Chiswick House
In the beginning of 17th century the aristocratic Boyle family bought an estate in Chiswick with a large Jacobean house, as a summer retreat. It caught fire in 1725, and the head of the family, Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, decided to build a new ‘villa’ in the grounds. As the name suggests, it […]
Sutton Hoo – the Story of a Find
In late 1930s an intelligent and gentle lady looked out of the window of her cosy sitting room over the estate that she owned. Her name was Edith May Pretty. He came from a wealthy family of a rich industrialist, who devoted his ample spare cash to educating his two daughters by taking them on […]
Of Daffodils and Leeks – St.David’s Day, 1st March
Of Daffodils and Leeks – St.David’s Day, 1st March This 1st March my front garden boasts 5 daffodils. Along with camellias and crocuses they are the first splashes of colour, after predominantly green British winter. Daffodils are traditionally regarded to be the national symbol for Wales, along with leeks, dragons and St.David, whose day is […]
How to be a good tour guide – telling stories is the key!
When I was doing my Blue Badge guide cause, one of the teachers told us that if a tour is interesting for children, it is more than suitable for adults – because it is interesting. One may quote dates and numbers, but it is the stories that bring history to life, and make it fun […]
Framlingham Castle
Framlingham Castle goes back to the times of the Norman Conquest in the 12th century. It was in the possession of the Earls and Dukes of Norfolk, coming down to Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, connecting it to England’s Tudor history. A prominent nobleman during the times of Henry VIII, he was the uncle of […]
