A brand-new permanent display at the Tower of London will lift the lid on the lives of the kings and queens who lived here during the medieval era, including King Henry III and King Edward I, as well as members of their royal households. Visitors to the Medieval Palace, one of the oldest parts of the Tower of London, can take an immersive tour through 13th-century royal apartments to learn more about this often overlooked period of British history at no extra cost.
Charles Farris, public historian at Historic Royal Palaces, which looks after the Tower, said: “This was a pivotal period in the history of the Tower of London. During the reigns of Henry III and Edward I, the Tower expanded to become the huge and mighty fortress we know today.
“The medieval world was dazzling, vibrant, and colourful and visitors will see some amazing objects on display for the first time.”
hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london
WALKFREE
As the film adaptation of The Salt Path hits screens, Indi Bains goes on her own journey of discovery along Cornwall’s coastal path
My Britain
Jen Holme, visitor services manager at
iconic Cornwall landmark, St Michael’s Mount, talks to Jeremy Flint
I’m a local girl. I grew up in Hayle, in west Cornwall, and drove past the island of St Michael’s Mount every day when I went to school in Penzance. I grew to appreciate this island on the landscape as I got older, and how unique and special it was. In my late twenties, I applied for a summer guiding job and have been coming back here every summer since. Eventually, I became a permanent member of staff, and I am now the visitor services manager.
When it comes to being a tour guide and hosting people, my background in theatre (which I studied at Truro and Exmouth universities) is the perfect translatable skill. Starting as an island guide, I worked in the village welcoming people and processing tickets. Over the next 13 years, I worked in the castle as a supervisor and duty manager, and my current role entails looking after the guiding team of 45 people, including the admissions, castle and car park teams, and ensuring every aspect of the attraction is staffed and running smoothly and that everyone has the resources they need, from till rolls to tokens.
The tidal island of St Michael’s Mount is one of those places that gets under your skin. It’s such an incredibly beautiful place, drawing pilgrims on a spiritual journey, and tourists who come to see the famous landmark, learn the castle’s history and appreciate the wonderful views.
We believe the island has been inhabited for about 4,000 years. Two summers ago, during the first archaeological dig in living memory, two roundhouses dating back to this period were discovered. The castle dates from the 12th century and 12 generations of the St Aubyn family have lived here. It is still a much-loved family home, lived in and run by James St Aubyn and his family since 2003 (supported by the National Trust), when his uncle Lord St Levan retired to the mainland. It’s a huge privilege to get to know the family and to work with Lady St Levan on the estate’s foundation work. They are naturally very friendly and open people.
NORTH Pull of the
From ancient tales to modern tables, Matt Dennis brings us a local’s guide to North Cornwall
Ileft the borderlands of North Cornwall and North Devon aged 19, heading out into the world.
“It’s boring, there’s nothing to do. I want some excitement,” I said, but within 10 years, I was back, drawn like a magnet to this region’s rugged shores and rainy days. Back then it wasn’t clear what was drawing me back, but now with age and just a little pinch of maturity I am clearer than ever.
While Devon and Cornwall has its share of mystery and legends throughout, I believe North Cornwall has the lion’s share. Here, stories of Piskie folk, smugglers and pirates, and Will ‘o the Wisps, set around stone circles of unknown origin and foreboding moors, are like the foundations on which the area was built.
In modern times, the culinary nouveau riche have also headed here, creating their own legends, with Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw and the Ainsworths all having restaurants in North Cornwall. This in turn has attracted other celebrities – the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Tori Amos and
Dawn French all have homes in North Cornwall.
It’s this combination of old and new, ancient and modern that makes Cornwall – especially the north –such an irresistible place for many, myself included.
Ancient wonders
One of my favourite routes through North Cornwall heads south from Bude along the coast, where the narrow-at-times road winds and doubles back on itself before descending steeply down the side of gorse-carpeted cliffs. More often than not, these perilous descents end in small coves tucked away between prominent cliffs of monolithic rock that offer shelter from the raging Atlantic.
One of these descents brings you to the picturesque fishing village of Boscastle, a place rich in folklore, which counts the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic alongside its more obvious family-friendly jewels.
As you drive further along the road, the rugged ➤
Legend says it was at Tintagel that Uther Pendragon tricked his way into Igraine’s bed to conceive King Arthur
Right: Tintagel Castle is steeped in Cornish mythology
The long-running period drama Downton Abbey is popular around the world
Downton revisited
With the final instalment of the Downton Abbey franchise in cinemas this September, Henrietta Easton looks back at some of her favourite storylines
Don your dinner jackets, prepare your pearls and get ready to dive back into the deliciously scandalous world of the British aristocracy as we make a return to Downton Abbey this autumn.
After six seasons and two major motion pictures, the world thought the curtains had finally been drawn on the story of the Crawley family, until news broke of a third and final film Downton Abbey: The Grande Finale, to be released in September 2025.
From the first episode of season 1, which set the action on the day the Titanic sank in 1912, fans of the TV show and films have followed the Crawley family, their acquaintances and their household, through the trauma of the First World War to the glamour and changing social order of the 1920s. The final instalment is set in 1930 and we’ll have to wait and see what it will have in store for the characters we’ve grown with, but before we say goodbye, here’s a look back at some of the show’s most beloved characters and their storylines so far (warning, spoilers ahead).
