OCT/NOV 2022 £4.95 www.discoverbritainmag.com Idyllicescapesisland Why the charming Channel Islands are well worth a visit The TowerLondonof What’s it like to live in the historic royal palace? Goldsmiths BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE LANDMARKHERITAGE Marble Hill How a graceful Georgian villa is gleaming once more HEROES SPECIAL THE GREATEST BRITONS HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL WIN a luxury Cumbrianbreak TheChildrenRailwayreturn VISIT THE LOCATIONS OF THIS NOSTALGIC FILM
For more information visitThenationaltrust.ggNational Trust of Guernsey A taste of Guernsey life Heritage has never looked so good Exceptional exhibitions, properties and lands If you’re thinking about a holiday with a continental flavour but close to home, discover the National Trust of Guernsey. Outstanding land areas can be enjoyed throughout the year, with restored properties and heritage exhibitions open between Spring and Autumn. The Victorian Christmas Shop and The Museum Christmas Shop are favourite destinations for Islanders and visitors alike. The Folk & Costume Museum | The Victorian Shop & Parlour | Les Caches Farm | Fermain Tower holiday home | Areas of outstanding natural beauty
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On page 24, Russell Higham has picked 10 of his greatest Britons, but we would like to hear about yours. Who are the people throughout British history (or even during our lifetime) who you consider to be Britain’s biggest heroes? Drop me a line and let me know, or go to our website to cast your vote.
Discover Britain is published by The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ, UK Tel: 020 7349 3700 Email: editorial@discoverbritainmag.com Sally Coffey Henrietta Easton Clare White Chapman Kenyon Melissa Arancio
Idyllic islandescapes Why the charming Channel Islands The TowerLondonof What’s it like to live in the historic royal palace? Goldsmiths BEHIND THE SCENES Marble Hill How a graceful Georgian villa is gleaming once more HEROES SPECIAL THE GREATEST BRITONS HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL WIN a luxury Cumbrianbreak
But really, this issue is all about heroes – be they recipients of the highly regarded Victoria Cross (p82), everyday heroes like the ex-service people who work within the Poppy Factory (p64), or public figures who have gone above and beyond what was expected of them.
Paul Dobson Managing Director James Dobson Publisher Simon Temlett Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin EA to Chairman Sophie Easton Subs Marketing Manager Bret Weekes Group Digital Manager Ben Iskander
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On the cover: Mont Orgueil Castle is a commanding presence over Jersey’s Gorey harbour. Read more about the Channel Islands’ many historical sites on page 14. Take a teatime break with us Enjoy more essential stories, covering British history, travel, heritage and culture straight to your inbox. To receive Editor,lettersnewsBritain’sDiscoverlatestandexclusivefromthesimplyvisit co.uk/fromtheeditordiscoverbritainmag. and enter your email address.
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If you’re looking for travel inspiration for 2022, then our Channel Islands special on page 14 will hopefully whet your appetite – the islands are brimming with history and wildlife, and yet the pace of life (particularly among the smaller islands) is pleasingly slow.
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EDITORIAL
It’s been a long, hot, and surprisingly dry summer in Britain and I for one am looking forward to cosier times ahead, though whether I’m brave enough to book a stay at one of the inns with horrible histories (p66) this issue, I’m not Beforesure.this summer’s heatwave hit, I managed to make it along to The Tower of London’s Superbloom display (see photo), so when I read our interview with Yeoman Warder Gary Thynne (p78), in which he talks about actually living at the Tower, I was enthralled and I think you will be too.
4 discoverbritainmag.com Issue 230 14 ISLES OF WONDER The Channel Islands are teeming with wildlife, rich in history, fringed by clear, blue waters, and worth a visit 24 HOLDING OUT FOR YOUR HEROES Russell Higham chooses the people he considers Britain’s greatest heroes. But who are yours? 32 DARLING OF GEORGIAN SOCIETY Henrietta Howard de ed the odds to become one of the most in uential women in Georgian Britain 40 THE REAL WITCH-HUNTER After discovering strange marks above her replace, Clare Boobbyer uncovers the story of the Witch nder General 46 STAMP OF APPROVAL We meet the people upholding the traditions of the 700-year-old Goldsmiths’ Company REGULARS 6 THE BRIT EDIT 12 LETTERS 59 COMPETITION 78 MY BRITAIN 81 &CROSSWORDQUIZ 82 TREASURESNATIONAL CONTENTS 54 RAILWAY CHILDREN COUNTRY With the release of the sequel to the heart-warming lm, we take a nostalgic journey through Yorkshire 60 HISTORIC VILLAGES: WARKWORTH This ancient Northumberland village is home to one of the best-preserved Norman castles in Britain 64 INSIDE THE POPPY FACTORY As Remembrance Day approaches we visit a charity that helps veterans nd work, and meet an everyday hero 66 PUBS WITH EERIE PASTS With Halloween on the horizon, why not book a stay in one of these historic inns with creepy connections? 72 THE TOLKIEN WAY As The Hobbit celebrates its 85th birthday, we visit Lancashire, where Tolkien’s imagination was sparked Page 32 A bedroom at Marble Hill, former home of the Countess of Su olk Marble Hill p32 Tolkien Way p72 Manningtree p40 Jamaica Inn p66 Alderney p14 Warkworth p60 Oakworth p54 ISONHERITAGE/CHRISTOPHERENGLISH©
Join us on a small group tour unlike any other A 9 day tour in the South East of England with the option to extend to 14 days to include the Heart of England. Custom built and Private tours available for your preferred date. Be sure to use Promo Code PREPCO22TF 2, 5, or 8 day pre-organized, custom-built and private tours. Including Poldark and Doc. Martin locations plus ask for more information on our Cornwall Gardeners Paradise Tour. Transfers from anywhere in Britain plus international flights if needed. Be sure to use Promo Code PREPCO22LW Book now for 2022 & 2023 For more info and brochures email prepcotravel.combarrydevo@ or call Barry Devo 330 284 4709 (EDT) Isles of Scilly Great beaches, family run hotels and B&B’s Islands owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, His Royal Highness Prince Charles. Leave your luggage at the hotel and enjoy 7 separate day excursions in and around the Cotswolds. Extend your visit and take a private tour to the Four Corners of Cornwall or to English Castles and Mansions.
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The English Cotswolds A magnificent journey of Gardens, Castles, Mansions, Quaint Villages and Scenery Your specialist for Vacations and Tours in Britain Experience you can trust www.prepcotravel.com
Like all our tours, no daily packing and unpacking, just leisurely daily excursions from a base hotel The Caribbean of England with temperatures warmed by the close proximity of the ocean Gulf Stream to support sub-tropical plants and marine life not seen elsewhere in the UK. A group of islands just a 20 minute flight from the mainland of Cornwall or a 21/2 hour ferry trip.
The Four Corners
Tour of English Castles and Mansions A magnificent journey through the South East of England and the Heart of England of Cornwall A Historic County in the Southwest of England
Nymans
The West Sussex National Trust garden Nymans has unveiled its theatrical new ‘Garden in the Ruins’, created within the remains of the Great Hall, which was lost in a catastrophic fire 75 years ago and has been inaccessible ever since. The garden has been inspired by a former inhabitant of Nymans, the leading 20th-century theatre designer, Oliver Messel, and the plantmanship and artistry of his family, who bought Nymans in the 1890s. The Messels created one of the UK’s most exquisite gardens, and the new garden includes plants which the Messel family introduced to western horticulture, including Camellia and Forsythia suspensa. The design takes inspiration from Messel’s theatre scenery and includes motifs that reference the family and the original Great Hall building. With water features interspersed between the plants, the garden will be a calming space for visitors to see these unusual plants up close, and, for one hour at the beginning of each day, the garden will be a designated ‘quiet space’, where visitors will be encouraged to pause, relax, and simply enjoy the views of the beautiful Sussex Weald.
NICHOLSIMAGES/CLIVETRUSTBULL/NATIONALSINCLAIRMESSEL/CLARENCEOLIVEROFESTATETHE©
BEAUTIFUL GARDENS
6 discoverbritainmag.com POSTCARDS
/nymansnationaltrust.org.uk
The curated guide to Britain this season
Brit Edit
NEWS
Celebrating produce sourced from the estate of one of Britain’s most famous, and most loved, stately homes, the newly opened Chatsworth Kitchen serves delicious fresh food from the farms and gardens of the Chatsworth Estate. Nestled in the pretty Peak District village of Rowsley, just a few miles from the estate, the kitchen builds on Chatsworth’s 500-year history of growing, harvesting and cooking, which it combines with a modern outlook, using local, seasonal ingredients, and supporting local producers and makers from across the Derbyshire Dales. Highlights include Chatsworth gin-cured salmon, Chatsworth Estate piccalilli, and Derbyshire blue cheese. To add a further Chatsworth twist to the dining experience, the restaurant’s interiors are inspired by the old kitchen at the house, and features many original pots, pans and artefacts, as well as reused chairs and tables made from reclaimed flooring from the estate. chatsworthkitchen.co.uk
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BEHIND THE KITCHEN DOOR Chatsworth Kitchen
HISTORY, TRANSFORMED Tattershall Castle
The 15th-century Tattershall Castle has always been one of Lincolnshire’s finest fortresses, with its 33.5-metre-high tower and magnificent red bricks. However, new archaeological research has almost entirely re-written its history. The University of Nottingham and the National Trust have used new techniques, including the study of dating tree growth rings, to reveal that the castle is actually 15 years older than initially thought, and that it was a pioneering design that inspired buildings such as Hampton Court Palace. The castle was built between 1431-51 for Lord Ralph Cromwell, Treasurer to King Henry VI, and was designed to display wealth, position and power. The research confirms that the building was one of the earliest brick-built buildings in England, constructed on a scale that had rarely been attempted before. Crucially, the research shows that the castle was built for royalty, and, rather than being influenced by it, was itself an influencing power that went on to inspire an entire design of English architecture.
nationaltrust.org.uk/tattershall-castle
discoverbritainmag.com 9
GUERNSEY ON DISPLAY Gill Harrison
Celebrating Guernsey’s coastal scenery, local artist Gill Harrison’s artwork captures moments of beauty on the island. Her work is inspired by the light and colour of the sea, reflections in the sand, and the changing tides. This autumn, until 30 October, her work will form the penultimate Art at The Park exhibition of 2022, featuring watercolour, acrylic and oil paintings. Gill’s cyanotypes – camera-free photography in which the image is developed by sunlight – will also be on display, contrasting her paintings and demonstrating her love of the colour blue. For those who can’t make this show, Gill’s work is available to view and buy year-round at Guernsey’s Coach House Gallery in St Pierre du Bois. nationaltrust.gg/events; coachhousegallery.gg
Jersey boat tours
JERSEYPHOTOGRAPHY/MATTPORTEOUS/VISITDAWSONMARK©
TRUSTPRESERVATIONWOODHOUSEWENTWORTH© A STEP BACK IN TIME
The best way to see the Isle of Jersey (see page 14) is by boat. There can be nothing more relaxing than cruising around Jersey’s incredibly beautiful coastline, experiencing new views of the island in all its glory.
The Gunpowder Plot
Jersey’s Wildlife and Photography Boat Tours allow visitors to see the very best of the island, while giving them the chance to get up close and personal with some of the island’s wilder residents, from dolphins to the much-loved puffin. These slow-speed boat tours last about two hours and take up to five passengers. Passengers are taken around some of Jersey’s most photogenic spots on the south coast of the island, so don’t forget your camera and get ready to reconnect with nature and experience Jersey in a whole new way. jersey.com/things-to-do/tours
10 discoverbritainmag.com BRIT EDIT NATURE AT ITS BEST
Gunpowder, treason and plot abounds at London’s newest historical attraction, where visitors can step inside history’s most daring conspiracy and experience the famed events of the 5 November 1605 for themselves. Taking place surrounded by centuries of iconic British history in the atmospheric Tower Vaults at the UNESCO World Heritage Tower of London, where much of the prelude to the Gunpowder Plot took place, guests will be thrown back to the mysterious, dark and dangerous Jacobean London that Guy Fawkes and his fellow plotters inhabited, where spies and informants are hiding in every shadow. Using a combination of live theatre and digital technology, as a guest your mission will be to go undercover and help stop the plot – but beware of who you trust, there may be some traitors in your midst… gunpowderimmersive.com
BRCJerSeY.uriouslYit...(ISH) ST. BRELADES
You bring the sarnies, we’ll bring the 48 miles of stunning coastline.
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Explore breathtakingJersey’sand storied landscape, where craggy coastlines merge with the drama of the Atlantic ocean. Adventure to the perfect cli top to roll out a rustic spread seasoned with fresh sea air on soaring heights where France feels close enough to taste.
Start planning your trip and book now channelescapes.com/blog/discoverbritainat
Christie Barrington, New Jersey, USA Editor replies: We agree, it is lovely, and we’ve been told it was a gift from an Italian friend of Lady Carnarvon’s.
I enjoyed the article and photos of Highclere Castle, the butler and other staff, and Lady Carnarvon in the June 2022 issue of Discover Britain. My query may seem silly, but I can’t resist! In any photo I’ve seen of Lady Carnarvon, she is wearing the most beautiful and luxurious scarves.
Our family planner This Texan cannot express enough gratitude for your keeping our family connected to Great Britain, our second home. We have travelled there frequently
An objective point of view I was very surprised to see the letter from Dolores Sischka about the use of the word ‘subjects’ in reference to British people. We are subjects of Her Majesty The Queen, and this is a term used for centuries. In the dictionary there are many descriptions of the word ‘subject’ and referring to a person is one of them. So do please continue to use this word for us UK citizens.
Nicholas Ricco, Texas, USA Move over Canterbury I have long been an avid reader of the magazine and the August issue is exceptionally excellent. However, I would like to point out a mistake made in the article Whitstable (page 66). A lot of people think that Canterbury is the County Town of Kent because of the cathedral being the religious centre of England, but it is not. This title goes to Maidstone, 28 miles to the west. I should know, because I grew up in Kent and am proud to call myself a ‘Kentish maid’, i.e. I originate from west of the River Medway. I have lived abroad for a long time, but still enjoy travelling around the Kentish countryside when visiting the UK. Most of the villages have changed very little. Ursula Lock, by email
All mapped out So glad to see you are using the maps with page numbers to show where cities are located. This has always been a great way to identify where the story is leading us. What a pleasure to receive your magazine.
Is it possible to discover where to look for such wonderful scarves? It is known where, for instance, the Duchess of Cambridge buys some of her woollen walking coats, so I thought it might be possible to know where to source Lady Carnarvon’s scarves and wraps.
12 discoverbritainmag.com READER LETTERS
Lady Carnarvon wears it well
PHOTOGRAPHYFLINTJEREMY©
Cheryl Fletcher, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Lynne Taylor, by email
The photo of Lady Carnarvon with that stunning wrap/scarf on page 35 particularly piqued my interest (of course the lovely dog and the beautiful Library setting were outstanding as well!)
Over to you...
A beautiful scarf, some divided opinions, and a very happy holiday-maker: our pick of our reader letters this issue
GET IN TOUCH! Post: Letters, Discover Britain, The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London, SW3 3TQ, UK Email: editorial@discoverbritainmag.com Twitter @We_love_Britain Instagram @discover_britain Facebook DiscoverBritainMagfacebook.com/ since 1990, originally for business, but it quickly transitioned into an annual family holiday. It’s been nearly three years since we experienced a fabulous stay in London, Oxford, and Norwich (which is highly underrated as a destination – it was a remarkable place to visit). Each issue of Discover Britain is eagerly read by our entire clan because every article reminds us why we love the United Kingdom so much. With each issue, we update our list of future destinations, which you so beautifully describe with stunning photographs and interesting back-stories. You even introduced us to Nelson & Forbes bronzes! The pandemic, as we say in Texas, “put a hitch in our git-along”, or otherwise, interfered with our mobility! However, that shall soon change when we resume our pilgrimage to your fair isles later this year. Thank you for keeping us inspired to see y’all once more.
In under an hour, you can take a walk on our wild side. Plan your autumn getaway at visitguernsey.com We ramble on and on #ThatIslandFeeling
This image: Connecting ‘Big‘ Sark and ‘Little‘ Sark, La Coupée is a spectacularcauseway100m-longoeringviews
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Henrietta Easton uncovers some of the islands’ best-kept secrets wonder
Isles of
The Channel Islands are fringed with beautiful beaches, lapped by clear waters, teeming with wildlife, and rich in history, and yet remain relatively under-visited.
16 discoverbritainmag.com TRAVEL Alderney’s perfect white-sand coves, impossibly blue waters, sea-bird populated cliffs, and quaint fishermen’s houses will warmly welcome you to the island
The oldest site on the island is a burial chamber named Roc à l’Epine dating from 4,000 BC. Just a few metres from this site lies the best-preserved small Roman fort in Britain (now known as The Nunnery), which dates from the 4th century and looks out over the island’s only natural harbour at Longis Bay. Also overlooking Longis Bay are the ruins of Essex Castle, built by the Tudors. During Victorian times Alderney was heavily fortified by the British in response to the French extending their fortifications at Cherbourg. The British built 18 forts and batteries to protect the island. Many of these are now privately owned and some have been converted into stylish homes. Some of the forts are now derelict (these are particularly good for spotting the wildlife that have made them their home), while others were occupied and fortified by the Germans during the Second World War. The German forts are all in near-perfect condition, and visitors can walk through hidden passageways, warrens of trenches, and gun chambers, many of which still have reminders of their German occupiers, including bunks and bathrooms. If you’d like to learn more about Alderney’s Second World War story, the Alderney Museum in St Anne’s town centre has an enormous collection of artefacts, including real pieces of a wrecked Spitfire. Those looking for a typical bucket-and-spade seaside holiday will find every box ticked on the island. Braye, one of the island’s most popular beaches, is just a short walk from the town centre and close to a restaurant, café, and the Braye Beach Hotel, with its unrivalled sea views.
If you’d like a little bit of luxury during your stay, the brand-new boutique hotel, The Blonde Hedgehog, offers an effortlessly stylish and comfortable home away from home for your visit. Housing two suites, seven rooms, a family-friendly cottage, and a self-catering farmhouse,
TRAVEL headland), and the island’s main town, St Anne, which practically covers Alderney in its entirety, is bustling during the day, even if in the evening activity is confined to one or two pubs and restaurants on the town’s main street, Victoria Street.
GEORGEPHOTOGRAPHY/CHRISDAVISCATHERINE©
Clockwise, from left: Alderney is a bird
Having bikes is also the best way to see the island’s abandoned forts, which are dotted on the island’s
During the day, the most popular shop in town is the bike shop, Cycle & Surf, which has queues out the door every morning during summer. It’s worth getting up early to join the queue, or better still book in advance, as although it’s perfectly possible to walk around the island in a day, using bikes is the easiest way to explore the 10 miles of paved roads and many more miles of pathways that snake their way around the island.
modernthoroughlydishesservesHedgehogTheGermansoccupiedVictorians,laterbyCastlebirdTrustAlderneyparadisewatcher’sandTheWildliferunsregulartours;EssexwasbuilttheTudors,usedbytheandbytheinWWII;Blondehoteldeliciousinasetting
You can’t come to the island without meeting some of Alderney’s wildlife, including the blonde hedgehog with its distinct cream-coloured spine
You can’t come to the island without meeting some of Alderney’s impressive wildlife, including the blonde hedgehog, with its distinct cream-coloured spine. The Alderney Wildlife Trust runs a wide range of activities, walks and tours throughout the year, including bat and hedgehog walks, and boat trips to spot seabirds (including the island’s puffin colony). For the more adventurous, there are even kayaking trips where you can venture into caves and reach unspoilt beaches.
St Anne is wonderfully pretty, with winding cobbled streets that feel unmistakably French – not surprising since France is just a few kilometres away. You are aware that you are not in France, however, thanks to the number of undeniably British tea rooms that line Victoria Street, alongside gift shops selling buckets and spades, and the fact that the pubs are clearly the hub of the town’s activity during the evenings.
discoverbritainmag.com 19 clifftops, offering spectacular views and a glimpse into Alderney’s fascinating history, which dates from Neolithic times.
If you’re looking for somewhere quieter, one of the best beaches is Saye, conveniently located by an idyllic little campsite, and sheltered by rocky headlands, making it perfect for swimming. Even in summer you will often find you have the entire beach to yourself, but for a couple of grey seals or a noisy oystercatcher – instantly recognisable by their orange beaks and loud ‘peep-ing’ call.
The hotel restaurant offers the best food on the island. Enjoy a cocktail in their pretty little suntrap garden before sitting down to a menu of locally sourced, farm-to-table ingredients, with surprising, modern twists, all inspired by Alderney and the Channel Islands.
visitjersey.com Guernsey Head north on the ferry from Jersey and you’ll reach Guernsey, the second largest island in the archipelago, and the former home of French writer Victor Hugo. Guernsey is best known for the scenery of its coastal cliffs, its 13th-century fortifications, and, of course, its pristine white beaches. The waterfront Cobo Bay Hotel (cobobayhotel.com) is the perfect base from which to enjoy all the island has to offer, and its restaurant is the ideal spot in which to take in one of the beautiful Guernsey sunsets and watch pods of dolphins swim past, while sipping on a cocktail…or two.
Jersey At five miles long and nine miles wide, Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands and, being further south, it feels more like it’s in the Mediterranean than the English Channel. The island has a totally unique identity, as well as its own language – Jèrriais.
One unique historical site visitors can stay in is Elizabeth Castle, which dates from around 1590 and was once home to Sir Walter Raleigh, while he was governor of Jersey. Prince Charles (later King Charles II) also sought refuge here during the English Civil War. The castle, which offers a self-catering apartment, sits one mile off the coast of St Helier and is surrounded by sea twice a day. Another castle worth visiting is the medieval Mont Orgueil Castle, which has overlooked Gorey harbour, on the east of the island, for centuries.
the hotel’s calming seaside hues of sage green, deep maroons, and slate grey, make it feel like a little oasis in the town centre, with roll-top baths, rustic, relaxed furnishings, and ridiculously comfortable beds.
Herm Just 20 minutes by ferry from St Peter Port in Guernsey is Herm, home to Europe’s most southerly puffin colony,
Left: Mont Orgueil Castle is Jersey’s largest castle, and has looked over Gorey harbour for more than 800 years Below, left to right: Hauteville House on Guernsey was home to author Victor Hugo during his exile from France; Herm has a population of just 60 peacefuldestinationittheareresidentspermanentandcarsprohibitedonisland,makingtheperfectforagetaway
DESPRESPHOTOGRAPHY/NICKGEORGEIMAGES/CHRISCOPSON/AWLALAN©
As well as a handful of pretty towns, including the bustling capital St Helier, Jersey is blessed with a stunning coastline, incredible beaches, and miles of stunning coastal routes to explore. Like Alderney, the island’s history is rich and there is plenty to see – from ancient burial grounds and castles to Second World War bunkers, which tell stories of resistance, liberation, and celebration.
As well as regular flights from a handful of major UK airports, Alderney is easily accessible by boat from both Guernsey and Jersey. And, if you’re in the area, why not explore the other islands in the archipelago, each of which offers its own attractions.
discoverbritainmag.com 21 TRAVEL
TRAVEL local pods of dolphins and long stretches of unspoilt beaches and sandy cliff paths. The island has options for camping and self-catering cottages, as well as the harbour-side White House Hotel, which boasts amazing sea views and a Britain in Bloom Gold award-winning island as its garden. herm.com Sark The smallest of the islands, and just 50 minutes by ferry from Guernsey, Sark is considered to be the archipelago’s crown jewel. A visit here is like stepping back in time. Cars – apart from tractors – are prohibited so it is best to get around by bike, or, if you’d prefer, horse-drawn carriage. With a population of 500, rising to about 1000 in peak season, Sark is an undiscovered gem. Although you could see the incredible La Seigneurie Gardens on a day trip, an overnight stay is recommended as Sark is the world’s first designated Dark Sky Island. With no public lighting in the lanes and only farm vehicles on the road, locals use The Milky Way to navigate, and it is at night-time that the island really shows her magic. There is a good selection of hotels, B&Bs and self-catering cottages for those wishing to experience Sark’s night skies. sark.co.uk
PLAN YOUR VISIT
22 discoverbritainmag.com
Each with their own identity, history, and laws, although the Channel Islands lie just south of the English coast,
Our tips on getting to the Channel Islands by sea and air Flights operate all year to Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney from London City, Heathrow, Luton, Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham, as well as Southampton, Liverpool, Bristol, and Exeter. britishairways.com; aurigny.com (for Guernsey and Alderney) Condor Ferries connects the ports of Guernsey and Jersey with Poole and Portsmouth and is the only UK ferry service that sails to Guernsey and Jersey. condorferries.co.uk Owned by The Blonde Hedgehog Hotel, The Salty Blonde provides a ferry service from Alderney to Guernsey, Sark, Herm, and Jersey, and charters to the UK and France are available. Thesaltyblonde.gg A few ferry services operate from St Peter Port, Guernsey, to Sark and Herm, for a spot of island hopping. traveltrident.com; sarkshipping.gg they feel like a totally different world. If you’re looking to reconnect with nature, explore hidden beaches, discover the islands’ history, and get up close to some wonderful marine wildlife, you will not be disappointed.
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24 discoverbritainmag.com GREAT BRITONS Every one of us has the potential to be a hero at some stage in our lives but in most cases, as David Bowie said, it’s “just for one day”. Occasional acts of kindness, bravery, or generosity, however small, can make us feel good about ourselves and others — as well as making the world a nicer place — but to stand the test of time and be hailed a true national hero takes something rather special. Britain has more than its fair share of heroes, and they come in all shapes and sizes; from government and military leaders who have defended the nation from harm, crusaders for equal rights and social justice who have fought to make the country fairer, to the inventors and scientists who have helped improve, prolong, and even save the lives of thousands – if not millions – of people.
Here are some of the people who come to my mind when I think of heroic Brits. Whether they’ve helped win wars, heal the sick and injured, or just raised money for good causes, they all have one thing in common – they have repeatedly put the needs of others before their own.
Holding out for
HEROESyour Russell Higham discusses some of the people who could be considered Britain’s greatest heroes, but we want to hear from you about the figures you believe have helped shape our proud nation into what it is today
WINSTON CHURCHILL (1874 – 1965)
The Suffragettes and their actions shocked the nation, but, eventually, women were given the right to vote 15 years later. Emily Pankhurst was jailed several times, once for issuing a leaflet that called on her followers to “rush the House of Commons” in a move that would divide opinion today, no doubt.
Emmeline Goulden, as she was born, continued the work of her husband, Richard Pankhurst, a lawyer who authored the Married Women’s Property Acts of 1870 and 1882 that went some way to addressing the gross discrepancies between men and women’s rights.
Seeking the still-elusive right to vote, Emmeline (or Emily as she is better known) helped found a political movement whose members were often referred to as ‘Suffragettes’. Suffragette actions included a series of violent protests and hunger strikes, even suicide when one member, Emily Davison, threw herself under the King’s Horse as it ran the Epsom Derby in 1913.
discoverbritainmag.com 25 GREAT BRITONS
EMMELINE PANKHURST (1858 – 1928)
Emmeline helped found a political movement whose members were often referred to as ‘Suffragettes’
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was the archetypal British hero. An idiosyncratic statesman with the stubborn tenacity and unshakeable resolve of a bulldog — with the looks to match — this twice Prime Minister was a true polymath. As well as leading the country successfully through the Second World War, he also found time to write over 40 books and paint some decent artworks, some of which sell for millions today. He’s a divisive character now as he was then, though: Churchill lost the election after winning the war and many of the decisions that he made in office, as well as his personal views on empire and race, have been highly criticised.
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ADMIRAL NELSON (1758 – 1805)
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A brilliant naval commander who inspired his troops to victory in several conflicts, most notably the battles of the Nile and Trafalgar, with the words: “England expects that every man will do his duty”. The Battle of Trafalgar, in 1805, claimed Nelson’s life when he was shot by a French sniper while aboard his ship HMS Victory, but not before thwarting Napoleon’s plans to invade Britain.
Nelson’s flair, charisma, and innovative style of leadership — he was one of the first military leaders to give his officers the authority to use their own initiative — arguably helped secure Britain’s dominance over the world’s oceans in the 19th century.
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ELIZABETHQUEEN II (Born 1926) Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor has ruled the United Kingdom for longer than any other monarch in British history. Now in her 70th year of service, she has placed duty at the heart of all she does, often at great personal sacrifice and sometimes to the detriment of familial relations (or at least it looks that way if you watch The Crown on Netflix). Her detractors would argue that she seems to prefer the company of dogs and horses to that of her subjects, but nobody could deny that Her Majesty has certainly taken her role seriously and has always acted professionally, even at the age of 96.
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A Cambridge and Princeton-educated mathematician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, and theoretical biologist; Alan Turing’s ideas helped usher in the computer age as well as helping win the Second World War. However, he died labelled a petty criminal purely for being gay. Turing, based at the British government’s secret intelligence unit at Bletchley Park, is remembered most for helping to crack the ‘Enigma’ code by which the Nazis communicated their military plans with each other. For this heroic work, he was awarded the OBE. A few years later, though, in 1952, he was arrested for ‘gross indecency’ (committing a homosexual act, illegal in those days) but avoided imprisonment by agreeing to undergo chemical castration. Turing died by suicide by cyanide poisoning in 1954, just weeks before his 42nd birthday.
discoverbritainmag.com 27 GREAT BRITONS
ALAN TURING (1912 – 1954)
NOOR INAYAT KHAN (1914 – 1944)
Born in Russia to an Indian father and American mother, Noor Inayat Khan nevertheless died for Britain and for this I think she is a British hero. After being educated in France, Inayat Khan fled to England to escape the Nazi occupation. Here, she was recruited by Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE), a secret intelligence organisation who carried out dangerous missions of espionage and sabotage throughout Europe in the Second World War. She trained as a radio operator and was sent back to Paris, deep behind enemy lines, to help the resistance movement. She was captured by the Gestapo but refused to divulge information, even under torture. She was shot at Dachau concentration camp and posthumously awarded the George Cross (a medal for gallantry) by Britain in 1949.
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DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES (1961 – 1997) Despite a privileged upbringing and many years spent living as a princess, Diana Frances Spencer is often regarded as a hero of popular culture by many people all around the world, even those who have never stepped foot in AsBritain.themost photographed woman on the planet — a title that would later contribute to her demise — Princess Diana brought attention to hard-hitting causes that the Royal Family had never focused on before, such as AIDS, drug addiction and homelessness. Diana’s campaigning on behalf of the anti-landmine HALO Trust, culminating in her walk through a landmine in war-torn Angola, helped lead to the signing of a treaty calling for an end to the use of these devastatingly indiscriminate weapons.
28 discoverbritainmag.com GREAT BRITONS
KINGDOMISAMBARDBRUNEL (1806 – 1859)
Possibly the most famous mechanic in history, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born with engineering in his blood. His French-British father Marc constructed the first underwater tunnel that successfully connected both sides of the River Thames in London between Rotherhithe and Wapping (it now forms part of the London Overground line). Isambard was a child prodigy who had mastered the art of geometric drawing by the age of eight. He later designed the 700-foot-wide Clifton Suspension Bridge that spans the River Avon at Bristol, the Great Western Railway, and Paddington Station, as well as various steamships, docks and even hospitals.
30 discoverbritainmag.com
When it comes to nursing, Florence Nightingale has generally been the name that gets all the glory. Only now are the efforts of a black Afro-Caribbean woman by the name of Mary Seacole beginning to be appreciated again. At a time when many people from Jamaica, where she was born, were being traded as slaves, Mary (who was born a free woman, her father being a Scottish army officer), helped nurse wounded British soldiers in the Crimean War. She set up the ‘British Hotel’ — a form of convalescent home for officers — but also worked on the battlefield, as well as in a hospital situated close to the fighting. A statue of her was erected in 2016 at St Thomas’ Hospital in south London.
GREAT BRITONS
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NOMINATE YOUR BRITISH HEROES
MARY SEACOLE (1805 – 1881)
CAPTAIN SIR TOM MOORE (1920 – 2021) In the dark days of the pandemic and the long, lonely lockdown that accompanied it, it wasn’t our political parties who we looked to for hope and inspiration, it was a 99-year-old former Army Officer from Yorkshire. Retired Army Officer Captain Tom proved himself to be the real hero of the hour by combining a lifelong spirit of selflessness with a dollop of good old British Alarmedgumption.bythedwindling resources of the NHS as it struggled to cope with the Covid crisis, Captain Tom set himself the target of raising £1,000 by walking 100 laps of his garden. He completed his charitable mission and became a national treasure into the bargain by raising the truly heroic sum of £32million for the NHS. He later became knighted for his efforts, though he died just nine months after his 100th birthday. n
To nominate your British heroes, go discoverbritainmag.com/britishheroes,to email the editor at editorial@discoverbritainmag.com, or write to us at Discover Britain, The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London, SW3 3TQ, UK.
discoverbritainmag.com 31 until 31 December 2023 Kids FREEGo *Visitor entry. T&Cs apply * Discover England’s First Cathedral NEW visitor experiences, tours and exhibition Less than an hour from London • Search ‘Canterbury Cathedral’
As her former home reopens following major restoration work, we tell the story of Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, who defied the odds to become one of the most influential women in Georgian Britain
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34 discoverbritainmag.com SECRET HISTORY
Having dug herself out of debt once, Henrietta was not about to give up now
Avision in white on the banks of the River Thames, Marble Hill is one of the last remaining Palladian villas of its ilk and gives some clue to the status of its original owner, Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, who lived here in some capacity from the 1720s until her death in 1767.
Though born into a respectable and titled family – the Hobarts of Blickling Hall – following the death of her father in a duel when she was just eight years old, and the death of her mother four years later, Henrietta found herself an orphan aged just 12.
Facing mounting debts, she agreed to marry Charles Howard, a nobleman, in 1706 to secure her future. However, the marriage was not good: Charles was reportedly an ill-tempered and violent husband who squandered what little money the couple had. One contemporary of theirs wrote: “Thus they loved, thus they married, and thus they hated each other for the rest of their However,lives.”having dug herself out of debt once, Henrietta was not about to give up now. She managed to raise enough funds to travel with her husband to the Hanoverian court to petition them to give her a role when they inevitably inherited the throne. Her plan worked and in 1714 when the Elector of Previous page, left to right: Marble Hill; Portrait of Henrietta Howard, 9th Countess of Su olk, by Charles Jervas This topclockwisepage,fromleft: The entrance hall at Marble Hill; the great chamberHenrietta’sroom;bed
If you were to listen to the rumours, then you might dismiss Henrietta Howard as little more than mistress to the king, who used her skills of seduction to rise through the ranks, but that would do her a serious injustice and underplay the restrictions and pressures placed on women of her Reopeningtime. earlier this year following major restoration work by English Heritage, a new interpretation at Marble Hill hopes to reframe Henrietta’s story to show that she was far more than simply the king’s mistress. The house explores Henrietta’s abusive first marriage, the role deafness and poor health played in her life, and her rise through the ranks of Georgian society by captivating some of the most well-connected people of the time.
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To look at the elegant villa, all classical design, and set amid 66 acres of Arcadian riverside parkland in Twickenham, west London, you might be forgiven for thinking Henrietta lived a privileged life, but any privilege she enjoyed was hard won.
discoverbritainmag.com 37 SECRET HISTORY Hanover came to the British throne as King George I, he made Charles his Groom of the Bedchamber, while Henrietta was made Woman of the Bedchamber to Caroline of Ansbach, wife of his son, the Prince of Wales, therefore ensuring a certain amount of financial security. Shortly after this, Henrietta became mistress to the Prince of Wales, (later King George II), though it is not known whether this role was one of choice or a condition of the job. Being a royal mistress did not come without its sacrifices. Though Henrietta probably shed few tears about being parted from her husband when she moved with the Prince’s Court from St James’s Palace to Hampton Court, it was also the last time she would ever see her only son, Henry.
In 1724 Henrietta bought land on the Thames riverside in Twickenham and work to build Marble Hill began.
The couple travelled together and extended parts of Marble Hill, which by now had become a playground for London’s cultural and political elite, known as the ‘Twickenham Set’, to escape to. Considered handsome, witty, and intelligent, Henrietta had befriended many influential people of the day, including Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope. In 1735, Pope, who several years earlier had made a
Left: The dining room at Marble Hill Above: George II as Prince of Wales by Johann HirschmannLeonhard Below: roomcorrespondenceHenrietta’satMarbleHill
In 1733 Charles died, leaving Henrietta a widow, and, by 1734, Henrietta’s relationship with the king had come to an end. With her high status as Countess of Suffolk, she was able to retire from the royal court. Now well into her forties, she was free for the first time in her life.
In 1727 the Prince of Wales became King George II and in 1728 Henrietta and Charles legally separated, although they avoided the scandal of divorce, therefore when Charles succeeded to the Earldom in 1731, Henrietta was allowed to use the title of Countess of Suffolk.
In 1735, Henrietta married for a second time, to the politician George Berkeley, and this time it was a love marriage, as evidenced by letters between the pair.
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Shortly after this, Henrietta became mistress to the king’s son, the Prince of Wales, (later King George II)
The purchase of the land and building of the house was made possible by a gift from the prince in 1723 of money, furniture, mahogany, jewels and more, which was kept in trust and far away from the hands of her husband, with whom it is believed the prince made a settlement.
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Her later years were marked with increasingly bad health – Henrietta’s poor hearing was said to have aided her relationship with the king as she was one of the few who could listen to (or at least appear to) his ramblings – and she died at Marble Hill in 1767.
Above, top to bottom: Marble Hill is surrounded by
Henrietta’s bedchamber has been redecorated in green damask and a portrait of her by Charles Jervas hangs in the entrance hall.
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significant contribution to the landscape of Marble Hill’s gardens, with the royal gardener Charles Bridgeman, wrote to a friend: “There is a greater court now at Marble Hill than at Kensington, and God knows when it will Sadly,end.”George Berkeley died in 1746, but, by this point, Henrietta had become a darling of Georgian society. Many letters of the time describe her wisdom and good taste. She was an avid patron of the arts and architecture, as visitors to the newly restored Marble Hill will attest. Following a major restoration project, funded by £3 million investment from English Heritage and a £5 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, visitors will be able to see the famous pleasure garden, which has been recreated to show the vistas that Henrietta and her circle would have enjoyed. The ninepin bowling alley has also been restored, as has the 18th-century garden grotto. Inside, the paint scheme used during Henrietta’s time has been reinstated in many of the rooms, including the great room, where visitors can admire an eight-leaf Chinese laquer screen, which bears Henrietta’s coat of arms.
In 1760, King George II died and with him went the pension that had largely funded Henrietta’s lifestyle. Nevertheless, she stayed on at Marble Hill, where she became guardian to her great-niece Henrietta Hotham in 1761.
38 discoverbritainmag.com SECRET HISTORY
On hearing of her death, Horace Walpole, who lived nearby at Strawberry Hill, and had become a close friend, wrote in a letter: “I never knew a woman more respectable for her honour and principles and have lost few persons in my life whom I shall miss so much.”
Kate Mavor, English Heritage’s chief executive, says: “English Heritage’s restoration of Marble Hill will not only do justice to the house and gardens but to its owner, the remarkable Henrietta Howard.” A remarkable woman indeed. n Marble Hill is open from Wednesdays to Sundays from April to October and is free to english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/marble-hill-houseenter.
She was an avid patron of the arts and architecture, as visitors to the newly restored Marble Hill will attest
discoverbritainmag.com 39
hether you’re flying into busy London to see the sights, spending a relaxing week on the coast in Cornwall, or jetting off to the remote Scottish Hebrides, the same concern gnaws at travellers as they leave their luggage at the check-in desk: will I ever see you again? That niggling anxiety that, somewhere between your departure point and baggage reclaim at your destination, your luggage will go walkabout and with it your holiday clothes or – perhaps worse – souvenirs of two wonderful weeks travelling Britain.
When someone finds your Retreev-tagged runaway bag, all they need to do is tap their smartphone on the NFC symbol or point their phone camera at the QR code and they’ll be taken to the Retreev website, where they can fill in a simple return form and your luggage will be returned to you.
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Retreev smart tags are secure, simple, easy to set up, available in a wide range of eye-catching designs (such as the Union Jack design pictured above, perfect for readers of Discover Britain!), and will work when attached to any bag or item. To find out more, head to retreev.com
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The witch-hunterreal Y oung Matthew Hopkins was lowered into an unmarked grave. He had breathed his last, rasping, tubercular breath in his mid 20s on 12 August 1647, 375 years ago. Unremarkable in death but terrifying in life, Matthew Hopkins grew up in a God-fearing household in Great Wenham, Suffolk, to become Britain’s self-styled Witchfinder General. He believed in a Christian-driven mission to find women feared as witches and provide proof of their witchcraft to send them to trial. Convictions then led them straight to the gallows. Between 1645 and 1647 Hopkins, the son of a rector, and comfortably off with an inheritance, wreaked havoc in East Anglia. He dressed in bucket-top boots with spurs, a broad linen collar, cape, and hat, and was accompanied by his pet greyhound, and sidekick John Stearne. Communities, gripped by fear, invited the duo (who were paid by parish taxes) to gather evidence of women (and some men) who were suspected by their neighbours of casting curses and cavorting with the Devil.
John Stearne collected the ‘confession’ of Clarke, presented it to the local magistrate, and obtained a warrant for ‘searching.’ Clarke was arrested and picked over by ‘searchers’, women recruited from the neighbourhood, who looked for marks on her body to prove suckling ‘familiars’ drank her blood. Over the course of three days, she was denied sleep (‘watched’) to see if the ‘familiars’ visited her.
40 discoverbritainmag.com SPINE-TINGLING TALES
The worried tailor summoned a female healer from across the Stour who denounced Elizabeth Clarke, a one-legged widow, as having bewitched his wife. Hopkins, now living in Manningtree, picked up the gossip. He’d been disturbed by sabbats in the woods – witches’ meetings, held every six weeks on a Friday night.
When Claire Boobbyer discovered strange marks above her fireplace, her curiosity led her down a macabre path
At Halesworth, Suffolk, near where I live, Hopkins investigated a bewitching of the beer at the brewhouse that killed local drinkers. In our newly acquired 500-yearold home, apotropaic marks, aka ‘witches’ marks’ to ward Left to right: Manningtree is famed for Hopkinsengravingwitches;associationitswithanofatwork off evil, are carved above our fireplace. The fear of sorcery must have been very real.
When the news reached his home on South Street, close to the Red Lion pub, that ‘familiars’ or imps (spirits disguised as animals that were consulted and suckled) had been helping Clarke, his ears twitched.
Manningtree and Mistley unfurl along the south bank of the River Stour in Essex. Historian Malcolm Gaskill, author of several books on witchcraft, pinpoints the eye of the storm to Manningtree and the cold winter of Christmas 1644 when a tailor’s wife was struck down by an unnatural fever.
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Witchery was forbidden but, crucially, it didn’t declare witchcraft to be real, just a delusion.
“It’s important to remember,” she says “that all suspects were tried by a court of law. They weren’t tried Clarke, later, in the presence of Hopkins and Stearne, confessed to sleeping with the Devil
Civil war broke out in August 1642. In Essex, men and women faced off in anger lingering Catholics, war disrupted the assizes, harvests failed and poverty befell many.
Turmoil percolated through daily life; superstitions and Christian rituals ebbed and flowed. The atmosphere was ripe for suspicions to be cast. This tinderbox led to hundreds being put on trial in eastern England Into this maelstrom strode Hopkins and Stearne. They exploited the disruption of the courts and countryside to style themselves as arbiters of justice. Gaskill says their self-styled witch hunt across East Anglia led to around 300 interrogations and 100 executions. But the pair only achieved their mission because local people were complicit in the witch hunt.
“They were maverick Puritans,” Professor Rowlands says, “but there was a whole system of complicity – from the Justices of the Peace, local officials, and the accusers.
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The roots of the 17th-century witch-hunting craze are found 200 years before in a 101 guide. The Malleus Maleficarum (Hammer of The Witches), published by Catholic German monks in 1486, instructed how to identify a witch, put them on trial, and punish them. It was the second most popular book at the time after the Bible. Malleus recommended torture to secure confession, that secular courts prosecute witches for heresy, and the death penalty for the convicted. It built on the Church’s teaching, laid down in the Canon Episcopi of AD900.
The testy atmosphere of the 1640s was rooted in a decade earlier of religious conflict when solidly Puritan East Anglia was swept up in the politics and the religion of the day. England, from 1629, was now under the rule of King James’s son Charles I who rejected Parliament and ruled as an absolute monarch by royal decree. He increased taxes and tried to suppress Puritanism.
SPINE-TINGLING TALES 42 discoverbritainmag.com
Searchers found three teats in her genitalClarke,region.later, in the presence of Hopkins and Stearne, confessed to sleeping with the Devil, and called the Devil’s ‘imps’ into the room. A dog, rabbit, toad, a polecat, and other animals entered. Clarke also denounced a neighbour as a witch. Providing ‘fixed criteria of proof’, says Gaskill, was crucial. Clarke was sent to Colchester gaol. Her confession and the ‘watching’ experience gave Hopkins and Stearne the ‘mandate’ to continue their hunt. Word spread quickly and over the summer of 1645, 150 men and women from Suffolk were identified as witches. Elizabeth Clarke was among 29 women suspected of witchcraft brought to trial at Chelmsford. Hopkins and Stearne gave evidence as witnesses before a jury who convicted 15 women, including Clarke. Their sentence? To be hanged by the neck. But how did neighbour come to accuse neighbour? “Everybody believed in God, the Devil, the possibility of magic and the reality of magic,” says Alison Rowlands, Professor in European History at the University of Essex. “And if you are going to get one of your neighbours hanged –testifying and going to trial – you had to have a fairly deep investment in the process.”
The publication of Malleus stepped up the brutality and punishment in the 15th century. In 1542 the Witchcraft Act was passed; it was revised in 1563. King James I of England, arch Anglican, and once sceptic of the supernatural, penned Daemonologie in 1597 describing the ‘fearefull aboundinge… of these detestable slaves of the Devil, the witches or enchanters.’ In 1604 the Act was strengthened: invoking evil spirits and keeping ‘familiars’ with the purpose of creating harm was punishable by death.
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Hopkins’ undoing came when the God-fearing souls of East Anglia became sceptical and John Gaule, a minister, questioned Hopkins’ expertise, suggested the teats on witches’ bodies could be natural marks from piles or childbearing, and that witch finding should only be undertaken by the Church or the law. Hopkins published his own defence – The Discovery of Witches – in May 1647. Three months later he was dead. There was no suggestion that witchcraft was at work. n Until 6 January 2023 an exhibition Wicked Spirits? Witchcraft + Magic at Colchester Castle will carry out its own investigations into the witch-hunts of East Anglia. colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/wickedspirits
Today, a new ‘Revisiting the Essex Witch Trials, Where are the Women?’ (snappingthestiletto.co.uk/rewt) route with QR codes takes you to 12 stops where a story about the accused, and augmented reality art by artist Sian Fan inspired by the stories, can be accessed via a smartphone.
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Clockwise, from top left: Magpies were believed to have the Devil’s blood on their tongues; Colchester Castle inwitchesduringsuspectedhundredsimprisonedofwitchesthetrials;13werekeptTheCagein1582
by Hopkins and Stearne, and there was no lynching.
“But what happened in particular,” says Professor Rowlands, “is that they offered their services to communities and spread the hunt further than they needed to have done by going around East Anglia. They also used ‘watching’ a lot, which quickly got confessions out of Today,people.”Manningtree and Mistley are well-heeled pretty villages of small greens and handsome sash-windowed homes, shops, and cafés. But on 1 August 1645, four women tried at Chelmsford were executed on the sloping green on South Street, opposite the Red Lion pub.
“It’s important to get these stories told that foreground the women – without belittling what happened to them.”
But on 1 August 1645, four women tried at Chelmsford were executed on the sloping green on South Street opposite the Red Lion pub
By night, Haunting Nights tours talk you through the ghastly sights and sounds of bygone Mistley.
“A lot of stories are told from the male point of view,” says Professor Rowlands.
Left to right: The magni cent Livery Hall, passedmetalusedsteelspeciallyGoldsmiths’insideHall;madepunchesaretostampthethathasthetests
N ot many people get to lift a Grand National trophy, but handling famous sporting silverware is a very normal part of the job for Candice Devine.
47 GOLDSMITHS
Kate Youde meets some of the people upholding the traditions of the 700-year-old Goldsmiths’ Company –one of the oldest consumer watchdogs in the world
The Goldsmiths’ Company has been responsible for testing (assaying) gold and silver since 1300, when King Edward I passed a statute requiring items made from discoverbritainmag.com
Working for the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office in London, Candice hallmarks objects made from precious metals to prove their authenticity. “It’s great to handle the item which I then see presented on the TV,” she says. With her precise work, hand striking metal, she is preserving a craft that has existed for more than 700 years.
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The City of London livery company received its first royal charter in 1327 and established the country’s first assay office in 1478. At that time, makers would take their wares to Goldsmiths’ Hall, the company’s now Grade I-listed headquarters, to be tested and marked – hence the term
The City of London livery company received its first royal charter in 1327 and established the country’s first assay office in 1478 48 discoverbritainmag.com
those precious metals to be ‘marked with the leopard’s head’ to prevent fraud by goldsmiths.
Today,‘hallmark’.theGoldsmiths’ Company Assay Office is spread across four sites in the capital, including the original branch at Goldsmiths’ Hall. It is one of four assay offices in the UK; the others are in Birmingham, Sheffield, and Edinburgh. Last year, they hallmarked a combined total of more than 8.5 million articles made from gold, silver, platinum or palladium, but the offices are run separately. “A colleague of mine has a good analogy,” says Will Evans, general manager of the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office. “It’s like garages doing MOTs, so it’s a standard service, but all done differently.” This standard service is testing items made from precious metals to ensure they are the metal and purity the person submitting them for testing says they are, and then marking the items to show they passed the tests. By law, anything sold in the UK as gold, silver, platinum, or palladium must be hallmarked, even if it is made elsewhere. Will’s office handles everything, from simple picture frames to expensive jewellery. When Will first started out as a laboratory assistant 22 years ago, a gold ring would be tested by cutting away 200mg of metal and sending the sample to a laboratory, where technicians would refine the pure metal out of that sample in a process called cupellation. If it passed the test, the ring would then be hallmarked and returned to the jeweller’s workshop to be finished, ready for sale. Now, thanks to advances in technology, there is a
topClockwiseGOLDSMITHSfromleft: preciousCompanyGoldsmiths’Themarkmetals to prevent fraud; the magni cent ceiling at Goldsmiths’ Hall; everything from jewellery to picture frames are tested; the company has been metalhallmarkingsince1478
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PHOTOGRAPHYBENNETTSTEPHEN©
2) Fineness mark – a mark that tells you the precious metal content, expressed in parts per thousand. Each of the four precious metals has a different shield shape, with silver being a lozenge.
1) Sponsor’s mark – a combination of letters, font and shield design that is the mark of the company that has submitted the item for hallmarking.
4) Traditional fineness mark – an optional mark that tells you the precious metal and its fineness. The lion passant is the symbol for sterling silver.
discoverbritainmag.com 51 GOLDSMITHS
DECODEDHALLMARKS
A hallmark must include the first three of the below marks, though the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office includes all five as standard.
Left to right: Marble statues line the Staircase Hall at Goldsmiths’ Hall, which is sheathed in marble of 10 di erent colours to give it grandeur; Candice was the rst woman to complete apprenticeshipfour-yearCompany’sGoldsmiths’the 1 2345
Most of Candice’s time is spent hand stamping items, for which she uses specially made steel punches
non-destructive testing method. “We fire X-rays at the piece and then they’re returned to the detector in the instrument at different wavelengths depending on the material that they’ve come from,” says Will. “The machine then measures the intensity of those different wavelengths and converts that into a fineness figure.” Less than 1 per cent of the items tested by Will’s team are rejected; when items do fail, it is more because of “error than nefarious intent” he says.
3) Assay office mark – a symbol denoting which assay office tested and hallmarked the item. London’s symbol is a leopard’s head.
5) Date letter – a letter representing the year the item was hallmarked, which follows a revolving alphabetic sequence with other changes (font, case, and shield shape) to differentiate them. The year 2022 is an X.
Once a piece has passed, it is hallmarked by laser, press, or hand, depending on the wishes of the customer. Most of Candice’s time is spent hand stamping items, for which she uses specially made steel punches that have the characters of a hallmark lasered onto the tip. There are straight and swan neck punches, with the latter used to stamp the inside of Torings.make a mark, Candice puts the punch on the metal being stamped and hits it with a hammer. It is intricate work: each mark is between 0.3mm and 6mm high. “If it’s a really big mark like a 6mm mark, we have to hit it harder,” says Candice, who in 2016 became the first woman to
It has proved popular, creating extra work for Candice and her colleagues, who hallmark about one million items at the Goldsmiths’ Hall each year.
complete the organisation’s four-year apprenticeship and is now an assay assistant and head of training. “If it’s a small mark you would need just a little tap,” she adds.
Yet, while the volume of work might have increased since 1478, the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office still serves the same purpose. “Hallmarking is one of the oldest forms of consumer protection,” says Will. “What we’re doing is guaranteeing that the consumer, when they purchase that item in the shop, is getting what they pay for and what that item is described as.” n
People sending items for hallmarking can also request additional optional marks such as a commemorative mark that signifies a special event. This year, precious metals can be stamped with a mark celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Designed by Thomas Fattorini, a 195-year-old, family-run business that specialises in crafting emblematic jewellery and insignia, the mark depicts an orb with the Queen’s cypher and the number 70 at its centre.
hold the post for one year; thetransposedcenturycontainsCourtdistinguishedtheRoom18th-featuresfromprevioushall
Though the Assay Office is not open to the public, The Goldsmiths’ Hall opens once a year during the Goldsmiths’ Fair from late September to early October. Find out more at goldsmithsfair.co.uk
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Top to bottom: Prime Wardens are the chairs of the CompanyGoldsmiths’and
PHOTOGRAPHYBENNETTSTEPHEN©
A typical hallmark Candice applies is made up of five marks in a discrete line that indicates who sent the item for testing, the metal, and its fineness, and where and when it was hallmarked [see panel on previous page]. However, the more complicated bespoke marks can be arranged in various patterns, for example dotted around the outside of a ring. “You’ve got a different challenge every day,” she says.
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The house they move to, which is rat-infested on arrival, is called Three Chimneys and is located near With the release of the long-anticipated sequel to the heart-warming film, we take a nostalgic journey through Yorkshire
CountryChildrenRailway
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It was the family film with enduring appeal. Released in 1970, The Railway Children, directed by Lionel Jeffries, was an adaptation of a 1906 book by the same name by E Nesbit.
discoverbritainmag.com 55 FILM LOCATIONS
The film, which was a huge success, and is still much-loved today, tells the story of three siblings, Roberta (known as Bobbie), Phyllis, and Peter Waterbury. Having spent the first part of their childhood living in a lovely house in an affluent part of London, the children find themselves suddenly down at heel (due to the fact that their father, who works for the Foreign Office has just been arrested on suspicion of being a spy – a fact hidden from them by their mother) and are forced to move with their mother to the beautiful, but remote, Yorkshire countryside to start a new life.
For those yet to see this classic British film (where have you been?) we won’t divulge more, except to say that the feel-good film proved a huge success, made a star out of Jenny Agutter, who played Bobbie (and incidentally who also starred in a BBC dramatisation of the same book a couple of years before the film), and showed its setting of Yorkshire in a beautiful light.
Unlike the Waterburys before them, these children haven’t left an affluent life behind, but the smog and soot of working-class inner-city life, and they have the street cred and toughness to prove it.
Now over 50 years later, the sequel, directed by Morgan Matthews, brings the action forward to 1944 when three siblings, Lily, Pattie, and Ted Watts, are evacuated from their home in Salford, Manchester – also to Oakworth – where they are taken in by the local headmistress, her mother, and her son.
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Haworth More famously known as the home of the Brontë sisters, with its cobbled streets and old-fashioned shop fronts, Haworth, a hilltop village in West Yorkshire’s South Pennines, is used for lots of village scenes in the film.
Oakworth train station, and although at first, it’s a far leap from their former life, the children soon embrace it. They delight in watching the steam trains chug past on the nearby railway line and befriend an old gentleman who catches the 9.15am train each day. Soon enough the family become involved in a bit of an exciting espionage escapade themselves.
PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY/JAAPSUNDERLANDIMAGING/MARKHD9GILLISSTEVEN©BUITENDIJK
Like its predecessor, The Railway Children Return (or simply Railway Children in the US) is set amid the rolling hills and honeypot villages of Yorkshire, and Jenny Agutter reprises the role of Bobbie, although on this occasion in more of a supporting capacity. Other cast members include Sheridan Smith and Tom Courtenay, both household names in Britain, and Game of Thrones star John However,Bradley.thereal star of the sequel is the Yorkshire setting, so here we take a journey through Yorkshire and visit some of the real-life locations that feature in the film.
Like the first film, the children become involved in an adventure, and it touches on the themes of war, as well as racism, in a delicate way.
The Brontë Parsonage Museum, where Charlotte, Emily, and Anne lived for much of their lives writing their famous novels, doubles as the doctor’s surgery in both the original film and the sequel. The museum, open Wednesday to Sunday throughout the year (except for Christmas and New Year) is a great place to appreciate the literary legacy of the sisters. Elsewhere in the village, the Black Bull pub becomes the Red Lion pub in the film, the graveyard of St Michael’s & All Angels Church is the backdrop to a poignant scene, and many of the village’s shopfronts were given a wartime makeover. bronte.org.uk Oakworth
Jenny Agutter, whose father hails from Yorkshire and visited the area many times as a child, says the inclusion of Oakworth was pivotal to the film.
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Previous page, left to right: Oakworth Station was used as a lming location in both lms; a still from The Railway Children Return fromClockwise,topleft: The Brontë
nearBrontëcharacter;AgutterSmithstreet;Haworth’ssurgerytheMuseumParsonagebecomesdoctor’sinthelms;mainSheridanandJennyintheWay,Haworth
Just a five-minute drive north of Haworth brings you to Oakworth, where the film is set. Oakworth train station features heavily in both films, including being the setting for an emotional scene in the first film.
“I have, from the first time I ever went to Oakworth Station, loved steam trains,” she says. “I think they’re absolutely wonderful. The sounds they make, the whole sense of them. Just being back there, and filming, was very touching. One of the engine drivers had driven the trains for Lionel’s film. He was there with his 41-year-old daughter, who was the first woman to drive those steam trains. I love all those connections.”
Thehaworth-village.org.uk/walks/rail3/rail3.aspRailwayChildrenReturnisavailablefor digital release in the UK on 3 October, it will be released as Railway Children in US cinemas on 23 September, and be released digitally in the US on 6 December.
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This 19th-century World Heritage Site, on the River Aire in Bradford, also in West Yorkshire, was once home to a textile mill (named Salts Mill after its owner Sir Titus Salt) and a large community of workers and their families. In the sequel it becomes the US Army base, and today anyone can visit to admire the Italianate architecture of the mill and its surrounding buildings, which include workers’ houses, a school, and a train station. saltairevillage.info Oxenhope
Top to bottom: Sir Titus Salt’s mill is used as a US Army base in the new lm; the lm premiered at the Keighley & Worth Valley thisStationRailwayearlieryear
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway
Interestingly, the original railway line closed in 1962 and was only reopened by a group of railway enthusiasts six years later – just in time for the first film. Today, you can take a five-mile journey along part of the original train line through parts of West Yorkshire. kwvr.co.uk Saltaire
Of course, it’s the trains that really evoke the sense of nostalgia we all love. The trains in both films are from the heritage Keighley & Worth Valley Railway and the station was used for the film’s premiere earlier this year.
The house that becomes Three Chimneys in both films is Bents Farm, just off Marsh Lane, in the village of Oxenhope, a little south of Haworth. It’s a private home, but you can still see its exterior on one of the Railway Children walking routes that set off from Haworth. n
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Enter our competition for a chance to win a stay at historic Farlam Hall
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Enter the competition To be in with the chance of winning, this fabulous prize, either head online to www.discoverbritain.com/farlamhall or ll in the form below with the answer to the following question: When was Farlam Hall rst built? a) 15th century b) 16th century c) 17th century
Discover Britain has teamed up with Pride of Britain Hotels to offer one lucky winner and their guest a luxurious two-night stay at Farlam Hall in Cumbria. Set in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside, overlooking serene, sculpted grounds, and surrounded by endless opportunities to explore, Farlam Hall is about relaxing and appreciating nature.
is a special experience awaiting every guest. We invite you to experience the best places to eat, stay and unwind within the British Isles. For more information or to book please call 01666 824666, email info@prideofbritainhotels. com or visit www.prideofbritainhotels.com
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Unwind in cosy lounges, and beautifully appointed bedrooms, dine in style and enjoy stunning views of the grounds and gardens. For those looking to explore the area, this is a walker’s paradise, with the unspoilt North Pennines on your doorstep. Farlam Hall is also steeped in history, dating back to the 16th century and is near to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall, which celebrates its 1900th birthday in 2022.
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This ancient Northumberland village is home to one of the best-preserved Norman castles in Britain, says Anthony Toole
WARKWORTH HISTORIC VILLAGES
Photo opportunity There are impressive views of the English Heritage castle from the riverbanks to the east and west of Warkworth, and from the village itself. Opportunities are also abundant of the many towers within the walls of the castle. These include the Montagu, Grey Mare’s Tail, Lion and Carrickfergus towers as well as the almost intact Great Tower. Good images of the village can be captured through the north windows of the Great Tower. In springtime, the hill on which the castle stands is
The first castle was built, probably of wood, during the 12th century, when King Henry II granted the region to Roger fitz Eustace. At the beginning of the 14th century, Warkworth was acquired by the Percy family, who dominated Northumbrian history for the next five hundred years.
In 1174, King William the Lion of Scotland burned the village and killed the 300 inhabitants who had sought refuge in the church. During the 1715 Jacobite rising, Scottish forces occupied Warkworth and, following prayers in the church, proclaimed the Old Pretender, James Edward Stuart, King James III of England.
HISTORIC VILLAGES discoverbritainmag.com 61
He lost the Battle of Otterburn, against a Scottish army in 1388 and was taken prisoner and held for ransom. He defeated the Scots at Humbleton (Homildon) Hill in 1402 but was killed a year later at the Battle of Shrewsbury after he and his father rebelled against Henry IV. By losing this battle, the Percys forfeited Warkworth, though it was later restored to the family.
MORRISTRUST/BRIANHERITAGEENGLAND.ENGLISHATKINSON/ALAMY/HISTORICPEACOCK/PETERGRAEME©
A medieval village enclosed within a half-mile loop of the River Coquet, Warkworth is dominated by the Norman castle that stands on a hill to the south. Proximity to the Scottish border and the influence of powerful families have ensured it a rich history of wars, rebellions, and even a place in Shakespearean drama. Human occupation here dates from Neolithic times. Cup-and-ring carvings can be seen on the crags above the riverbank.
This was a period of political turbulence, starting with the Anglo-Scottish wars of Edward I and continuing through the Wars of the Roses. Sometimes, the Percys fought on the winning side, sometimes they supported the losers, with predictable consequences.
In AD737, a wooden church was built on the site of the present St Lawrence’s Church at the northern end of the village. The Anglo-Saxon King Ceolwulf of Northumbria gifted the church and village, Wercewode, to the monks of Lindisfarne. The church was destroyed during a Danish Viking raid in AD875 and rebuilt in stone. Piecemeal construction of the present church began in 1174, with the west tower added in 1200, the belfry and spire in the 14th century, and the south aisle and entrance porch a century later. Medieval glass can still be seen in the east window.
Local hero Henry Percy, nicknamed Hotspur, together with his father, also Henry, the First Earl of Northumberland, were instrumental in deposing Richard II and installing Henry IV on the throne. Hotspur earned his nickname because of the speed with which he harried his enemies in battle.
Clockwise, from left: An aerial view of Warkworth village and Warkworth Castle with the River Coquet running by; Warkworth village has an abundance of shops, cafés and galleries to explore and enjoy; Warkworth Castle as it currently stands was built by the Percy family, one of the most powerful families in northern England during the Middle Ages
Extend your trip A gentle riverbank walk half-a-mile upstream of the village brings you to The Hermitage, an ornate chapel carved, cave-like out of the sandstone cliff. This can only be reached by boat on certain days during the summer but is well worth visiting when it is open. Two miles downstream, at the river mouth, is the picturesque fishing village of Amble. From there, you can take a boat trip around the bird sanctuary of Coquet Island, famous for its colonies of puffins and roseate terns. Amble is noted for its fish restaurants and its Seafood Centre and lobster hatchery.
Further reading
Top: A view of the medieval castle ruins overlooking Warkworth village from across the River Coquet
Bottom: The Fish Shack restaurant by the harbour at Amble, just two miles downstream from Warkworth
HISTORIC VILLAGES 62 discoverbritainmag.com ablaze with daffodils. The 14th-century fortified bridge and gatehouse to the north of the village is also photogenic. Places to stay Warkworth village and its environs have abundant, excellent accommodation, from hotel rooms to self-catering apartments and holiday homes. Entering the village from the south, the Sun Hotel is on your right, directly opposite the co.uk).(thesunhotelwarkworth.castleThisisarecently refurbished 17th-century coaching inn with 16 rooms ranging from single to bridal suite, and adjoining steakhouse and country pub. Most rooms look across to the castle.
The Hermit of Warkworth by Dr Thomas Percy is a ballad based on the legend of Sir Bertram, who, following a romantic, but tragic love story, becomes the hermit of the title. The Hermitage by L J Ross, is one of series of crime novels set in featuringNorthumberland,thedetective, DCI Ryan, which begins with an apparently motiveless murder when a body is found in the Hermitage. The action takes place between Warkworth and Florence, Italy. English Heritage has published an illustrated guidebook to Warkworth Castle and Hermitage, which includes a history of the town and the Percy family. Some scenes in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I, also take place in Warkworth Castle. n
HODGSON/ALAMYMONK/JAMESJIM©
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The Poppy Factory has helped veterans with health conditions to move back into work
EVERYDAY
T
Jamie’s completed wreath is then placed into a suitable box with a label on the side with the maker’s name. “We all put 110% into the wreaths and make sure of the quality control and that the person receives the wreath they’ve ordered,” he says. In the past the team has received numerous letters of appreciation, along with photographs showing where the wreath has been placed on memorials all over the world.
Jamie works as a production worker on the shop floor. He came here nearly six years ago and started by making small wooden crosses. Now he specialises in creating poppy wreaths for the different regiments and service associations. Besides being a production worker, he’s also the Workplace Organiser for the GMB union and plays an active role in helping others. All the wreath work is by hand. To make the wreath, Jamie uses a pre-drilled circular mount (almost polo-mint in shape but with a flat underside). A circular back plate with the badge is attached to the mount once the poppy work is complete. The wreath poppy petals are trefoil in shape and made by one of the two machine operatives from artificial silk. The poppies on the wreath are not to be confused with those worn on lapels.
Inside the Poppy Factory HEROES
From its earliest days
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he Poppy Factory is in Richmond, London and was established in 1922 by Major George Howson MC to employ disabled ex-Forces personnel to make Remembrance poppies and wreaths. The tradition continues today. Presently, 25 full-time workers make more than 100,000 Remembrance wreaths each year. In recent times The Poppy Factory has also grown into a national charity supporting hundreds of veterans with health conditions each year into all kinds of employment across England and Wales.
Working at The Poppy Factory, has not only given Jamie a fulfilling job but has created stable relationships both at home and at work and he’s grateful for the full support he’s received from his managerial and executive team. “I have had treatment, I’m not 100% cured, but I have the tools now to point me in the right direction,” he says. Balance remains his guiding principle and applies equally to all aspects of his life. He loves the military but doesn’t want to live it 24-7. He’s developed new friendships with people outside work where he can talk about other things, like his passion for electronic music, and switch off from what he calls being “green blooded” andFrommilitary.itsearliest days The Poppy Factory has helped veterans with health conditions to move back into work: a tradition that continues today. This year is particularly poignant as it celebrates the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and The Poppy Factory’s own centenary. For Jamie, routine, and having a purpose in everything he does has given him a new meaning in life. As for the red poppy, he feels it’s important that young people understand its history and its relevance. It’s not, as he puts it, “Simply dropping coins into a tin.” For more information, or to book a tour of the Poppy Factory, go to poppyfactory.org/visit n
Jamie Micklefield is a former soldier in the Royal Dragoon Guards employed at The Poppy Factory. He served for 17 years in the army, driving and maintaining Challenger tanks. During his army career he undertook numerous postings to Germany with his regiment and saw active service in Iraq between 2004 and 2005. He left the army in 2016 and suffers from a lower back injury and PTSD. “I still have kind of wild moments going on in my mind when it comes to PTSD, especially at night-time and travelling on public transport,” he says.
As Remembrance Day approaches, John Greeves visits a national charity that helps hundreds of veterans across the country find employment, and meets everyday hero, Jamie Micklefield
Jamie explains how the wreath is made up with inner, outer, and a top ring of poppies that cover the mount. The stamen studs go through the centre of trefoil-shaped petals into the pre-drilled hole in the mount. This action is repeated and once the poppies are all in place the back plate is attached with the regimental badge clearly visible through the centre of the wreath.
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66 discoverbritainmag.com PLACES TO STAY This image: The Jamaica Inn was rst made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s novel of the same name Right: The Daphne du Maurier suite is available for guests to book With Halloween on the horizon, Samantha Priestley dares you to book a stay in one of these historic inns with horrible histories eerie pasts Pubs with
The Daphne du Maurier Suite has a luxurious 7ft emperor bed and roll-top bath. The majority of the food at the Jamaica Inn is homemade and includes pies, fish and chips, steak, and surf & turf. You can enjoy a traditional Cornish cream tea or settle down by the fire with a pint of Cornish ale. On-site at the inn there is also a smuggling museum, a gift shop and a farm shop. jamaicainn.co.uk
Launceston, Cornwall Jamaica Inn, high up on Bodmin Moor, was made famous by Daphne Du Maurier in her book of the same name, and it has long been associated with smugglers and dodgy deeds. However, this former coaching inn also has other dark stories to tell.
Back in the inn’s days of hiding smuggled contraband in its cellars, a man was drinking at the bar when he was called outside. He left his half-drunk pint on the bar and went outside. He never came back in to finish that pint. Instead, his body was found the next day out on the moor.
discoverbritainmag.com 67 PLACES TO STAY
Who killed him, why, or when, was never discovered – but from 1911 on, visitors to the inn began to talk of a strange man sitting outside on the wall who never responded to anyone. Could it be his ghost? If you visit Jamaica Inn today, you’ll find a much warmer welcome. Rooms are beautifully furnished, some retaining original features, with fantastic views of the moor. There are selected dog-friendly rooms and a new disabilityfriendly room with wheelchair access, wet room and inter-connecting room.
JAMAICA INN
Britain has a bounty of historic pubs that date back hundreds of years, and over those years many of them have accumulated some unusual and sometimes disturbing stories. While some people love the idea of a haunted old pub, others might imagine dingy rooms with cobwebs and draughty windows. However, at these four pubs that couldn’t be further from the truth. These old inns with tragic tales and spooky sightings are now beautifully renovated places to stay, perfect for an autumn getaway. From converted barns to loft rooms in historic pubs, you can soak up the atmosphere of a scary story while relaxing in luxury.
BURNSDAVE©
Far Right: Corpses for gibbeting were taken to the Crown and Garter after they’d been hung to be measured for their irons
Combe, Berkshire Back in 1676, Britain indulged in the gruesome post-hanging practice of gibbeting. Reserved for murderers, highwaymen, and pirates, gibbeting was the re-hanging of the dead bodies of criminals in a metal body cage for all to see. These corpses were often left hanging from the gibbet posts for so long only an old rattling skeleton was left. In Combe, near Hungerford, there still stands today the only gibbet post ever used to gibbet a woman in the UK. George Broomham and Dorothy Newman were hanged and gibbeted here for the murder of George’s wife, Martha. After hanging, the couple’s bodies were taken down to the nearest pub, the Crown and Garter, and laid out in the barn behind the inn to be measured for their gibbet irons. Locals were so intrigued, the landlord of the pub started charging entry to the ‘gibbet barn’ for onlookers. That barn is now a set of beautifully renovated rooms where visitors can stay. The Crown and Garter is a charming English country garden pub with a menu of flavoursome dishes using locally sourcedBreakfastproduce.inthe garden on a sunny day is peaceful and at odds with its position in the valley below the gibbet on the hill. The barn rooms border a pretty courtyard, a world away from its former life as the ‘gibbet barn’. crownandgarter.co.uk
Right: A CrownbedroomluxuriousattheandGarter
THE CROWN AND GARTER
68 PLACES TO STAY
Left: The Old Ram was the site of a murder in 1890 Above: A loft room at The Old Ram
Having previously attempted to murder his wife, Elijah was now moving on to her mother. As Maria passed by the door of the pub, Elijah went outside and beat her to death. It was a vicious attack and once she was dead, he threw her body over a hedge and into the next field. She was found soon after and her body was taken back inside the pub while the police went to pick up Elijah, who confessed immediately.
Today The Old Ram is a family-run inn with rooms that include original features for an atmospheric stay. Choose from a four-poster bed, garden view rooms, or loft rooms with sloping ceilings and old wooden beams. The Old Ram offers an impressive menu, with a range of vegetarian and vegan options, and at lunchtime you can order a picnic to take on a walk around the village. theoldramnorfolk.co.uk
THE OLD COACHINGRAMINN
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Tivetshall St. Mary, Norfolk
Elijah Snelling was already well known to police and locals for being a violent man when, in 1890, he brutally murdered his mother-in-law, MariaElijahBrown.hadbeen at The Old Ram since 7am on the day of the murder, and by 12 noon he’d had his share of drink. It was no accident that he was in The Old Ram though, as he knew his mother-in-law, Maria, would be passing right by the door at around 1pm on her way to take her husband his lunch at work.
Above: Drover’sTheInn was used by Highland Drovers who used to drive their cattle down the side of Loch Lomond to the markets Right: Enough to make your hair stand on end, the inn’s cupboards of curiosities include stu ed animals
PLACES TO STAY
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THE DROVER’S INN Loch Lomond, Scotland In the winter of 1792, a year that would become known as ‘the year of the sheep’, sheep farming around Loch Lomond was a lucrative business and one landlord realised that he could make more money from farming sheep than he could from charging rent to the family living on his premises. So, he threw them out into the cold night to find their fate. The family headed straight for the Drover’s Inn. It was a bitterly cold night and they just needed to find shelter until they could figure out what to do. Sadly, the weather deteriorated and before they made it to the door of The Drover’s each one of them froze to death. Many visitors to the inn since have reported seeing the ghosts of this poor family in the grounds, trying to find the door. This traditional inn makes for an atmospheric stay today. Rooms are simple but come with antique furniture, and the ground floor is crammed with curiosities charting its 300-year history. Room 6 – the haunted room – is for the truly brave, while the bar downstairs is lively and stocked with different kinds of spirits. n droversinn.co.uk
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The TOLKIENTRAIL
In celebration of the 85th anniversary since the publication of The Hobbit, Lynn Houghton takes a Tolkien-esque walk through the Lancashire valley that inspired it
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It was then off to Hurst Green to hike the Tolkien Trail. Rainy days can be slightly daunting for a hike, but it still made for an enjoyable outing. Turn the page for 8 key highlights along the route.
Amenities include lots of shops, as well as a variety of pubs and restaurants. The town’s centre is overlooked by a 12th-century Norman Castle where the award-winning Clitheroe Castle Museum is situated. Bowland Food Hall, which shares its commercial complex with a cinema, is a food and drink emporium known for its deli counter that overflows with local cheeses and fresh produce.
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Previous page, left to right: An autumn morning on the River Ribble; J.R.R.Tolkien in 1955 Opposite page, clockwise from top: Clitheroe War Memorial looks out over the town, with Pendle Hill in the background; Clitheroe Castle keep; the Freemasons at Wiswell is an award-winning gastropub with bedrooms near Clitheroe
Tolkien was in digs in the Ribble Valley’s Hurst Green during the Second World War and stayed at Stonyhurst College, where his son had been evacuated to. Fans of The Hobbit may know that the Shire and Hobbiton are inspired by the pastoral beauty of this area. It is also believed he began to construct his great trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, while here. Of course, the earlier 20th-century conflict is what most influenced The Lord of The Rings. The horrors of the First World War had a powerful impact on Tolkien, who served as a second lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers. The fire, dragons, and horror of Mordor were thought to reflect the trench warfare, machinery, and carnage of his time fighting in France.
My first visit to this part of the world was during a drizzly weekend in February, and I initially stayed in the picturesque village of Wiswell, which is nestled at the foot of the 557-metre-high Pendle Hill.
This valley’s long history is not without fascinating, and even gruesome, events but nowadays it is the link with J.R.R.Tolkien and his children’s book The Hobbit that is perhaps most enduring.
he blush pink of Pendle Grit gives the countryside of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley a distinctive pastel hue. Many farmhouses, barns, out buildings, even entire villages, are made of this attractively coloured sandstone. And this distinctive natural resource is what separates northern Lancashire from Yorkshire with its granite terrain.
This village is part of the Forest of Bowland’s AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and from this base are truly exceptional country walks. Historically, it is famous for the 17th-century Pendle Witch trials, but I was drawn to the outdoor offerings and also the excellent Freemasons at Wiswell, which offers boutique accommodation, an award-winning restaurant named Mr Smith’s, plus a tiny pub, the Fox’s Den.
I must mention visiting Clitheroe, the commercial heart of the Ribble Valley. This thriving market town was chartered by Henry de Lacy in 1147 and is the second oldest township in Lancashire.
Mr Smith’s was awarded 5th place in the Estrella Damn Top 50 Gastropubs 2022 and excels in dishes using local Lancashire produce with a contemporary flair. I sat at the Kitchen Bench, which puts the diner right in the hub of the chef’s kitchen – a unique gastronomic experience.
discoverbritainmag.com 75 Fans of The Hobbit may know that the Shire and Hobbiton are inspired by the pastoral beauty of this area
TRILOGY OF RIVERS
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The Shireburn Arms is a 17th-century hostelry in Hurst Green near where the Tolkien Trail both starts and ends. This country house hotel has retained many original features and is well known for its food. The property’s inviting pub has a cosy fireplace in the public room – a godsend following a trek on a wintry day. There are also rooms for those wishing to stay overnight.
BRIDGE About halfway along the Tolkien Trail is the modern Lower Hodder Bridge but just a bit further along is the ancient pack horse bridge used by Cromwell’s army. Though no longer in use, and in poor condition with uneven rubble and stones, at one time it was the crossing point for Cromwell’s soldiers and artillery on their way to the Battle of Preston in 1648.
At the confluence of the River Ribble and Calder River is Hacking Hall and where a ferry crossing existed from the 17th century to the 1930s. The Hacking Ferry Service was started by the Shireburn family so that parishioners could access the local church. It is thought that Tolkien’s idea for the Buckleberry Ferry in The Lord of the Rings was based on the Hacking Ferry. Recently, one of the original ferry boats was discovered in a barn on Winkley Hall Farm. It is now restored and on display in the Clitheroe Castle Museum.
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For more information on the Tolkien Trail go to visitribblevalley.co.uk
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Walking along the Tolkien Trail eventually leads you to the River Hodder, and the path follows it for a couple of kilometres before it joins up with the River Ribble. The River Hodder originates in the Forest of Bowland and, for the more adventurous, there is a steppingstone bridge at Whitewell known locally as the hipping bridge. The River Ribble begins at the confluence of the Gayle Beck and Cam Beck near the famous viaduct at Ribblehead. This is in the shadow of the Yorkshire Three Peaks and from here it flows through the Forest of Bowland and eventually to the Irish Sea. The trail also offers a peek at the River Calder at its confluence. Anglers will know this is one of the best places to fish salmon and sea trout in the UK.
Top row, left to right: Walking on Wiswell Moor heading towards Pendle Hill and the Forest of Bowland; the Shireburn Arms
5IN HONOUR OF GANDALF
Taking a right when going past Stonyhurst College’s observatory, walkers will soon see the structures that are part of the 16th-century Hall Barn Farm. Turning into the tarmac road, follow along with the barn on the left and the attractive Gardener’s Cottage further along on the right.
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It was a while before any structure was finished on the site of Stonyhurst. Though deeds have been found referring to the 12th century, the first construction wasn’t completed until 1372 when Roman Catholic, John de Bayley, built an oratory.
8 HACKING FERRY
DISTANCE: 9KM LOOP ROUTE: Take a map as the trail is not particularly well-marked, though there are signposts indicating the public footpath
Middle row, left to right: Crossing the River Hodder in the Ribble Valley; Clitheroe Castle Museum displays 350 million years of local history
Bottom row, left to right: Tolkien’s son was evacuated to Stonyhurst College during the war; Cromwell’s Bridge at the River Hodder
After walking past Hall Barn Farm, the trail passes along the school playing fields on the left. The path takes you through Over Hacking Wood forest but there is also a private road that leads to Hodder Place, formerly a preparatory school but now converted to apartments. On the grounds of Hodder Place stands an impressive hand-carved statue of Tolkien’s wizard Gandalf.
shireburnarmshotel.co.uk
THE SHIREBURN ARMS
With the building of Stonyhurst Hall in 1592, the hamlet of Hurst Green started to develop and by the beginning of the 20th century had reached its current size of about 500 inhabitants. The alms houses located on Avenue Road were donated by Richard Shireburn and he also set up the St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School here. There is evidence of two old bobbin mills, which bear testament to an early cotton industry.
4HALL BARN FARM
Richard Shireburn, a relation of de Bayley, founded the current school in 1593 which had connections to St Omer in the Spanish Low Countries, then Bruge and Liége. Oliver Cromwell stayed here in 1648 and is reputed to have slept in full armour on the Jacobean Great Hall’s table as he didn’t trust his Catholic hosts. He was reputed as saying this was “the best half house” he had seen as the Hall was still unfinished. The 19th-century St. Peter’s Church, chapel for the college and parish church for Hurst Green, and the 19th-century observatory are worth seeing. Stonyhurst College’s clay pigeon shooting range is on the trail and there is a bell to ring to warn shooters of walkers.
Gary Thynne served in the British Army for nearly 24 years, and then became a police o cer before securing his role as a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London
I spent nearly 24 years in the British Army, serving in the Royal Artillery. Early in my career I pinpointed becoming a Yeoman Warder as my ‘dream job’ and was determined to reach the required prerequisites –at least 22 years’ service, being a former warrant officer or senior non-commissioned officer, and holding the Long Service and Good Conduct medal.
Gary Thynne has been a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London for seven years, and he lives at the Tower with his wife, Tamika.
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On retirement from the Army I became a Metropolitan Police Officer, but continued to look out for vacancies at the Tower of London. In just under a year a position became available. There were interview stages and, as Yeoman Warders live at the Tower of London with their families, my wife was also invited along with me to see the accommodation available. My first day as a Yeoman Warder at Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London was 7 April 2015, my 41st birthday – now that was a great present!
We help to create brilliant experiences for people from all over the world who come to visit the Tower of London
Yeoman Warders guard the 900-year-old fortress, which is still a working royal palace, conduct tours for visitors, and take part in ceremonial duties, including royal visits. We spoke to Gary to find out what it is really like to live and work at one of Britain’s most iconic and historic landmarks.
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The role of a Yeoman Warder is an extremely varied one. One day could be spent ‘On Post’ rotating through different positions within the Tower, making sure the area is safe for visitors, helping tourists find their way, answering questions and even having photographs taken. Another day could be spent giving the world-famous Yeoman Warder tours. We give three tours a day to sometimes very large groups, which is my favourite part of the role.
Gary Thynne Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London
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I had an interest in history before I became a Yeoman Warder, but it did naturally develop living and working in such a historic place. History is embedded into every part of the Tower and you cannot help but absorb it.
Above: The Ceremony of the Keys is said to be the oldest extant military ceremony in the world and is performed every evening by the Chief Yeoman Warder at 9.53pm, when the Tower’s main gates are locked for the night
USBORNEINTERNATIONAL/MARTINPALACES/NEWSTEAMROYALHISTORIC©
Our job is to create brilliant experiences for people from all over the world who come to visit the Tower of London.
I love the Lower Cradle Tower, it is quiet and a great place to collect your thoughts before carrying on with the day. And, I love our pub within the Tower, The Keys, which was coincidently named by my wife, Tamika! n
I have been lucky enough to have guarded Her Majesty the Queen on two separate occasions, which was the highest honour I could ever wish for.
The Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels and Royal Regalia, two Chapel Royals (one of which is the final resting place of three Queens of England) and our famous Tower ravens. Kings and queens lived here for over 500 years, and it has held many famous prisoners, from Sir Walter Raleigh to the Kray twins.
We are involved in ceremonial duties including the daily Ceremony of the Keys, which is the traditional locking of the Tower of London that has taken place each night for over 700 years! Visitors can book to witness this historic ceremony through the Historic Royal Palaces website (hrp.org.uk). Another honour of being a Yeoman Warder is our involvement in big ceremonial events, including royal visits, Gun Salutes, the Beating of the Bounds, Constable’s Installations and Constable’s Dues, to name just a few.
Some of my colleagues have experienced strange goings on, especially in Tower Green, which is one of the most haunted places in the United Kingdom. I believe we have a ghost of a small dog in our home who sometimes comes and sleeps at the bottom of our bed! If you look at Victorian pictures of Yeoman Warders quite a few depict small lap dogs, so perhaps it is one of these...
It has been here for nearly a thousand years and hopefully will be here for a thousand years to come
80 discoverbritainmag.com MY BRITAIN
The Tower is iconic and known the world over, it has been here for nearly a thousand years and hopefully will be here for a thousand years to come. It has seen changes in monarchy and governments, plagues, great fires, World Wars, and even pandemics. Even with the changing and increasingly modern London skyline, for me, the Tower still remains a domineering, but extremely beautiful sight from all angles! As Yeoman Warders we help to keep history alive. We are Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London but we are also part of the Yeoman of the Guard in Extraordinary, which means we are part of the Queen’s ceremonial bodyguard.
Find out more about the Tower and how to visit at hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london
a) George II b) George III c) Edward VII
6. What was the name of Britain’s self-styled Witchfinder General who wreaked havoc in the 17th century? a) Matthew Hopkins b) Michael Hopkins c) Matthew Heatherdown
1. Which of these islands is the largest of the Channel Islands? a) Guernsey b) Jersey c) Sark 2. Which beloved novel by J.R.R.Tolkien celebrates its 85th anniversary this year? a) The Hobbit b) The Return of the King c) The Fellowship of the Ring
Crossword
Solutions to crossword 229 Across: 1 Worksop, 5 Angus, 9 Horam, 10 Marmalade, 11 Othello, 12 Snowdon, 13 Amberley, 15 Sloe, 18 Vita, 20 Polperro, 24 Raeburn, 25 Housman, 27 Sherborne, 28 Heron, 29 Otley, 30 Wisbech. Down: 1 Worth, 2 Rambler, 3 Summoned, 4 Parish, 5 Amazons, 6 Grand Tour, 7 Sterne, 8 The Oval, 14 Bridewell, 16 Loch Ness, 17 Morning, 19 Alum Bay, 21 Prudhoe, 22 Tresco, 23 Andrew, 26 March.
discoverbritainmag.com 81 CROSSWORD & QUIZ
TeatimeQUIZ
Test your knowledge of Britain –answers below! in next
5. Which English actress has starred in both the 1970 and 2022 film adaptations of The Railway Children? a) Emma Thompson b) Kate Winslet c) Jenny Agutter
3. Which Suffragette threw herself under the King’s horse at the Epsom Derby in 1913 in order to make a political statement? a) Emmeline Pankhurst b) Emily Davison c) Millicent Fawcett
4. Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, was the mistress to which king?
Teatimequizanswers:1.B,2.A,3.B,4.A,5.C,6.A
Solutions
Across 7 A Roundhead’s greatest foe (8) 9 Historic castle in Aberdeenshire (6) 10 One of the Brontë sisters (4) 11 Buckinghamshire village where Thomas Gray was inspired to write his famous Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (5,5) 12 Ancient earth-built grave-mound or tumulus (6) 14 Beaded moulding for edging or decorating furniture (8) 15 An officer at certain universities, appointed annually (7) 17 ________ Down, important nature reserve near Marlborough in Wiltshire (7) 20 Historic Shropshire town near the border with Wales (8) 22 “When a man is tired of ________, he is tired of life” (Samuel Johnson) (6) 23 Former county united with Westmorland and part of Lancashire to form Cumbria in 1974 (10) 24 The main tower within the walls of a medieval castle (4) 25 Broad horizontal band of sculpted or painted decoration (6) 26 Caledonian (8) Down 1 York-based architect who did work at Castle Howard and Harewood House (4,4) 2 The main part of a church, excluding the transept and chancel (4) 3 Puzzle consisting of a picture cut into pieces (6) 4 A Northamptonshire market town (8) 5 The ceremony of crowning a sovereign or a sovereign’s consort (10) 6 ________ Brazil, popular author of girls’ school stories (6) 8 Dylan ________, Welsh poet (6) 13 12th-century Cistercian monastery near Rotherham in South Yorkshire (5,5) 16 ________ Park, historic house in the London Borough of Hounslow, now a National Trust property (8) 18 Lost kingdom of Arthurian legend (8) 19 National Trust gardens near Dorking, laid out by Ludwig Messel in 1885 (6) 21 Charles Edward ________, commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie (6) 22 Small market town on the River Chet in the Norfolk Broads (6) 24 ________ Greenaway, 19th-century English artist known especially for her illustrations of children’s books (4) no 230
issue
82 discoverbritainmag.com NATIONAL TREASURES
When her great-great grandmother made the first presentations of the Victoria Cross in 1857, she stayed on horseback throughout the ceremony, no doubt to show respect and honour. Rumour has it, however, that she accidentally stabbed one of the recipients through the chest as she pinned the cross to his uniform. Commander Raby, however, stood unflinching as the cross was fastened; a lifelong badge of honour and the mark of a true British hero. n
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First created during the reign of Queen Victoria to honour the incredible bravery of ordinary British soldiers, the Victoria Cross is still one of the highest awards a British soldier can receive
I n June 1857, in London’s Hyde Park, Queen Victoria presented the first 62 Victoria Crosses in British history to veterans of the Crimea War. The Victoria Cross has since achieved near-mythical status, and its recipients are revered as heroes. To date, a total of 1,358 Victoria Crosses have been awarded to soldiers who have performed extreme acts of bravery in the presence of theWhenenemy.the cross was created, Britain found itself fighting a war with Russia. The Crimean War is considered one of the first ‘modern wars’ with Britain’s newspapers telling tales of daring and bravery for the folk back home.
VictoriaTheCross
Legend has it that the first 111 crosses awarded were cast from the bronze of guns captured in Crimea
Whilst still recovering from his injuries, Private Beharry was presented his award by the Queen, who said to him “It’s been rather a long time since I’ve awarded one of these.’’
Only 13 crosses have been awarded since the end of the Second World War. The most recent was presented to Private Johnson Beharry for his actions in Iraq in 2004, when he saved the lives of his fellow crew members during an enemy ambush.
At the time, the bravery of gallant officers could be recognised via the Order of the Bath, an award founded by George I in 1725, but no award existed to acknowledge the heroic actions of ordinary British servicemen. In 1856, thanks to increasing pressure from the public, Queen Victoria ordered the war office to strike a new medal. The Victoria Cross was made open to all members of the British armed forces from across the Commonwealth and previous British Empire territories, and was awarded for valour, regardless of rank or sex.
The first ever Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to Charles Luca Davis, who, in 1854, saved his entire ship from explosion. When a live shell landed on the deck, Davis disregarded orders to take cover, picked up the shell with its fuse still burning and calmly walked to the edge of the ship and dropped the shell off the side. The prototype for the first cross was made by the London jewellers Hancocks & Co, who still make VCs for presentation today. Legend has it that the first 111 crosses awarded were cast from the bronze of guns captured in Crimea, but there is also a belief that it came from a Chinese bronze cannon, captured during the Opium WarThe(1839-42).decoration of the cross itself is very simple. Worn with a crimson ribbon, the cross is just 1.375 inches wide and bears a crown surmounted by a lion, with the inscription ‘For Valour.’ Originally, this read ‘For Bravery’ but it was changed on the request of Queen Victoria who was concerned that some might mistakenly assume that only the recipients of the Victoria Cross were brave in battle.
It is not only soldiers who have received the Victoria Cross in its time. Elizabeth Webber Harris was an English nurse who was awarded a replica Victoria Cross in 1869 for her bravery during a cholera outbreak in India. She remains the only woman to have been awarded a Victoria Cross of any description.
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