Innholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2022 i Discover Britain

Queen Victoria’s first sighting of Scotland came in 1842: “The impression Edinburgh has made upon us is very great” Scotland held a special place in Queen Victoria’s heart; from the moment she first set eyes on the country, and especially after the death of her beloved Albert, it became the place to which she could escape. Having been crowned queen in 1837, Victoria first visited Scotland five years later – becoming only the second reigning British monarch to do so in nearly two centuries. Her first sighting of the country was Edinburgh after arriving by ship at Leith on 1 September 1842; she was captivated by the city romanticised in the novels of Sir Walter Scott. “The impression Edinburgh has made upon us is very great; it is quite beautiful,…

So, who do you think you are? Most of us have a deep-seated urge to know where we come from, perhaps dreaming that somewhere up the family tree there lurks a famous, even royal ancestor, or at least a fascinating rogue or two. Getting on the trail of your past is certainly a rewarding way to explore Britain, and for many visitors from overseas it adds a sense of homecoming if their forebears were among the many to have emigrated from British shores at various periods through our shared history. Maybe you have links to the men and women who sought economic betterment or religious freedom in the New World in the 17th century, settlers at Jamestown, or the Pilgrim Fathers? Following the Mayflower Trail around villages and churches in…

Reasons to visit For a historic town so comfortably embedded amid the natural splendour of the South Downs, it is little wonder that the delights of Lewes come with such seasonal variety. During spring, head to Southover Grange, a rustic Tudor manor in the heart of the town which has a modest yet well maintained public garden filled with box hedges, floral borders and crumbling archways. Come the summer, the focus falls upon the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, an annual programme of musical performances held at the Glyndebourne country house. The festival began in 1934 and has now become part of the “season” of events attended by British high society. Indeed, the festival recommends “formal or vintage attire or the height of contemporary fashion” so it is common to see outlandishly…

A London-born merchant’s son, Thomas Becket became royal chancellor and then Archbishop of Canterbury in later life, but it was his death that defined his legacy. Murdered by King Henry II’s knights in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170, witness accounts describe how Thomas Becket’s brains spilled onto the floor and were later collected by forward-thinking monks. One of the most shocking acts of sacrilege in English history, miracles were being attributed to Thomas within days. He was quickly canonised as a saint by Pope Alexander III in 1173 and his remains enshrined in the cathedral’s Trinity Chapel. The shrine is thought to have attracted as many as 100,000 visitors each year, with many pilgrims purporting life-changing cures as a result. Becket’s Miracle Windows are a masterpiece of medieval stained…

Towering contribution I received a lovely surprise as I was reading your December issue and came upon the name of my small state and the tower in Newport [Beyond Shakespeare, Issue 224]. I have seen it many times. For a long time, it was attributed to Vikings and its use was a mystery. You can find a photo of it if you search for “Viking tower Newport”. On my first visit to England in 1973, I treated myself to a watercolour of Warwick Castle which hangs in my home to this day. The town to the north of us is named Warwick, and there are other English place names as well, Portsmouth and Bristol to name two, and I am proud to make my home in another one. I read…

Wiltshire is one of Britain’s most naturally beautiful counties, stretching itself between the tranquil hills of the North Wessex Downs and the wilder northern edge of Cranborne Chase. In between lies the Salisbury Plains, that misty crucible of English mythology, home to the chalky figure of the Westbury White Horse and the monumental standing stones of Stonehenge and Avebury. With such rich delights to explore in the surrounding landscape, Wiltshire residents would have been forgiven for not wasting time tending to their own backyards. However, the county boasts a greater cluster of lush, manicured gardens than almost anywhere else in Britain or even the world. One of the oldest developments still open to the public is Abbey House Gardens, which is set in the hilltop town of Malmesbury on the…

• British Library [pictured right] Find electoral registers since 1832. www.bl.uk/subjects/family-history • General Register Office For birth, death and marriage certificates. www.gov.uk/general-register-office • The National Archives in Kew Browse 1,000 years of historical records. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk • ScotClans Find your clan name and tartan. www.scotclans.com • Scotlands People Search for ancesters by name or place. www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk…

As the last-surviving, purpose-built bell foundry in Britain, John Taylor & Co carries a heavy weight on its shoulders. This traditional foundry in the East Midlands must keep the sweet sound of its bells pealing, not only in Britain, but the world over. With origins that can be traced back to the 14th century, John Taylor & Co has created and hung more than 25,000 bells for cathedrals, churches, universities and public buildings in more than 100 countries. They are regarded as the “Rolls-Royce of bellfounding” and it is said that 20 million people across Britain hear a Taylor bell ring every day. And it all started with one family. Traditionally, bell founders were itinerant, simply because it was impossible to transport such heavy products. The heaviest bells are given…

BAMBURGH, NORTHUMBERLAND Castle landscape at sunrise named among the year’s best historic photographs The annual Historic Photographer of the Year competition is not solely restricted to British subjects, yet it counts Historic England among its official partners, so tends to have a strong showing from these shores. This year’s overall winner was Steve Liddiard for a dramatic shot of Whiteford Point Lighthouse in south Wales, yet we particularly loved Scott Antcliffe’s stunning capture of Bamburgh Castle at sunrise which was shortlisted in the “Where History Happened” category. The judging panel included broadcaster and historian Dan Snow. “It was once again a pleasure and a privilege to be able to sift through the outstanding images from this year’s entrants,” he said. “It was perhaps all the more poignant and redolent for…

“My early years were spent living in a tent with my family on the Isle of Iona” Ann Kenrick OBE Master of the Charterhouse, London I became the first female Master of the Charterhouse in 2017. Historically, the Master would have overseen the pastoral care of the Brothers (the residents of the almshouse), while a bursar was in charge of finances. The modern-day role combines the two, meaning I am both Master and CEO of the 17th-century charity. The Charterhouse opened to the public for the first time that year. I wanted everyone to be able to visit and learn the incredible history of our buildings, which began life as a monastery and a burial ground for Black Death victims, and then became a Tudor mansion, all before the almshouse…

Islands are magical places – and they don’t need to be in far-flung locations to evoke that special pull. There is something about setting off from the mainland and crossing a stretch of water that brings with it a sense of adventure and the feeling that a different land awaits on the other side. Set just off Hampshire on England’s south coast, the Isle of Wight has been luring and inspiring visitors for centuries. Charles Dickens said it was the prettiest place he had ever seen, and Virginia Woolf, Algernon Charles Swinburne and John Keats wrote here at different times. Probably the most famous writer of all who fell under the island’s spell was Alfred, Lord Tennyson – a monument to him stands on Tennyson Down, an idyllic spot with…

The northeast of Britain has long been associated with the stories of the ancient saints, notably St Cuthbert and St Aiden. The impact of these spiritual pioneers from the dawn of Christianity remains imprinted on the landscape of County Durham and Northumberland today, with more than 100 ancient stone churches, many dating from the Saxon period, plus various spiritual sites, and pilgrimage routes. The region is celebrating its ancient heritage with six new pilgrim routes, known collectively as The Northern Saints. These linear walking trails, based on ancient pilgrimage pathways, chart the spiritual history of the northeast as the Christian crossroads of the British Isles. “The northern Saints cared deeply about the people of this region,” says Helen Savage, the vicar representing the Moorland churches, including Blanchland Abbey. “Their intense…