Come May 2009, British History 101 is going on the road…and in the air! I will be making my (by then) long-awaited pilgrimage to the Sceptered Isle next summer and am officially in the planning phase of the journey. This is exactly when I need all of YOU to help me out! I can only do so much searching for itinerary points from here; what I really need is some firsthand suggestions and points-of-interest for places I can visit. Naturally, I am looking for locations with a rich history; I’d also like to do a short walk or two along parts of a National Trail (maybe overnight, as well). I also need suggestions for accomodations, favourite pubs, and out-of-the-way places that most tourists aren’t able or don’t think to visit. And perhaps a meet-and-greet in a convenient location for a few of us to come together and share some history? Not out of the question at all! Details to come, but start submitting ideas NOW!
Calling all Britons (and all who have visited)
14 September 2008 by Michael
How about researching a bit about where the US troops were staged prior to the Dday landings ? I’d find that interesting…
Near the New Forest etc
Within 20 miles of me in Banbury, we have the Washington family’s birthplace, the finest house in England (Blenheim Palace), Warwick Castle (go in August for Jousting!) and numerous battlefields, including Edgehill.
Oh and Stratford-upon-Avon (a good few of your countrymen know that town well)
Try spending some time in the North/North West of England.
Definately spend some time around Manchester, the heart place of the Industrial Revolution based on the cotton trade. Manchester Town Hall, one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. Just off there is Lincoln Square, a square dedicated to Abraham Lincoln in support of his anti-slavery stance. With the slump in cotton during the Civil War, a lot of people in Manchester fell into extremem poverty and starvation. But despite their hardship, they still supported Lincoln in his stance. Lincoln wrote to the people of Manchester thanking them for their support.
Visit the 2 football stadiums, have a look at the Midland Hotel where Mr Rolls and Royce met and decided to form a new company.
And good places to visit are Liverpool, Leeds, Yorkshire etc.
Try Banqueting house in Whitehall in London. Where Charles I was executed and the last remaining part of the old palace of Whitehall.
Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge in Suffolk. Anglo saxon ship burial from 7th century of King Raedwald. Nearby Woodbridge is worth a look, lots of very old timber beam pubs and great places to stay.
I second the suggestion for visiting the Banqueting House. My wife and I loved it last year when we visited England.
We also found what we believe to be a hidden gem, Gloucester Cathedral. We were originally drawn by its role in the Harry Potter movies but learned so much more about its rich history. It is a great example of evolving architectural styles over the years.
I do a podcast about London which focusses on “doing” London but through the eyes of a local. If you’d like to do something a little out of the ordinary give us a shout. I’m sure we can work something out for the greatest city on earth!
If you come anywhere near the collegiate city of Cambridge then give me a shout. Cambridge University is celebrating its 800th birthday this year.
A good time to visit England is September. There are two reasons for this; the kids are back at school, and Heritage open days.
This is the blurb from the website.
Heritage Open Days 2009
10-13th September
Heritage Open Days celebrates England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. Every year on four days in September, buildings of every age, style and function throw open their doors, ranging from castles to factories, town halls to tithe barns, parish churches to Buddhist temples. It is a once-a-year chance to discover hidden architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities which bring to life local history and culture.
The website is
http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk
Paul
Portsmouth on the south coast of England is a place worth visiting.
Here we have the Royal Naval Dockyard, which is a working naval base and has many museums and ships. We have HMS Warrior, the salvaged parts of Mary Rose, and HMS Victory.
We also have the D-Day Museum, and I believe you can still visit Southwick House to see the D-Day planning room by appointment. There are sites relating to D-Day along most of the south coast, including the New Forest, which is mentioned in a previous comment.
We also have the Royal Armouries Museum at Fort Nelson, which is one of the many artillery forts defending Portsmouth, Charles Dickens birthplace Museum and a Sherlock Holmes exhibition.
Full details are here.
http://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/
Nearby places to visit are Gosport, Fareham and Winchester.
Paul
Wish I’d seen this earlier, I’d love to have caught up with you, and any others who enjoy listening to the podcasts.
I wonder where you finally decided to explore – perhaps that’s blogged about later and I haven’t caught up with it yet.
Judy