I keep seeing signs for Watts Gallery fly past me as I drive along the A3 motorway up to London – so this Sunday, I took the turning and went to see what’s what (sorry – just couldn’t help myself!). Joking aside, I am so glad I did as this is in fact an Artists’ Village although…
Category: Art & Culture
The Mary Rose Museum has landed …
From certain angles, the award-winning Mary Rose Museum has the look of a flying saucer, landing right next to Nelson’s historic flagship, HMS Victory in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard. When you step inside however, that is where the similarity ends – even though the technology that has brought us to this point in Mary Rose’s history is…
The last line of defence: Hurst Castle
None of my friends seem to have heard of Hurst Castle – at least the one here in the UK. So, just to be crystal clear, I am referring to Henry VIII’s English castle rather than Randolph Hearst’s Californian home! Hurst Castle at the tip of the Solent is a pristine example of Henry VIII’s policy of…
Carisbrooke Castle – a fairytale castle
Carisbrooke Castle, one of the UK’s most perfectly preserved castles, has one of the most difficult access roads ever – a short but steep single track climb with a totally blind, 90 degree turn into the unknown – relying on traffic lights to keep us safe. Once there, high up above the surrounding landscape, the views…
Mythago Morris – Morris Dancers with attitude
By happy co-incidence, a visit to the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum introduced me to Mythago Morris – Morris Dancers – but not as we know them! Musicians, story tellers and dancers, this troupe of wandering players are committed to illustrating some of the old English stories through dance, music, verse and an occasional song. The dances…
An open-air museum of historic buildings
This is one of the most intriguing of museums – effectively an open-air museum of historic buildings. The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum in the Lavant Valley displays 50 traditional buildings in a rural landscape of 50-acres, telling the story of the men, women and children who lived and worked in them over a…
Soaring high: RAF Red Arrows Display Team
I have seen the RAF Red Arrows Display Team (Red Arrows) on the TV or flying back to base camp in the past, but this recent D-Day 70 commemoration in Southsea was the first time I had the good fortune to actually see them perform in person. On the day, you have a member of the…
The Renaissance of a Victorian Gem: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London
My friend said come on over, I have a suite at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London – and this is the decider phrase – in the old wing. Well, I needed no further encouragement and quickly packed a bag and sped off towards this amazing property saved for the nation by Sir John Betjeman, bless…
Singular Statures: Isis, Kensington Gardens
As a vervent follower of the Cambridge and Oxford University Boat Race each year (am an Oxford fan), I was intrigued to see on the map of Kensington Gardens a reference to a statue of Isis. Of course I had to see what it was all about and I found it adjacent to the Diana Memorial Fountain, overlooking the lake in…
KP is Kensington Gardens most precious gem
KP or Kensington Palace, situated within Kensington Gardens, is one of its most precious gems. It is restrained yet exuberant and well worth visiting if you are addicted, like I am, to Lucy Worsley’s BBC4 series on The First Georgians – all geared to celebrate 300 years since the Hanoverians were invited to take over…
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