Writing advice and inspiring places
Victorian society was carefully divided by class. In large country homes, those in the lower orders were literally beneath their "betters", situated at the bottom of the house. At Uppark House this separation provided inspiration to one of the world's most famous authors, HG Wells. Wells' connection to Uppark comes via his parents. His mother... Continue Reading →
The beautiful village of Great Missenden was once the home of author Roald Dahl and is now his final resting place. His wickedly funny and inventive children's books are still as popular today as they were when I read them many years ago. Dahl is buried in the churchyard of St Peter and St Pauls.... Continue Reading →
Who doesn't like a crypt? Oh, all right so they're not for everyone. But I find them fascinating. The one in Winchester Cathedral isn't usually open to the public. It has a habit of flooding, so there are no tombs, no alters and certainly no coffee shop. Although there is "Sound II", a solitary sculpture... Continue Reading →
In a quiet corner of a typical English churchyard, lies a man who was definitely not typical. In fact, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, would probably have a few things to say about being buried here at all. All Saints Church in Minstead is a quirky building, added to over the years... Continue Reading →
I write a lot of blog posts about places I've visited in Oxford but there are two good reasons for this - 1, it's not too far from where I live, and 2, it's overflowing with literary history so there's always something to write about! This time we're at Christ Church College, home of many... Continue Reading →
Even on a dark, rainy day, Glastonbury Abbey is impressive. This vast building was once one of the richest monasteries in England. Now it's mostly ruined. Glastonbury is a place synonymous with myth and legend, so it's perhaps not surprising that the abbey has a few stories in its past. The first story lies in... Continue Reading →
To say Tyntesfield is Gothic is an understatement. This place is Goth-ick. It's so Gothic it'd make Goths go green with envy - under their pale makeup obviously. Fans of the BBCs' "Sherlock" should recognise Tyntesfield from the episode "The Abominable Bride" a (sort of) homage to the original Victorian setting of Arthur Conan-Doyles' detective... Continue Reading →
High on a hill in Lisbon, lies a remarkable graveyard. Its tombs are lined up in streets, an echo of a town - or maybe its ghost. It was built in 1833 after a cholera outbreak. You can reach the cemetary by walking, or by riding tram 28 to it's last stop in Prazeres thereby... Continue Reading →
There was a moment as we walked through the magical gardens of this park that my other half said he was sure he'd been here before, not in person, but in a dream. I knew exactly what he meant. The Quinta da Regaleria is one of a number of outlandish buildings and parks located near... Continue Reading →
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