The National Trust was started as the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty in 1895. It has statutory powers under the National Trust Act passed in 1907 which forbids sale or mortgaging of its properties without parliamentary input.
That National Trust UK has properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The aim of the National Trust is to preserve and protect historic places and spaces forever and for everyone. The list of properties has grown to over 500, many of which have been bequeathed to the trust. It has the largest membership organization in the UK and is one of the largest landowners, owning over 247,000 hectares of land. They started by owning stately country homes but this has grown to ownership of urban properties, mills, industrial properties, gardens, nature reserves, historic landscapes such as the Lake District and heathland. The trust has more than 1 million objects at 200 historic places and 400,000 book titles. As well there are many art collections in the many properties. The National Trust has also bought the former homes of Beatles John McCartney and Paul Lennon. On their website www.nationaltrust.org.uk you will find ideas for a day out, running trails, holidays, and shopping. You can go to their properties and camp, glamp or stay in a hotel or cabin. There is a map of the UK with the many National Trust properties dotted around and you can put in the area you are in for a list of the properties close to where you want to go to. There are children’s activities at many of the sites and on the website you will see the special exhibits going on at the minute. For example, this year women’s suffrage is being highlighted at some sites as it is the 100th anniversary of women getting the vote. Also there is an exhibition in West Yorkshire of Chippendale furniture as it celebrates its 300th anniversary. Most sites come with a really interesting and hard to resist gift shop where UK products are sold. There is usually a restaurant where the food is fabulous. Typically there will be coffee and tea, alcoholic beverages, cakes and often soups, sandwiches and full meals. An adult membership is 69 pounds per year, a couple is 114 pounds and a family costs 120 pounds. A child until the age of 17 is only 10 pounds per year and a youth is 34.50. At the National Trust properties there is an entrance fee and a parking fee so if you plan to visit a few properties during a year it is well worth the cost. There are so many places to see and you end up going to parts of the country that you never would have otherwise which can be so enjoyable. You can also donate to the National Trust or you can volunteer. Volunteering can involve being a room guide in a stately home, attending to the gardens or being involved in clean up to name a few of the tasks. The website outlines which volunteering opportunities there are in an area near you. Scotland has their own National Trust. They also have properties and land of national historic interest. As an example, Culloden and Glencoe are areas managed by the Scotland National trust. They are supported by more than 380,000 members. They have been in operation since 1931. They protect all things Scottish from castles to coastlines, wildlife to wilderness and architecture . The joining cost is less than for National Trust UK. An adult is 57 pounds and there is a senior rate of 45 pounds annually. There is a couple rate of 96 pounds and a senior couple rate of just 72 pounds. Family rates are broken down for 2 parents (102 pounds) and single parents ( 66 pounds) which is for up to 6 children. Being a National Trust member can be one of the best things you can do for yourself so look into an annual membership.
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Summer fairs in the UK (often spelt as fayres) are an important part of the fabric of the culture. They are typically based in agriculture so involve farm animals and farm products. Every area of the UK has at least one summer fair and there are often many more. Yorkshire, for example, has many fairs in different parts of the county throughout the summer. The Great Yorkshire Show had its 160th show this past July 10-12th weekend. The North Yorkshire County Show was in June 2018. The Halifax show will be on August 11th, 2018 and Countryside Live in Harrogate will be on October 20th, 2018.
The first fairs are at the end of May and go through to October. There are many during June, July and August. Some advertise being one of the oldest (the Bakewell Show in Derbyshire has been going for 200 years and the Rutland Show says it is the oldest), one says is the largest village show in England (the Heckington Show in Sleaford, Lincolnshire) and the Bucks County Show in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire advertises being one of the best horse and livestock shows. Some say they are the largest one day agricultural shows such as the Westmorland in Cumbria, Stithians in Truro, Cornwall and the Usk fair says it is the largest 1 day fair in Wales. Some fairs have upwards of 150,000 people attending their fairgrounds such as at the Lambeth County Show and one says it has as many as 200 exhibitors. Each fair has its speciality such as sheep shearing, show jumping, falconry or vintage farm machinery displays and even chainsaw carving. The Royal Berkshire Show, which will be September 15th-16th, 2018, will have hot air balloon rides at the end of each day. Most are family oriented and have events for children and amusement rides. There are often jams and jellies for sale as well as dairy products and plants and flowers. Arts and crafts such as jewellery and clothing can be on display for sale. Schools often have a school fair in the last months of the school year for their students and families. Typically the parents, teachers and students take part in selling items they have made. If you haven’t been to a county show this summer yet, go to UKCountyShows.co.uk 2018. Here you will find a long list of the fairs in the UK and you will see the great diversity of events. It will make for a good day or days out! This photo was of the steam train Tornado going over the Ribblehead Viaduct. This viaduct carries the Settle-Carlisle railway across Batty Moss in the Ribble Valley in North Yorkshire. This photo was featured in the City.am news on Feb 14th, 2017. It was the first time in 50 years that a steam train was to have a timetabled passenger service the UK.Mainline steam locomotives were withdrawn in the UK in 1968 except for the Flying Scotsman but the ban was lifted in 1971 due to public demand. Train operating companies came into being and they were licensed to operate and had to negotiate access to Network Rail. They also had to have the infrastructure and timetabling capacity. In 2013 there were two charter TOC’s for steam trains - DB Schencker and West Coast Railways. They find their own coaches, hire engineers, firemen and inspectors and govern their own safety. The steam trains are allowed to go 35-75 miles per hour depending on the trains and the lines where they are running but are often at 25 mph. Steam trains have to stop for water. There are crews as well as support crews on the trains and support cars as well as passenger cars. The Flying Scotsman was out for a decade while it got a refit but returned to service in 2016.
In the UK there are many train enthusiasts and some who go for train trips on specialty trains including steam trains as a hobby. The 2 popular routes are the Jacobite in the West Highlands of Scotland and the Scarborough Spa Express which runs from York to Scarborough in Yorkshire. However there are other lines such as the North Yorkshire Moors Railways which has a 6 mile stretch in the Esk Valley, the Borders Railway, the Settle to Carlisle run, and the Strathspey Steam Railroad which runs from Aviemore to Broomhill in Scotland. Companies such as the West Coast Railway, Great Rail Journeys and the Railway Touring Company offer train tours which encompass a tour entirely or partly on a steam train. Some are day trips or steam train travel is included as part of a few days tour package. Being in Cumbria and going from Carnforth to Carlisle and then from Settle to Appleby is a popular trip to take. Other trips are in Somerset, Kent and from Taunton to Cornwall. Virgin offers luxury tours such as on the Belmond British Pullman train or the Northern Belle Luxury train on various routes with dining options such as champagne, wine and high tea included. Look up steam train adventures in the UK and take one of these journeys. It will make for a memorable time. February 6th, 1918 A hundred years before women got the vote, Jeremy Bentham wrote a book A Plan for Parliamentary Reform. This resulted in the Vestries Act 1818 that allowed some single women to vote in parish vestry elections. But in 1832 women were banned from voting with the passing of the Great Reform Act which only talked about male persons. There was some support for women and suffrage and in the 1850’s women’s rights became more prominent. In 1857 women won the right to sue an ex-husband after divorce. In 1865 John Stuart Mills ran for office with support for female suffrage. At this time women started to meet in groups debating about women being involved in public affairs. In 1867 suffrage groups were started in Manchester, in London and in Edinburgh and Dublin. And then in 1868 local groups joined and formed groups which became the National Society for Women’s Suffrage. In 1870 women’s suffrage movements in Wales and other parts of the UK gained momentum. This became a national movement in 1872. In 1903 the Women’s Social and Political Union was formed by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia. The movement became quite militant and some were jailed. Some say that this militancy damaged the cause. Meanwhile the NUWSS (National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies) remained focused on gaining the vote. By 1906, general opinion about women being allowed to vote was changing.
During the first World War, many women started working as the men were all away. This further moved the cause for women’s rights. There were no suffragette campaigns at this time although there was some quiet lobbying. During 1916-17 the house of Commons speaker William Loather chaired a conference on elections which recommended limited women’s suffrage. Prior to 1918, only 58% of the adult male population was eligible to vote as the rules stated that men had to be in the country for 12 months prior to an election. This was clearly unpopular for men who had been away at war. Politicians were persuaded to extend the vote to all men and women. The Representation of the People Act was passed which allowed women to vote who were over the age of 30 and were property owners, married to property owners, paid rent or who were university graduates. As well, men over the age of 21 years and those in the armed forces who were age 19 and over could vote. On Nov 21, 1918 the Qualification of Women Act was passed that allowed women to be elected to Parliament. February 6th, 1918 is celebrated as the day women first got the vote but it wasn’t until 1928 that women over the age of 21 could vote and had the same voting rights as men. The Scottish love Hogmanay which is New Years Eve. This day is even more important to many Scots than Christmas Day. The origins came from the Vikings wild celebrations of winter solstice. The origin of the word may have come from the Gaelic ‘ong maiden’ which is new morning or the French ‘homme est ne’ which is man is born or even the Norman French hoguinam meaning a New Year’s gift.
This past year in Edinburgh, the celebrations got underway with a torch light parade up the Royal Mile on Dec 30/17. On Dec 31st there was a street party on Princes Street with midnight fireworks in the Edinburgh castle grounds. On January 1st was the annual ‘Loony Dook’ which is the dunking in the River Forth. In Inverness they celebrated with a family friendly ‘Red Hot Highland Fling with music and fireworks. All of the shows are put on early enough so people can get home before midnight to hear the bells. Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire has been celebrating a fireballs parade for over 100 years. In Aberdeen itself there was a Hogmanay concert at the Music Hall. And it Biggar an enormous pile of wood gradually stacks up in the final weeks of the year in preparation of the town’s bonfire which was lit at 9:30pm on New Year’s Eve. Dufftown is known as the malt whisky capital of the world and here the community gathers in the square following the Hogmanay ceilidh (hootenanny) where drams of whisky and pieces of shortbread are shared out to see in the bells of midnight. There was an outdoor music concert in Glasgow and fireworks at Stirling Castle. In Comrie thy start preparing for the Comrie Flambeaux in October. This is when they cut down birch trees and the trunks are soaked in the river prior to being wrapped in potato sacks and soaked in paraffin and tar. These become torches and are lit after the bells of midnight. They are carried around town by strong men. This is said to rid the town of evil spirits. In Burghead they ignore the Gregorian calendar and continue to celebrate the old Hogmanay on 11 January. They parade the clave - a wooden barrel filled with wooden staves - through the town before settling it alight on a nearby hill. First footing is a Hogmanay ritual. To have good luck for the following year, the first person across your threshold should be a dark haired male. This is believed to have come from the days of the Vikings when a light haired stranger meant trouble. The first footer is to bring gifts such as coal, shortbread, black buns or whisky to ensure good fortune for the year ahead. One is to have a clean house to bring in the new year and to clear one’s debts. Some bless their houses and livestock with water and then go room to room with a burning juniper branch. And of course, after the bells of midnight, the tradition of singing Robbie Burns’ Auld Lang Syne is sung in Scotland from whence it came. One of the most famous Scots was Robbie Burns and as such, he is celebrated on his birthday January 25th each year. The first celebration was in his cottage at the anniversary of his death. Later a Burns club was formed and the annual celebration was started on his birthday. Typically the evening begins with a piper piping in the guests. The Selkirk grace is said before the soup course. Typical soups are cock-a-leekie or another Scottish broth. After the soup course, a piper pipes in the haggis. Burns' poem ‘Address to a Haggis’ is quoted and a toast with whisky to the haggis is made. The haggis is then served with tatties (mashed potatoes) and neeps (turnip). The dessert course is typically a cranachan or a tipsy laird (whisky trifle). There are usually speeches at the coffee course. This is followed by a toast to the lassies - the women who prepared the meal and then reciting of various works of Burns. The Romans came to Britain in 42 AD and as they drank wine, they were accustomed to putting vines up to denote a drinking place. When they came to the UK , grape vines were not the local foliage but bushes were. Drinking spots were denoted by a bush such as a holly bush. Many pubs are still called the Holly Bush.
In 1393 the King said that all pubs had to have a sign. As most people were illiterate, signs often had a drawing before words were added. The first pubs were denoted by things one relates to beer such as barrels, barley and hops so names such as the Three Barrels or the Barley Mow became common. Many other pubs were named after the King, or later the Queen. In this category is the George, Henry the 8th or the Queen Elizabeth. Heraldic symbols such as the Red Lion (for James the 6th of Scotland who became James the 1st of England), the White Hart (for Richard the 2nd), or the Rose and Crown are still popular names and were meant to show allegiance to the monarchy of the day. The Castle is another popular pub name. Early on, knights were heralded and pub names related to horses and swords were common. Sports relating to birds such as cocks or falcons carried their names onto pub signs and later pubs were named for other sports such as The Cricketers. Many pubs were named for hunting traditions such as The Greyhound. Still others were named after occupations such as The Brewers or the Weavers. The other common category of names is one with a religious slant. Names in this category are ones such as The Angel, The Bell or The Lamb. When the horse and carriage became the main mode of transportation, pubs provided accommodation and refreshment for people and horses alike. They were important focuses of a journey. Thus many names denoted location such as the Crossing or called themselves the Coaching Inn or the Coach and Horses. These stage coach routes were colour coded so a pub could be the Red Rover or the Blue Inn. Other pubs had other names to denote speed such as the Rocket or the Dart. When the Railway became the mode of transportation, a pub at the station could be called The Station or The Railway. All along, some pubs have been named after famous people such as The Shakespeare or The Lord Nelson. Some have names of local events the occurred in that place such as The Hangman’s Noose. There is a pub with the name ‘The Strugglers’ as people were seen struggling when hung there. Pubs were initially a necessity as it was a place where people could get hydrated and get fed. There wouldn’t have been running water or kitchens in people’s homes. They have always been meeting places and have played an important part of British society. They are often the focal point in a community. Today pubs continue to draw people in and provide a place where one can warm up both physically and emotionally. This year marked the 70th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival. It was started after World War 2 as a way to bring people out of the gloom of the war. It was said to be a ‘platform for flowering of the human spirit.’ The Church of Scotland and the City of Edinburgh established it as an agreement between church and state and agreed together on the importance of arts and culture for a society. It is now one of the world’s largest cultural events and it is really 5 festivals in one now. It always begins with a service in St Giles Cathedral which is on the Royal Mile and on the way up to Edinburgh castle.
The festivals are as follows: The Edinburgh International Festival, The Edinburgh Art Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Royal Military Tattoo. These festivals all take place in August and this year only one (the Book Festival) didn’t start on the same day. There are also other festivals that have started on the back of the main festival and they are in July. In July 2017 there was the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Edinburgh International Jazz and Blues Festival and the Edinburgh Art Festival. This last festival started near the end of July and continued alongside the 5 main festival events throughout August. In 2017, over 2020 artists from 40 countries gave performances in opera, theatre,classical music, contemporary music,dance, and comedy in 16 venues. This year, Standard Life presented a 2 night opening event which was an installation of sound and light projections that transformed St Andrew’s square into a night garden. People who came were to move around and absorb the sights and sounds. The Edinburgh International Festival staff will be already planning for next year’s festival which runs from August 3-27th, 2018. If you have never been, plan to go next year. The City of Edinburgh is alive and as joyful place to be during this time. Archeologists have not found evidence of a major settlement where London city now stands prior to the Roman settlement of Londinium. The Romans settled there after an invasion in the year 43AD. Other than being destroyed by Queen Boudica and her followers in the year 60 AD, Londinium grew and prospered over the next few centuries. The London wall and 6 of the 7 gates into London still remain as evidence of this time. Of course, the Romans settled throughout the UK and many remnants of their technology have been excavated throughout the island that is Britain. Roman tiles, Roman baths and villas that show how they heated their homes with hot water in pipes under the floor are just some of the things that you can see as you travel around. After 410AD the Romans left Britain and Londinium was abandoned until the Saxons arrived. There have been signs of their presence found around Covent Garden that suggest the Saxons were there in the 6th Century or possible later in the 5th Century.
This year from July 28th-Oct 29th in the City of London runs ‘Londinium.’ The different events to portray Roman life over 2000 years ago will be portrayed in and around the London Wall. The London Museum is hosting events as is the Guildhall Art Gallery where remnants of the amphitheatre have been found. There is a walk to the old Roman fort and walks on the old streets from that era. Some of the events are as follows: St. Lawrence Jewry Summer Mosaics Exhibition - “Rome to London" (July 11-Sept 17 Mon-Fri 8-5) Billingsgate Roman House Tours (Saturdays and Sundays 10:30 and 12pm until November) Scull Head Trauma at the Guildhall Art Gallery Amphitheatre (ongoing Mon-Sat 10-5 and Sun 12-4pm Roman Gate Tours at the Roman Military Fort (July 28th and 29th 2-230pm) The City Beneath our Feet - Guided Walks Mondays at 2pm and Fridays at 11am (ongoing) Daily storytelling and Object Handling (July 25-Sep 03) at the Museum of London Guildhall Art Gallery & Roman London and Amphitheatre tours (Tues, Fri and Sat various times) Swords and Sandals - outdoor theatre (Aug 7-15 6:30pm for 845pm start) Family fun Roman activities at the Guildhall art gallery (Aug 8-9 various times) Romans in London Bridge Area (various days) Londinium from Leatherhall Market (Sept 5-13 various times) Walk Roman London from the Museum of London (Aug 13th 2-3:30pm) Play: Boudica at the Globe Theatre (Sept 8th-Oct 1 various times) Go to visitlondon.com and look under events for August. There you will see the link to Londinium. The information is set out by month. Many of the events are free and are for children and adults alike. Enjoy London this summer! The Royal Horticulture Society is an institution in the UK - a country that loves its gardens. Not only are there RHS gardens but they put on prestigious garden shows around the country every year, have initiatives such as Britain in Bloom and It’s Your Neighbourhood and have partner gardens. The purpose of the organization is to enrich everyone’s life through plants and to make the UK greener and more beautiful. Their motto is to inspire, involve, inform and improve.
The four RHS gardens are Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire, Hyde Hall in Essex, Rosemoor in Devon and Wisley in Surrey. A new garden is being added in 2019 - Bridgewater in Greater Manchester. There is an annual pass for RHS that you can purchase and then visit the gardens all year. Every garden has a cafe and a gift shop. The first garden show of the season has already taken place. It was the RHS Cardiff earlier this month from April 7-9th. However, don’t feel that you have missed out as there is so much to come! There is one in a few weeks from May 11-14. This is the Malvern Spring show. They will have school gardens and events for families on the weekend. Sixty -nine nurseries are taking part. This takes place at the Three Counties show ground near the rail station Great Malvern and the M5 and M 50 motorways. The main event in May is the most famous show - The Royal Chelsea Flower show which always takes place near the end of May in the grounds of the Chelsea Pensioners home. The dates this year are May 23-27th. The BBC has an hour long program from there each day so if you can’t go you can get a good idea of the imaginative work that is done by the participants. To attend is a treat. Everything to do with gardening is there from garden furniture, floral arrangements, the newest plants and the most novel garden designs. In June there are 2 shows. The first one is June 7th-10th at Chatsworth near Bakewell, Derbyshire. This year they have teamed up with Wedgwood. These are magnificent grounds to see. Then from June 23-25th is the RHS Harlow Carr garden show. The garden is near Harrogate and during the show there will be a park and ride service from Harrogate Rugby Union Football Club which everyone is to use unless disabled. In July is the popular Hampton Park show (July 4-9). It is on a smaller scale than Chelsea but much loved and always well attended in the grounds of the famous palace. The second garden show in July is the RHS Tatton from July 19-23rd which is held at Tatton Park in Knutsford, Cheshire. This year they are searching for a Young Landscape Designer and a Young Landscape Contractor. In August will be the first ever RHS Rosemoor from the 18th-20th. They will be highlighting quality plants and delicious food as well as being able to showcase this garden at this time of year. You can reach them by heading towards Bideford and then towards Great Torrington. This is followed by the RHS Wisley and the Malvern Autumn shows both in September. Wisley is from Sept 5-10th and the Malvern Autumn is on Sept 23rd and 24th. Wisley is advertised as one of the world’s greatest gardens. There is a large lake inside and a conservatory. They will be hosting the National Dahlia Society Annual Show. The Malvern Autumn show always has plenty for families to enjoy and lots of food. From April to October the RHS also hosts 7 London shows this year. Check out their website for more information. As usual, the RHS will be living up to their motto to inspire, involve, inform and improve in 2017. There is so much to look forward to in the coming months. London’s Charterhouse, which land was first used in 1348 as a place to bury victims of the Black Death before the land was granted for a monastery in 1371, opened its doors for the first time in 400 years in February this year. It is in the London Borough of Islington. It is open 6 days a week.
Visitors can now walk across the graves of thousands of Londoners. Up to 55,000 are said to have been buried here. Thomas More came to this place and 25 monks lived there. The monastery was closed in 1537 due to the reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries at that time. In 1538 the monks at Charterhouse voted not to recognize Henry Vlll as the head of the church. The Prior was hanged and drawn and quartered at Tyburn prison, 10 monks were taken to Newgate prison – 9 of whom started to death and the tenth was executed. They are known as the Carthusian Martyrs. Henry Vlll is said to have stored hunting equipment here and a family of instrument makers was said to have lived here. Then in 1545 the entire site was bought by Sir Edward North who made it into a mansion house. Queen Elizabeth 1 is said to have used the house during preparations for her coronation. The property to as purchased by Thomas Howard following Edward’s death. He was imprisoned for a time at the Tower of London and then placed under house arrest at the Charterhouse for scheming to marry Mary Queen of Sots. He built a long terrace (still there and known as the Norfolk Cloister) before being exposed as being involved in the Ridolfi plot for which he was executed. In 1622 Sir Thomas Sutton endowed a hospital on the site and in his will he left money to maintain a chapel, almshouse and school. It was a charity for 60 poor men and 40 poor scholars. The school was attended by John Wesley and the writer William Makepeace Thackeray. In 1872 the school moved to Godalming, Surrey. It is still called Charterhouse School. Visitors can visit the museum and the chapel which holds the founder’s grand tomb. There is a new visitor’s entrance, designed by the architects Eric Parry, which takes one through a gate and over the foundations of the medieval monastery and the graves of the monks and then through a gap in the buildings ripped by a bomb in the blitz. One of the victims of the Black death was recently excavated when the ongoing Crossrail project caught part of the Charterhouse square. This body lies in a glass case in the museum. There is also a case curated by the brothers that gives insight into their daily lives. This project was funded by the Heritage lottery fund. |
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