BRITAIN

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

TRAVEL CULTURE HERITAGE STYLE HOLIDAY MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

WIN
A LUXURY
BRITISH
VACATION
Narnia revealed Discover the places that inspired
PLUS FREE
FLIGHTS
CS Lewis’s magical land

CHATSWORTH
Style secrets of the
stately duchesses

STUNNING
ISLAND
ESCAPES

OXFORD ALUMNI
From JRR Tolkien to
Sir Christopher Wren

Edinburgh Castle MARCH/APRIL 2017 £4.50

Proud protector of Scotland’s capital www.britain-magazine.com

Quote Britain_MarApr17_UK

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 EDITOR'S LETTER
This issue I’ve had
the pleasure of writing
about one of my literary
heroes, CS Lewis, in
Step into Narnia (p14),
as I discovered the real-life places in
Northern Ireland that inspired his
fantastical world, from ancient castles
to mighty mountains that look big
enough to hide a giant or two.
One place I was already familiar with
is Chatsworth House in Derbyshire,
but in Dress Like a Duchess (p33) it was
nice seeing the stately opulence via
the glamorous ladies who have walked
its halls and their beautiful wardrobes
– I also enjoyed reading about some
of their scandalous secrets.
If you have a Britain bucket list then
no doubt Edinburgh Castle (p70) features
highly, but a visit to Oxford University,
which turns 850 this year, should also 24 6
be considered. Read all about its

CONTENTS
illustrious alumni in Great Expectations
(p24), which includes JRR Tolkien,
Sir Christopher Wren and a certain
CS Lewis. See, I told you he was a VOLUME 85 ISSUE 2
hero of mine.

FEATURES
14 STEP INTO NARNIA
Discover two of the beautiful counties of
33
70
Sally Coffey, Editor Northern Ireland, which inspired the magical
world of CS Lewis’s beloved series of novels
24
38
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
@BRITAINMAGAZINE
Home to the oldest English-speaking university
FACEBOOK/BRITAINMAGAZINE in the world, Oxford is a city packed with history

PINTEREST/BRITAINMAGAZINE 33 DRESS LIKE A DUCHESS

We pay a visit to glorious Chatsworth as a new
@BRITAIN_MAGAZINE exhibition explores its glamorous former residents
PHOTOS: © JON BOWER/LOOP/ALAMY/DEVONSHIRE COLLECTION

38 BROAD APPEAL
BRITAIN
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

The Norfolk Broads are the perfect place to enjoy

TRAVEL CULTURE HERITAGE STYLE HOLIDAY MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

a relaxing few days on the water

WIN
Narnia revealed
48
A LUXURY
BRITISH
VACATION Discover the places that inspired

COMPETITION
PLUS FREE
FLIGHTS
CS Lewis’s magical land

CHATSWORTH
Win the holiday of a lifetime to Britain, with
Style secrets of the
stately duchesses

STUNNING
ISLAND
international flights and luxury hotel stays
51
ESCAPES

THE WORKSHOP OF THE WORLD

OXFORD ALUMNI
From JRR Tolkien to
Sir Christopher Wren

Edinburgh Castle MARCH/APRIL 2017 £4.50

We explore how, why and where the wheels

Proud protector of Scotland’s capital www.britain-magazine.com

of Britain’s Industrial Revolution were set in motion,

OFC_MAr/April17final.indd 1 25/01/2017 16:10

Cover image: Dunluce Castle, County Antrim

© Krzysztof Nahlik/Alamy transforming the country’s society and landscape

www.britain-magazine.com

68
REGULARS
6 LETTERS
Share your stories on Britain, your travels
around the country and your thoughts
on the latest issue of the magazine
9 THE BULLETIN
We bring you the latest news and events,
including a Jane Austen anniversary and
Britain’s bubbling wine business
68
GREAT BRITONS:
JMW TURNER
One of the world’s most revered painters,
Turner changed the way artists saw the
landscape and ushered in a new era of art
87 CITY BREAKS: MANCHESTER
The northwest city was built on industry
but today it’s one of Britain’s most vibrant
centres for culture, sport and entertainment
98 CROWN JEWELS
These 141 ceremonial objects embody the
very idea of the monarchy and remain one
of London’s most popular attractions
87
4 BRITAIN
FEATURES
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
www.britain-magazine.com
61 ISLAND LIFE BRITAIN is the official magazine of
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 B E L M O N D R O YA L S C O T S M A N , E D I N B U R G H , S C O T L A N D

JOURNEY TO THE HEART

OF THE HIGHLANDS

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 YOUR LETTERS
Write to us with your thoughts and memories about Britain and the magazine

TASTY MORSELS
LETTER OF THE MONTH EMMA’S LEGACY Your article on Local Delicacies
(Volume 85, Issue 1) reminded
My sister and I were in the Timber Corps BRITAIN replies: You’ll be pleased to hear me of my father, who came to
(a branch of the Land Army) during the Horatia’s life was much less troubled than
Second World War. We were stationed her mother’s. She spent her adolescence New Zealand aged four in 1910,
at the Earl of Leicester’s estate with Nelson’s sister but remained a Yorkshire man
in Holkham, Norfolk. We and her subsequent all his life. He always said that
often cycled to Burnham marriage to a clergyman Yorkshire Puddings were eaten
Thorpe, the boyhood home was deemed a happy one before the main meal with the
of Lord Nelson. I was most and produced 10 children.
interested in your biography
brown gravy and sugar sprinkled
of Emma Hamilton (Volume A copy of Emma Hamilton on top, as a way of filling families
84, Issue 6), however there is Seduction & Celebrity (£29.95 up so they could ration out the
no mention of what became Thames & Hudson) is on its meat portions. This was how we
of her daughter, Horatia. I way to you and should fill also ate them
wondered if you could tell in other gaps in the life of and they are
me what happened to her? Nelson’s famous lover.
Doris W Jones, Ohio, US www.thamesandhudson.com
delicious. My
father also
always had a
FOND FAMILY MEMORIES piece of blue
cheese with
I received the January 2017 (Volume 84, many happy hours visiting family in this his slice of
Issue 6) issue two days ago and have read it most beautiful city. This guide brought back
from cover to cover. I was so excited to see many memories. Cousins, at one time, ran
Christmas
York noted on the front; it’s my favourite Ye Olde Starre Inne and I’ve had a drink cake, and loved
city in England. and eaten a good meal there. I’ve climbed clotted cream
I was born in London in 1937 but my Clifford’s Tower, walked the city walls many and jam on
mom’s family came from York. I have spent times, visited the National Railway Museum bread after the
and toured the wonderful York farm milk had been scalded
Minster and JORVIK Viking
Centre; wonderful cousins even
and then allowed to set.
took me to Castle Howard. We’ve been receiving your
I have a beautiful framed magazine for years and enjoy the
needlepoint on my bedroom pictures and stories of places we
wall of The Shambles, which have visited or would like to visit.
was my mom’s. Thanks so Bev Turnwald, Waikato,
much for the lovely memories
your magazine brings to my
New Zealand
mind. I can’t travel the great
distance now and look forward
to your magazine.
Pat Beattie, Santa Barbara,
@GMMalliet
PHOTOS: © IONUT DAVID/ALAMY/ISTOCK

California, US Congratulations on winning

the British Travel Award
2016 for Best Consumer
WRITE TO US! By post: Letters, BRITAIN, The Chelsea Magazine Company, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ
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Holiday Magazine
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6 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 Fall in
love with
Wimbledon
Want to feel the weight of the
Championships trophies? Interested in
watching an interactive ghost of John
McEnroe? Keen to cast your eyes over
Andy Murray’s title-winning whites?

Then step inside the multi-dimensional journey

that is Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. With
complimentary audio guides in 10 languages,
learn about the history of the sport, see the
Championship trophies, and the amazing new New Virtual Reality experience
Virtual Reality experience. You may also take
the behind the scenes tour of the grounds and
Open Daily: 10:00am until 5:30pm | Nearest Underground: Southfields
explore the home of tennis, including Centre The Museum Building, The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club,
Court, for a truly inspirational visit. Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE

Supported by T: 020 8946 6131 | wimbledon.com/museum

 HISTORY / NEWS / REVIEWS / INSPIRATION

The
BULLETIN
From a queen’s dress rediscovered
to a sparkling new British venture,
we bring you the latest news

ANNIVERSARY

Remembering Jane

This year is the bicentenary of the death of Jane Austen, NEWS

one of Britain’s most beloved novelists, and in the county
of Hampshire, where she was born and spent most of her
life, a huge programme of events will mark the anniversary.
From a landmark exhibition, talks and walks to picnics and
performances, Jane Austen 200: A Life in Hampshire is set
to explore the writer’s relationship with the houses, people
and landscapes that inspired her.
The Mysterious Miss Austen, presented in partnership with
Jane Austen’s House Museum, (13 May-24 July), will launch
at the Gallery in Winchester Discovery Centre, before
moving to the Gallery at Gosport Discovery Centre and
then the Sainsbury Gallery at Basingstoke’s Willis Museum.
The exhibition features five portraits of Jane together
for the first time – including one sketched by her sister
Cassandra (pictured) – as well as a surviving manuscript
of Persuasion in Jane’s own hand, personal letters and more.
www.janeausten200.co.uk
 HISTORY / NEWS / REVIEWS / INSPIRATION

SHOPPING

A sparkling affair

England’s leading winemaker, Chapel

Down, based in Tenterden, Kent, is taking
huge strides in transforming the reputation
of our vineyards. Its award-winning wines
– including the highly praised 2011 bubbly
Three Graces – are
already served at iconic
institutions such as the
Royal Opera House and
the Donmar Warehouse,
HISTORY DAY S O U T
and are an official
partner to No. 10
A dress to impress Downing Street. Now Summer at Stonor
it’s even taking on the
French at their own
An altar cloth that hung in St Faith’s game, replacing Pack your picnic hamper and head to the
Church in Bacton, Hertfordshire, has Bollinger as the official annual Proms in the Park in the grounds
been identified as a rare fragment of an partner to the Oxford of one of Britain’s oldest family homes this
Elizabethan dress possibly worn by and Cambridge Boat summer (26 August). Stonor Park has been
Queen Elizabeth I herself. The suspicions Race, and exporting to the Stonor family’s home for over 850 years
of the curators at Historic Royal Palaces rest the US. And, like all the and its exquisite gothic revival hall,
on the fact that the dress was made of cloth best vineyards, the Kent 17th-century library and long gallery are
of silver, a fabric Tudor law dictated could estate offers seasonal open to visitors at select times from April
only be worn by royalty and aristocracy. tours, and a restaurant to September – the house even opened over
It was found in the birthplace of one of the and shop selling English the Christmas period for the first time in
queen’s most faithful servants and it looks food and drink. 2016. Stonor is perhaps best known as the
similar to the dress worn in the famous www.chapeldown.com hiding place of St Edmund Campion, who
‘Rainbow Portrait’. The fabric will now be printed his famous Ten Reasons pamphlet
examined at Hampton Court Palace before here in the 1580s – you can even still see
hopefully being displayed. www.hrp.org.uk F E S T I VA L his priest hole. www.stonor.com

PHOTOS: © NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY/CLARE COLLINS/2015 HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES/WORLD HISTORY

ARCHIVE/ALAMY/SIMON UPTON/STUART THOMAS/THE MCMANUS DUNDEE'S ART GALLERY AND MUSEUM
War games

If you fancy a bit of plundering and

mayhem this year, head to Newark,
Nottinghamshire, for the early May bank
holiday. There you can join the more than
300 Civil War re-enactors turning back the
clock to the mid 17th century as part of the
National Civil War Centre’s third Pikes
and Plunder festival (30 April-1 May).
The historic Queen’s Sconce fort, built in
1644, will be the stunning venue for musket
fire and fighting, while Newark Castle will
host living history displays, recreating the
besieged dark days of the English Civil War.
www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com

10 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 OPEN HOUSE

Lay of the land

Set between the two buildings of the Old Royal Naval College If that’s not reason enough to visit, it is likely to be the home
in Greenwich, London, the Queen’s House was England's first of the historic Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (pictured
Built in 1714
classical by Richard
building, built inVerney, 11th Baronby
the 17th-century Willoughby de Broke,
architect Inigo This year
above), theofseason
one kicksiconic
the most off with a major
images of anyexhibition that
British monarch.
and setfor
Jones amid 120ofacres
Anne of spectacular
Denmark, parkland
as a gift from landscaped
her husband, Jamesby I. examines our relationship
The painting has been thewithsubject
rural Britain: Creating
of intensive the
fundraising
Lancelot ‘Capability’
Four hundred years Brown, Grade
later, the I listedroyal
splendid Compton Verney,
villa is due to to save it for(18the
Countryside March-18 June)itbrings
nation since was puttogether Old Masters
up for sale. With the
in Warwickshire, is a true national treasure. Luckily
reopen on 11 October following extensive renovations, which for us, and contemporary artists whose work spans
funding target due to be hit this summer, the Queen’s more than 350
House
the house
have wasoverhaul
seen an saved from near-collapse
to the in theits
galleries housing 1990s
famousand years
will betothe
explore
perfect how their
place to work has portrait:
view the shaped our visionsI of
Elizabeth was
transformed
collection into–an
of art award-winning
including key works national gallery. It now
by Gainsborough and rural life
born and the landscape
at Greenwich Palace inof1533
‘thisand
green and pleasant
Queen’s House island’.
the last
houses
Hogartheight galleries
– and originaloffeatures,
under-represented
such as the British artists.
Tulip Staircase. www.comptonverney.org.uk
remaining part of the palace complex. www.rmg.co.uk
 HISTORY / NEWS / REVIEWS / INSPIRATION

READING CORNER
Discover our fair isles
from the comfort of your
armchair

Take Courage: Anne

Brontë and the Art
of Life by Samantha
Ellis (Penguin, £16.99)
A poignant and
surprising journey into
the life and work of

PHOTO: 2016 HIRSHEIMER & HAMILTON

the sidelined Brontë
sister’s history.
Hotpot became
popular because it Canals of Britain:
could be left to cook A Comprehensive
Guide by Stuart
while workers were Fisher (Bloomsbury,
in the factories £30) Everything
you will ever need
RECIPE to know about the
canal network of the
Lancashire Hotpot British Isles – from the
smallest to largest.

The Trench Cook

Lancashire, a county in northwestern England that historically encompassed the cities of Book 1917 by Hannah
Liverpool and Manchester – major centres of trade and manufacturing in the 19th and early Holman (Amberley,
20th centuries – has a rich food culture and one of its best-known dishes is the comforting £9.99) A fascinating
look at how troops
Hotpot. Try this great version from The British Table: A New Look at the Traditional
cooked in the field
Cooking of England, Scotland and Wales by Colman Andrews, published by Abrams (£30).
during the First
I n g re d i e n t s : World War, featuring
facsimile documents.
2lb (1kg) boneless lamb shoulder, neck, 3 tbsp (45g) all-purpose flour
and shin meat, cut into pieces about 1 in Lost England 1870-1930
3 tbsp (45g) butter, melted
by Philip Davies
(4cm) square
6 medium onions, thinly sliced (Historic England, £45)
3 tsp salt This study records
2lb (1kg) russet or other floury potatoes, peeled one of the great
2 pinches of freshly ground white pepper transitions in England's
1 cup veal or beef stock, store-bought
1 tbsp raw sugar or homemade history as the country
shifted to urban living.

Method: The Good Pub

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Put the lamb into a large bowl, season with 1 teaspoon of Guide 2017 (Ebury
salt, a pinch of white pepper and sugar, then dust with flour. Divide the lamb between four Press, £15.99) The
small casserole dishes about 7 inches (18cm) in diameter and 3½ inches (9cm) deep. Heat 35th edition of this
1 tablespoon (15g) of butter in a skillet with a lid over a medium heat. Add the onions and guide is organised
1 teaspoon of salt, cover and cook without stirring for 5 minutes. Spread the onions on top by county covering
of the lamb. Slice the potatoes to a thickness of about 2mm. Put them in a medium bowl, everything from
add the rest of the butter, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of white pepper. classic country pubs to
Layer the potato on top of the onions in the four casserole dishes, then pour ¼ cup of the the craft beer scene.
stock over each dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to
275F (135C) and bake for 2½ hours more.

12 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
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14 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 NORTHERN IRELAND

Dunluce Castle on
the northern coast
of County Antrim
may have been the
original Cair Paravel

Step into
NARNIA
Discover the magical landscapes of County Antrim and
County Down, which together inspired one of the most
fantastical worlds in English literature
WORDS SALLY COFFEY

1.5 HOURS FROM LONDON

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 15
NORTHERN IRELAND

PHOTOS: © JOE CORNISH/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/NITB PHOTOGRAPHIC LIBRARY/BRIAN JANNSEN/ALAMY

ILLUSTRATION: © MICHAEL HILL

H is preternatural land of Narnia, first introduced to

the world with the publication in 1950 of The Lion,
the Witch and the Wardrobe, fired the imaginations
of generations of children. What child didn’t read
CS Lewis’s series of seven fantasy novels, The Chronicles of
Narnia, and wish they too could step into a wardrobe and
out into another realm – one where talking animals led them
on adventures to rid the world of evil, and they were
Right: The Mourne
Mountains from
rewarded by being crowned kings and queens? In Narnia, Murlough National
anything could happen and it often did. Nature Reserve.
Born in Belfast in 1898, Clive Staples Lewis (nicknamed Inset, top to bottom:
Jack) was an accomplished scholar and writer who rose to Maurice Harron’s
lovely sculptures of
become Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford Aslan and the White
University before being elected to the Chair of Medieval Witch in CS Lewis
and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, but Square, Belfast

16 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 NORTHERN IRELAND

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 17
 With Kensington Palace at your doorstep and some of London’s
best attractions and museums minutes away,
the Royal Garden Hotel is ideally located to experience
the London way of life.

Join us for a great family getaway at our 5-star hotel and enjoy family
friendly rooms, toys for the park, boardgames, and much more.

2-24 KENSINGTON HIGH STREET LONDON W8 4PT

TEL +44 (0)20 7937 8000 FAX +44 (0)20 7361 1991
WWW.ROYALGARDENHOTEL.CO.UK
 NORTHERN IRELAND

it was his early life in Northern Ireland that fuelled his

The clifftop
imaginings for his most recognised piece of work.
Mussenden Temple
Lewis spent his first decade in east Belfast, a fact in Binevenagh. Below:
celebrated in the new CS Lewis Square, where seven Queen's University
sculptures by artist Maurice Harron pay homage to the main houses the CS Lewis
characters in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Reading Room
including Aslan – the lion, who represented all that was good
– and the White Witch, the embodiment of evil.
A short walk will bring you to Holywood Arches Library,
where another statue, The Searcher – this time by artist Ross
Wilson – delights literary lovers. Inspired by the character of
Digory Kirke in The Magician’s Nephew, through whose
magical wardrobe the Pevensie children enter Narnia,
Wilson said he hoped his sculpture would capture the “great
ideas of sacrifice, redemption, victory, and freedom for the
sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve,” that lie at the heart
of The Chronicles of Narnia.
St Mark’s Church, less than a mile away, was Lewis’s local
church and the place of his baptism on 29 January 1899.
Religion was very important to Lewis, who rediscovered his
Christian faith while at Oxford University after being a
lapsed Protestant for many years. Following his conversion,
he went on to write several Christian-themed books and
included lots of religious symbolism in his writings. The

What child didn’t wish that they

too could step into a wardrobe
and out into another realm?

church is worth a visit if only to see the stained glass

window, designed by Irish artist Michael Healy – a member
of the esteemed Tower of Glass studio at the time – which
was donated by Lewis and his brother Warren (or Warnie)
to honour their parents.
At Queen’s University to the south of the city, the entrance
to the CS Lewis Reading Room is marked by a replica of the
wardrobe door used in the feature film, The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe, while engraved quotes from the writer
adorn the walls and windows, such as this passage from his
Christian doctrine Mere Christianity: “If I find in myself
desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only
logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”
The room also holds a collection of 10 rare unpublished
letters written by Lewis to his friend Captain Bernard
Acworth, founder of the Evolution Protest Movement.
PHOTOS: © DAVID CORDNER/TONY PLEAVIN/NITB PHOTOGRAPHIC LIBRARY

Unfortunately Little Lea, Lewis’s childhood home on

Circular Road in Belfast, is privately owned and not open to
the public, though some tour guides bring visitors to near its
gates where you can peer at the house in which Lewis spent
hours writing about an imaginary place he called ‘Animal
Land’. Despite its name, the house was actually rather large
and occupied a sizeable plot, which was chosen by Lewis’s
father due to its uninterrupted views of Belfast Lough and
the Belfast Hills, including Divas and Black Mountain.
Lewis’s early years were happy and, although the family
lived in the city, they took regular holidays to the nearby
countryside and coast, including the Mourne Mountains,
which he would later reference in his work.

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 19
NORTHERN IRELAND
Although CS Lewis spent much of
his life in England, he never forgot
his homeland, which inspired Narnia
20 BRITAIN
Carlingford Lough
provided CS Lewis with
inspiration for Narnia.
Below: Head to Rostrevor
to join the Narnia Trail
PHOTOS: © PATRICK CAMPBELL/STEPHEN BARNES/ALAMY
Following his mother’s death when he was aged just nine,
Lewis was sent to Wynyard boarding school in Watford,
Hertfordshire, where his idyllic childhood came to an end.
The school was a dreadful place: Lewis tellingly renamed it
Belsen in his semi-autobiographical work, Surprised by Joy,
but, mercifully, he left the school two years later when it was
forced to close due to a lack of students.
Lewis returned to school near Little Lea for a year before
enrolling at school in Malvern, Worcestershire. Although he
spent much of his life in England, he never forgot his
homeland, which provided inspiration for his fictional world.
In his essay, On Stories, he wrote: “I have seen landscapes,
notably in the Mourne Mountains and southwards which
under a particular light made me feel that at any moment
a giant might raise his head over the next ridge.”
Was it these very same giants he envisaged in the fourth
Narnia tale The Silver Chair (which currently has a film
in production) in which the children and Puddleglum escape
the clutches of giants as they head across the “wild lands
of the North”?
The village of Rostrevor at the foot of the Mourne
Mountains also influenced Lewis’s fervent imagination.
In a letter to Warren he wrote: “That part of Rostrevor
which overlooks Carlingford Lough is my idea of Narnia.”
At Kilbroney Forest Park in Rostrevor you can join the
Narnia Trail, which you enter – of course – through a
wardrobe. En route you will meet characters from the
www.britain-magazine.com
OPEN TREASURE
Enjoy permanent and temporary exhibitions in the most intact surviving
set of medieval monastic buildings in the UK. Journey through the 14th-
century Monks’ Dormitory and Great Kitchen, and marvel at objects from the
Cathedral’s collections as the remarkable story of Durham Cathedral is revealed.
BEASTS
Monday 20 February – Saturday 10 June
Discover weird and wonderful beasts and monsters which have fascinated
people from earliest times through illustrations of lions and dragons in
medieval manuscripts, to early printed books with sea serpents, wyverns,
griffins and unicorns.  
MAGNA CARTA AND THE FOREST CHARTERS
Monday 19 June – Saturday 9 September
In the 800th anniversary year of its first issue, see the 1217 Forest Charter,
and the 1225 and 1300 issues alongside all of Durham Cathedral’s Magna
Cartas, which includes the only surviving 1216 issue, and further issues from
1225 and 1300.
Tickets: £2.50 – £7.50 available at the Cathedral and online.
www.durhamcathedral.co.uk
NORTHERN IRELAND
THE PLANNER
GETTING THERE
Belfast has two airports – Belfast City
Airport (also known as George Best airport),
which has regular flights from the UK and
European destinations, and Belfast
International Airport (also known as
Aldergrove), which caters for long-haul flights.
Translink provides bus services from both
airports. www.belfastcityairport.com
www.belfastairport.com
www.translink.co.uk
WHERE TO STAY
The Merchant Hotel in Belfast
is located in the popular Cathedral
Quarter and offers accommodation in
a choice of Art Deco or Victorian rooms.
www.themerchanthotel.com
TITANIC QUARTER
Situated alongside the award-winning
Titanic Belfast – Europe’s leading visitor
attraction – HMS Caroline, the last surviving
ship from the Battle of Jutland, opened to
visitors in 2016 and allows you to try out
Mount Stewart on
Strangford Lough is
one of the world’s
top 10 gardens
22 BRITAIN
some First World War communication
methods, such as signal lanterns, signal
flags and Morse code.
GRAND AFFAIR
The stately home of Mount Stewart,
tucked away on the shores of Strangford
Lough, has undergone a huge facelift over
recent years and now boasts beautifully
restored rooms, an enviable art collection
and one of the top 10 gardens in the world.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mount-stewart
BOOK A CS LEWIS TOUR
With Authentic Ulster you can
choose between a half-day (three hours)
tour through some of CS Lewis’s old haunts
in Belfast and a day tour, which will visit the
400-year-old Crawfordsburn Inn, where
Lewis would meet with literary friends and
where he enjoyed a ‘belated honeymoon’
with his wife. For longer visits, tours can also
be extended to include locations in County
Antrim and County Down.
www.authenticulster.co.uk/tours
stories, such as the Tree People, or Dryads – the spirits of
Narnian trees. The walk is manageable, but for something
more taxing follow the trail to the legendary Cloughmore
Stone, a granite boulder 230m above sea level. According
to legend, the stone was thrown by giant Finn McCool
(of the Giant’s Causeway fame) during a fight with a rival.
It was ancient myths like this, told to Lewis by his Irish
nurse, that first sowed the seed of Narnia. The inspiration
for Cair Paravel – the castle from where the Kings and
Queens of Narnia rule – could have been Dunluce Castle in
County Antrim, which Lewis would have known from his
childhood trips to Portrush and Ballycastle. It certainly looks
the part: when we initially visit it in the first story, Lewis
describes it thus: “The castle of Cair Paravel on its little hill
towered up above them; before them were the sands, with
rocks and little pools of saltwater, and sea weed, and the
smell of the sea, and long lines of bluish green waves
breaking forever and ever on the beach.”
Near to Dunluce Castle is Binevenagh, an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty where you will find the
gorgeous beach of Benone as well as the unusual Mussenden
Temple. If you’re feeling energetic you can take the mountain
walk to the top of the cliff where an artificial lake commands
views over Lough Foyle, the Roe Valley, Inishowen and – on
a clear day – the west coast of Scotland. We certainly think
CS Lewis would approve.
 For more stories and articles on beautiful Northern Ireland,
visit www.britain-magazine.com
PHOTO: © ANDREW BUTLER/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES
www.britain-magazine.com
 New Romance
from
Award-Winning
Author
Kristi Ann Hunter!
A fter a night trapped together in an old stone keep, Lady Adelaide Bell
and Lord Trent Hawthorne have no choice but to marry. Dismayed,
Adelaide finds herself bound to a man who ignores her, as Trent has no desire
to connect with the one who dashed his plans
to marry for love. Can they set aside their first
impressions before any chance of love is lost?

“Hawthorne
The latest, superb addition to Hunter’s
House series will delight
fans of sweet, inspirational Regency
romances with its compelling characters
and flawlessly crafted setting.
—Booklist
”
CHARLESTON
OXFORD
 OXFORD

Radcliffe Camera
and St Mary the
Virgin Church.
Right: Christ Church,
which has produced 13
British prime ministers

Expectations GREAT

Home to the oldest university in the English-speaking

world, founded 850 years ago, Oxford is a
city full of history, magic and intrigue?
WORDS NEIL JONES

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 25
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 OXFORD

C
limb to the top of one of Oxford’s
lofty viewpoints – Carfax clock
tower, the Sheldonian Theatre,
the University Church of St Mary
the Virgin – and you’ll see the ‘dreaming
spires’ still bravely pricking the skyline, long
after Victorian poet Matthew Arnold first
celebrated them in his 1866 poem Thyrsis.
In college and street, where black-gowned
students scurry and bowler-hatted ‘Bulldogs’
prowl (a throwback to the university police),
time may seem to have stood still. But while
punting and genteel picnics on the river have
yet to fall out of fashion, the oldest university
in the English-speaking world has rarely
rested on its laurels.
Recently ranked the world’s top university
by London-based academic magazine Times
Higher Education, through the centuries
Oxford has produced an unrivalled 27
British prime ministers – St Hugh’s College
graduate Theresa May being the latest – as
well as at least 30 international leaders and
50 Nobel Prize winners. Famous Oxonians
range from medieval scholar Roger Bacon
and Elizabethan explorer Sir Walter Raleigh
to writer Oscar Wilde and inventor of the
World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
Movers and shakers: one and all.
There was some form of teaching here in
the 11th century, however it was from the
key date of 1167, when King Henry II
banned English students from attending the
University of Paris, that developments
accelerated – making 2017 a notable 850th
anniversary in Oxford’s foundation story.
From the beginning, the influx of student
numbers put a strain on the community,
leading to frequently violent ‘town and
gown’ disputes – a reference to the city’s than 140 countries. Women achieved full Above: William Hogarth’s
1736 The Lecture featuring
PHOTOS: © LEBRECHT MUSIC AND ARTS PHOTO LIBRARY/NORTH WIND PICTURE LIBRARY/ALAMY/JON BOWER/LOOP

academic and non-academic communities.
After riots in 1209, some scholars fled to
Cambridge, effectively establishing the
university there. But most notorious was
the St Scholastica’s Day Riot in 1355 when
two scholars, considering their wine to be
sub-standard, threw a quart pot at the
landlord of the Swindlestock Tavern – a
plaque marks the site of the inn at Carfax.
Matters escalated into an all-out battle
across the city centre, during which some
62 students were killed.
Such frictions hastened the establishment
of dedicated halls of residence for students
under the supervision of a master, and these
halls were succeeded by the first colleges:
University (in 1249), Balliol (1263) and
Merton (1264). Today there are 44 colleges
and halls spread throughout the city, each
with its own character, rules and traditions,
home to over 22,000 students from more
membership in 1920 and, since 2008, all
Henry Fisher, registrar of
colleges admit men and women. Oxford University
While Oxford quickly became pre-eminent
as a seat of learning, it was often a hotbed of Below: John Wycliffe
scholarly controversy too, particularly when translating the Bible into
English in the 1300s
it came to religion and politics. The reformer
John Wycliffe, for example, a 14th-century
master of Balliol College, campaigned for the
Bible to be translated into the vernacular,
against Papal wishes.
Leading lights in the Methodist revival
of the 18th century and the 19th-century
Oxford Movement (which sought to
reinvigorate Catholic aspects of the Anglican
Church) preached in the University Church
of St Mary the Virgin on the high street.
Walk south along St Giles and, at the end
of the street, you will discover the Martyrs’
Memorial, built in the Victorian era to
commemorate the Anglican churchmen
Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley who were

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 27
OXFORD
tried for heresy and burnt at the stake in
Oxford during the Reformation.
One can find most of the university’s
handsome buildings in Oxford’s centre,
which is easily explored on foot, while there
are plenty of themed tours to join if you
fancy a guided commentary. A must-see
cluster of architectural highlights on Broad
Street (known locally as ‘The Broad’) begins
with the honey-coloured 17th-century
Sheldonian Theatre, the university’s main
ceremonial hall and a building notable as the
first major work of a young Oxford professor
of astronomy, Christopher Wren. The hall’s
exuberant classical edifice launched his
architectural career, which would culminate
in a knighthood and his crowning
achievement, St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Head up to the Sheldonian’s rooftop
cupola for panoramic skyline views.
28 BRITAIN
PHOTOS: © ALISTAIR LAMING/ANTONY NETTLE/CHRIS DORNEY/ARTERRA PICTURE LIBRARY/ALAMY/MICHAEL JENNER/ROBERTHARDING.COM
Back on street level, you are a few steps
away from the Bodleian Library, opened in
1602 and named after the Elizabethan
scholar and diplomat Sir Thomas Bodley
whose refurbishments incorporated an
earlier, 15th-century library, housing books
donated by Humfrey (or Humphrey), Duke
of Gloucester. ‘The Bod’ is legally entitled to
receive a copy of every UK print publication
and its libraries boast over 12 million printed
items on more than 250km of shelving. Rare
treasures, such as 1217 reissue copies of
Magna Carta, abound. Tours visit the
Divinity School, a masterpiece of English
Gothic architecture completed in 1488, Duke
Humfrey’s medieval library and the Radcliffe
Camera, the classical rotunda designed by
James Gibbs and finished in 1749.
Across the way, there’s a popular photo
opportunity beneath Hertford College’s
www.britain-magazine.com
 OXFORD

Clockwise, from this image:

The President’s Lodgings
and Founder's Tower at
Magdalen College;
the Ashmolean Museum;
Hertford College‘s
Bridge of Sighs; Christ
Church’s Great Hall; the
Sheldonian Theatre

It was at Hertford that

novelist Evelyn Waugh
studied, later distilling
Oxford scenes into
his classic 1945 novel,
Brideshead Revisited

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 29
OXFORD
The Martyrs' Memorial outside
Balliol College commemorates
the 16th-century Oxford Martyrs
Oxford has produced 1913-built ‘Bridge of Sighs’ over New
College Lane. It was at Hertford that novelist
an unrivalled 27 British Evelyn Waugh studied, later distilling
Oxford scenes into his 1945 novel,
prime ministers, and Brideshead Revisited.
at least 30 international Most colleges (though not Hertford) allow
visitors, with times posted outside. New
leaders and 50 Nobel College, founded in 1379 for the education of
priests, pioneered the then-novel idea of a
Prize winners quadrangle featuring essential buildings such
as chapel, hall, libraries and sleeping quarters.
On St Giles to the north, the 17th-century,
Italian Renaissance-style Canterbury Quad
of St John’s, Oxford’s wealthiest college, is a
later and notable eye-catcher.
30 BRITAIN
The most famous of Oxford’s colleges (and
the one boasting the largest quad) is Christ
Church on St Aldates, founded by Cardinal
Wolsey in 1524 and re-founded following his
death by King Henry VIII in 1546.
King Charles I lived at Christ Church
during the English Civil War, holding his
parliament in the Great Hall, and
Christopher Wren designed the striking Tom
Tower in 1682; the college chapel – Oxford’s
cathedral – is a Romanesque beauty and the
Picture Gallery houses important Old
Master paintings and drawings. Amid such
splendour, lecturer Charles Dodgson, aka
Lewis Carroll, immortalised the daughter
of the college dean, Alice Liddell, in Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland. The author was
inspired to invent the story for Alice and her
sisters during a boating trip from Oxford to
nearby Godstow on 4 July 1862.
After a wander in Christ Church Meadow,
maybe drop into Merton College where a
certain professor of English language and
literature became famous as author of
The Lord of the Rings. Both JRR Tolkien
and The Chronicles of Narnia author CS
Lewis, a tutor at Magdalen College, were in
the Inklings discussion group that met at the
Eagle and Child pub on St Giles. Was there
something in the Oxford water?
And if words can take flight, they certainly
do at lovely Magdalen College. Following a
tradition dating from the early 16th century,
the college choir sings from the top of the
Great Tower to welcome spring’s rising sun
from 6am on May Day every year, much to
the enjoyment of bleary-eyed crowds below.
Close to Magdalen you will find Britain’s
oldest botanic garden, whose delights include
a ‘Plants that Changed the World’ display.
Rich, diverse and fascinating, other venues in
the Oxford University Museums and
Collections (OUMC) also make enthralling
visits, including stunning art and antiquities
in the Ashmolean Museum – the world’s
oldest purpose-built public museum – plus
Einstein’s Blackboard and other
paraphernalia in the Museum of the History
of Science. Meanwhile, in the Museum of
Natural History you’ll find remains of a
dodo alongside dinosaur skeletons and
specimens that inspired characters in
Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
And the Pitt Rivers Museum of anthropology
PHOTO: © BUILDINGS OXFORD/ALAMY
and archaeology is also packed with
intriguing objects, from Hawaiian feather
cloaks to magic amulets. All as dizzying and
magical as those dreaming spires.
 For more on Britain’s historic cities, visit
www.britain-magazine.com
www.britain-magazine.com
 all day... all night... all year
Oxford & London
Frequent departures 24 hours a day

Download the new

Oxford Tube app for
the easy way to buy
your tickets.

Take the Oxford Tube from the
heart of London direct
to Oxford.
Our comfortable coaches run
Just turn up and board,
24 hours a day so there’s no
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 A great place to stay,
visit and explore
t 01432 268430
e reception@visitherefordshire.co.uk
@visitherefordshire
@VisitHfds

www.visitherefordshire.co.uk

Escape for a short

break to the historic
city of Canterbury
Canterbury is home to a captivating
mix of history, culture and
architecture. Easily explored on foot,
the city offers plenty of surprises.
Winding lanes and cobbled streets
enrich the imagination and transport
visitors back to another age.

Fifteen minutes from the city are

the seaside towns of Whitstable and
Herne Bay – two vibrant places that
have been rejuvenated in the past
decade and now have significant
charms of their own – enjoy
traditional fish and chips at the
seafront in Herne Bay and indulge
yourself in Whitstable’s independent
stores and bistros.

For more information

phone the Visitor Centre
on +44 (0) 1227 862 162
www.canterbury.co.uk

32 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 DRESS LIKE A DUCHESS
A new exhibition at Chatsworth celebrates the style and
fashion of some of its most glamorous residents
WORDS DIANA WOOLF

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 33
STATELY SECRETS

T
he Duke of Devonshire recently described his
family home, Chatsworth House, as “a real
show-off house,” adding, “The first Duke
wanted everyone to know how successful he
was, how rich he was, how important he was.” Centuries
later, Chatsworth still impresses through its sheer scale
(175 rooms, 17 staircases and 1.3 acres of roof were totted
up in 1986), and astonishing art and antiques collection.
Chatsworth was built by Sir William Cavendish in 1552,
although little of this first Tudor house remains after
the first Duke of Devonshire ordered an ambitious
17th-century remodelling project to create a Baroque
palace worthy of his new ducal title.
Today, it is still the Cavendish family home and this year
a new exhibition, House Style (25 March-22 October),
goes in search of some the house’s most glamorous former
residents. Taking fashion as its theme, the curators have
turned the spotlight on famous Cavendish women such as
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who inspired the film
The Duchess starring Keira Knightley. On display will be
Gainsborough’s portrait of the Duchess, who was
described as a “phenomenon” by her contemporary, art
historian and Whig politician Horace Walpole.
Although a leading member of 18th-century society –
she was known as the Empress of Fashion – Georgiana’s
life was not a happy one. At the age of 17, she married the
5th Duke, who was nine years her senior, and ended up
living in a strange ménage à trois when her best friend
Lady Elizabeth Foster moved in as the Duke’s mistress.
Although Lady Elizabeth had two illegitimate children
by the Duke, 18th-century morality meant that when
Georgiana looked elsewhere and became pregnant by her
lover Charles Grey, she was forced to break off the
relationship and give up her child. After a sad period in
exile, she returned to live with her husband, dying at the
PHOTOS: © NADIA MACKENZIE/ARNHEL DE SERRA/ANDREAS VON EINSIEDEL/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES

PHOTOS: © THOMAS LOOF/DEVONSHIRE COLLECTION/WWW.SHOOT-LIFESTYLE.CO.UK

Georgiana was known as the

Empress of Fashion but her life
was not a happy one

34 BRITAIN
 STATELY SECRETS

Clockwise, from top left:

A shepherdess costume
worn by Duchess Evelyn in
India in 1889; Deborah
Devonshire’s Turnbull &
Asser shirts; Chatsworth;
a stunning silk bag owned
by Duchess Louise

Previous page: The Mistress

of the Robes gown worn
by Duchess Evelyn at
King George VI’s
coronation in 1937

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 35
STATELY SECRETS
age of 48. However, the Duchess’s influence as a style icon
lives on, as a stunning John Galliano dress inspired by the
portrait on show demonstrates.
Also included in the exhibition is a selection of fantastic
historical outfits, including an embroidered gold tissue and
green velvet costume made by Charles Worth, the English
designer considered by many to be the father of haute
couture. The dress was made for Duchess Louise (who was
nicknamed the Double Duchess as her marriage to the 8th
Duke of Devonshire came two years after the death of her
first husband, the 7th Duke of Manchester). Louise wore
the ensemble as her ‘Queen Zenobia’ costume to the lavish
fancy dress ball she hosted for 700
guests to celebrate Queen Victoria’s
Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Her guests
wore equally exotic outfits and the
36 BRITAIN
Below, left to right: exhibition includes a startling photograph of Lady
Lady Wolverton Wolverton dressed as Britannia. Perhaps even more
as Britannia at eye-catching is the billowing fur-lined velvet train of the
the Diamond Jubilee
Ball in 1897; Lord state robe worn by Duchess Evelyn in 1937 at the
Charles Cavendish coronation of King George VI.
and Adele Astaire Putting famous 20th-century Cavendishes in focus, the
on their wedding exhibition also features a filmed portrait of Adele Astaire,
day in 1932. sister and early dancing partner of the famous Fred, who
Bottom: Deborah
Devonshire and married Charles Cavendish in 1932, as well as
Stella Tennant, photographs of the charming Kathleen Kennedy, President
Chatsworth, 2006 Kennedy’s sister. Kathleen came to London when her
father became American Ambassador in the 1930s and
married William Cavendish, heir to the dukedom, in 1943.
Tragically William was killed in action four months
later, with Kathleen dying in an air crash in 1948.
Perhaps the most famous 20th-century Cavendish
woman was the 11th Duke’s wife, Deborah (Debo),
the youngest of the eccentric Mitford sisters. When she
married Andrew Cavendish in 1941, he wasn’t expected
to inherit the dukedom, and the animal-mad Debo
wrote to her sister Diana: “I expect we shall be
terrifically poor but think how nice to have as many
dear dogs and things as one likes without anyone to say
they must get off the furniture.”
However, the loss of his elder brother meant that
Andrew became the Duke following his father’s early
death in 1950. Faced with huge death duties, the couple
gallantly took on Chatsworth, turning it into a going
concern and setting up a charitable trust to administer
the house. In spite of being dismissed by her acerbic elder
sister Nancy as having a mental age of nine, Debo took to
her unexpected role enthusiastically, turning out to be a
fine business woman.
A striking double photographic portrait of her with her
supermodel granddaughter Stella Tennant taken by the
photographer Mario Testino in 2006 is on display, along
with examples of couture owned by both women,
including Stella Tennant’s Helmut Lang wedding dress and
a Balenciaga evening coat belonging to Debo.
While here, remember to make time to view
Chatsworth’s permanent collections, which include Old
Master Drawings (highlights include works by Leonardo
da Vinci and Raphael) alongside family portraits by
Lucian Freud, too. The house’s furnishings are equally
diverse, with many grand pieces such as the gilded chairs
used by King George III and Queen Charlotte at their
coronation on display alongside works by the likes
of contemporary ceramist Edmund de Waal and furniture
designer James Rigler.
There’s also the 6th Duke’s collection of sculpture,
including Canova’s famous The Sleeping Endymion,
PHOTOS: © MARIO TESTINO/DEVONSHIRE COLLECTION
and the library with its 17,000-strong collection of books
– and that’s before you venture out into the gardens and
Capability Brown-landscaped deer park. Conceived as
an advertisement for the Cavendish family’s wealth and
power in the 17th century, today Chatsworth is a
superlative showcase for the arts, featuring stunning
examples of historic and contemporary art and design.
 For more extraordinary stories about British stately homes,
visit www.britain-magazine.com/statelyhomes
www.britain-magazine.com
 Smallhythe Place
COPPED HALL Smallhythe
Nestled Place
in the picturesque
Smallhythe Place
Kent countryside,
is the former
Mid-18th century Palladian mansion under restoration, Nestled in the picturesque Kenthome of
countryside,
situated on a ridge overlooking landscaped park. Auxiliary renowned actress Ellen Terry. Now
Smallhythe Place is the former home of it houses
buildings, including stables and a racquets court, plus hundreds of her theatrical garments,
renowned actress Ellen Terry. Now it houses
the former elaborate gardens are being rescued from memorabilia
hundreds of herandtheatrical
personal belongings.
garments, There is
abandonment. The large 18th century walled kitchen garden also a seventeenth century barn theatre
memorabilia and personal belongings. which
There is
sits adjacent to site of 16th century mansion where hosts a variety of shows throughout the
also a seventeenth century barn theatre which year, a
A Midsummer Night’s Dream was first performed theatre tearoom,
hosts a variety of and
shows a traditional
throughoutgarden witha
the year,
Ideal film location views oftearoom,
theatre the rolling
andhills beyond. garden with
a traditional
Please see website for details of open days. views
Events and private tours by advance booking only. Call 01580 762 334 beyond.
of the rolling hills for details
www.coppedhalltrust.org.uk
#nationaltrust
nationaltrust.org.uk/smallhythe-place
Call 01580 762 334 for details
Crown Hill, Epping, ESSEX CM16 5HS
© National
#nationaltrust
nationaltrust.org.uk/smallhythe-place
Trust 2016. The National Trust is an independent
registered charity, number 205846. Photography © National
T: +44 (0) 20 7267 1679 E: coxalan1@aol.com © National
Trust Trust 2016.
Images\James The National Trust is an independent
Dobson.
registered charity, number 205846. Photography © National
Trust Images\James Dobson.

Open 2nd
April to 24th
September

home to the Stonor

family for 850 years
Visit Stonor - historic house,
deer park and formal gardens.
Lunch and snacks are available
from the Stonor Pantry.
There are lots of great events
planned for the year ahead so
Open from April 1st 2017 for news and opening times e: enquiries@stonor.com
please visit www.stonor.com. t: 01491 638 587
Contact Info Line 01367 240932 or
website: Open 1st April - 30th September
www.buscotpark.com for opening times
Contact: Info line 01367 240932 or
website www.buscotpark.com for opening times.
www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 37
NORFOLK BROADS

38 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 B ROAD
APPEAL
With its big skies and smooth waters, the
man-made beauty of the Norfolk Broads
has inspired visitors for centuries
WORDS MATT KEMP

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 39
NORFOLK BROADS
N
orfolk is one of England’s great hidden treasures
– a county full of welcoming people, beautiful
landscapes and flint-laced villages that make any
trip to East Anglia an instantly memorable one.
Nestled in the centre of this charming part of the world is the
UK’s newest national park - The Broads.
Made of up seven lakes and over 60 broads, it’s the
closest thing the sleepy county has to a motorway – albeit
with a top speed of 6mph. Time spent exploring the Broads
National Park will see heart rates slow as tranquil waters
wash gently against puttering boats, with nature calming
even the busiest soul.
That this tourist hotspot is man-made makes it all
the more interesting; a fact discovered in 1952, when
a botanist recognised that the steep sides and flat beds
of the Broads indicated historical peat extraction. As sea
levels rose, the trenches and ditches were flooded, creating
a 125-mile-long network of waterways.
This environmental event proved a boon to the local
economy, connecting previously isolated villages by river
and allowing boats to transport goods to thriving towns.
40 BRITAIN
By the 16th century, county capital Norwich was the
second largest city in England after London. However,
it wasn’t until the completion of the London to Norwich
railway line in 1845 that the Broads became a popular
tourist destination. A century later, thousands of people
were exploring the peaceful waterways each year. Today,
that figure is around eight million people.
Unsurprisingly, the best way to explore Britain’s largest
protected wetland is by boat. Although it’s possible to
reach most villages and towns via car, the sheer majesty
of the landscape can only be fully appreciated when
messing about on the water.
The Broads are divided roughly into two distinct areas:
the Northern Broads, which consist of the rivers Bure, Ant
and Thurne; and the Southern Broads, which run from
Norwich to Great Yarmouth via the rivers Wensum, Yare,
Chet and Waveney. For first-time visitors, the Northern
Broads, with their varied scenery, accessible villages, and
architectural landmarks, is the best place to start.
Begin in the town of Wroxham, nicknamed the ‘Capital
of the Broads’. Norfolk Broads Direct is based here, a local
www.britain-magazine.com
 NORFOLK BROADS

company offering holidays since 1878 that has boats to suit

all needs – from small day cruisers that will allow you to
get a sense of the area in a few hours, to modern, large-sized
vessels that can accommodate up to 11 guests.
On departing Wroxham, you will soon encounter reed
beds, marshland, and those famously wide, expansive
skies. All around you, the landscape is dotted with
churches, windmills and immaculate cottages thatched
with local reeds. The low speed limit means there is no
fear that any of these delights will be missed and trying
to rush between destinations is to be discouraged – the
journey is itself the holiday. Although the quiet beauty of
the Broads can be enjoyed over a long weekend, a full week
is really the minimum needed to do it justice.
After passing Salhouse Broad – keep an eye out for the
Broads’ ice cream boat – you will pass through the bustling
town of Horning, which has plenty of shops and pubs to
explore, as well as offering day trips on a Mississippi-style
steamer. From there, wind your way along the River Bure
to Ranworth Broad and, once your boat is moored, scale
St Helen’s Church for a better view of the untouched

Above: Turf Fen Drainage

Mill and Toad Hole, as seen
from the River Ant.
Left: Explore the pretty
cottages at Horning.
Opening page: The stunning
Thurne Dyke Mill on the
Norfolk Broads
PHOTOS: © THE FOTO FACTORY/ALAMY/CHRIS HERRING/LOOP/TONY SMITH. ILLUSTRATION: © MICHAEL HILL
PHOTOS: © ANNA STOWE/TRAVELIBUK/AF ARCHIVE/ALAMY

BRITAIN 41
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 NORFOLK BROADS

scenery surrounding Ranworth and its neighbour,

Malthouse Broad.
St Helen’s, which has adopted the moniker
‘Cathedral of the Broads’, boasts a medieval rood screen
– an enormous wooden construction depicting the 12
apostles and other religious figures – and the Ranworth
Antiphoner (or service book), a large hymn book dating
back to the 1460s. The book supposedly vanished during
the Reformation, reappearing nearly 300 years later
when it was bought by the Vicar of Ranworth in 1912
and returned to its rightful home.
After you’ve marvelled at St Helen’s medieval majesty
(and tackled the church tower’s 89 steps, two ladders and
a trap door), a short walk will take you to the Maltsters
– a traditional pub serving real ales and bar meals.
From Ranworth, a trip along the River Ant to Barton
Broad is highly recommended. This narrow waterway
winds its way past a series of mills in various states of
repair, including the eerie Ludham Bridge Drainage Mill
(converted into a pillbox during the Second World War)
and the picture-perfect Turf Fen Drainage Mill.
A visit to the quaint Toad Hole Cottage Museum at
How Hill provides a unique insight into the history of
the Broads and its workers; visitors can experience the
living conditions of a marsh man and his family in the
Victorian era, before taking tea and admiring the
beautifully maintained gardens of How Hill house,
which are just a short walk away.
Barton Broad itself is breathtaking and a must see for
any Broads visit. This massive expanse of water is the The medieval rood screen
domain of stunning sailboats, which criss-cross the lake at St Helen’s Church.
Below, left to right: Explore
in front of an audience of otters, kingfishers and herons.
Toad Hole Cottage Museum;
To the west of Barton Broad, follow an inlet to How Hill house and garden
Neatishead and the White Horse Inn. Once moored,

PHOTOS: © 67PHOTO/THOMAS SMITH/TRAVELIB PRIME/ALAMY

The best way to explore Britain’s

largest protected wetland is
by boat as it can only be fully
appreciated from the water

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 43
NORFOLK BROADS

this charming brewpub is a short walk through the village,

Above: The south front of the National Trust’s Blickling Estate.
Below: Stop off at the Maltsters pub at Ranworth to admire
the scenery and enjoy traditional food and ale
which also has a shop and the welcoming Regency Guest
House, should wobbly sea legs need respite.
Also nearby is the market town of Stalham, home
to the Museum of the Broads, which explores the Broads’
construction and their economic and social significance
to the area over the centuries.
On your return to Wroxham (many boaters undertake
a round-trip), the 17th-century Blickling Hall is well worth
a visit. Legend has it that Anne Boleyn was born on the
site and easily spooked visitors claim to have spotted the
headless body of the late queen stalking the grounds.
Further points of historical interest are offered by a visit
to Norwich, from where the windswept expanses of the
Southern Broads can be explored.
City highlights include Norwich Castle Museum and
Art Gallery, a motte-and-bailey castle founded by William
the Conqueror; and Norwich Cathedral, a former royal
palace that dates back to the 12th century.
A wander through a warren of historic streets, such
as Elm Hill – a cobbled thoroughfare boasting examples
of Tudor architecture and used as a back drop for films

PHOTOS: ©GEOFF DU FEW/ALAMY/ANDREW BUTLER/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES

44 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
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NORFOLK BROADS

and TV dramas – is also recommended. These streets

straddle the River Wensum and offer antiques shops,
teashops and pubs housed in timber-clad buildings.
For an overnight stay, try the immaculate St Giles
House Hotel in the city or head out of town to
Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club
– a 16th-century manor house complete with spa and
golf course. After exhausting the joys of Norwich (and
paying a trip to local institution the Mushy Pea Stall in
the covered market), head to the nearby town of Brundall
and check-in with Broom Boating Holidays.
With deeper rivers and a tidal flow, the Southern
Broads are more popular with sailboats than cruisers,
but there’s still plenty to attract holidaymakers, including
country walks and peaceful fishing spots. From Brundall,
the River Yare makes its way past picturesque Hardley
Mill before joining the River Waveney in front of Burgh
Castle’s awe-inspiring 3rd-century ruins.
Although much of the building has been lost to the
ages, the enormity of the construction, which overlooks
Breydon Water (home to tens of thousands of birds,
including golden plovers, wigeons and lapwings), is still
in evidence. History lovers in need of refreshment should
continue their journey along the Waveney to St Olaves,
home of the Bell Inn – a 16th-century building believed
to be the Broads’ oldest pub.
Whether you are looking to lose yourself in nature,
rekindle childhood memories of boating, or simply
embrace an environment where you cannot help but
relax and let time pass, the Broads National Park offers
a holiday you will never forget.

 For more wonderful places to discover in the east of England,

visit www.britain-magazine.com/east-anglia

THE PLANNER
GETTING THERE
Norwich is the main hub for the Norfolk Broads; trains run every half hour from
London Liverpool Street and take a little under two hours. From Norwich, continue your
journey to Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft or Cromer.

WHERE TO STAY
St Giles House Hotel in Norwich is a great base for exploring the Norfolk Broads,
being centrally located and housed in a Grade II listed baroque-style building.
www.stgileshousehotel.com. The Norfolk Mead at Coltishall is a refurbished Georgian house
with individually designed rooms and a range of spa treatments. www.norfolkmead.co.uk
PHOTOS: © IAN WEST/IAN DAGNALL/ALAMY

WHERE TO EAT
The Bure River Cottage Restaurant in Horning specialises in local seafood, from baked
Cromer crab to fresh Morston mussels. Select from an extensive wine menu to wash it all
down. www.burerivercottagerestaurant.co.uk
Above left: Historic Elm Hill
in Norwich’s old town.
FURTHER INFORMATION
i www.visitnorfolk.co.uk
This image: A great crested
grebe on the Norfolk Broads

46 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com

WATERLAND
Step on board your own luxury cruiser with Norfolk Broads Direct’s award-winning boating
holidays and explore ‘Britain’s Magical Waterland’, The Broads National Park
This unique corner of eastern England has 120
miles of interconnecting waterways, which link
quintessential English villages with the exquisite
Norman City of Norwich, with its winding streets,
a spectacular castle and a cathedral boasting the
second highest spire in England.
Undoubtedly the best way to enjoy the huge
expanses of the Broads, with their blue skies, rare
wildlife and magnificent sunsets, is by boat and
Norfolk Broads Direct, located in the pretty village
of Wroxham, offers one of the most modern fleets
of cruisers in the region.
INTRODUCTORY READER OFFER
Save 10% on your 2017 boating holiday.
Offer open to new customers who book by
30 June for holidays before 31 October 2017
Simply quote NBDBRITAIN17 when booking.
Prefer to stay on dry land? Norfolk Broads Direct
also offers a choice of luxury waterside holiday
homes, penthouses and apartments.
Book at www.broads.co.uk or call 01603 782 207
www.britain-magazine.com
Magical
Voted Best Boatyard in Britain by customers
of Travel Operator Hoseasons in 2015, who also
crowned it Best Boatyard on the Broads in 2016,
the company’s credentials are impressive.
So what’s the secret to the company's success?
“Our fleet of 60 self-drive luxury cruisers have
something to suit everyone, from a couple to a large
family. All of our boats are a real ‘home from home’,
with the same conveniences and luxuries that you
would expect in a holiday cottage but with the
freedom to explore – some boats even have
whirlpool baths,” explains Director Barbara Greasley.
Barbara adds: “We are very proud of our fleet of
boats and pride ourselves on giving the best possible
customer service. We want all our visitors to enjoy
the Broads National Park as much as we do.
“As an added reassurance all our boats are
independently graded by Visit England and British
Marine and have received a four or five-star
standard. In fact, many of our latest cruisers exceed
the five-star standard in what we call our Premier
fleet,” she says.
Reflecting this success, Norfolk Broads Direct
is currently building two new cruisers, called
Fair Entrepreneur 1&2, which promise to be the
PROMOTION
company's most luxurious boats yet and are
available for booking now.
Better still, the Broads National Park’s safe
inland waterways mean that no boating experience
is required and after a brief lesson from the
experienced team, who are only ever a phone call
away, you will soon be confident casting off on your
own. After a day of discovery it’s up to you whether
you moor up in wild places under the stars or by one
of the quaint riverside villages, famous for their
thatched roofs and cosy pubs.
A real highlight of a Norfolk Broads Direct holiday
is spotting wildlife, which includes playful otters,
soaring marsh harriers, the elusive bittern and
Britain’s largest butterfly, the swallowtail.
It’s not just above the waterline where wildlife
abounds – the waters are also full of fish, so perfect
for keen anglers. Whatever you choose to do
on your boating holiday, we're sure you'll be
spellbound by Britain’s Magical Waterland.
 Visit www.broads.co.uk, or call 01603 782 207
BRITAIN 47
COMPETITION

WIN A GREAT BRITISH HOLIDAY

Enter our competition for a chance to win the ultimate
luxury holiday in Britain for two, including free flights

Our luxury holiday is the ultimate Treasure Houses

way to visit the UK. Starting with free
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entrants), the winner will enjoy the
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a partner the opportunity to take in
many of Britain’s iconic landmarks
while enjoying top-quality service.
Luxury London
Our winners will enjoy two nights
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line: “Shaken, not stirred”. You will
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In addition, we’ll treat you to
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A short hop from the world-famous
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You’ll be treated to dinner in the AA
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For a true taste of British times
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This exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime
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PHOTOS: © NICKSMITHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM/WWW.VIVIDCLICKS.COM/

Small Luxury Hotels of the
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Our winner will be treated
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Our winner and his or her
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The winner will enjoy
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England, which will include
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appetizers before a four-course
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one night and afternoon tea on
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48 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 COMPETITION

Free international flights Two nights at Dukes in Mayfair, London West End tickets Afternoon tea
Free entry to stately homes Two nights at a Tudor hotel in Lavenham, Suffolk A steam train journey

Clockwise, from above: The Swan,

Lavenham; Dukes hotel HOW TO ENTER
in London’s upmarket Mayfair;
delightful afternoon tea at
The Capital in Knightsbridge, For the chance to win this special holiday prize go to
London; travel under steam with
Cathedrals Express; Hatfield House,
www.britain-magazine.com/GreatBritishComp
a Treasure House of England or fill in the coupon below with the answer to the question.

Question: What address is the official residence of the

British Prime Minister?
a) 32 Windsor Gardens
b) 221b Baker Street
c) 10 Downing Street

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 Experience Britain’s past on . .
one of the UK’s last
Horse -Drawn Barges

The Grand Western Canal in Devon is over

200 years old. Built in 1814 for use by the lime
trade, Horse-Drawn boats worked for over
100 years conveying stone to Tiverton Wharf.
Today, You Can Experience a Horse-Drawn
Barge trip along the quiet and unspoilt banks
ŽĨƚŚŝƐďĞĂƵƟĨƵůĂŶĂůŽƵŶƚƌLJWĂƌŬ͘
For more Information visit our
website or just call 01884 253345
A great day out!
tivertoncanal.co.uk
WWW.

an go llen Wha
Ll rf established 1884

HOME OF THE FAMOUS

HORSE DRAWN BOATS
Experience 45 minutes of peace and tranquillity on a horse drawn
boat trip along the beautiful Llangollen Canal with the oldest
horse drawn passenger boat company still operating in the UK
and possibly the world
Watch the fish swim lazily in the crystal water as the boat glides
silently, pulled by one of our gorgeous heavy horses.
As well as the 45 minute trip, we operate a 2hr public trip the
famous Horseshoe Falls every Saturday and Sunday at 11.30am
Group rates available for parties of 30 or more on our Horsedrawn boats, meals can be provided
01978 860702
Tog Welsh Cob www.horsedrawnboats.co.uk

50 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 The
WORKSHOP OF
THE WORLD
The Industrial Revolution was a time of innovation,
discovery and seismic social change. We explore how,
why and where the wheels were set in motion
WORDS SALLY HALES
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

W e live in a period of
rapid change, but it’s
far from the first time
we’ve taken a great
leap forward. While Britain is famous for its
royal history, castles and palaces, one of its
most significant eras saw the country at the
forefront of Industrial Revolution, effectively
giving birth to the modern world.
Sparked by a series of swift advances in
manufacturing, with inventions such as the
steam engine, powered textile machinery,
gas lighting, and efficient ways to exploit raw
materials, in a few decades from the late 18th
century onwards, Britain’s rural economy,
where manufacturing took place in people’s
homes, was quickly transformed into the
industrial and urban society we know today.
An era of mass production was ushered in,
closely followed by improvements to transport by canal, sea and Above: The architect
road, and the revolutionary coming of the railways. The character of Shropshire’s famous
of the country completely changed as Britain’s workforce upped Iron Bridge, Thomas
Farnolls Pritchard.
sticks and went to labour in the new factories, mills, mines and Right: It was the first
ironworks. By the 1840s, Britain was on its way to becoming the bridge of its kind to be
‘workshop of the world’. But the Industrial Revolution didn’t just made from cast iron.
transform people’s way of life – it also left an indelible mark on the Previous page: The Iron
landscape, and some of the most historically significant sites have Bridge, spanning the
River Severn, is arguably
been preserved, in celebration of this revolutionary time. Britain’s most important
One of the most popular relics is the world-famous Iron Bridge industrial monument
in Shropshire. With its swathes of greenery along the River Severn,
today the region looks more like a rural idyll than the engine of an
empire, and it’s almost hard to imagine that it was once dubbed
‘the most extraordinary district in the world’. Yet, the pretty area
of Ironbridge Gorge forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site along
PHOTOS: © DANIEL BOSWORTH/BRITAIN ON VIEW/VISITBRITAIN/MARCUS HARPUR

with Coalport and Jackfield, Coalbrookdale and Broseley. Indeed,

the area’s importance, with the Iron Bridge – the first of its kind in
the world – at its heart, can barely be overstated: it was here that
the seeds of the Industrial Revolution were sown in the 18th century.
In 1709 Abraham Darby I first smelted iron using coke
in Coalbrookdale, a discovery that began a family tradition of
ironmaking lasting four generations and, more importantly, helping
to change the world. Industrious Darby arrived in the area in 1708
JOHN MILLER/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/CRAIG HOLMES PREMIUM/ROBIN WEAVER/ALAMY

where he leased and repaired an iron furnace, beginning work on his

PHOTOS: © IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUMS TRUST/ENGLISH HERITAGE/JAMES O DAVIES/

process which, once perfected, gave the world the first affordable,
high-quality, mass-produced cast iron in quantities large enough
to build the steam engines, bridges and other inventions needed.
The Coalbrookdale Company was born, and soon its pots and
pans were being distributed around the country thanks to the
handily navigable River Severn. Three hundred years after his
death, Darby’s achievement is being marked with a £1m

The area’s importance, with the Iron Bridge at

its heart, can barely be overstated: it was here that
the seeds of the Industrial Revolution were sown

52 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

Top to bottom: A pressure gauge at Levant Mine and

Beam Engine; a replica Coalbrookdale Locomotive
at Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge Gorge

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 53
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

PHOTOS: © STEWART WRITTLE/IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUMS TRUST/CHRIS HOWES/WILD PLACES PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY

PHOTOS: © A BUTLER/GAP PHOTOS/HIGHGROVE

renovation of the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron – one of 10

Top to bottom: Visit Colebrookdale’s Rosehill House to experience the domestic
life of the Ironmasters; Abraham Darby I had beautiful Dale House built in 1717
award-winning museums run by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum
Trust. Housed in the Grade II listed Great Warehouse of the
Coalbrookdale Company, built in 1838 on the site where Darby first
smelted iron in his blast furnace, the overhauled museum is due to
reopen in April 2017 and will explain the site’s world-changing
importance. The museum will also chart the company’s path to
success, right up to the Great Exhibition of 1851 at which it showed
off its finest work.
With the profits from his discovery, Abraham Darby I built a house
overlooking the Upper Furnace Pool whose outflow powered the
blast furnace. Today Dale House, along with Rosehill House
(the home of a Darby descendant) forms part of the Darby Houses,
where from 1 April you can step inside and experience the everyday
life of the Quaker ironmasters and discover rooms packed with
family furniture, china, mementoes, costumes and papers.
Sadly, Abraham Darby I did not live to see Dale House completed,
dying in 1717, aged 38. He was buried in the Quaker Burial Ground
at Broseley, which also forms part of the Ironbridge museums.
The firm was taken on by Darby’s son-in-law until his young son
Abraham Darby II was old enough to become a partner in 1738.
Darby II’s claim to fame was the creation of forgeable iron in 1748,

54 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
London Waterbus Trips
London Waterbus Trips Southwell Minster
and Archbishop’s
Palace, hidden gems
in the Heart of
Nottinghamshire

* LITTLE VENICE
* LONDON
] LITTLE VENICE
ZOO
LONDON
LOCKZOO
]*
CAMDEN
] The Minster is home to the

CAMDEN LOCK
internationally renouned stone
Cruises along the peaceful Regents Canal, through Regents carvings, the beautiful ‘Leaves of
Southwell’ in the Chapter House.
Travelthe
Park, byMaida
WaterbusHillalong theand
tunnel Regent’s
LondonCanal,
Zoo.through
Trips onRegents Park,
‘Everywhere around is an atmosphere
the Maidacanal
traditional Hill Tunnel
boats, and
one London Zoo. Onwith
way or return, traditional canal boats,
a stopover
of peace and in the Minster there’s one
one way
to shop or return,
in the with a of
lively bustle stopover
Camden to shop
Lockinorthe lively bustle
a picnic in of of prayer’ John Betjeman
theCamden
tranquilLock or a picnic
elegance in the
of Little tranquil
Venice, or elegance
trips withofentry
LittletoVenice,
or trips with
London Zoo. entry
Dailytoservice
LondonApril
Zoo.toDaily service April
September, to September,
weekends Tel: +44 (0)1636 812649
weekends in winter. Discount fares
in winter. Discount fares for booked groups. for booked groups. www.southwellminster.org
Telephone: www.archbishopspalacesouthwell.org.uk
Tel: 020 7482 2550
020 7482 2550
www.londonwaterbus.com
www.londonwaterbus.com

More than just an air museum!

Inspirational home of the

Brontë family
Set against the stunning Yorkshire moors, the Brontë Parsonage Museum
houses the world’s largest collection of Brontë manuscripts, furniture and
personal possessions. The museum runs an exciting programme of events,
exhibitions and family activities throughout the year.
‘Brilliant’
Mansions in the Sky NEW FOR 2017
Source:Trip Advisor

A new exhibition curated by Simon To Walk Invisible:

Armitage to mark the bicentenary an exhibition of
of Branwell Brontë. For full details costumes and
pictures from
of this and other 2017 the BBC1
events, please visit production.
www.bronte.org.uk.
Haworth, Keighley
West Yorkshire BD22 8DR
+44 1535 642323
www.bronte.org.uk
Open November-March 10am-5pm daily, April-October 10am-5.30pm.
Last tickets sold 30 minutes before closing. Closed during January.
President: Dame Judi Dench Reg Charity: 529952 Reg Company: 73855
Great for Families / Groups / Schools
NEW
• Evocative, authentic wartime airbase
FOR 2017: • 60 historic aircraft and vehicles
Hands-on area • The only Halifax bomber in Europe
with open • Informative, educational exhibitions
cockpits!
• 20 acre aircraft park and gardens
• Shop and Restaurant
Elvington, York, YO41 4AU. 01904 608595
www.yorkshireairmuseum.org b a @air_museum

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 55
 BRUEGEL MURDER MYSTERY EVENING
DEFINING A DYNASTY ‘THE LAST FLIGHT’ - 11 MARCH 2017
11 February to
4 June 2017

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR Mystery in History have written a brand new Murder

Mystery based around the history of Shuttleworth House.
Come back to the 1930s and solve a most dastardly crime!

WWW.SHUTTLEWORTH.ORG/MURDERMYSTERY
WWW.HOLBURNE.ORG

Down
Cathedral

Built in 1183 as a Benedictine monastery, Down Cathedral is now a Cathedral of the Church of Ireland.
Prominent and majestic, the cathedral is believed to have the grave of St Patrick in its grounds.
There is also wonderful stained glass and organ of highest quality.
Open all year round. Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 4.00: Sunday 2.00 - 4.00pm
The Mall, English Street, Downpatrick, County Down BT30 6AB | T: 028 4461 4922 | E: info@downcathedral.org | www.downcathedral.org

56 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

HORSE-DRAWN BARGES
While the steam engine was one of the sparks that
lit the fire of the Industrial Revolution, the humble
horse also contributed significantly. Horses brought
the coal to the boiler in the first place, pulling barges
along the new canal system. One novel way of
exploring Britain’s industrial heritage is aboard one
of the last-surviving horse-drawn barges.

Tiverton Canal Co
Along the banks of the beautiful Grand Western
Canal in Tiverton, Devon, the Tiverton Canal Co’s
horse-drawn barge offers a tranquil travelling
experience as you listen to the steady clip-clop
of your horse chauffeur and admire the landscape.
www.tivertoncanal.co.uk

Kennet Horse Boat Company

Take a leisurely trip through the Berkshire
countryside with the Kennet Horse Boat Company.
This family-run business operates along the Kennet
and Avon Canal, which was first made navigable
in the early 18th century, making for a perfectly
nostalgic day on the water.
www.kennet-horse-boat.co.uk

Godalming Packetboat Company

Take in beautiful views along the unspoilt
waterways of Surrey on board narrowboat Iona,
which offers a traditional Victorian way of travelling.
As you traverse both river and canal, you'll discover
the National Trust-owned River Wey Navigations –
idyllic waterways that run for nearly 20 miles through
the heart of Surrey.
www.horseboat.org.uk
Llangollen Wharf
Two-hour horse-drawn trips in this beautiful part
of Wales include a visit to the man-made weir
Horseshoe Falls – a feat by engineer Thomas Telford
– while motorised boats also take you over his
famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
www.horsedrawnboats.co.uk
PHOTO: © NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/JOHN MILLER
Top to bottom: although he never documented the process. But it would be his son,
Fascinating remnants Abraham Darby III, who would oversee the creation of the most
of the mining industry visible legacy of his family’s industry – the Iron Bridge.
can be seen near Cape
Cornwall, along the Believing there was nothing that could not be made from iron,
county’s ‘Tin Coast’; Abraham Darby III supported architect Thomas Farnolls Pritchard’s
experience life on the plans for a bridge over the gorge. Made of iron from the furnace
canals with Godalming made famous by his grandfather, the iconic structure was the first
Packetboat Company of its kind fabricated from cast iron. When it was erected to praise
and admiration in 1779 it marked a major turning point in design
and engineering; cast iron would become widely used in bridges,
aqueducts and buildings. It’s importance as Britain’s best-known
industrial monument is being marked with a £1.25m English
Heritage conservation project to repair it and secure its future.
Visit the tollhouse to discover how and why it was built and take
in the beautiful views of Ironbridge Gorge and the River Severn.
In the southwest of England, Cornwall was also radically reshaped
by deep mining for copper and tin during the 18th and 19th centuries

– indeed, by the early 19th century, the region produced two-thirds

of the world’s copper. Visitors can explore substantial remains of
this heritage, much of which is in the care of the National Trust,
such as Godolphin, an estate that made early mining proprietor,
Sidney Godolphin, incredibly rich. Or step out on the Botallack
walk, which takes in historical and industrial sites set in coastal
heathland and along the ‘Tin Coast’, which form part of the Cornish
Mining World Heritage Site. The most astonishing location is the
Levant Mine and Beam Engine, near St Just, which, perched in its

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 57
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

clifftop location, features a restored 1840s beam engine running

on steam. The site may look familiar to fans of TV’s Poldark,
as the mine starred as Tressiders Rolling Mill in the hit show.
In central England, the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire is home to
several beautiful and historically significant 18th- and 19th-century
cotton mills, which are testimony to the area’s significance as the
birthplace of the factory system: the pioneering work of entrepreneur
and inventor Sir Richard Arkwright, known as the ‘Father of the
Industrial Factory System’, revolutionised silk and cotton-making. He
developed mills where yarn manufacture was undertaken by a single
machine and human labour divided, improving efficiency and profits.
He was also the first to use James Watts’ new steam engine to power
his machinery, and his groundbreaking ideas spread around the
country, kickstarting mass production in other industries.
The factory mills remain largely intact in unspoilt landscape as
part of Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and today they
tell the story of the engineers and tycoons whose ingenuity made
Britain a world leader. The Silk Mill, set up in the 1720s, is an early
example of what was to come when Arkwright’s mills at Cromford,
built between 1771 and 1791, became the first water-powered
cotton-spinning mills. Masson Mills at Matlock Bath is the
best-preserved example of Arkwright’s cotton-spinning mills,
while Strutt’s North Mill in Belper, dating from 1804, was one
of the earliest iron-framed buildings in the world.
These World Heritage Sites are a snapshot of a time when Britain’s
foresight transformed the world and the impact of this era can be
seen right across the country, so wherever you’re visiting, you’re sure
you find a fascinating link to this revolutionary age.
Top to bottom: Sir Richard Arkwright by Joseph Wright, circa 1783-1785, is on display
 For more extraordinary stories about Britain and its industrial heritage, at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston; Masson Mills at Matlock Bath are
visit www.britain-magazine.com the best-preserved examples of Arkwright’s cotton-spinning mills

PHOTOS: © NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY LONDON & THE HARRIS MUSEUM & ART GALLERY PRESTON
/DERWENT VALLEY MILLS WORLD HERITAGE SITE

58 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 Free
entry

A DAY TO REMEMBER
D I S C OV E R O N E O F E N G L A N D’ S M O S T
B E AU T I F U L A N D H I S T O R IC C A S T L E S

h e verc ast l e.c o.u k

Email info@hevercastle.co.uk | Call +44 (0)1732 865224

Visit-Britain-99x129-V3.indd 1 Heritage_quarter2017.indd
16/12/2014 16:13 1 17/01/2017 09:55

Visit Test Valley

in the heart of Hampshire
Quaint villages, stunning scenery, 2017
WIN
wonderful walks, historic houses, Test Valley
an overnight stay
Test Valley, Hampshir
See inside for
in
e

Visitor Guide
details

fabulous food and fantastic fishing

Come

on the famous River Test!

Come and
and explor
explore a tranqu
tranquilil corner
corner of
of Hamp
Hampshire
shire

For more information contact

Romsey Tourist Information Centre
on 01794 512987 or pick up a copy Discover
Discover Your
Your
of the Test Valley Visitor Guide.
Cathedral
Cathedral
FREE ENTRY . GUIDED TOURS . GIFT SHOP .
FREEDAILY
ENTRY . GUIDED
WORSHIP TOURS
. CAFE . GIFT SHOP .
. GARDENS
DAILY WORSHIP . CAFE . GARDENS
www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk
www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 59
 Where nature meets art BRADING ROMAN VILLA

See some of the best preserved

Roman mosaics in Europe!
The Wild Subtropical Gardens Award-winning visitor centre & museum
licensed cafe, shop, meadow trail & garden.
The result of nearly 30 years of collecting and planting subtropical plants
in dry shady conditions, has culminated in a lush area of jungle with
paths meandering through groves of Bamboos, Tree Ferns, Banana Trees,
flowering Ginger, giant leafed Arums, Arbutilons. Personal passion has
interspersed the area with swathes of Cyclamen in late summer and
Camellias in spring and Hostas and Brugmansia in the summer. Open daily 9.30am - 5pm
It is all rounded off with thoughtfully chosen poems and an array of garden
sculptures from all around the world to enjoy or to buy.
Sausmarez Manor, St. Martin, Guernsey GY4 6SG. Morton Old Road, Brading, Isle of Wight, PO36 0PH
Tel: 01481 235571
www.artparks.co.uk • www.sausmarezmanor.co.uk 01983 406223 www.bradingromanvilla.org.uk

Aberdulais – An Industrial Revolution, Powered By Water Since 1584!

Journey forwards through an exciting past, right • Spectacular waterfall in an ice age landscape – one of the most accessible
waterfalls in Wales
back to the very beginnings of the industrial • Green and Great - Europe’s largest generating waterwheel
revolution. Discover how a small village in the • Go to the movies - our film “Reflections on Tin” takes you on a journey
Welsh valleys used cutting edge technologies to of Aberdulais, from birth to present
• The Old School House – a Victorian School themed tea-room with
harness an ice age landscape and breath-taking unique character and lots of unique flavours
waterfalls, to shape the industries that changed • National Trust Shop
the world. • Dress up in Victorian costume and pick up a tin detective pack
• Full wheelchair access
It all happened at Aberdulais, ‘far from the prying • Dog friendly
eyes of its competitors’ • Activities and events happening throughout the year –
Find out what’s on by following us on Facebook
The National Trust
Aberdulais Tinworks and Waterfall
Neath, SA10 8EU
Just 15 minutes drive from Swansea, 5 minutes from the M4!
Tel: 01639 636674
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/aberdulais

NTAberdulais aberdulaisfalls

60 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 ISLAND LIFE
Britain is an island nation surrounded by over a thousand other islands.
Here we bring you our pick of the most fascinating
WORDS ADRIAN MOURBY
PHOTO: © SIMON REDDY/ALAMY

LINDISFARNE
The isolated island of Lindisfarne, off the northeast coast of England,
is known as ‘Holy Island’ due to its long association with Christian
saints, who lived and worshipped here in the years before the Norman
Conquest. The 1km causeway, visible at low tide, has been walked by
pilgrims for more than a thousand years. Today tide tables noting safe
crossing times are continually updated, so heed them, unless you want
to risk becoming stranded as the North Sea races in.
In the 12th century a priory was built and, in 1550, a small castle
was added to guard against Scottish invasion. In 1901 Lindisfarne Castle
was purchased by Edward Hudson, publisher of Country Life magazine.
He employed one of the finest Arts and Crafts architects, Sir Edwin
Lutyens, to emphasise its grandeur. When King George V came to visit
in 1908, he and Queen Mary were alarmed by the steep gradient of the
approach, which Lutyens had refused to make safer with handrails.
The castle’s walled garden – originally a vegetable plot for the garrison
– is popular because of the six years of love Lutyens’ long-term
collaborator, the great English gardener Gertrude Jekyll, lavished on it.

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 61
AROUND BRITAIN

SARK
The rocky Channel Island of Sark is the nearest thing to a feudal state
in modern Europe: it’s run by a seigneur, who owes his allegiance directly
to the British sovereign (see his official residence, right). And it was his
ancestors who decreed that there would be no cars – or income tax – on Sark.
It’s worth remembering that you also cannot ride a bicycle down to the
harbour, kill a seagull or take anything washed up on the beach because
it belongs by right to the seigneur.
Sark actually consists of two islands joined by a perilously narrow isthmus
called La Coupée. This chasm inspired the writer and artist Mervyn Peake,
whose eponymous hero of his short novel Mr Pye sprouted wings and flew off
into the sunset as his carriage crashed over the side. Novelist Victor Hugo
also stayed in this tiny, eccentric place during his banishment from France
and even named one of the caves below La Coupée after his son.
A visit to Sark is like stepping back into the early 20th century, when
transport meant a pony and trap. There is one hotel on Sark and another on
Little Sark (plus a number of guest houses), and to cross from one island to
the other you must get off your bike (or pony) and walk across the isthmus.
This is truly an island unlike any other in Britain.

62 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com

BROWNSEA ISLAND
Owned by the National Trust, Brownsea Island stands
in Poole Harbour and, today, is famed for its wonderful
wildlife. But, in 1907, it was the site of a brand-new camp
for young men set up by Robert Baden-Powell, which led
to the formation of the Boy Scout Movement.
For centuries after the Norman Conquest, Brownsea
was owned by Cerne Abbey on the mainland but,
following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, control
of the island passed to King Henry VIII, who recognised
its strategic importance and fortified it with Brownsea
Castle. During the Second World War fires were lit to
www.britain-magazine.com
AROUND BRITAIN
successfully distract the Luftwaffe away from bombing
the port of Poole. The entire island is now designated
a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is one of the few
places in southern England where the indigenous red
squirrel survives, largely because non-native grey squirrels
were never introduced. There is also a small population of
peacocks, and both the grey heron and little egret nest here.
Brownsea Castle is leased to the John Lewis department
store partnership, which uses it as a holiday hotel for staff,
but members of the public can stay in several attractive
National Trust Holiday Cottages nearby.
PHOTOS: © JOE CORNISH/JOHN MILLER/AMANDA SHOREY/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/ALLARD SCHAGER/HEMIS/ALAMY
BRITAIN 63
 La Sablonnerie
First established in 1948, La Sablonnerie retains the characteristics
of an old farmhouse built some 400 years ago and is situated on the
lovely island of Sark in the Channel Islands

La Sablonnerie is a hotel of rare quality
situated in the southern part of Sark,
and is owned and managed by Elizabeth
Perrée. Guests return-year-after-year to
recapture the beauty of the island and to
enjoy the excellent cuisine, and the cosy
and friendly atmosphere that the hotel
radiates..
Of course being so close to the sea,
MYLZOS`JH\NO[ÄZOHUKMHTV\Z:HYR
lobsters are popular specialities. La
Sablonnerie has been featured by the
‘Which?’ hotel guide as ‘The place to stay
in the Channel Islands’, and also received
the highly coveted award from Condé
Nast Johansen - ‘Small Hotel of the Year’.
Needless to say, you have to visit us to
ÄUKV\[L_HJ[S`^OH[L]LY`VULPZ[HSRPUN
about.
Nestled in gorgeous gardens, a haven
for lovers of peace and tranquillity;
how could one not enjoy this amazing
paradise, even if you just arrive for one The hotel has been extended and
of our glorious cream teas or a Lobster discreetly modernised to provide 22
Salad in the garden. rooms, each individual in style and décor,
Sark offers exceptional star-gazing including a delightful Honeymoon Suite.
01392 We
due to its lack of light pollution and La 822provide
981 immaculate comfort, excellent
| www.chatham.co.uk
Sablonnerie is the ideal place to enjoy it.. food and service, and courteous staff.

Little Sark - Ideal Honeymoon Destination reservations@sablonneriesark.com

This delightful hotel and tea garden on the beautiful island of Sark promises you a truly magical stay. The hotel is a restored 16th-century
farmhouse and has 22 individually-designed rooms and suites full of rustic charm, plus cosy public rooms and beautiful gardens. La Sablonnerie
is noted throughout the Channel Islands for its excellent cuisine. Enjoy a delicious gourmet lunch or superb Sark cream tea – or dine romantically
2 OCEANE\FDQGOHOLJKW/D6DEORQQHULHLVOLNH6DUNLWVHOI±VPDOOIULHQGO\DQGXWWHUO\HQFKDQWLQJ&RPHDQG¿QGRXWIRU\RXUVHOI
VIEW

For further details and reservations call Elizabeth Perrée on (01481) 832061 or Fax (01481) 832408 www.sablonneriesark.com
Don’t leave the Channel Islands without visiting Sark and Little Sark. ‘It will be an experience that will live with you forever’.

64 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 AROUND BRITAIN

BRYHER
The Isles of Scilly occupy the most
southwesterly part of Britain – indeed
just off the island of Bryher are the
last rocks sticking up out of the
Atlantic before you reach the USA.
This island has a long history,
stretching back to AD 986 when
the future king of Norway, Olaf
Tryggvason, converted to Christianity
after meeting a hermit here.
The storm-tossed island is just
2km long, from the towering cliffs
of Shipman Head in the north to
Rushy Bay in the south. At the
curiously named Hell Bay, with its
brackish Great Pool and artists’
studio, you’ll find the most westerly
building in Britain, Hell Bay Hotel.
The middle of the island is mainly
low-lying arable and pasture land,
worked by the population of less than
a hundred. During the 18th-century
the people of Bryher also made their
living plundering the many ships that
wrecked here, but now many of them
work more peacefully for Prince
Charles’s Duchy of Cornwall, which
owns most of the Isles of Scilly.
Bryher is also famous as a breeding
ground for seabirds, in particularly
the kittiwake, herring gull, razorbill,
shag, storm petrel and ringed plover.

SPITBANK FORT
In the 19th century Lord Palmerston, one of Queen
PHOTOS: © ROBERTHARDING/SIMON EVANS/YURIFINEART/MINDEN PICTURES/ALAMY

Victoria’s favourite prime ministers, built three

artificial islands, known as ‘Palmerston’s follies’,
in the Solent – the strait that separates the Isle of Wight
from England’s south coast – to protect the Royal Navy
dockyard at Portsmouth from attack by the French.
In 1898 one of these islands, Spitbank, was even fitted
with searchlights and two small guns to defend against
the French navy, but it never saw action.
In 1982 the Ministry of Defence sold its old coastal
defences and Spitbank subsequently became a luxury
hotel. Today it can be reached by boat or helicopter
and is a popular destination for romantic getaways.
Its sister isle, Horse Sand Fort, has been kept in its
original state and visitors can see the gun carriages,
armour-plated walls and living quarters of the troops.

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 65
AROUND BRITAIN

SKYE
The largest and most northerly island in the Inner
Hebrides, Skye was visited by Dr Johnson in 1773
on his tour of the Scottish Highlands, which
resulted in his famous travel narrative A Journey
to the Western Islands of Scotland. While there,
he visited Flora MacDonald, heroine of the
Jacobite Rebellion who, in her younger days,
had helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from
Skye on his way into exile.
Today the island’s population is just over
10,000, of which a third are Gaelic-speakers,
keeping the ancient language of Scotland alive,
and tourism is a major source of income,
especially around the harbour town of Portree.
One of the main attractions of Skye is Talisker
whisky. This distillery, outside the village of
Carbost, was set up in 1830 by the MacAskill
brothers. Their whisky proved so popular Robert
Louis Stevenson cited it in verse as one of the joys
he looked forward to as a returning Scotsman.
The Gulf Stream makes Skye warmer than
might be expected for such a northerly spot, but
a fierce Atlantic wind keeps trees and vegetation
low. At the island’s centre rises the Black Cuillin
mountain range, which offers climbers dramatic
views in all directions, especially from the Sgùrr
Alasdair mountain, 992m above sea level.

66 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 EXPLORE OUR
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GREAT BRITONS
JMW Turner
Our series focusing on the lives of iconic British men and women
continues with one of the world’s most revered artists
WORDS STEVE PILL
W
hile great artists can create dazzling likenesses
or vivid scenes in paint, it is only the very best
ones that can change the way we see the world.
And Joseph Mallord William Turner was one of the
most talented and visionary artists to have ever lived. His early grand
vistas, rendered in oils and watercolours, are among the world’s finest
landscapes, while his later renditions of boats and trains caught adrift
in wild environments captured the thrill of the Industrial Revolution
and paved the way for the abstract artists of the 20th century.
Turner’s talents were evident from an early age. Born in London’s
Covent Garden in 1775, his early drawings were displayed in the
window of his proud father’s barbershop and sold for a few shillings
each. At 14, he enrolled at the Royal Academy Schools and practised
cast drawings in the life room, and had his first watercolour
exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts the following year.
In his 20s, Turner travelled extensively
across the UK and Europe, visiting the
Louvre in Paris and making regular trips
to favourite places such as Yorkshire,
Kent, and Venice in Italy. He developed
an affinity with the landscape, while
a keen interest in architectural drawing
grounded his paintings in reality,
and led Turner to become Professor
of Perspective at the Royal Academy
of Arts in 1807. Such technical
rigour allowed the artist to tackle
contemporary events and classical scenes
with the same sense of epic grandeur. In
works such as 1815’s Dido Building Carthage or 1829’s Ulysses
Deriding Polyphemus, Turner translates scenes from classics by
Virgil and Homer into luminescent paintings, while also making
attempts to document historical events during his lifetime, such as
the 1834 fire at the Houses of Parliament or the Battle of Trafalgar
in 1805. That mastery of the classical and contemporary was key
to his greatness and Turner was undoubtedly alive to the modern
world and the rapid changes thrust upon early Victorian society
as the Industrial Revolution got underway.
One of his best-loved paintings, 1844’s Rain, Steam, and Speed –
The Great Western Railway, on display as part of the permanent
collection at London’s National Gallery, shows this interest in
particular. A lone hare jumps out of the way as the great train makes
68 BRITAIN
its way across Maidenhead railway bridge, rendered in a swathe
of steam, yet powerfully intruding on the viewer’s personal space.
This ambiguity was borne of Turner’s talent for creating great
passages of hazy colour that tended towards abstraction yet gave
tantalising suggestions of the subject at a painting’s heart. That sense
of the abstract was almost unprecedented in the 19th century, yet it
paved the way for later art movements – when Turner’s peer, the
acclaimed art critic John Ruskin, described him as “the father of
modern art”, he had no idea how true that claim would become.
An eyewitness account of one of his finest watercolours,
1818’s A First Rate Taking in Stores, gives an insight into his creative
process: “He began by pouring wet paint on to the paper until it was
saturated, he tore, he scratched, he scrabbled at it in a kind of frenzy
and the whole thing was in chaos – but gradually and, as if by magic,
the lovely ship, with all its exquisite minutia came into being.”
In the final years of his life, Turner
became increasingly private, retreating
to his Chelsea home studio at 118-119
Cheyne Walk, where he died aged 76
on 19 December 1851. While many
of his peers faded into obscurity like
the colours of an Old Master painting,
Turner remains one of Britain’s most
celebrated artists. His 1799 self-portrait
is reproduced on the new £20 notes,
while a 2014 film, Mr Turner, saw
Timothy Spall (who also plays Peter
Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films) depict
the last 25 years of the artist’s life.
PHOTOS: © TATE/TATE IMAGES/THE PRINT COLLECTOR/GETTY IMAGES
Exhibitions of the artist’s work are commonplace among Britain’s
museums, with the Scottish National Gallery holding an annual
display of his watercolours every January. London’s Tate Britain
holds the largest collection of the artist’s works, with a changing
selection available to view for free in the Clore Gallery, while the
Turner Contemporary on the site of the artist’s former bolthole in
Margate, Kent, opened in 2011 and stages exhibitions of his work
paired with contemporary art. In fact, with more than 32,000 oil
paintings, watercolours and works on paper attributed to Turner in
collections across the world, there is no shortage of ways to celebrate
the achievements of this Great Briton.
 Next month: a celebration of one of our earliest literary heroes, William Caxton
www.britain-magazine.com
 PLACES TO STAY

His early drawings

were displayed in the
window of his proud
father’s barbershop
and sold for a few
shillings each

Turner’s mastery of
classical painting and his
ability to render the
changing world are the
keys to his greatness.
Inset: A First Rate Taking
in Stores, from 1818

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 69
LANDMARKS

E DINBURGH
CASTLE
The most besieged place in Britain, Scotland’s
biggest attraction still stands proud above its
capital city 900 years after its inception
WORDS JANICE HOPPER

70 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com

I
t’s estimated there were once around 3,000 castles in
Scotland but one stands head and shoulders above
the rest: Edinburgh Castle. This iconic fortress is the
country’s number one paid-for tourist attraction and
has a history marked by violence, political and religious
intrigue, and the rise and fall of monarchs. It also houses
some of the nation’s most treasured possessions.
Sitting atop an extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle
offers an excellent vantage point across the city, so was
a natural site for a building that combined defence, control
and honour. The oldest existing part – which is also
Edinburgh’s most antiquated building – is St Margaret’s
Chapel, which dates from the 12th century.
www.britain-magazine.com
LANDMARKS
The chapel was built by King David I to commemorate
his mother, Queen Margaret (later St Margaret). In time,
King David II added David’s Tower, which was residential
and defensive in design. The grand Great Hall was the
work of King James IV and its key feature is a stunning
wooden roof with huge beams resting on stones engraved
with symbols of Scotland and its monarchs. Today its
walls glisten with an impressive display of swords, shields,
suits of armour and weaponry.
As a military stronghold and the most prestigious
Below: The site of
building in Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh Castle was Edinburgh Castle
captured and recaptured many times. In fact, it’s been was first built on in
besieged more than any other place in Britain, with 23 the 12th century
Sitting atop an extinct volcano,
the castle offers an excellent
vantage point across the city
BRITAIN 71
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 LANDMARKS

recorded attempts to ‘capture the castle’. Taking the castle Left: King James VI
wasn’t just a tactical coup for Scotland’s enemies but a of Scotland and I of
blow to the morale, self-esteem and pride of the Scots. England and Ireland
was born at
Violent tensions, often between England and Scotland, are Edinburgh Castle.
now consigned to the history books but these conflicts Below: The Great Hall
were brutal, bloody and unforgiving. features a grand
Captured in 1296 by England’s King Edward I, the Scots wooden roof
reclaimed it with a night attack in 1314. The English
successfully attacked again in 1335 before, in 1341, Scots
disguised as merchants took it back. Cromwell’s forces
occupied the castle in 1650. At one point it was even
handed over to the English as a ransom payment. It has
also attracted religious fervour, being captured twice by
Covenanters in the 17th century fighting against King
Charles I’s imposition of Episcopacy on the church. Bloody
battles ensued with the Jacobites in the 18th century.
As a thriving tourist attraction today, the Royal Palace
within the castle is a big draw as it was the home of
Scotland’s kings and queens. A highlight is a small room
where events unfolded that changed British history. In
1566 the birth chamber saw the arrival of a little boy, son
of Mary, Queen of Scots, who was made King James VI of
Scotland just a year later. His mother’s strained relations
with her English counterparts resulted in her first
PHOTOS: © CROWN COPYRIGHT/HISTORIC SCOTLAND/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/BRIAN JANNSEN/ALAMY

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 73
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own home; and that is how we, and more importantly our
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So, at the end of your holiday, we hope that you will return
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many of our guests return to us time and time again. Welcome
to a true voyage of discovery – welcome to the unique world
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All Leisure Holidays Ltd, trading as Hebridean Island Cruises

Below: Edinburgh cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, signing the death warrant that
Castle towers above led to the Scottish queen’s beheading. When Elizabeth I
the city, as seen died without issue, the bloodlines led back to Mary’s son
from The Vennel
near Grassmarket
James. In 1603 the crowns of England and Scotland were
united and James VI of Scotland also became King James I
of England and Ireland.
In 1617 James returned to Edinburgh Castle to celebrate
his Golden Jubilee and his birth chamber was redecorated
for the occasion. It’s still possible to see the gilded
decoration celebrating the momentous birth.
Scotland’s Crown Jewels, or the Honours of Scotland,
are on display in the Crown Room. These include a sceptre
presented to King James IV by Pope Alexander VI in 1494;
a sword, gifted in 1507 by Pope Julius II; and the crown,
which was first worn for the coronation of Mary of Guise
in 1540. As potent symbols of the Scottish monarchy,
protecting the jewels was paramount. In the 1650s, the
Honours were whisked to Dunnottar Castle, in the north
east of Scotland, then onto the small village of Kinneff,
to evade Cromwell’s Parliamentarian Army. After the
Treaty of the Union between England and Scotland in
1707, they were locked away in a chest at the castle, which
was not opened again until 1818. During the Second
PHOTO: © KENNY LAM/VISITSCOTLAND
One of the greatest appeals of
Edinburgh Castle is that it is
still a part of the city’s daily life
www.britain-magazine.com
LANDMARKS
World War the Honours of Scotland had a slightly less
honourable hiding place as they were tucked away below a
medieval latrine closet in case of Nazi invasion.
Another key attraction is the Stone of Destiny. Present
at the coronation of Scottish monarchs for centuries, the
stone – while unassuming to look at – is powerfully
symbolic. In 1296, King Edward I of England removed the
stone from Scone Palace in Perthshire and had it built into
his own throne at Westminster Abbey.
On Christmas Day in 1950, four Scottish students
managed to steal the stone. Its disappearance caused
uproar and its location was a mystery until it was found,
draped in The Saltire, outside Arbroath Abbey in 1951.
This was no random drop off point but the site where the
Declaration of Arbroath – in which Scotland’s nobles
swore their independence from England – was written in
1320. The stone was returned to London until, in 1996,
it was given back to Scotland. It will only leave the country
again for a coronation at Westminster Abbey.
The castle’s colourful military past has created other
poignant sites on the sprawling complex, which adds a
brutal reality to the tales of invasion, duplicity and heroics.
The National War Museum of Scotland first opened in
BRITAIN 75
LANDMARKS

1933 and covers 400 years of conflict. The Prisons of War

The castle is a hive exhibition tells of the inmates who languished
of activity during in the castle, from pirates captured off Argyll to a
the Edinburgh
five-year-old drummer boy from the Battle of Trafalgar.
Military Tattoo.
Below: Step inside to The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards still have a small
see the home of military garrison at the castle, but it’s the National War
Scotland’s monarchs Memorial that often stops people in their tracks. It opened
in 1927, when the architect Sir Robert Lorimer and 200
Scottish artists and craftsmen first created a Hall of
Honour and Shrine, which features delicate stained glass
and sculptures dedicated to Scotland’s lost generations and
the names of the fallen on the Rolls of Honour.
One of the greatest appeals of Edinburgh Castle is that
it’s still part of the city’s daily life. The firing of the One
O’Clock Gun, which once allowed ships in the Firth of
Forth to set their maritime clocks, still marks time in
‘Auld Reekie’. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and
summer concerts are also huge draws.
And the biggest party of the year is, of course,
Hogmanay, where new year celebrations see fireworks
light up the skies, musicians performing and revellers
partying as the nation – and the whole world – celebrate
with the people of Edinburgh and its mighty castle.

 For more extraordinary stories about Scotland’s capital city,

visit www.britain-magazine.com/edinburgh

PHOTOS: © PRISMA BILDAGENTUR AG/ALAMY/PAWEL LIBERA/VISITBRITAIN

76 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
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PHOTOS: © TERRY BLACKMAN/CARY CLARKE/ALAMY
W INCHELSEA
T
his ancient Cinque Port on the
Sussex-Kent border has charm
aplenty, as well as some slightly
history means there’s a wealth
less obvious draws.
For fans of absurdist humour, the drowsy
little East Sussex town of Winchelsea should
rank high on the list of pilgrimage
destinations thanks to one accolade alone:
its beautiful St Thomas the Martyr church
is the final resting place of Spike Milligan,
the Anglo-Irish comedian, whose headstone
bearing the epitaph, “I told you I was ill,”
was voted the UK’s favourite.
Aside from a graveside chortle at
The Goon Show creator’s posthumous
wit, Winchelsea offers visitors much to
see. Sitting above the marshes, it provides
a welcome contrast to its ever-popular
neighbour, Rye, from which it stands two
miles apart, just across the River Brede. For
while Rye bursts at the seams with tourists
in high season, clamorous for tea, cake and
to visit the former home of Henry James and
EF Benson, Winchelsea is an altogether
quieter proposition. Possessed of a sleepy yet
www.britain-magazine.com
DAY TRIPS
Wander the streets to
admire Winchelsea’s
architectural delights.
Below: Stop off in one of
the charming local pubs
This tiny Sussex town’s long surreal charm, it is a place to wander around
the medieval streets (in contrast to the
higgledy-piggeldy warren at Rye, Winchelsea
of secrets to uncover was built on a grid system) in admiration
of the architectural beauties, but also be
WORDS ROSE BATEMAN
engaged in bizarre conversations by locals
who might stop you to ask whether you’re
in the market to buy some pickled herring,
one of the town’s most famous exports.
The town stands on the site of a 1288
settlement founded by King Edward I, but
for Winchelsea’s origins, we must go further
back still. The medieval relics that stand
today constitute, rather incredulously,
‘New Winchelsea’, having been built in lieu
of an even earlier parish town – now simply
referred to as ‘Old Winchelsea’ – which
was lost to the sea.
Other idiosyncrasies include calls by some
inhabitants for it to be named the most
diminutive town in the country, with
Winchelsea having been raised from village
status despite its size by dint of the fact it has
a mayor (this honour, however, is contested
by a number of other small towns).
BRITAIN 79
DAY TRIPS
Explore the town’s
quirky little shops.
Below: St Thomas
the Martyr church
Undisputed however, is Winchelsea’s
membership of the Cinque Port
Confederation, along with Rye, since 1155.
Although now entirely nominal, the Cinque
Ports – or Five Ports – encompassed five
historic harbours along the Sussex-Kent
coastline (Sandwich, Romney, Dover, Hythe,
and Hastings) at the point at which the
Channel crossing is narrowest, alongside the
ancient towns of Rye and Winchelsea. They
were created in order that the string of
coastal towns would always maintain some
57 ships ready for the Crown – a vital
commodity when King Edward I later
developed the Royal Navy. In return, the
towns were granted: “Exemption from tax
80 BRITAIN
For more
photos of Britain’s
beautiful towns, go
to www.britain-
magazine.com
THE PLANNER
GETTING THERE
By train: Trains run every couple of hours to
Winchelsea from London St Pancras (70-80 minutes,
with a change at Ashford). Rye is 3-4 minutes by train.
WHERE TO STAY
The Strand House, a boutique hotel in a
700-year-old house, is quirky and unmistakeably English
and by far the best in Winchelsea. The menu at the hotel
restaurant is dictated by the day’s catch and bounty from
the local organic farm. www.thestrandhouse.co.uk
FURTHER INFORMATION
i www.winchelsea.net
and tolls; self-government; permission to levy
tolls, punish those who shed blood or flee
justice, punish minor offences, detain and
execute criminals both inside and outside the
port’s jurisdiction, and punish breaches of
the peace; and possession of lost goods that
remain unclaimed after a year, goods thrown
overboard, and floating wreckage.” Perhaps
inevitably, the lenient attitude towards taxes
and tolls led to the smuggling of goods from
across the Channel.
Winchelsea’s demise, however, cannot be
pinned on opportunistic illegal importers.
Rather its fortunes began to wane in the
latter half of the 14th century, when the
silting of the harbour due to infilling parts
of the River Brede left the town high and
dry; the sea, so long its enemy, finally
deserted the town, choking the harbour with
sand. Coupled with brutal attacks on the
town in 1360 by the French, and then again
in 1380 by the Castilians, the little
independent town stood little chance.
These days, happily, it’s all water under
the bridge. Visitors today should stroll
around the gridded streets to wonder at
remnants of Winchelsea’s medieval past,
which include pleasingly thick walls and
gateways, a friary, and nearby Camber
Castle (formerly known as Winchelsea
Castle). Built by King Henry VIII between
1512 and 1514, the fortress – perhaps more
accurately described as an artillery tower
– was originally built to protect Sussex from
French attack.
But perhaps one of the most eccentric
must-visit features of Winchelsea is the
extensive 13th-century wine cellars built
under its streets to service the wine trade
with Gascony; do ensure that you book a
tour of the 33 that are still accessible with
a guide (there are a further 23 that are no
longer open, giving food to the thought that
the medieval inhabitants of Winchelsea were
a very merry bunch indeed).
PHOTOS: © LOUISE A HEUSINKVELD/PETER CRIPPS/ALAMY
Summer visitors should make the short
trip to nearby Winchelsea Beach (locals
simply call it ‘the Beach’), which is the very
stuff of John Betjeman-style nostalgia. And
if you are here over the warm summer
months, do try to coincide your visit with the
annual outdoor theatrics from touring
company, Rain or Shine, which performs
Shakespeare to literary types and various
picnickers every August.
www.britain-magazine.com
Discover the UK & Ireland...
Our brochure – The Little Green Book – and website list
inspected B&Bs, and a selection of self­catering accommodation.
Illustrated in colour with detailed descriptions and maps, B&Bs that
are ‘pet friendly’, have facilities for the less mobile and those offering
something extra such as gardens open to the public, sheepdog
demonstrations and fly fishing courses. Includes tourist information.
Book direct with the B&Bs or use our Booking Service
We also provide Bespoke Tours
For a brochure (postage & packing payment is required)
email: office@bbnationwide.co.uk or tel: +44 (0)1255 672377
quoting ref: B 170
See the B&Bs and also pay for a brochure online:
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Thomas Smith’s Trug Shop
Red Lion Hall, New Road, Magham Down, Herstmonceux, East Sussex, BN27 1PN, England
Tel: 01323-871640 | Overseas: +44-1323-871640 | E-mail: sales@sussextrugs.com
www.sussextrugs.com
Coming to South East England? Don’t miss a visit to Thomas Smith’s
Royal Sussex Trug workshop in Magham Down, Herstmonceux.
We’re right on the main A271 road in a 100 year old building very fitting
for our craft. Making Sussex Trugs since 1829
Walk our workshop and see the original Royal Sussex Trug Gardening Baskets
being made by our craftsmen and apprentices and view most of the 35 different
styles of the Royal Sussex Traditional Trugs that we hand craft here in our
own workshop. Why Royal Sussex? The inventor of the Trug, Thomas Smith,
was awarded Queen Victoria’s Royal Warrant after Her Majesty personally
purchased some at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 as gifts for members
of the Royal Household.
You can also see our equally famous South Down Contemporary Trug, that we
sold to the Crown Estate at Windsor for over 20 years.
Steeped in history and tradition, our Trugs are still made almost entirely by
hand and are a great favourite with customers all over the World. Gardeners
everywhere love using our Trugs. You can use them in your home as well.
Sales through our retail shop, online and through our many dealers worldwide.
Call in and see us for a very warm Sussex welcome!
Open Monday - Saturday 9am – 5pm (closed on bank holidays)
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BRITAIN 81
TRADITION

Quirks
of the
British
Nobody does eccentricity quite
like us. Get a front row seat at
some of these frankly bizarre
festivities for a trip like no other
WORDS SALLY COFFEY

S
ometimes we think our label as a nation of
eccentrics is a tad unjustified but then we look at
our calendar of events and realise, yes, some of
our pastimes really are rather odd. Where else in
the world would you see grown men (and women) compete
to see who can catch a block of cheese first, or run through
the streets with a flaming barrel hoisted on their backs?
So, rather than shy away from our eccentric tag, we’ve
decided to embrace it. Here are some of our favourite
quirky festivals and events taking place across Britain
every year, which offer visitors incredible insight into some
of our more unusual customs.
The well-documented Cheese-Rolling at Cooper’s Hill
in Gloucestershire takes place each year on the spring
bank holiday (the last Monday in May) in the Cotswolds
village of Brockworth and is now so popular it attracts
as many as 15,000 spectators.
The aim is to chase an 8lb piece of Double Gloucester
down a notoriously steep hill, with the first person past the
finishing line winning the cheese, but more importantly
the glory. Origins of the event are sketchy – some say it has
pagan links, while others maintain it was designed to
decide grazing rights. But while to mere bystanders it
might seem like a bit of fun, it’s no laughing matter to
contestants, who train hard and risk injury.
A less hazardous spin on the theme is the cheese-rolling
event in the Cambridgeshire village of Stilton, which takes
place every May Day bank holiday, thanks to the ingenuity
of a local pub landlord who wanted to attract tourists to
the town in the 1960s. The tournament, which includes

82 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 TRADITION

Clockwise, from left:

The Up Helly Aa
festival in Lerwick,
Shetland; a local in
Tudor dress during
the Totnes Orange
Races; a wooden
‘cheese' is chased in
the village of Stilton;
a participant runs
with a burning barrel
at the Ottery
St Mary Flaming
Tar Barrels festival

PHOTOS: © MATT CARDY/JORDAN MANSFIELD/ANDY BUCHANAN

/AFP/GETTY IMAGES/GARETH IWAN JONES
PHOTOS: © NEIL HALL

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 83
TRADITION
a knockout competition, starts outside
The Bell Inn and The Angel pubs and sees
contestants compete in teams of four to
pass the ‘cheese’ (they are actually wooden
blocks) through the village.
Meanwhile, if you have more of a sweet
tooth then the Totnes Orange Races might
appeal. This jovial event, which takes
place in the Devon town of Totnes each
August, was inspired by a myth relating
to Sir Francis Drake.
The story goes that on a visit to the town,
Drake knocked into a delivery boy, toppling
his basket of oranges and causing them
to roll down the hill. As oranges were so
valuable at the time, the town’s children
made quick to chase after them, and so a
legend was born. The event, which began
in the 1970s, requires the racer to chase
an orange down a course, with the winner
Above: The unique being the first to cross the line with an orange in front of
Totnes Orange them that is in a reasonable state.
Races trophy.
Food rolling aside, Britain, it appears, is also a nation
Below: Locals chase
oranges through the of pyromaniacs and the remote Scottish archipelago of
streets of Totnes Shetland is home to the biggest fire festival in Europe.
On the last Tuesday in January every year, this
normally sleepy corner of Britain is awoken from its
easy slumber as its annual Viking-themed fire festival,
Up Helly Aa, gets underway.
Festivities, which echo pagan Norse rituals, centre
around a band of 800 heavily disguised men (sorry, women
have never taken part), who parade the streets of the main
port town of Lerwick, setting fire to a Viking galley, before
84 BRITAIN
rescuing their leader, known as the Guizer Jarl, from the
ship’s stern. It is a raucous affair carried out against a
clamorous background of bugles, fiddles, drums and
singing, and the dancing and general merriment goes on
throughout the night.
Though festivities in some form have taken place here
since at least the first half of the 19th century, it wasn’t
until the introduction of a Viking longship in the 1880s
that the theme became apparent.
Since then, the event has been held every year, with the
exceptions of 1901 (to mark the death of Queen Victoria)
and during the First and Second World Wars.
Festivities are so lively that the following day is a public
holiday to allow locals to recover.
Elsewhere, the Flaming Tar Barrels event in Ottery
St Mary, Devon, comes from an old custom dating
back to at least the 17th century. Held on 5 November
each year (Guy Fawkes Night), the tradition involves each
of the town’s pubs lighting a tar-soaked barrel, which are
then carried through the town’s streets on the shoulders
and backs of the brave participants.
There are a few theories as to where this tradition began.
Could it be a nod to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605? Were
the burning barrels used to fumigate the town’s cottages,
or perhaps it was to warn about the approach of the
Spanish Armada? Whatever the provenance, Ottery was
just one of many West Country towns to partake in the
tradition and, even now, in the winter months, you can see
processions of brightly lit tableaux in many of the region’s
other towns and villages.
 To find out more about unique British traditions and culture,
visit www. britain-magazine.com
PHOTOS: © GARETH IWAN JONES
www.britain-magazine.com
 Book your 3HUIHFW6XƨRONEscape
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Room hire at St James’s Church, Piccadilly:

reasonably priced space for hire in the heart of the West End

Since opening in 1981, Piccadilly Market has established

Flexible meeting, conference and rehearsal
space at a central London West End Venue
We have two basement rooms that offer three room options as
our two rooms open out into one larger space, making it perfect
for larger events.
Our facilities are ideal for auditions, rehearsals, meetings,
seminars, presentations, workshops and press launches.
a reputation as a great place to shop for perfect gifts and
unusual souvenirs.
From Wednesday to Saturday, arts and crafts are sold, while
Tuesday offers predominantly antiques and collectables, and
Monday specialises in good food. The market is located in the
courtyard at St James’s Church in the heart of the West End –
just yards from Piccadilly Circus.
The market is open from Monday to Saturday between 10am
and 6.30pm (Monday 3.00pm) throughout the year.

For all enquiries about room hire and to arrange a viewing

www.piccadilly-market.co.uk
please contact Jenny Walpole of our Verger Team on 197 PICCADILLY, LONDON, W1J 9LL
020 7292 4861 or roomhire@sjp.org.uk T: +44 (0)20 7292 4864 E: marketmanager@sjp.org.uk

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 85
 FI
NA
L
W
EE
KS
Use beetroot juice for a
splash of lip colour

Recycle an old blanket

into a warm winter dress

Stay safe and

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mask handbag

UNTIL 1 MAY 2017 BOOK NOW IWM.ORG.UK

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Divided into 12 themes, the garden transports you around
the world, incorporating mythology, fantasy and culture.
Careful planting has ensured the gardens provide scent
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Offering homemade lunches,
snacks, scrumptious cakes
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Located on the B4214 Bromyard to Tenbury Wells Road.

Approximately 2 miles from Bromyard take the turning
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As

86 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 The best
places to eat,
stay, shop
and visit

MANCHESTER
The proud northwest English city was built
on the textile industry and thrives today as
a centre of culture, sport and heritage
WORDS STEVE PILL
CITY GUIDE
DON'T THE WHITWORTH WAS
MISS CROWNED MUSEUM OF
THE YEAR FOLLOWING
A £15M REDEVELOPMENT IN 2015
M
ancunians often like to cheekily
claim the title of ‘England’s
second city’ for themselves.
And while Birmingham and other urban areas
may be larger or more populous, Manchester
is in many ways a city of firsts.
Over the years, Manchester has been
home to the nation’s first free public library,
the first municipal park and the first municipal
airport. It’s pre-eminence during the Industrial
Revolution meant that Britain’s first modern
canal, passenger railway and steam-powered
mill were built here, while the free trade
movement and the Suffragettes have their
origins in the city too.
Manchester can claim 25 Nobel laureates,
putting it ahead of all except seven other
nations. Atomic theory, meteorology,
thermodynamics and the contraceptive pill
were all developed here. A Mancunian piloted
the first transatlantic flight, while professors at
the university split the first atom in 1919 and
88 BRITAIN
created the world’s first computer with
a stored programme in 1948. Even today,
the northwest city is home to two of
PHOTOS: © THOMAS HEATON/TIM WINTER/MARKETING MANCHESTER/VISITENGLAND/GRANT PRITCHARD/
VISITBRITAIN/RUSSELL HART/ANDREW PATERSON/IAN DAGNALL/ALAMY . ILLUSTRATION: © MICHAEL HILL
football’s most famous teams and the
biennial Manchester International Festival
(29 June to 16 July 2017) became the world’s
first to programme exclusively new and
original works when it began a decade ago.
The achievements of the city’s most
brilliant sons and daughters can be celebrated
today across a range of institutions. The
Museum of Science and Industry is partly
housed in the terminal building of Liverpool
Road, the world’s first inter-city railway
station. As well as a permanent collection
featuring scientific models used by atomic
theorist John Dalton and the world’s first
commercially available computer, a new
temporary exhibition, Wonder Materials (until
25 June), celebrates recent discoveries at the
university. Elsewhere, the People’s History
Museum tells the story of the strides made
www.britain-magazine.com

by the working classes during the Industrial
Revolution and beyond, while the National
Football Museum is packed with memorabilia.
No visit is complete without browsing
Manchester Art Gallery, a free collection
situated in an 1823 Grade I listed neoclassical
building. Although another major gallery, the
Lowry, is technically situated in Salford Quays
(and Salford is a city in its own right), it is such
a short trip from Manchester (around 15
minutes on the tram), it is well worth a visit.
Named after Salford painter LS Lowry, who
was famed for his figurative scenes of the
industrial northwest, the vast venue stages
theatre, comedy, concerts and exhibitions.
The origins of Manchester can be traced
back to the aftermath of the Roman invasion
when the fort of Mamucium was built on
the River Medlock in AD 79. The remains
of the fort and a reconstructed gateway can
be seen today in Castlefield, an area of the city
centre better known for its nightlife.
www.britain-magazine.com
CUT-OUT-AND-GO GUIDE: MANCHESTER
GETTING THERE
Direct trains run from London Euston
to Manchester Piccadilly in just over two
hours. Manchester also has the largest airport
outside of London, flying to more than
200 destinations worldwide.
www.manchesterairport.co.uk
WHERE TO STAY
Situated opposite the central library,
the Midland has hosted royalty, prime
ministers and Hollywood A-listers for more
than a century. Opt for an afternoon tea in
the Octagon Lounge – it oozes old-school
grandeur. www.qhotels.co.uk
Anyone approaching the city centre from the
south will be familiar with the iconic, redbrick
clock tower of the former Palace Hotel.
Now refurbished and rebranded as part of
a UK-wide chain, the Principal (above) is a
Page 87: Salford Grade II listed gothic revival gem with 270
Quays and rooms. www.phcompany.com
Imperial War
Museum North
Clockwise, from top:
The Lowry;
Whitworth Art
Gallery; the Royal
Exchange theatre;
Sinclair’s Oyster
Bar and the Old
Wellington in
Shambles Square;
Mr Thomas’s
Chop House
CITY GUIDE
Tweed-clad staff, hand-picked furniture and
a rooftop spa pool overlooking the Town
Hall make the King Street Townhouse a truly
luxurious city centre option.
www.eclectichotels.co.uk
WHERE TO EAT
Co-owned by local soap opera
star Jennie McAlpine, Annies is an
award-winning restaurant and tea shop.
Hearty British classics include fish and chips,
and cottage pie.
www.anniesmanchester.co.uk
Chef Aiden Byrne was trained in many
Michelin-starred establishments so his
14-course taster menu at Manchester House
is packed with delicious dishes to sample.
www.manchesterhouse.uk.com
Tip the world on its head at Australasia,
a modern pan-continental restaurant with a
stylish, white interior and a menu packed with
seafood and steak. www.australasia.uk.com
BRITAIN 89
CITY GUIDE
CUT-OUT-AND-GO GUIDE: MANCHESTER
RELAX in Elizabeth Gaskell’s House
(above), the Grade II listed former home of
the Cranford author. Follow in the footsteps of
Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens with a
visit to the Regency villa, where one can take
tea in the kitchen, browse the bookshop or
bask in the restored gardens.
www.elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk
DISCOVER the city’s industrial heritage at
Quarry Bank, a restored 1784 cotton mill just a
mile’s drive from Manchester Airport. A new
glasshouse and worker’s cottage will open in
2017. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarry-bank
Book bag
Manchester: Making the Modern City
by (ed.) Alan Kidd and Terry Wyke
(Liverpool University Press, £14.95)
A Grim Almanac of Manchester by Michala
Hulme (The History Press, £12.99)
90 BRITAIN
LISTEN to a concert at the Bridgewater
Hall, famed for being built entirely on springs
to guarantee better acoustics and home
of the Hallé – the UK’s oldest symphony
orchestra. www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk
LEARN about British culture and
democracy at the People’s History Museum.
The permanent collection features political
cartoons, protest posters and more.
www.phm.org.uk
DRINK in the Victorian ambience with
a tipple at Mr Thomas’s Chop House, which
celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2017. Vintage
tiles and Art Nouveau details add charm.
www.tomschophouse.com
Live like a
local
Caroline Sheehan,
childrenswear designer
and co-founder of
The Curve
“The John Rylands Library is an architectural
Victorian neo-gothic gem. Found on
Deansgate, it is full of special collections,
historical treasures and a lovely cafe. I find it a
great place to escape in the middle of the city.
“HOME is a bit of a cultural hub in
Manchester, a merger of two former arts
venues: Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre.
At HOME there’s a cinema, theatre, art
exhibitions, and drinks.
“For food, try the Refuge by Volta. Set in
the old Refuge Assurance building within the
Principal hotel, you can drink or dine in its
stunning Art Deco surrounds day or night.
Afternoon tea in the winter garden, cocktails
in the den, private dining – whatever you have
planned there, it’ll be a treat.”
DON'TTHE ‘CURRY MILE’ IS A
MISS
STRETCH OF OXFORD
ROAD THAT IS HOME TO
MORE THAN 70 RESTAURANTS
DID YOU KNOW? After modest beginnings and a brief
Emmeline mention of ‘Mamechester’ in the Domesday
Pankhurst, the Book of 1086, it was the burgeoning textile
leader of the British
Suffragette industry that would inspire rapid growth
movement, following the arrival of a group of Flemish
was born in the cloth makers and weavers in the early 1300s.
Manchester suburb By the 16th century, the city was renowned
of Moss Side in as the centre of the wool and linen trade
1858. A key
campaigner for and it later became known as ‘Cottonopolis’.
women’s right to Manchester’s oldest building, the Old
vote, her legacy is Wellington Inn, dates from this time – it was
explored in the built in 1552 on what is now the commercial
Pankhurst Centre shopping thoroughfare of Market Street.
on Nelson Street
The half-timbered structure was raised to
make way for the Arndale Centre, the city’s
main shopping mall, in 1981 and relocated
wholesale, then moved again in 1999 to form
part of the new Shambles Square. The area
is popular for shopping, eating and drinking
today – sit outside with a tipple from the
historic Sinclair’s Oyster Bar or visit the
adjacent Corn Exchange to choose from
three floors of restaurants.
Many of the city’s great civic buildings
were either built with the profits from the
textile industry, or as a direct result of the
population boom that followed. Among
them are the fantastic gothic revival Town Hall
in Albert Square, and the Royal Exchange, a
vast classical edifice that now houses a rather
space-age, 750-seater theatre-in-the-round.
Such developments are emblematic of the
city itself: fiercely proud of its history, yet
never afraid to develop and innovate.
Above: Painter
LS Lowry’s The Fight.
Below: Manchester’s  For more great city escapes, visit
stunning Town Hall www.britain-magazine.com
PHOTOS: © LEE AVISON/ALAMY/VISITBRITAIN/BRITAIN ON VIEW/
MARKETING MANCHESTER
www.britain-magazine.com
 The
Independent
Albro House Hotel
155 Sussex Gardens, Hyde Park, London W2 2RY
Tel: +44 (0)20 7724 2931 / +44 (0)20 7706 8153 Fax: +44 (0)20 7262 2278
Traveller E-mail: joe@albrohotel.freeserve.co.uk
Website: www.albrohotel.co.uk
Located near Hyde Park, public transport and convenient for sightseeing and shopping.
Established 1980 Comfortable rooms all with TV, private facilities, tea / coffee maker, phone, radio
and hairdryer. Friendly efficient service. Quiet, relaxed atmosphere. Some parking.
LONDON APARTMENTS Families and small groups welcome. Tours booked. Luggage storage. Free WiFi
• Central, suburban and commuter areas Rates per person including cooked Low High
Fast personal reply • NEW website English breakfast & all taxes Season Season
Single rooms from £46 to £58 £58 to £84
Tel: +44 (0) 1392 860807 Twin / double rooms from £34 to £48 £50 to £70
Email: maryandsimon@btinternet.com Family (3 or 4) per person from £32 to £40 £38 to £48
Web: www.londonselfcateringapartments.co.uk A GOOD VALUE HOTEL IN CENTRAL LONDON

Steam Trains through Cornish Countryside

01208 73555
Daily Trains 16 May - 1 Oct
& Other Regular Dates
Dining & Cream Tea Trains
£54.50 Events throughout the year
www.bodminrailway.co.uk

Wandering HIRE‘N’HIRE Family run business for 33 years

Walking Holidays in the Lake District and Northern England

Aengus CAR HIRE
Serving MANCHESTER, LIVERPOOL AIRPORTS
WAtreks.com PERSONAL ATTENTIVE SERVICE
A real person will answer the phone!
+44(0)16974 78443 Rates from £96.66 p.wk. inc. VAT & ins.
info@WAtreks.com Manuals and Autos

Tel: HIRE‘N’HIRE Leigh, Lancs, WN7 2EA

+44 1942 676406 • Fax: +44 1942 677666
also in West Yorkshire • +44 1422 316060
sales@hirenhire.co.uk • www.hirenhire.co.uk

fo Qu Thinking of a
r a ot
10 e B
% RIT
Di A
sc IN
Rural Retreat?
ou
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Tel: +44 20 7723 7340
Comfortable family run B&B
3 star guest accommodation A beautiful collection of over 450 luxury,
Rates include English Breakfast self-catering holiday properties, sleeping 2-24
in the UK and Ireland
Near Hyde Park and Oxford Street
Paddington Station – 3 minutes walk www.ruralretreats.co.uk
www.barryhouse.co.uk Or call 01386 897959 for our 2017 brochure

www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 91
 LO N D O N
BORN IN LONDON. INSPIRED BY LONDON. RADISSON BLU EDWARDIAN, LONDON
IS A DISTINCTIVE COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUAL HOTELS IN ALL THE BEST PLACES.
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 PROMOTION

GREAT BRITISH DAY OUT

Manch ester
A guide to the best Manchester has to offer through the day

HOTEL FOOTBALL
Hotel Football is situated next to Old Trafford
football stadium. Gary Neville and Ryan
Giggs first came up with the idea of starting a
hospitality company after travelling the world
during their footballing careers. The Hotel is also
home to Cafe Football, which serves handmade
food inspired by the beautiful game.
info@hotelfootball.com | +44 (0)161 751 0430

NATIONAL FOOTBALL MUSEUM

Situated a stone’s throw from Manchester
Victoria station, the National Football Museum
is home to football’s greatest stories.
Delve into the social history and culture of
the beautiful game, exploring football’s past
and present through the museum’s extensive
collection. Whether reliving England’s glorious
World Cup triumph or taking part in interactive
shootouts and games, the museum offers hours
of free fun for fanatics and families alike.
www.nationalfootballmuseum.com
+44 (0)161 605 8200

TATTU RESTAURANT & BAR

Tattu Restaurant and Bar is located in
Manchester’s cosmopolitan Spinningfields
district. The restaurant offers contemporary
Chinese cuisine, fusing traditional flavours with
exquisite presentation, served in award-winning
surroundings that take inspiration from the
unique history of body art.
www.tattu.co.uk
+44 (0)161 819 2060
@TattuRestaurant

Manchester Chauffeur
company. Big enough to
cope, small enough to care.
www.mjb24.com Keep track of time with
www.dumaurierwatches.com
 BRITAIN’S CHOICE – places to stay
Sprowston Manor Hotel and Country Club
WroxhamManor
Sprowston Road,Hotel
Norfolk , NR7 8RP
and Country
Club Wroxham Road, Norfolk NR7 8RP
Telephone: 01603 410871
Telephone: 01603 410871
www.marriottsprowstonmanor.co.uk
www.marriottsprowstonmanor.co.uk
Sprowston
Sprowston Manor
Manor
Sprowston Manor
Sprowston Manor

BOOK
Bush Nook is set on the slopes of North for large NOW
Pennines, a half mile off the A69 at Gilsland, accom group
with views across the rolling and open up to 23modation for
countryside of North East Cumbria and family g people for a
et
Northumberland. or celeb together
ration.
With accommodation for up to 23, in a mix of
single, double and twin bed rooms, ideal for Group
Accommodation on a self-catering basis, making Bush Nook the
perfect destination for family celebrations and parties.
abundance
abundance of of cultural
cultural events.
events. Whether
Whether you
you are
are looking
looking for
for aa romantic
romantic break,
break, family
family trip,
trip, golf
golf Each room has an individual design and character. All bedrooms are
ensuite and comfortably furnished, complete with Wi-Fi, Freeview

em
spa, we have the answers right here at Sprowston Manor, Marriott Hotel & Country Club.
rr spa, we have the answers right here at Sprowston Manor, Marriott Hotel & Country Club.
digital television, as well as a supply of toiletries and fluffy towels for
ting
ting in
in La
La Fontana
Fontana Spa
Spa which
which offers
offers aa range
range of
of relaxing
relaxing treatments,
treatments, or
or alternatively,
alternatively, your personal use.
isure Club
isure Club complete
complete with an indoor heated pool and fully equipped gymnasium.
Norwich is a cultural hotspot and it hosts an abundance ofgymnasium.
with an indoor heated pool and fully equipped cultural events. There is a dedicated guest area to relax in with a lounge and a
Whether delightful conservatory, where in an evening you can rest, watch the
from
from our
our extensive
extensive foodyou
food are looking
menu
menu at
at our for a romantic
our Zest
Zest Café, Barbreak,
Café, Bar and family
and Grill
Grill ortrip, golf day with your
or
bucks friends or a get together at our spa, we have the answers right here at birds, take in the stunning views, maybe have a drink in the Nook Bar
bucks and
and sit
sit on
on the
the patio
patio overlooking
overlooking our
our immaculate
Sprowston Manor, immaculate greens.
greens.
Marriott Hotel & Country Club. or on a morning watch the sunrise as you breakfast.
Relax after 18 holes of golf or a meeting in La Fontana Spa which offers a range of Visitors can also have complimentary use of the garden hot tub with
relaxing treatments, or alternatively, work out or wind down in our Leisure Club stunning views across Northumberland and Hadrian’s Wall Country.
complete with an indoor heated pool and fully equipped gymnasium.
Grab a bite to eat from our extensive food menu at our Zest Café, Bar and Grill or For further information visit our website: www.bushnook.co.uk
indulge in a Starbucks and sit on the patio overlooking our immaculate greens. +44 (0)1697747194 • M: +44 (0)7920842253 • info@bushnook.co.uk

IN THE ENGLISH MANNER

w w w. e n g l i s h - m a n n e r. c o m

Established 30 years

LONDON APARTMENTS
~ a better way to stay
Short-term rentals for business or pleasure.
Privately-owned apartments in Knightsbridge, Kensington,
Chelsea, and more
With over 40 years of collective experience in London short-term rentals, we can help you Come and enjoy a few days away in the south of England, and
select the perfect place for your vacation or business trip. Enquire via our website, or discover a splendid and varied coastline, beautiful countryside,
call now to speak with one of our knowledgeable and courteous advisors
magnificent cathedral cities, and many quaint villages.
www.english-manner.com
Tel: 800-422-0799 or 213 629 1811 (USA) www.southofenglandcottages.com
or +44 (0)1239 710158 (UK) 0800 996 1882
 Discover your #WeekendSelf at the
Durham Marriott Hotel Royal

SPECIAL OFFER County. Enjoy luxury

accommodation, on-site dining &
impeccable service inspiring a much

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FOR A GREAT welcome break in a memorable
destination.

WEEKEND!






 




 







 




 



 


 
 











 




 



What Are Great Weekends All About? Everyone has their own idea about what makes a great weekend.




 
 


 

 
 ! It could be exploring somewhere new; relaxing with good food and lots of sleep; partying all night; or
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   enjoying a romantic getaway.
With this special offer you can do all that - and more! Stay 2 nights and and enjoy a complimentary
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! dinner for 2 people on either night....
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 • Great Location











 





! • Great Night's Sleep
• Great Food
• From £119.00 per night
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.com • Visit www.DurhamMarriottRoyalCounty.co.uk to book using promotional code LPR

DURHAMMARRIOTTHOTELROYALCOUNTY Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County

Old Elvet
@DURHAMMARRIOTT Durham, DH1 3JN
0191 386 6821

Valid Thursday-Monday. Must stay 2 nights. Dinner available for a maximum of 2 guests on either night. Dinner is a three course dinner in the hotel restaurant with an allocation per person. Supplements will
apply to certain food items. Limited numnber of rooms available for this promotion. Full terms and conditions can be found upon booking.

'Elegant and truly stylish' Tatler magazine

Grasmere’s Wordsworth Hotel and Spa is a

Legendary four star hotel in the Lake District.
We are renowned for offering classic luxury in the most beautiful
part of the country, serving excellent food with top class service in
an historic country house hotel.
Beautifully set in two acres of riverside gardens the hotel has amazing
views of the mountains and Grasmere Vale providing the perfect spot to UNPARALLELED QUALITY • SUPERB SERVICE • AFFORDABLE PRICES
relax, explore or indulge. BOOK DIRECT FOR GUARANTEED BEST RATES
To find out more or book visit
Belgrave Road, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 1JJ
www.thewordsworthhotel.co.uk
T: +44 (0)15394 35592 • E: enquiry@thewordsworthhotel.co.uk 01983 852186 | www.royalhoteliow.co.uk
Grasmere, Lake District, Cumbria, LA22 9SW
@WordsworthHotel • thewordsworth

To book space call Natasha +44 (0)207 349 3732

SEE WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS AT OUR MULTI-AWARD WINNING DISTILLERY.
Visitors welcome 7 days a week. Monday-Saturday 9:30 -17:00,
Sundays & Bank holidays 10:00 -15:00.
90 minute distillery tours also available: Tuesday & Thursday 19:00, Saturday 11:30, 14:00, 16:00.
For more info, or to book a tour, see our website:
www.silentpooldistillers.com
S ILENT P O O L DIS TIL L E RS, SH ERE RO A D , A L BURY, S URREY G U5 9 BW
 take a tour and make the most of your holiday – BRITAIN’S CHOICE
Hidden britain1-4 30/1/09 14:53 Page 1

MORE THAN JUST A TRAIN RIDE
Jane Austen
The Dancing Years
Explore Jane Austen’s
early life with Hampshire
Ambassador, Phil Howe.
Discover the villages,
churches, country houses
and trace the people she
describes in her letters.

Tours can include a visit to

the Jane Austen
House Museum, and
the village of Chawton.

Enjoy lunch at a Hampshire

country inn. An ideal half-
day or one-day tour.

Downton Abbey Tours

when available.

SIMPLE 45 mins by train from

L DAETYS
ALGroups London Waterloo
R TICK
ROVE
welcome RD.
SOLD AS STANDA S,
RE
NO COMPLEX FA D Groups welcome
Call now for
JUST HOP ON U
AN
Call now for
For more information Phone: +44 (0)1256 814222
HOP OFF AS YO
2017 rates
PLEASE! 2017 rates e-mail: info@hiddenbritaintours.co.uk
or visit www.hiddenbritaintours.co.uk

WEMBLEY
STADIUM TOURS
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Guided & Self Guided Walking Holidays.

A family run company now in our 35th season.
View our 2017 schedule of walks online. Go behind-the-scenes of the UK’s largest sports and music venue.
The award-winning, 75 minute, guided tour includes access to the
Dressing Rooms, Press Room, Players’ Tunnel, Pitchside and the iconic
Royal Box to have a photograph taken with a replica of the world-famous
FA Cup. Wembley is the perfect experience and location for visitors of all
ages and nationalities. Only two tube stops from central London, the
nearest station is Wembley Park on the Metropolitan line. For more
information and to pre-book, visit;
www.wembleystadium.com/tours
Wembley Stadium HA9 0WS | T: 0800 169 9933 | E: wembley.tours@thefa.com

To book space call Natasha +44 (0)207 349 3732

NATIONAL TREASURES

The Crown Jewels

As a symbolic embodiment of the Crown and proof of the power of pageantry, nothing
comes close to the dazzling royal regalia of the British Monarchy
WORDS SALLY HALES

Every year, millions of people head to the Tower of London to ogle
its fabulous collection of 141 ceremonial objects – and it’s not hard to
understand why. The Crown Jewels are the most powerful symbols
of the increasingly unique British Monarchy. They linger between
worlds, their status deliberately vague: “Held by the Queen in right
of the Crown”, they’re neither the sovereign’s nor the state’s, but
rather the representation of the idea of monarchy itself.
Their mystique endows the sovereign at their coronation with the
state of majesty, as well as marking other royal christenings and
ceremonies as special. The creation of this almost otherworldly state
is helped by the presence of some of the world’s most famous jewels.
Cullinan I – known as the Great Star of Africa – is the largest
colourless cut diamond in the world; Cullinan II is the second largest.
Then there’s the 105.6-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond and the Black
Prince’s Ruby, a large gem that has been in the possession of
England’s rulers since 1367. The value of the collection is almost
unquantifiable, but must surely be in the billions of pounds.
the Coronation Spoon and, at the moment of the crowning, the
spectacular solid-gold St Edward’s Crown is placed on the sovereign’s
head. Named after the medieval saint-king Edward the Confessor
and embellished with 444 precious and semi-precious stones, this
crown weighs in at a bumper 5lb. No surprise, then, that the much
lighter Imperial State Crown is worn as the new monarch leaves the
abbey, clutching the Sceptre with the Cross and the Orb.
Although this pageantry is almost a millennium old, the Crown
Jewels are relatively modern. Almost everything was made after 1660
– the medieval and Tudor crowns, orbs and sceptres had been sold or
melted down following the abolition of the monarchy in 1649. Never
one to skimp on the trappings of sovereignty, King Charles II had the
collection remade following the Reformation at vast expense.
Only the Coronation Spoon precedes this time. This 12th-century
treasure escaped destruction and was bought in 1649 by a man called
Clement Kynnersley, who later returned it to Charles II. Possibly first
used by King Henry II or King Richard I, it’s a remarkable tale of
ILLUSTRATION: © PAUL COX

The Crown Jewels are unique not only because they form the
largest collection of royal regalia in the world, but because they
remain a working set – the only one still in use in Europe. When a
new monarch is anointed at Westminster Abbey, as they have been
since 1066, the Dean pours holy anointing oil from the Ampulla into
resilience. And the Crown Jewels, like the British Monarchy itself,
have since developed an uncanny knack for survival, with their
ability to entrance onlookers showing no sign of waning.
 The Crown Jewels are on display at the Tower of London, www.hrp.org.uk

98 BRITAIN www.britain-magazine.com
 TAILOR-MADE PRIVATE
TOURS FOR THE DISCERNING
www.bhctours.co.uk | info@bhctours.co.uk | +44 (0)1296 620173

We listen to what our clients want

and then exceed their expectations.

© Highclere Castle LLP 2014

It’s London.
Under one
iconic roof.
Fantastic dining, tax-free
shopping, awe-inspiring public art
and exciting cultural events, all
under 150 years of breathtaking
architectural history.

Shopping. Dining. Art. Culture.

St Pancras is more than a station – it’s a destination.

Find out more at:

www.stpancras.com

/stpancrasint | @StPancrasInt | stpancrasinternational