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 →
Oxford University is made up of thirty-eight colleges, some of which were built when the University was first established. This includes Merton College, whose alumni include TS Eliot and Thomas Bodley (who founded the Bodleian Library). It's also where J.R.R. Tolkien taught as a professor of English Language and Literature. Many of the buildings that... Continue Reading →
A village within a village, Watts Gallery Artists' Village sits just on the edge of the village of Compton in Surrey. It was the home of GF Watts and his wife Mary and is made up of their home, still working studios, an art gallery, and a cemetery which holds the Watts Cemetery Chapel. Watts... Continue Reading →
Aldous Huxley's died on the same day as C.S. Lewis, which is unfortunate timing, to say the least. But in an almost unbelievable twist of fate, both of these famous writers had their passing overshadowed by the assassination of President John F Kennedy, which occurred the very same day. Aldous Huxley now lies in an... Continue Reading →
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