England travel | Travel Thru History

The Tall Ships Races

Liverpool, England

by Maggie B. Dickinson

Around a million visitors were expected to descend on Liverpool’s World Heritage waterfront between the 18th and 21st July to watch the ceremonies and departure of The Tall Ships’ Races 2008. But as everyone gathered for the final highlight – the “Parade of Sail” – it appeared to me as though the entire population of England was lining the banks of the famous River Mersey.

Something I’ve always wanted to do is cross the Mersey on a ferry whilst singing Gerry and The Pacemakers’ hit from 1964 “Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey”. So for a better view I’d decided to go on one of the special cruises. Not surprisingly they were all fully booked.

The fleet of tall ships, that is both spectacular and unique, was the largest ever to grace British waters, being made up of around 70 vessels, including representatives from countries as far apart as Bulgaria, Oman, Brazil and Mexico. On board were a mind-boggling 8,000 trainees and crew. In its year as European Capital of Culture the hosting of the Tall Ships’ Races is one of the highlights in Liverpool’s fascinating and imaginative calendar of events. This is the third time, in over 50 years’ existence, that the Tall Ships have been hosted by Liverpool – a city that is well qualified to organise events featuring the ocean because if its 800 years of maritime history.

The significance of the occasion was emphasised by the presence of HRH Princess Anne, Princess Royal, herself no stranger to this important city, who officially opened proceedings on the 18th July as well as inspecting a couple of the vessels. This was followed by a weekend during which the general public were able to view and go aboard the ships. Indeed, an informal visit was made by HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York. He served 22 years in the Royal Navy, which supports the Tall Ships’ Races, and saw action in the Falklands War.

The smaller ships – Classes B, C and D were berthed at Canning and Albert Docks, with the Class A big boys at Wellington and Sandon Half-Tide Docks. Included at Wellington was a ship that caters for people with disabilities – the Lord Nelson. The Royal Navy’s supply ship RFA Lyme Bay was hosted at the new Cruise Liner Terminal landing stage on Princes Parade, with the Royal Marines’ Band not only on board but giving band concerts at various places around the town too.

Clearly all the stops had been pulled out to organise the wide range of vital services that needed putting in place in readiness for the numbers who were expected to descend on the city because, as island people, the Brits love anything nautical. It is said that Merseyside Police had been planning the event for a whole year and it is pleasing to note that it all went smoothly and without any major incidents.

Liverpool knows how to do fun: it has had a lot of practise and music runs through this city’s veins like nowhere else. For one thing it’s the original home of the sea shanty and the non profit-making enterprise “Shanties 08” ensured this traditional genre was covered at venues throughout the city.

All weekend the streets leading away from the train and bus stations were thronged wall-to-wall with happy folk, stopping now and again on their way to the docks to listen to and join in with the various music combos. Dotted en route were a wide range of feet-tapping attractions – Latino groups playing panpipes, Native American Indians with flutes and drums, West Indians with their bongos, Bob Dylan sound-alikes strumming guitars, whilst through the open windows and doors of Liverpool’s ancient and modern inns came the sound of karaoke singers belting out the latest hits.

The British are well versed at patiently forming queues but Liverpool had reckoned on the mounting anticipation of a vast crowd who would be standing six deep along the harbour for hours, waiting for the ships to take part in the “Parade of Sail”. To keep us happy the organizers had provided a death-defying air spectacular by The Yakovlevs Formation and Aerobatic Display Team that had the crowd gasping and clapping and cheering, especially when one of the nerveless pilots pretended to take his plane into a suicidal dive but pulled back from the sea at the very last moment.

The “Parade of Sail” is the traditional run-up to departure and it gave everyone a final chance to see each vessel in full splendour before the fleet left for a point off Northern Ireland where the first race would take place on the 23rd July. It was led by HMS Argyll, followed by the Stavros S Niarchos.

For hours we were entertained to one glorious vessel after another, with a few minutes’ gap between each so that we could really savour each and every one and give them our undivided attention as they glided majestically through the water, with or without sail. Shades of the long ago, reminders of our great explorers, envious of those who were aboard and able to take part in this great event.

The main objective of the races, which cover a period of five weeks, focuses on the sail training of youth, 48 of whom are being funded by Liverpool City Council. Another 48, sponsored by Tall Ships Youth Trust (Merseyside), helped sail the ships from London. Their involvement, as well as that of the officers and crews, is intended to foster good international relationships, friendships and understanding and to promote teamwork and leadership.

The initial race is of 11 days’ duration across the North Sea to Måly in Norway. After the buzz of Liverpool, picturesque Måly, with a backdrop of islands and mountains, will appear a tiny place with its 4,000 inhabitants living around one of the smallest ports ever to have hosted the Tall Ships’ Races.

The ships take a break there from 9th to 12th August, followed by a cruise-in-company to Bergen in Norway along a route that will cover the coast, and fjords which can stretch 100 miles in length. Highlights of this journey will be glaciers, mountains and huge waterfalls too. Several ports are accommodating the ships and visitors, along with providing free berthing and lots of activities for the crews.

It will be the third time Bergen has played host to the Tall Ships’ Races. It is a city of museums and wooden houses that fan out over steep hillsides, from what is considered one of the world’s most beautiful natural harbours. A full programme of events is planned to occupy the time before the start of the second race which takes eight days for the fleet to arrive at Den Helder in the Netherlands where the final celebrations occur between the 20th and 23rd of the month.

Den Helder is 80 km north of Amsterdam to which it is linked by the North Holland Canal. Until the beginning of the 19th century it was a tiny village dependent on fishing which, along with textiles, is still the town’s main economy. It is also the prime seaport for offshore sailing. There are several monuments of a maritime nature and the naval fortifications go back to Napoleonic times. Of note is its lighthouse which is made of cast-iron and carries the distinction of being the tallest in Europe.

It seems a likely and befitting place for the final prize-giving ceremonies, which include the presentation of the much-coveted award of the Friendship Trophy which, for me, is symbolic of what the Tall Ships’ Races are all about.

For More Information:

Visit Liverpool
Tall Ships Tracking Map
Culture Liverpool: Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta 2018 & Liverpool Bordeaux Wine Festival
Sail Training International
Tall Ship Races in Bergen, Norway
Mersey Ferries

Liverpool Tours Now Available:

Mersey River Explorer Cruise from Liverpool
Private Beatles Tour of Liverpool by Taxi
Private Half-Day Peaky Blinders Tour of Liverpool
Liverpool FC Football Match at Anfield Stadium
Liverpool Ghost Walking Tour

About the author:
Maggie Dickinson lives in England’s North West. She has written on travel, local history and outdoor pursuits. Two of her articles on caring for her late husband, who had Alzheimer’s Disease, were published in US anthologies. Her special interest is photographing and writing about lesser-known areas and backwaters of the UK.

Photographs:
All photos are by Margaret B (Maggie) Dickinson.

Touring the Thames

The Architectural Jewels of London

by Guylaine Spencer

England’s Thames River is one of the most celebrated bodies of water in the world. The section that runs through London and its outskirts has inspired artists for centuries. On my last trip to London, I discovered the reasons for its reputation when I toured the river on two boat trips: one from Westminster Pier in London to Greenwich Pier, the other from the city of Richmond to Hampton Court.

One of the first things you notice on any Thames trip is how many of England’s political, economic and cultural icons are situated on its banks. Chief among them is The Palace of Westminster, the home of the British Parliament, with its famous Clock Tower and Big Ben bells. Although this site has been occupied by England’s rulers since King Canute built his residence here in 1016, most of the sprawling neo-Gothic structure you see today only dates back to about 1840-1870. This is because the bulk of the older palace was destroyed in 1834 by a fire. Westminster Hall is the oldest surviving remnant, dating back to 1097. The hall has seen its share of coronations, royal trials and funerals. It’s still used every year by the Queen for the State Opening of Parliament.

Further east along the river lie the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. The bridge opened in 1894, but the Tower is much older. Ironically, this foreign-looking Norman fortress built of French stone is considered the most important castle in English history. In 1078, William the Conquerer ordered its construction to protect his new territory from invaders, and to overawe and terrify his new English subjects. William took advantage of the work of earlier conquerors and built his fortress into the side of a Roman wall. For five centuries, in addition to defensive purposes, the Tower served as a royal residence. After that, the building became primarily a prison and place of execution. The wheels of fate have turned again, and today the castle is one of the city’s top tourist attractions. In addition to showing off the Crown Jewels, its current promoters like to play up its lurid past; the Tower has seen its share of murdered innocents — Anne Boleyn, Lady Grey and the Little Princes, to name just a few. Even now, the building gives off a foreboding aura and looks as if, at any moment, blood may start to run down its lily-white walls.

Hampton Court Palace, on the other hand, twelve miles west of the London, impresses visitors with a very different sensation. Is it the red brick walls, the chimney pots, or the sixty acres of gardens that enclose it on three sides that makes it feel so warm and domestic? Perhaps this aura has something to do with the fact that it was originally built as a home for a private citizen, Archbishop Wolsey. Historians tell us that Wolsey’s new home was so grand that it inflamed the jealousy of the king. Word soon spread that Henry had plans to seize the property and throw the cardinal in prison. To escape this fate, Wolsey offered the property to the King as a gift instead.

The Queen’s House, at Greenwich, is another former royal residence. For readers with a taste for the romantic, this one comes with a tragic tale. King James I originally planned it for his wife, Queen Anne. Construction began in 1616 but before it could be completed, Anne died. Work on the building was abandoned for ten years, when another king, Charles I, took it up again and had it finished for his wife. Later, the building served as a naval school and it is now part of the National Maritime Museum. The American White House was based on this serene and classically inspired building.

Given the number of palaces that dot the Thames, it’s easy to picture the parade of royal barges and boats filled with liveried nobility floating down the river from one luxurious home to the next, entertained by musicians playing Handel’s Water Music. But this famous royal highway has always been shared with “tinkers, tailors, soldiers and sailors” as well. You can still see the architectural legacy that England’s commoners left behind, in the wharves, warehouses, mills and factories that line its banks.

The Romans were the first to make London an international port back in the first century A.D. During the sixteenth century the area became a major shipbuilding centre. In the eighteenth century the port was crowded with the world’s ships waiting to dock and unload. Throughout the nineteenth century and right up to the World War II, London’s port was the busiest on the planet. If you want to learn more about the role of the port in England’ s economic history or just hear some stories about the “romance of the sea,” disembark at Greenwich and make your way to the National Maritime Museum. While you’re there, stop in and pay a visit to that old tea clipper, the Cutty Sark, too, which lies just off Greenwich Pier.

While the heroes of England’s imperial and seafaring age were her mariners, the heroes of her industrial revolution were her factory workers. Their home was then Southwark, on the south bank of the Thames. Many of the factories and warehouses that laborers used to haunt have been converted into pricey condominiums, but the structures still retain a pragmatic, workaday look. Dickens, who at the age of twelve was held in debtor’s prison in this district, described the lives of workers in this area in some of his books.

The Thames has been called “a string of pearls,” a fitting description when you consider numerous cultural sites that line its banks. One of the most striking jewels is Somerset House, constructed for King George III and opened in 1776. The current building boasts dramatic entrances on both the Strand and the Embankment sides. The structure was designed to house not only the offices of the navy, the tax office and the royal barges, but the Royal Academy of Art, the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries. Today, the grand neo-classical building shelters The Courtauld Institute of Art, Gilbert Collection and the Hermitage Rooms.

Another cultural gem that travelers can spot from a boat ride on the Thames is Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, or rather a faithful reconstruction of the original Globe that once stood a few streets south of this location. The building which opened in 1997 is constructed of oak and water reed thatch and covered in white lime wash. Even if you don’t get a chance to see a play, you can still take a guided tour and visit a permanent exhibit about the history of theatre. Fans of the stage will also be happy to catch a glimpse of the twentieth-century National Theatre and Royal Festival Hall as they glide along the Thames.

London is a city of monuments, and the most famous one of all is simply called The Monument. That spire you see from the river was designed by the city’s most famous architect, Christopher Wren, to commemorate the Great Fire of 1666. After the disaster, Wren almost single-handedly rebuilt London’s churches, including his famous masterpiece: St. Paul’s Cathedral. Its impressive dome looms large on the city’s skyline and is the second biggest in the world.

Most of the beloved treasures along the Thames have stood the test of time. However, there are some recent additions of note. Three in particular that opened around the millennium come to mind.

There’s the Tate Modern Art Gallery, opened in May 2000, which is housed in a converted power plant. Nearby is the Millennium Bridge (opened in June 2000), a pedestrian pathway connecting St. Paul’s Cathedral with the Tate. The narrow structure rests upon tapering metal pier heads that resemble the upturned fins of sea monsters. Perhaps this explains why it’s so shaky and had to close down two days after it opened when it began to sway uncontrollably. After tests lasting two years, the bridge reopened. However, it still feels.well, wobbly!

Finally, there’s that striking new landmark, the London Eye. In what looks like the world’s biggest Ferris wheel (technically, it isn’t one), adventurers can ride the 140 meters to the top for a unique view of the Thames and London at large.

It remains to be seen whether recent additions to this history-drenched landscape will be standing beside their famous fellows a hundred years from now. We can only hope that the older treasures that have lined its banks for so long will remain as well, a century from now, to awe and inspire future visitors to the Thames.

If You Go:

Visit London: www.visitlondon.com
River Thames: www.riverthames.co.uk
Historic royal palaces: www.hrp.org.uk
Greenwich: www.greenwichwhs.org.uk
Somerset House: www.somersethouse.org.uk
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre: www.somersethouse.org.uk

London Tours Now Available:

Literary Pub Crawl and Tavern Tour in London
Haunted London Pub Walking Tour
Private Best of London Tour: Sights and Secrets
Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes Tour of Haunted London
London Literary Walking Tour Of Bloomsbury

About the author:
Guylaine Spencer is a Canadian writer specializing in travel, history and the arts.
Contact: www.freelancesuccess.com/guylaine

Photo credits:
First London photo by Mavis CW on Unsplash
Cutty Sark, Greenwich by © User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons
All other photos are by Guylaine Spencer.

Honoring England’s Protestant Martyrs

Anne Askew and Her “Brothers”

by Kathy Simcox

Over the years I’ve developed a passion for the English Reformation. Although, until two years ago, I never knew England actually had a Reformation of its own. Being Lutheran, I knew all about Martin Luther and his 95 Theses of 1517 and a tiny clue as to who Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I all were. But I didn’t know the impact of Luther’s ideas on the wider world, England’s world in particular. During a recent trip to England, armed with an appropriate amount of knowledge, I toured from Devon and Cornwall, to London and Kent and came face-to-face with many of the English Reformation sites, including sites dedicated to many of the martyrs, both Catholic and Protestant, executed for their beliefs.

In the town of Salisbury, home of the famous Salisbury Cathedral, three Protestant martyrs were burned in 1156. One of them because he called the Pope an Antichrist. At Oxford University, the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer, Bishop Hugh Latirmer and clergyman Nicolas Ridley were all accused of heresy in 155 and burned at the entrance gate of Balliol College. It is said the gate still bears the scorch marks.

The English Reformation can go down in history as one of the bloodiest events in England’s history. Hundreds of Christians lost their lives during this upheaval in the 16th century. Almost 300 Protestants were executed during the five-year reign of “Bloody” Mary I and throughout the English Reformation 350 Catholics suffered the same fate, many under Elizabeth I.

Between 1535 and 1681, over a hundred Catholics were executed at Tyburn Convent, located at the northeastern corner of Hyde Park in London. This was the site of The King’s Gallows for six centuries. Those accused of treason were hung, drawn and quartered here. John Houghton, a Carthusian Prior, was the first Catholic to be hanged at Tyburn. He was sent to the rope in 1535 because he refused to acknowledge the supremacy of Henry VIII over the Church of England. Another martyr, a Catholic priest named Ralph Sherwin, was accused of conspiring to murder Queen Elizabeth I and sentenced to hang in 1581.

In the shadow of St. Paul’s Cathedral, situated at the intersection of Little Britain and West Smithfield is Smithfield, a livestock market dating back 800 years, one of the oldest markets in London. The area was once known as the execution site for 50 Protestants who met their end by fire. I visited Smithfield the first Sunday of my London journey. It was eerily quiet that morning, barely a person about, so I was able to absorb the historical immensity of the place, a truly emotional experience.

Across the street from Smithfield Market, embedded in the wall of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, is a plaque dedicated to these martyrs. Three are named: John Rogers, who became a Protestant after meeting the author of the first English translation of the New Testament, William Tyndale, in Antwerp; John Philpot, Archdeacon of Winchester; and John Bradford, prebend of St. Paul’s church. These men met their fate in the mid 1500’s while Bloody Mary occupied the throne.

All of these martyrs, both Catholic and Protestant, deserve to have their stories told. But one young woman in particular has mysteriously captured my heart has mysteriously captured my heart: Anne Askew. For her tragic tale, we must first go back to the events that triggered the English Reformation.

Henry VIII (1509 – 1547) was a Catholic and remained so throughout his life. He loved the ceremonies, the structure and the traditions of the Catholic Church, and considered Martin Luther a heretic. For this he was called Fidei Defensor, or “Defender of the Faith” in England. However, as much as Henry hated Luther, he hated the Pope even more. This was the result of his desire to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and the church’s harsh reaction toward it. As king, one of his responsibilities to his people was to secure the throne with a male heir. His marriage to Catherine had produced the future Queen Mary. This was a problem as women heirs to the throne were highly frowned upon. Out of frustration he sought the help of his cardinal and favorite, Thomas Wolsey. Wolsey was sent on a mission to Rome to appeal for Henry’s divorce. The Pope wouldn’t hear of it and so just as quickly as the “Great Cardinal” came into favor with Henry, he fell right back out again. Another, Thomas Cromwell, replaced him.

Cromwell had Protestant sympathies. Thanks to the advent of the printing press, Luther’s ideas were being spread throughout the western world. Parliament was already pushing for church reform and reform ideas were being talked about in many educational centers like Oxford. Between the years 1529 and 1536, Henry held seven parliaments, during which Henry was declared the Supreme Head of Church and State in England, granting him freedom to do whatever he pleased with his marriage to Catherine giving him freedom to marry Anne Boleyn, in hopes of producing a male heir. “The King’s Great Matter”, as Henry’s divorce issues were known, and all of the changes brought about by it, prepared England for her long and bloody journey toward Protestantism.

All of these activities wouldn’t go unnoticed by a 25-year-old poet and preacher from Lincolnshire. Anne Askew was born of a noble family in 1521 and forced into and unhappy marriage at the tender age of 15. Anne not only rebelled against her husband by refusing his surname, she rebelled against his Catholic beliefs as well. Her strong Protestant convictions caused her husband to throw her out of the home. She left him and their two children and traveled to London to preach against the doctrine of transubstantiation (the literal presence of Christ’s body and blood at the Eucharist) and to distribute Protestant literature. She had connections with ladies at Queen Catherine Parr’s Protestant court, but even threatened with torture she wouldn’t reveal any names as to do so would mean their downfall, including the queen’s herself.

These acts landed Anne in the Tower of London, charged with heresy. She was tortured on the Rack so badly that when it came time for her execution at Smithfield in 1546, she had to be carried to the scaffold on a chair since she was unable to walk. She could still write, however, and wrote many letters from prison, including a hymn that resonates with a maturity and depth of faith well beyond her 25 years. The first stanza reads:

“Like an armed knight appointed to the field, with this world I will fight and Faith shall be my shield.”

She also wrote a first-person account of her ordeal, published in John Bale’s Examinations and later in John Foxe’s Acts and Monuments of these Latter and Perilous Days, touching Matters of the Church (Foxe’s Book of Martyrs) in 1563.

I had read only a few things about Anne Askew and though I knew who she was and the reason she died, I didn’t really consider anything more about her other than her trial and execution at Smithfield. In fact, she was the main reason I penciled Smithfield into my itinerary in the first place. So imagine my surprise when, as I explored the inside the Bloody Tower at the Tower of London, I walked right into her cell. I had just visited the room where the Rack and other replicas of torture instruments were being displayed. As I climbed up the steps I noticed a tiny, yet intriguing room and ventured inside and glanced around. The room was about five feet by five feet and barely ten feet high with one arched window embedded in the wall. As I turned back toward the doorway, I saw something that made my heart skip a beat: a large plaque attached to the cold stone explaining the life and death of Anne Askew. I stood in her cell riveted to the spot for several minutes, overcome with emotion, trying to feel her presence. I tried to imagine how she would have felt knowing she was about to die for her beliefs and wondered how someone so young could have such strength of conviction.

I’ve always thought that a divine spirit guides us to places unknown when we least expect it to. I truly had no clue what I had stumbled upon that day but looking back on it now, there’s no doubt in my mind what led me to Anne’s special place in Tower history.

I walked back outside in a daze, not quite understanding what had happened or how everything I had experienced came to be. It wasn’t until later that I realized that that ever-present divine hand was guiding me to that room, and that I was guided there in order to tell Anne’s story to others.

Why was I so taken by her story? Perhaps it’s because I share her Protestant faith. Or perhaps my own cowardice reveres someone so young who was willing to sacrifice so much for her beliefs. Would I be so brave?

The stories of all the English martyrs are stories worth being told, for as the years dwindle, so too does history’s memory. The events that shaped the lives of the 16th century martyrs also shaped the world we live in today, and they are events, and lives, too important to forget.

Tower of London Tours Now Available:

Private Guided Tour: Tower of London
Tower of London Entrance Ticket Including Crown Jewels and Beefeater Tour
Royal London Walking Tour Including Early Access to the Tower of London and Changing of The Guard
London Super Saver: London City Sightseeing Including Tower of London plus Jack the Ripper and Ghost Walking Tour

Further Information:

For more about Anne Askew:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Askew

The Tower of London:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London

Smithfield Market:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithfield_London

About the author:
Kathy Simcox lives in Columbus, Ohio. Ms. Simcox is an office manager at the College of the Arts at Ohio State University. She has a BA in psychology from Ohio University and has recently graduated from Ohio State with a 2nd B.A. in Religious Studies. She is active in her church, singing in the music program. She enjoys traveling, writing, kayaking, hiking, biking, cross country skiing, swimming, Irish music, British comedies, and Guinness. She is also known to pick up an occasional book, preferably historical fiction. Some of her pictures can be viewed at: community.webshots.com/user/kayakgirl41 Contact: itravellen@shaw.ca

Image credits:
All photos by Kathy Simcox
Tower of London engraving: Nathaniel Buck, Samuel Buck / Public domain
Woodcut of Preparations to burn the body of William Tyndale: John Foxe / Public domain
Martyrdom of Anne Askew illustration: Unknown author / Public domain

Enigmatic Stones of Stonehenge and Avebury

Wiltshire, England

by Keith Kellett

Stonehenge

Since I live nearby, and have a pass which allows me free entry, I can get to Stonehenge any time. But, when I first arrived in the area, I made a very special visit. I went to the Stones to be lectured about them by none other than John Aubrey, the English antiquarian … or rather a re-enactor playing his part.

I’ve found out since that Aubrey has put around more misinformation about the Stones than probably anybody else has. Notably, he connected them inextricably with the Druids, which the experts doubt, although there are plenty of modern Druids at the Solstice celebrations, held on the longest and shortest days of the year. One story has it that King Charles II sent him to Wiltshire to investigate them not because of any expertise he may have had, but simply to get the drinking, gambling womanizer out of town for a while.

The triliths, horizontal stones, balanced on two upright ones, are unique to Stonehenge. Some of the stones in the older circle, called ‘bluestones’, were brought from as far away as Wales. Other, later circles were built from the rough sandstone called sarsen, the nearest deposit of which is about thirty miles away, on Lockeridge Down. To transport the huge stones that distance must have required an organized society, with an influential leadership. Or, as some people still believe, a hand from Merlin the Magician or some passing extra-terrestrials.

Stonehenge stands near a busy road junction. There’s a rather brutal visitor centre and car park and an ugly security fence surrounds the whole site. Hardly what a World Heritage site deserves. Another factor is that the nearby A303 road from London to Exeter becomes, for the first time since leaving the motorway, a single carriageway, leading to intolerable congestion at busy times.

A lot of people express disappointment, maybe expecting the site to be on a remote hilltop somewhere. But, some people say there is still a sort of mystery about the place, even though the actual stones themselves are fenced off. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that we only know approximately when it was built; how and by whom are informed theories, and why is anyone’s guess. It’s often said the known facts about Stonehenge can be typed on a single sheet of paper, and anything else is myth, theory and conjecture!

Although Stonehenge is more famous, there’s another, much bigger circle, or rather, complex of circles, thirty miles north, at Avebury, built about 500 years before Stonehenge. Work started here around 2900 BCE, while Stonehenge was not started till about 2400 BCE. But, some work was always going on, lasting, in both cases, more than a thousand years.

When John Aubrey came upon the circle at Avebury, he declared it far superior to Stonehenge, and said it was like ‘comparing a cathedral to a parish church’. While Aubrey did do some valuable work, he had an unfortunate habit of presenting his sometimes unsubstantiated theories about the stones as facts; a habit which confused people for generations. Modern scientists, though, make it clear that their theories are just that. ‘I think ‘may’, ‘possibly’ and ‘probably’ are the words we use most often of all’ I was once told.

Avebury

Much larger than Stonehenge, Avebury does not have any triliths or Welsh bluestones. Rather, it’s built entirely of sarsens. There’s a thriving village within the outer circle. The Salisbury to Swindon bus runs right through it, and is a convenient and cheap way of getting to it from either town.

Like Stonehenge, there’s an avenue; that is, two lines of standing stones marking the edges of the approach to the circle. The one at Stonehenge consists of just two shallow furrows, which an untrained person would not recognize unless it was pointed out. In the 1920s, marmalade magnate and keen amateur archaeologist Alexander Keiller found the circles in a ruinous state. He located all of the missing stones he could find, transported them back to Avebury, and re-located them in their original positions. And, if a stone could not be found, a concrete obelisk was erected where it should have stood.

One thing that could not be taken away, though, was the massive henge surrounding the complex. It is always a source of wonder that this was dug out using only primitive tools. A modern civil engineer estimated that such an undertaking would take one man three years today, using a mechanical digger.

Nowadays, the ditch is covered in grass, but the original idea was just to have a circle of bare earth. In most of Wiltshire, this is a brilliant white chalk soil. It must have been a dramatic sight!

So enthusiastic was Keiller that he actually bought the land on which Avebury stood, as well as Avebury Manor, part of which is now the Alexander Keiller Museum. Many artifacts he found on his digs are displayed here: arrowheads, coins, pottery and skeletons of animals, and even humans! Also on display are objects from almost all points on the time-line, for the village was here from the earliest times, and many people would have grazed their sheep and cattle in the fields containing the stones. They would, no doubt, have inadvertently dropped coins, knives and the like.

If you visit the sites, you will be immediately aware of a modern major difference between Avebury and Stonehenge. At Avebury, admission is free of charge, although you do have to pay to use the car park or enter the museum. But, you can wander around the stones as you will, even experiment with dowsing rods and the like, to see if there is any ‘power’ emanating from them. At Stonehenge, unless you make a special arrangement, you must admire them from a distance.

More Information:

John Aubrey (March 12, 1626–June 7, 1697) was an English antiquary and writer, best known as the author of the collection of short biographical pieces usually referred to as ‘Brief Lives’ and as the discoverer of the Aubrey holes in Stonehenge.”How these curiosities would be quite forgott, did not such idle fellowes as I am putt them down...”
– More about Alexander Keiller in Wikipedia
– Megalithic Portal: The Alexander Keiller Museum
– English Heritage: Stonehenge
– English Heritage: Avebury
– Details about public transport to these sites can be found at: http://www.wdbus.co.uk
– This is Wiltshire: Avebury
– About Britain: Things to do in Wiltshire

Stonehenge and Avebury Tours Now Available:

Stonehenge and Avebury Day Tour from London
Salisbury, Stonehenge, and Avebury in One Day from Salisbury
Stonehenge, Avebury, and West Kennet Long Barrow in One Day from Salisbury
Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral and Bath Including Pub Lunch
Stonehenge Special Access Evening Tour from London

About the author:
Having written as a hobby for many years while serving in the Royal Air Force, Keith Kellett saw no reason to discontinue his hobby when he retired. With time on his hands, he produced more work, and found, to his surprise, it ‘grew and grew’ and was good enough to finance his other hobbies; traveling, photography and computers. He is trying hard to prevent it from becoming a full-time job! He has published in many UK and overseas print magazines, and on the Web. He is presently trying to get his head around blogging, podcasting and video.
Contact: keith-kellett@tinyworld.co.uk

Photo credits:
First Avebury stone circle photo by Martin Krotil from Pixabay
All other photos are by Keith Kellett.

Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds, England

Following a Monk’s Life

by Marc Latham

I am sitting in the tranquil green grounds of Kirkstall Abbey, with the medieval building to one side and swans gliding somewhere between the River Aire, the lowering sun to the other. It isn’t difficult to imagine why the Cistercian monks chose to build their new community here in the twelfth century.

The abbey was one of eight built by the Cistercians in Yorkshire after the monks expanded northwards from France. They had previously broken away from the Benedictine order because they did not consider them pious enough.

Aire Valley was a very different place at that time. The abbey community was situated in a wooded hamlet separate from any other civilisation. The forest provided wood for construction, while stone from a local quarry and water from the River Aire provided the other vital materials needed to build the church, cloister and community buildings. This was completed before the first abbot, Alexander, died in 1182.

Over the centuries the city of Leeds has expanded to the north-eastern edge of the abbey grounds, and the busy Abbey Road now passes to the north of the church. The main thoroughfare to Leeds actually passed through the nave after the monks were removed during the dissolution of the monasteries ordered by Henry VIII in the sixteenth century. However, the abbey and its beautiful grounds drew the attention of Romantic artists such as John Turner in the 1800s, and it was restored by the council during the next century. The road was outside the grounds when it opened to the public in 1895. The museum and car park are across the road from the abbey, on the site of the abbey complex’s original inner gate.

I approached on foot from Leeds, via Bridge Road on the eastern side of the Abbey. Entering the grounds just above a war memorial, there is a scenic walk that takes you along a mill race, or as it is known locally, a goit: a stream that is thought to have been diverted from the Aire by the monks to power their corn mill.

Along the walk I passed a wildflower meadow that features plants as colourful as their names, such as Birdsfoot Trefoil and Hay Rattle. Red Admiral and Painted Lady butterflies flutter between the flowers, and birds like the Grey Wagtail, which is noticeably yellow, also brighten the path. After dusk, Pipistrelle and Daubenton bats take over the sky.

After crossing the goit via a wooden bridge the abbey comes into view, with the tower’s size making the first impression, followed by the haunting historic splendour of the whole abbey, and the idyllic setting. Austerity meant the monks’ church did not have such a majestic tower, and theirs is thought to have been only a little higher than the nave roof; the present tower was added in the sixteenth century.

Tall trees line the approach. The tarmac path meanders up and down, left and right, before reaching the abbey. To my left, mute swans and goosander ducks above and below the weir on the River Aire seem to be enjoying the sun as much as the people feeding them.

After passing along the southern side of the abbey I turn to my right, past the visitor centre on my way to the nave. There are free guided tours from the visitor centre each Thursday, as well as information, refreshments and amenities both there and in the museum.

Entering the nave, where the monks used to pray, made me wonder what it must have been like for them, waking for the first service at 2am, and then diligently going about their studies through the dark morning. They did this right through the winter too, with each monk only allowed ten minutes a day in the warming room.

As I walked the 200 feet length of the nave past eight columned arches to the tower and presbytery, the shade provided by the high roofless walls seemed to noticeably lower the temperature. As if the sun was trying to enter and warm the room, rays of light filtered through a spider’s web on one of the gates to the cloister, illuminating the intricate weaving that had created it. Overhead, pigeons flew from nave to presbytery, and between transepts either side of the tower; the four points that give the church its cruciform shape.

Exiting the nave via the south transept I enter the cloister which features a stone walkway framing a verdant lawn. There was an orchard there in its heyday, and the inhabitants would work or relax on the grass. The monks also ritually bathed their feet each Saturday for Maundy in the cloister, and used the wall basins for general washing. It was nice to be bathed in warm sunshine again after only being out of it for half an hour, so I imagine the monks must have looked forward to spending time there in the spring and summer.

I stroll around with the lawn to my right, passing the chapter-house and parlour on my left, with the monks’ dormitory above them. Confessions took place in the chapter-house each Sunday, and there were also daily readings from the rule of St. Benedict there. The parlour was the only place that the monks were allowed to speak. The abbot’s lodgings and infirmary were behind the parlour and chapter-house, but due to safety precautions they are only accessible on guided tours at the moment.

Continuing to circle the cloister, I pass the warming house, before the refectory, the malt house and lay-brothers’ dormitory. The abbey was divided between the educated Latin-speaking monks and the lay-brothers, who did the labouring and domestic chores; it was apparently quite a rigid segregation, with even space on the cloister lawn divided very much in the monks’ favour.

After exiting via the nave, a short walk took me to the location of the guest house, although only the foundations remain. It is thought there was also a forge, stable, bakery and infirmary on the site.

Further west on the abbey road, there are panoramic views across picturesque green fields between Horsforth and Rawdon; and just past the airport there is the Chevin Forest Park, where the 925 feet high ridge was part of a Roman road linking the towns of Otley, Ilkley and Tadcaster.

On this occasion I returned to a wooden riverside seat to the south of the abbey, and as the inhabitants of the abbey did 800 years before, I watched the sun set over the Aire.

If You Go:

Entrance to the Abbey and Museum:
Entrance to the abbey is free, and there are free guided tours on Thursdays. Please ring 01132305492 to book.The Abbey Museum is open at the following times: Monday closed all day, Tuesday to Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday 12noon – 5pm, Sunday 10am – 5pm. Admission charges apply: Adults £3, Concessions £2 (senior citizens and students), Children £1 (16 and under), Family ticket £5 (2 adults and up to 3 children).

Travel to Leeds and Kirkstall Abbey:Leeds-Bradford international airport has regular flights to many airports in the UK and Europe, and has just started providing long-haul flights.
Information at: www.lbia.co.uk
Being at the centre of the UK, and the transport system, means Leeds has regular buses and trains to the north and south.
For details of buses visit: www.nationalexpress.com
For details of trains visit: nationalrail.co.uk
The 757 bus links the airport with the centre of Leeds, and travels past Kirkstall Abbey. The 33 bus service also runs from the centre of Leeds to the abbey. Both buses have very scenic routes. A one-way bus ticket from Leeds centre to the abbey will cost between £1.50 and £2. Day-rider tickets for all day travel in the Leeds area are available for £2.70.
For the times of buses see: www.firstgroup.com

Accommodation:
Leeds offers a multitude of accommodation possibilities, from cheap and cheerful ‘bed and breakfasts’ to expensive five star hotels.
For more information visit: www.yorkshire.com

Further information on Kirkstall and the abbey at:
www.leeds.gov.uk
cistercians.shef.ac.uk
www.vrleeds.co.uk
www.kirkstall.org.uk

Tours from Leeds Now Available:

Private Group Yorkshire Dales Day Trip from Leeds
Private Group North York Moors and Whitby Day Trip from Leeds
Private Group Haworth, Bolton Abbey and Yorkshire Dales Day Trip from Leeds

About the author:
Marc Latham travelled to all the populated continents between 1987-1994. From 1995-2005 he studied for a BA in History and an MA and PhD in Communications Studies. He is now trying to build a career as a freelance writer from the www.greenygrey.co.uk website.
Contact: marc@greenygrey.co.uk

Photographs:
All photos by Marc Latham.