navy. The timeline provides details for Royal Navy battles and their other operations, which you can open with your fingertips. The table also includes ships that you can move across the virtual oceans.
There are a number of display cases within the galleries showing artifacts from numerous battles and wars. Among them are a Battle of Jutland, Battle of Atlantic and Falklands War display cases. The Jutland case displays a silver model of the HMS Iron Duke, a telescope used during the battle and the remains of a German armor-piercing shell fired at the HMS Tiger among other artifacts
The Changing Technology section of HMS Hear My Story galleries has a couple of touch-screen games. In those games players detect submarines with sonar pulses and sink them with depth-charges. That section of the museum also showcases a Bofors Gun Mark 1, which was one of the Royal Navy’s most effective anti-aircraft guns in WW2.
Undoubtedly, the new Babcock Galleries have transformed the National Museum Royal Navy Portsmouth into a much more exciting museum. It is situated at the Historic Dockyard just opposite the HMS Victory, and has a Ł13 admission fee. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer, but closes at 4.15 p.m. in the winter. After leaving the National Museum Royal Navy Portsmouth, visitors can also check out some of the other great museums at the dockyard.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyards and HMS Victory Tour from London
If You Go:
About the author:
Matthew Adams is a freelancer who has produced a variety of articles for various publications and websites such as Swing Golf Magazine,TripAdvisor, Coed Magazine the Washington Post and Vagabundo Travel. Matthew is also the author of Battles of the Pacific War 1941 – 1945. Check out the book’s blog at battlesofthepacificwar.blogspot.co.uk
All photos are by Matthew Adams:
1. The Nelson gallery
2. The Sailing Navy exhibition
3. HMS Destroyer gun
4. The Royal Navy timeline
I’d heard the expression ‘Ladies of Llangollen’ before, but wasn’t sure in what context. A girls’ school, maybe? No, they were a pair of women who, back in the 19th Century, were famed far and wide … ‘celebrities’ of the day, if you like. Now, if the ‘Ladies of Llangollen’ lived in this day and age, they would probably be described as ‘offbeat’, eccentric or quirky. That is, if they were noticed at all, for nowadays, it’s accepted that women may take an interest in poetry, literature and politics, and two women living together would hardly raise an eyebrow.
While they wished to lead a life of ‘ … sweet and delicious retirement’, their story attracted a great many visitors, who often stopped by on their way to Snowdonia or Ireland, and their fame rapidly spread. Their visitors included Robert Southey, Sir Walter Scott, Josiah Wedgewood Sir Humphrey Davy and the Duke of Wellington. William Wordsworth also came, and wrote a poem describing Plas Newydd as ‘ … a low roofed cot’ …’ which, reportedly, didn’t find much favour with the ladies, who declared they could write better poetry themselves.
The house is laid out pretty well as the ladies would have known it, with many memorabilia of their famed visitors. But, what most visitors notice above all is the intricate wood carvings, which the ladies collected, and embellished both the interior and the exterior of the house. ‘Low roofed cot’ it may have been originally, but their constant additions made it well worth the visiting. But, it’s not all down to the Ladies. After their deaths, subsequent owners added their own embellishments. The gardens, although started by the Ladies, owe their present form to a Mr G.H. Robertson, who lived there in the 1890s.
In search of peace and quiet, I traveled there at Easter, but of course any time of year is good. I stayed with my family in a little stone cottage outside the town of Dolgellau. The cottage was the first source of delight. It was converted from an old 16th century farm building, and although it has been fitted up with modern conveniences – there is no way I would stay anywhere without electricity! – it has kept much of the original character of the place.
The cottage was in a beautiful setting, with simply marvelous views – who can beat the majestic sight of a mountain rising in the distance?
We were determined to experience something of the long history of the town, starting with a visit to the great ruined arches of Cymer Abbey, [TOP PHOTO] founded there in 1198. It was a bit of a walk from the town, around two miles, but we had set off early and had plenty of time, so since it was a lovely day, off we went. It was very interesting to see the sight. The abbey remains are quite substantial, and it is easy to picture in the mind’s eye how it might once have been.
Back at Dolgellau, we were in the mood for a traditional tea, and we found just the place. A lovely little tea shop that used to be an ironmongery, with many of the old fixtures and fittings retained. A perfect setting for our traditional cream tea with home baked scones, local blackberry jam and a hot pot of tea. Who could ask for more?
After a couple of days spent in Dolgellau, we decided to change direction. Off we went to Blaenau and the unexpected treat of its steam railway. This was a matter of half an hour’s drive from where we were staying, and we were glad that we had hired a car for a few days, as it was well worth it. Blaenau is another historical town, but of another sort. This was the site of the famous slate mines that sent slate all around the world. Today it is a pretty little town, also with its share of tea shops. Don’t be surprised if the language you hear spoken around you there is not English, for this is still a stronghold of the Welsh language, the beautiful Celtic tongue spoken in the British isles long before the Germanic tribes first landed, bringing with them the languages that would later evolve into English. Welsh is a very different sort of tongue, soft on the ears and a musical pleasure to listen to.
Back to our walking the next day, we decided to drive for a couple of miles and start our walk from another spot, to see something different. We were to be well rewarded with the beautiful view of Cregennen Lake. Looking out over the water, it was easy to see how the great myths and legends of our forebears arose. I could well picture a hand rising up through the mist shrouded waters of just such a lake, or imagine water spirits and goddesses of the land.
Photo credits:
The city of Oxford is spread out before me as I stand on the tower parapet of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin. The staircase is a narrow, twisting spiral, challenging to manoeuvre as I squeezed past people who were coming down. The climb is one hundred and twenty four steps to get to the walkway just below the spire, but once up there I can see a complete three hundred and sixty degree view of Oxford. The buildings are nestled very closely together, made of honey-coloured limestone lit up in the sunshine. It is breezy at the top. I tie my scarf more tightly so that it won’t blow off and flutter over the wall. The stone figures on the walls play tricks on my eyes and look like they are about to crawl down to the next level. They have postures like Gollum crouching, ready to leap from place to place.
He smiles mischievously. “It is actually called Hertford Bridge and looks more like the Rialto Bridge in Venice. They are often confused. When we get back down to ground level, shall we hunt for a place to eat?” Kevin suggests.
We headed back down to the street to explore the sights of this over eight hundred year old city.
I walked with my family down the cobblestone streets to a charming pub called “The Eagle and Child”. The building is lopsided due to its age, and several additions have been made to it over time, so the rooms are angled in odd ways. The little nooks and crannies have intimate spaces filled with small tables and chairs arranged for private conversations and philosophical discussions. The walls are covered with paintings and sketches of famous personages like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. I was in awe that I walked on the floor and sat in the building where these creators of famous literature regularly met.
“Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the Bodleian Library.” The guide greets us and beckons the group to come closer. “You are probably curious about my accent. You can tell that I am not from here, I am American. I came to Oxford for a visit several years ago and fell in love with the city.” She says with a warm smile. “I decided that I wanted to be a part of it, so I am a volunteer in the Bodleian and give tours. I am excited to begin and share as much information about it as I can in this brief hour. Let’s begin, this room was used as the hospital in the Harry Potter movies.” She keenly announces.
Across the square from the Bodleian is the Sheldonian Theatre built by Sir Christopher Wren. To my surprise the theatre is not used to perform plays, but hosts concerts and degree ceremonies.
The buildings are interspersed with gardens and lawns that offer a resting place to calm my mind. I learned extensive information about the people, architecture and history that seeps from every brick.
Photo Credits:
Arriving from the south, Robin Hood’s Bay is visible miles away; from a jutting limestone headland just past Ravenscar, one of a few villages on the walk. The approach to Robin Hood’s Bay at low tide is on a long stretch of sandy beach, with some rocks and pools along the way. The sea covers most of the beach at high tide; reuniting with the high cliffs in the evening like a blanket being tucked between bed and wall.
The age of Robin Hood’s Bay is unknown, as it was a thriving village of fifty cottages when first recorded in 1540 by Leland, King Henry VIII’s topographer. In the following century it was recorded on Dutch sea charts, which omitted Whitby; RHB’s now much larger northern neighbour. The origins of RHB’s name are also unclear, with no recorded reference to the famous outlaw of Sherwood Forest. That legend did become popular in the 15th century though, with the first recorded ballad dated to 1450, around the same time that the Yorkshire village was thought to be growing. If Robin Hood was the John Lennon of his time, then it seems likely that people would want to name things after him. However, the local history society believe it is more likely that the name derived from ancient woodland spirits, such as Robin Goodfellow, who preceded the now more famous Medieval rebel, and may have played a part in creating the green Sherwood Forest legend, rather than Hood influencing other contemporary things.
The area does seem to have thrived on independence from outside control and taxes, as the legendary Robin Hood did, with the local history society writing there is no doubt that Robin Hood’s Bay was the busiest smuggling village on the Yorkshire coast by the 18th century. That coastal culture was made famous in the 
and television series. I watched the original series as a child in the 1970s, and maybe that is why I have been so excited by Robin Hood’s Bay. I also first watched the Kidnapped film around that time, which is another seafaring story set in the 18th century.
Smuggling was not the only activity dividing village and rulers, as on the other side there was something that looks even more evil in history: Press Gangs were sent into villages such as Robin Hood’s Bay to find and kidnap men for the Royal Navy. Those pressed into service were unlikely to return. It is easy to imagine the drama of the 18th century in the compact steep closely-knit village that still structurally exists, with contraband passed through windows from harbour to hilltop without touching the ground; or the women banging drums when Press Gangs were spotted, and the men running to hide.
When I finished my walk from Scarborough I had to find the campsite a couple of miles farther north of the village. After stopping to take too many photos it was totally dark by then, but I was compensated by a clear night providing an amazing countryside view of the sky, after becoming used to inner city light pollution skies. Looking upwards at regular intervals for long periods of time delayed me further, but as Downhill showed, it’s not all about keeping to time, but what you see and learn along the way.
Instead, I walked back to Whitby, completing another section of the Cleveland Way. Staithes is ten miles above the town famous for Dracula’s fictional landing in England, while Robin Hood’s Bay is five miles below. As with my walk from Scarborough, I took too many photos and made slower progress than planned. Thankfully, I reached Whitby fifteen minutes before the last bus back to Leeds.
That was the last hiking I did, but watching Downhill has made me want to complete both The Cleveland Way and Coast to Coast walks. Hopefully I will one day hike both, finding more short uphill peaks on my long winding downhill descent into old age.
