I grew up in Fareham and Portsmouth so the Victorian land fort defenses on top of Portsdown Hill and the sea forts just off Southsea Beach were on my background radar as places of great interest and intrigue during my childhood. I was fed stories about all the forts being connected by secret tunnels which…
Tag: England
Singular Statues: #2 Sherlock Holmes
I loved this statue of Sherlock Holmes from the moment I set eyes on it. It was Laura Porter of About London (the Queen of all things London) who took me on a Sherlock Holmes hunt with the statue as our first stopping place. Research shows that John Doubleday is the artist behind this three…
Paint it Black! Hasting’s Net Huts
I have been fascinated by the tall, black net huts of Hastings, East Sussex, since spotting them in an episode of Foyle’s War, Hastings is home to the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe and these unique black net huts are located in the Stade (Saxon word for landing place) area in the middle of…
Battle: Where a new England was formed
You have heard the throwaway phrase, 1066 and all that – but when you visit Battle (yes, the name of a village in East Sussex), with its rather impressive castle, you are aware you are stepping in the footsteps of history. For this was the start of Norman Britain – the last successful military invasion of…
A Beach Hut is a peculiar thing …
Have you ever wondered why The Beach Hut exists and people spend thousands trying to obtain prime huts in key locations? Apparently, reports say there are 23,000 of them up and down our coastline. I keep looking at them, and for me, I just don’t really get it – I don’t understand their allure. My…
South Parade Pier: A shadow of her former self
I’ve lived in Southsea, Portsmouth for a good part of my early life and find the sad demeanour of South Parade Pier a little hard to take. I worked as a student in the gift shop at the Pier’s entrance when the Pier was at the centre of a thriving tourism industry. My brother can…
A touch of Downton …
With the new series of Downton Abbey about to hit our screens, why not fit in a visit to Stansted Park in Hampshire? I have long intended to visit but for some reason or other, I put it off until a couple of weeks ago. Now I wish I had visited sooner and I will definitely…
Country Pub Series: The Queen’s, Selborne
Whilst visiting the gorgeous village of Selborne in Hampshire, I felt the need for sustenance …. after all, wandering around a museum, gardens and looking at village churches takes its toll on a girl. Locals directed us to an historic inn that crossed all the “t’s” and dotted all the “i’s” – The Queens, formerly known…
Loseley House – A little gem hidden in the Surrey Hills
I have passed the sign to Loseley House on the A3 countless times – but have never really had any idea of what it signified. At a loose end one bright summer’s day, I decided to join the 130,000 or so other annual visitors to satisfy my curiosity. Loseley House is situated within 1,400 Surrey acres of which…
Country Pub Series: The Bat and Ball, Hambledon
On 31st December 1999, we celebrated New Year’s Eve in style at The Bat and Ball, Hambledon, Hampshire, watching at midnight the first cricket match of the new Millennium as played by members of Hampshire County Cricket Club. Sitting outside with the Hound one Sunday last summer, a cricket match being played opposite, it certainly…
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