English Heritage Members' Magazine, October 2021

MEMBERS’ R E WA R D S M a ke b i g s av i n g s this winter with our latest offers!

O C TO B E R 2 0 21

R A I N Y DAY ADVENTURES Get inspired with our round-up of the best rain-proof family days out to enjoy

H E AV E N LY VISIONS Discover our project to preserve the biblical wall paintings at St Mary’s Church, Kempley

AUTUMN EXPERIENCES Make the most of the season with our guide to the unmissable events across the country

AW E INSPIRING ESCAPES Discover the stories of our spectacular ancient abbeys, priories and monasteries with your membership

The outdoors is for everyone and it’s what we make it.

But it’s not just about where we go or what we do.

What makes an adventure great is the right kit and the right fit. Our in-store experts and services will help you find and care for kit made for adventure, not for landfill, so together we can reduce our impact and protect the places we love.

15% discount for English Heritage readers Code: AF-EH-N9 in-store and online. Expires: 31.03.22. T&Cs available online.

Aileen, in-store expert, South Cerney #maketherightchoice

Welcome Get in touch

W www.english-heritage.org.uk/members E membersmagazine@immediate.co.uk (for magazine queries only) or members@english-heritage.org.uk (for membership queries and changes of address) T 0370 333 1181 PO Box 569, Swindon, SN2 2YP

For English Heritage

Luke Whitcomb, Johanna Lovesey, Tom Dennis, Tony Dike, Tom Moriarty, Tersia Boorer, Fran Gibbons, Richard Leatherdale

For Immediate Media Co.

Group editor Matt Havercroft Group production editor Oliver Hurley Senior art editor Sam Freeman Art editor Elaine Knight-Roberts Account director Esther Procee Account manager Joanne Robinson Director Julie Williams Editorial director Dan Linstead Design director Will Slater Consultant editor Dave Musgrove Advertising manager Jamie Bolton Advertising enquiries 0117 300 8518; jamie.bolton@immediate.co.uk

Contributors

Sir Tim Laurence, Jo Caird, Peter Moore, Michael Carter, Helen Dorritt, Anna Eavis, Matt Ford, Jeremy Ashbee, Andrew Hann, Sally Johnson, Howard Spencer English Heritage Members’ Magazine is published four times a year, in March, May, July and October, on behalf of English Heritage by Immediate Media Co, Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST T +44 (0)117 927 9009 W www.immediate.co.uk

Advertising income

Thank you to our advertisers and partners. The income we raise from adverts and inserts helps to cover the costs of producing your magazine.

Support us

English Heritage is a charity. Without the support of our Members and donors, our work would not be possible. To find out more about how you can help by making a donation or leaving a gift in your will, please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us or call the fundraising team on 020 7973 3797.

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here are an incredible 12,861 individual windows in our collection of more than 1,200 historic buildings. Each of these windows represents the status of the property owner and the architectural trends of the day. However, a growing number now need urgent repair due to the ravages of time and exposure to the elements, so we’re launching a new appeal to rescue these windows into the past. See page 30 to find out how you can support this critical work. On page 24, you can also find details of the latest project to rescue our collection of rare and fragile wall paintings following our last appeal in 2019.

As this magazine lands on your doorstep, our site teams are busy preparing to welcome you over the autumn and winter months. With an amazing events programme (see page 69), our new and exclusive Chairman’s Lecture series (see page 16) and our indoor spaces open again, we’ve got plenty of options for a great day out, whatever the weather (see page 40).

Have a wonderful winter break and thank you for your support.

Kate Mavor Chief Executive

Contributors

English Heritage cares for more than 400 historic monuments, buildings and places – from world-famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles, and from Roman forts on the edges of the empire to Cold War bunkers.

Through these we bring the Story of England to life for more than 10 million visitors each year.

January to December 2020: 446,054 Registered charity no. 1140351 (England) Registered company no. 07447221 (England) Product code: 200724

Michael Carter Senior properties historian On page 34, Michael reveals what happened to England’s monastic treasures after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century

Anna Eavis Curatorial director On page 48, Anna explains why it is our duty to tell the stories of our buildings, monuments and collections – even if this occasionally means acknowledging some uncomfortable truths

Howard Spencer Senior historian, blue plaques On page 82, Howard looks back at the life of Queen’s Freddie Mercury, who is commemorated by a blue plaque at his childhood home in Feltham, London www.english-heritage.org.uk

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Contents October 2021

F E AT U R E S

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Meet the expert

Introducing archaeologist Tony Wilmott at Birdoswald Roman Fort

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New this season

Expand your mind this winter through our exclusive Chairman’s Lecture series

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Expert care

The project to conserve the biblical wall paintings at St Mary’s Church, Kempley

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Close up

Discover the Native American objects in the collection at Audley End House

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Stories of England

What happened to sacred treasures after the Dissolution of the Monasteries?

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Great days out

Inspiration for autumn and winter excursions in any weather

Cover image Enjoying a walk among the soaring ruins of Whitby Abbey on the North Yorkshire coast

REGULARS

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The big picture

Tripping the light fantastic at our illuminating Enchanted events

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Latest news

The return of the Battle of Hastings re-enactment, a revealing sculpture trail at Brodsworth Hall and Gardens and more

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20 questions quiz

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Test your knowledge of England’s autumn and winter traditions

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‘WITH OUR INDOOR SPACES OPEN AGAIN, THERE’S NO NEED TO LET RAIN STOP PLAY’

O V E R T O YO U

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My experience

How a 15th-century tale inspired Katie Waller to embark on a ghost hunt at Bramber Castle in West Sussex

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Contested history

Curatorial director Anna Eavis on tackling uncomfortable truths

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Ask the experts

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We put your latest questions to a panel of our experts

Behind the scenes

We meet the people improving accessibility at our historic sites

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What’s on

Start planning your days out with our guide to events taking place at our sites across the country

CHRIS BOLTON; OLIVER EDWARDS; MIKE PINCHES; GARETH IWAN JONES; MICHAEL BOWLES; MIKE HARRINGTON; FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, ON LOAN TO ENGLISH HERITAGE AT AUDLEY END HOUSE AND GARDENS, ESSEX

Your say

The best of your emails and the trending topics on our social media channels

CHRIS BOLTON

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THE BIG PICTURE

Enjoy an Enchanted evening at Audley End and Eltham Palace Gather your friends and family to banish the dark winter nights and experience the past in a spectacular new light this December.

Explore the grounds and gardens after sunset at Audley End in Essex and Eltham Palace in London to discover a magical world of illumination, sound and colour, and see our historic buildings bathed in light, similar to this photo from the 2019 event at Audley End. Warm up with a glass of mulled wine, toast a marshmallow under the night sky or hop on a traditional fairground ride. Our shops will also be open for you to stock up on a range of Christmas gifts, from traditional toys to award-winning food and drink. www.english-heritage.org.uk/events

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Latest news Keep up to date with the latest news and developments

GARETH IWAN JONES

EVENT

The Battle of Hastings re-enactment returns 8

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fter a year off due to Covid restrictions, the Battle of Hastings re-enactment is back at 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield in East Sussex. Taking place on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 October, the event will see 500 re-enactors fighting it out on the very spot where King Harold and William of Normandy clashed in 1066.

Visitors will also be able to wander into each army’s encampment, where they can experience first-hand the conditions for 11th-century soldiers and see them practise their skills. There’s plenty for

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kids too, including the chance to adopt the guise of a Norman or Saxon soldier and take part in a mock battle.

‘We’ve kept in all the classic favourites such as the have-a-go archery, falconry and cavalry displays, and we’re also introducing some more hands-on elements involving some of the weaponry that would have been used in 1066,’ says Natasha Williams, head of historic properties for Sussex. ‘The only thing still to decide is whether you’ll be cheering for the Normans or the Saxons to win!’ www.english-heritage.org.uk/battle

NEWS

EXHIBITION

New sculptures reflect stories of slave trade A new exhibition at Brodsworth Hall and Gardens in South Yorkshire seeks to address the site’s connection to the transatlantic slave trade. ‘Liberty and Lottery: Exploring the Legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade at Brodsworth Hall and Gardens’ is named after the two slaving ships (the Liberty and the Lottery) part-owned by Brodsworth’s owner Peter Thellusson, who was also involved in financing plantations. Thellusson bought the Brodsworth estate in 1791. The pieces are by carnival artist Carl Gabriel (pictured) and are crafted using a traditional wirebending technique. They will be installed on five plinths in the garden and the hall.

The exhibition runs until November 2022. www.english-heritage.org.uk/brodsworth

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The number of years since the completion of Berwick Barracks in Northumberland. www.english-heritage. org.uk/berwickbarracks

Latest blue plaques celebrate achievements in TV and medical science

IN NUMBERS

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Years since the first Poppy Appeal took place on 11 November 1921. www.englishheritage.org.uk/ london-wwi-memorials

49.5

The diameter in cm of new plaques commissioned for the London blue plaques scheme. www.english-heritage.org. uk/blue-plaques

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BLUE PLAQUES WORDS: HOWARD SPENCER. PHOTOGRAPH: ALAMY

Interpretation manager Nadine Langford on sharing Charles Darwin’s experiments at Down House in Kent What’s the new project at Down House?

New interactive posts have been placed around the garden to tell visitors about the experiments Darwin undertook to help prove his theory of natural selection. Aimed at visitors of all ages, each post has a handson element, as well as text that explains the experiment. There’s also a new interactive exhibition in the area behind the glasshouses.

What are the activities visitors can do?

They include a two-player quiz, optical illusions based on Victorian toys, matching games, peepholes and magnifiers. There will also be a ‘bee maze’ aimed at younger visitors.

How will it enhance a visit to Down House?

It will allow visitors to really understand the garden’s world-changing significance.

BLUE PLAQUES

They’ll be able to see how this fairly humble domestic garden continues to encourage curiosity and conversation. It will make Down House more engaging for families and give children so many more things to see and do. www.english-heritage.org.uk/downhouse

Another two fascinating figures have been honoured with blue plaques at their former London homes. Jim Henson (1936–90, pictured) was the creative force behind The Muppets and the voice of Kermit the Frog. From 1975 The Muppet Show was made at Elstree, which drew the Mississippi-born puppeteer to London.The TV show was hugely popular in Britain, where it tapped into music hall traditions.

Henson’s London base from 1979 until his death was 50 Downshire Hill, Hampstead, which his blue plaque now graces. On the same road, at 1B, was his ‘creature shop’, where work was done for movies including The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986).

Pioneering neurologist James Samuel Risien Russell (1863–1939) helped to advance knowledge of the brain and the nervous system.

He advocated treating mentally ill people outside institutions, and took a particular interest in the treatment of shell shock.

Risien Russell was born in what is now Guyana: his father was Scottish and his mother was of African descent. A professor at UCL, he was one of the first British consultants from an ethnic minority background. His blue plaque marks his former home and consulting rooms at 44 Wimpole Street, Marylebone.

The English Heritage Guide to London’s Blue Plaques is available from www. englishheritage shop. org.uk.

THREE TO SEE

Intriguing artefacts to look out for when visiting our sites

IN MY VIEW

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Art deco dining table display

The Madonna and Child, 1845

Female head, 14th century

Helen Allen

Free site partnership manager

Hidden among the busy Bristol streets lies a treasure within a treasure, relatively unknown to city dwellers. In the 1130s, a distinctive round church called Holy Cross was built by the Order of the Knights Templar, who gave their name to both the local area as well as the later Temple Church, built in the 14th century on the same site. This church fell victim to bombing in 1940 and, although it suffered severe damage, was deemed too important to demolish.

Excavations in the 1960s revealed the foundations of the 12thcentury church for the first time and the important local history began to unfold. Fast-forward 60 years and English Heritage is working to protect the church’s historic fabric for the future.

Once conserved and made safe, the ruins will have retained their unique atmosphere and, in a year or two, you will find this important local landmark being used as a community hub. The project at Bristol Temple Church is a wonderful example of the value in caring for our free-toenter sites. Unlike projects at sites with ticketed entry, the work at Temple Church will not create any additional revenue for the charity. But it’s thanks to your membership that we are able to undertake critical conservation that will result in a church once again responding to the needs of the community in which it has sat for centuries.

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The dining room at Eltham Palace and Gardens has a new table display reflecting the lavish dinners hosted here in the 1930s.

This Raphael-influenced painting by William Dyce is back at Osborne after it appeared in an exhibition on Prince Albert’s passion for Raphael.

An exquisitely carved head, representing a saint or major benefactor of Muchelney Abbey, has gone on display for the first time at the site.

MUSEUM

Exciting new developments at Aldborough Roman Town A year-long refresh has recently been completed at Aldborough Roman Town’s museum, which is home to an outstanding collection of Roman finds. The museum at the North Yorkshire site now showcases for the first time many objects excavated from Aldborough, ranging from antiquarian discoveries to the most recent excavations by the University of Cambridge. Each object helps to build a picture of life in the town, from Roman administration and traditions to leisure, architecture, dining and beliefs.

There are also new interpretation panels and captions in the museum, plus an external interpretation panel scheme. Aldborough Roman Town was once the ancient Roman settlement of Isurium Brigantum, the capital of the Brigantes tribe. A vital point for communication, trading and administration in the north of England, the site – which will reopen to visitors in April – is also home to two Roman mosaic pavements and a section of the original town wall. www.english-heritage.org.uk/aldborough

EXPLAINED

What’s happening to the lintels at Stonehenge?

A new project at Stonehenge will repair cracks in the lintels – the elevated horizontal stones – and repack joints with lime mortar to make the stones safe. Laser scans of every stone revealed cracks and holes in the lintels, which are made of dense sarsen stones.

A conservation plan has been put in place to prevent further erosion and to repair earlier works from the 1950s–60s: the concrete mortar that had been used to fix the lintels together is now disintegrating. This is the first major work to take place on the stones since the last restorations at Stonehenge nearly 60 years ago. www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge

ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST/© HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2021

The value of caring for our free-to-enter sites

GIVE THE GIFT OF THE PAST

This Christmas, why not give your loved ones a gift to remember by treating them to English Heritage membership? By sharing your love of the past, you’ll be giving the lucky recipient the chance to enjoy a year’s worth of memorable experiences – and with this exclusive offer code, you can save 20%*.

Offer ends 24 December 2021. * Not available with any other offer.

Visit www.english-heritage.org. uk/gift to find out more.

USE CODE: GIFT2021

The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a company, no. 07447221, registered in England.

CHRISTMAS CARDS

SEASON’S GREETINGS

Share the festive cheer with friends and family with our new Victorian-themed Christmas collection

Bring some festive fun this Christmas with these delightful English Heritage greetings cards. Many of our most cherished Christmas traditions can be traced back to the Victorian period, including Christmas cards themselves – the first of which was sent in 1843. This year, our exclusive range of cards pays tribute to the very Victorian tradition of combining warm festive greetings with adorably anthropomorphised animals. The illustrations on the cards include an ice-skating robin, a letter-posting squirrel and a family of mice tucking into a traditional Christmas pudding.

The whimsical designs are also available on matching gift tags and wrapping paper.

Packs of 24 cards cost just £12, and the collection is available to buy online now. www.english-heritageshop.org.uk

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CHRISTMAS CARDS featuring original artwork for just £12 Order online at www.english-heritageshop.org.uk

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M E E T TH E E X PE RT

Tony Wilmott Archaeologist, Birdoswald Roman Fort and Richborough Roman Fort INTERVIEW MAT T HAVERCROF T PHOTOGR APHS MIKE PINCHES

I’m a senior archaeologist for Historic England and have been working with English Heritage since 1987.

Since then I’ve excavated a number of the charity’s sites, starting at Birdoswald Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall, where I’ve led 12 excavation seasons.

I’ve also directed other excavations on Hadrian’s Wall, including evaluations of 12 milecastles.

Away from the frontier, I have also worked for many seasons at Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire, Richborough Roman Fort Amphitheatre in Kent, and Chester Roman Amphitheatre in Cheshire.

I’m currently working on a major four-year excavation project back at Birdoswald. This is a joint project between Historic England and Newcastle University, facilitated by English Heritage. It’s a research excavation, which is also being run as a training excavation for Newcastle students, with a particular emphasis on introducing methods of digital recording, training the next generation of archaeologists.

The project is investigating the relationship between the Roman fort and its extensive surrounding settlement. The fort settlements were, as we now understand it, the towns of the Roman military north, and contained all the facilities one would expect of a small Roman town. This year we are concentrating on the east side and, in subsequent years, we’ll be looking at areas to the east and north.

So far we’ve found two buildings on the street running out of the east gate of the fort, which were probably commercial buildings. One of them has produced a flagon and fragments of cups, as well as gaming counters, and so it may be a tavern. We’re also clearly in the area of the fort bathhouse as we’ve found large quantities of hypocaust flue tiles, layers of soot and ash, and olive oil amphorae, all of which are 14

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Clockwise from above Tony and two students from Newcastle University examine one of the trenches; Tony is a lead archaeologist on the four-year project at Birdoswald Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland; studying fragments of Roman pottery

typical bathhouse finds. The largest building we have uncovered stood two metres high and is probably associated with the baths. Other buildings show signs of long occupation and frequent alteration, and we suspect their use continued long after the presumed ‘end’ of Roman Britain.

My next project is at Richborough Roman Fort in Kent, where I’ll be excavating the entrance of its amphitheatre from mid-September for nine weeks.

Very little is known of this structure, which was last excavated in 1846. We will be looking to answer questions concerning the building’s architecture, construction and abandonment, as well as its relationship with the surrounding settlement. This is part of a broader project to extend knowledge of the site, improve presentation, and provide access to the amphitheatre for visitors. We plan to offer tours of the excavation site, so come and see it for yourself.

DISCOVER MORE To plan a visit to Birdoswald Roman Fort, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/birdoswald. To plan a visit to Richborough Roman Fort, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/richborough

‘We’ve already discovered a lot more about the relationship between the settlement and the fort’

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E XCLU S IVE FRE E M E M B E RS ’ E VE NTS

THE CHAIRMAN’S LECTURES Devised by English Heritage chairman Sir Tim Laurence, our new, exclusive and free Members’ lecture series will give you the opportunity to meet our experts and learn more about the stories of our sites through a series of six virtual events, starting in October One of the greatest pleasures in my role as chairman of the English Heritage Trust is the opportunity it affords for learning – learning about our shared histories and the people and places that helped to shape England as we know it today. So, I’m delighted to be involved in this new project that will provide Members with an exciting opportunity to discover more about some of the sites and objects in our care, in the company of a selection of the charity’s leading experts.

Beginning in October, we will broadcast a series of six virtual lectures that you can watch from the comfort of your own home. These exclusive Members’ events will cast fresh light on the stories of our properties and the people who lived in them. Each of the lectures will be presented by a historian, curator or conservator and cover a rich and diverse array of English history.

Head properties curator Dr Jeremy Ashbee will be discussing what life was like in medieval castles.

Senior properties historian Dr Michael Carter will reveal what happened to England’s monastic treasures following the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The conservation of The Vegetable Seller, a painting attributed to 16th-century Dutch master Joachim Beuckalear, will be the subject of a lecture by paintings conservator Alice Tate-Harte,

while senior properties historian Paul Pattison will share the secrets of one of England’s most significant Roman sites in his lecture, ‘Richborough: Gateway to Britannia’. Charles Darwin’s laboratory at the naturalist’s former home at Down House in Kent will be the focus of a talk by landscape advisor Emily Parker. And senior properties historian Dr Megan Leyland will be sharing her knowledge of Henrietta Howard, the former mistress of King George II, and the remarkable retreat she created at Marble Hill in London.

Each lecture will be followed by an opportunity for you to put your questions to the speaker. If you can’t attend any of the lectures on the day, don’t worry as you will also have a chance to watch them on-demand at a later date.

I do hope that you will take this opportunity to take part in this exciting new initiative, and I’d like to thank you for your continued support of English Heritage as Members.

Sir Tim Laurence Chairman, English Heritage Trust www.english-heritage.org.uk

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‘People instinctively grasp the importance of castles as historical sites’

LIFE (AND DEATH) IN THE MEDIEVAL CASTLE LECTURER DR JEREMY ASHBEE, HEAD PROPERTIES CURATOR DATE TUE 5 OCT, 6PM Jeremy is responsible for providing specialist advice on the conservation and presentation of English Heritage’s 420 ancient monuments and historic buildings. He specialises in the study of medieval palaces and castles, using a combination of archaeological, architectural and documentary research, and has published widely on the subject.

Many hundreds of castles stand throughout the country as witnesses to England’s history, and many people instinctively grasp their importance as historical sites.

‘It can be difficult to connect the ragged and bare stonework of a ruined building like Goodrich, Dunstanburgh, Restormel or Clifford’s Tower with

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the men and women, rich and poor, who formerly lived there,’ says Jeremy. ‘Fortunately, many of the castles that are managed by English Heritage are both well-preserved and well-documented, and we can sometimes link surviving places with individuals whose names and personal histories are known.’

This lecture will employ some of the discoveries made through analysis of the buildings and immersion in the archives to evoke the lost individuals and communities of medieval castles.

‘The jury is still considering its verdict on the question of what castles were built for,’ adds Jeremy. ‘But we can say in some detail, sometimes surprisingly, what castles were used for.’

E XCLU S IVE FRE E M E M B E RS ’ E VE NTS

WHAT HAPPENED TO ENGLAND’S MONASTIC TREASURES FOLLOWING THE DISSOLUTION OF THE MONASTERIES? LECTURER DR MICHAEL CARTER, SENIOR PROPERTIES HISTORIAN DATE TUE 2 NOV, 6PM Michael specialises in monasticism, with a particular focus on the late Middle Ages. His primary areas of interest are monastic art and architecture, relics, and monastic books and libraries. Michael has lectured and published widely and, since joining English Heritage in 2015, has worked on major projects at Battle, Hailes, Rievaulx and Whitby abbeys.

Between 1536 and 1540, on the orders of Henry VIII, every abbey and priory in England – around 800 in total – was forcibly closed. Four years of destruction left monasteries such as Furness Abbey, Binham Priory and Rievaulx Abbey in ruins and

resulted in the dispossession of as many as 14,000 monks, nuns and friars, as well as countless monastic servants and tenants.

But what happened to England’s monastic treasures after the Dissolution – and how many of them survive today? In this lecture, Michael will look at the fate of the gold and silver, the bells and sculptures, the crosses and candlesticks that were removed from these religious houses.

He will examine how much wealth the monasteries had, who was buying their treasures, the role played by the royal officials – and the efforts that monks and nuns made to save the valuable assets that had once belonged to their abbeys and priories.

WHAT LIES BENEATH? CONSERVING THE VEGETABLE SELLER LECTURER ALICE TATE-HARTE, COLLECTIONS CONSERVATOR (FINE ART) DATE TUE 7 DEC, 6PM Alice cares for the national collection of paintings, frames and gilded furniture at 35 sites.

She undertakes practical conservation as well as technical examination of paintings to find out more about the artists’ techniques and materials, which can help with attributing unknown paintings.

A painting known as The Vegetable Seller had been hidden from the public in a storeroom for 60 years until it was recently displayed at Audley End House in Essex following a two-year conservation treatment.

The cleaning and structural treatment of the painting was transformative and revealed the artist’s original intentions, including

the very different expression of the vegetable seller herself. Subsequent conservation and technical analysis have also led to a new attribution.

‘The painting was made by someone close to Joachim Beuckalear, a brilliant 16th-century Netherlandish painter,’ explains Alice. ‘It could even be by the master himself, and it dates from the 1560s, 200 years earlier than anyone previously thought.’

In this lecture, Alice will explain how the painting was cleaned, resized and retouched, and will guide us through the ethics of the conservation treatment. Looking at the subject of the painting, she will show us what the fruit and vegetables can reveal about the history of the painting. www.english-heritage.org.uk

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RICHBOROUGH: GATEWAY TO BRITANNIA LECTURER PAUL PATTISON, SENIOR PROPERTIES HISTORIAN DATE TUE 11 JAN, 6PM Paul is responsible for providing research on sites cared for by the charity, especially for interpretation projects and guidebooks. Having spent 20 years as an archaeologist, Paul is a history all-rounder but specialises in fortifications of all periods. He has been published on a wide variety of subjects and periods.

Standing tall and imposing on a low hill near Sandwich in Kent, the walls of a Saxon Shore fort testify to Richborough’s Roman story.

‘Excavations in the 1920s uncovered the remains of an earlier Roman fortification, connected to the

period of the emperor Claudius’s invasion and the very beginning of the province of Britannia,’ says Paul.

‘Decades later, Richborough received imperial patronage in the construction of a huge monumental arch, thought by some historians to mark the “end of the Roman conquest” and a ceremonial entry to Britannia.

Thereafter, Richborough became a coastal town, with temples and an amphitheatre, although new fortifications were built during the 3rd century.’

In this lecture, Paul will explore the long story of Richborough, its enigmatic place in the story of Roman Britain, and its survival to the end of Roman administration of our island.

CHARLES DARWIN’S LIVING LABORATORY AT DOWN HOUSE LECTURER EMILY PARKER, LANDSCAPE ADVISOR DATE TUE 8 FEB, 6PM Emily specialises in garden history and designed landscape conservation. Emily’s primary research interests are garden design in the 18th century, including the role of Alexander Pope, Capability Brown and Humphry Repton. She is also interested in the social history of gardens and how people enjoyed and worked in them throughout history.

In 1859, while living at Down House in Kent, Charles Darwin published his theory of natural selection in his book On the Origin of Species.

It explained how every living thing is connected in a family tree that stretches back millions of years. As well as being Darwin’s family home for 40 years, Down House was where 20

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he developed and tested the theories published in this book. The garden at Down House was Darwin’s ‘living laboratory’, where he conducted hundreds of experiments on the natural world.

‘Although these experiments were well researched, until recently there was no interpretation in the garden to allow visitors to really understand its world-changing significance,’ says Emily. ‘In 2021 we launched a new project that provides visitors of all ages with ways to explore and investigate Darwin’s living laboratory.’

In this lecture, Emily will take us behind the scenes of the project to reveal more about Darwin’s experiments and the role they played in informing his groundbreaking theories.

E XCLU S IVE FRE E M E M B E RS ’ E VE NTS

‘At Marble Hill, Howard entertained on a scale that was even said at one time to have rivalled the royals’ Megan specialises in country houses and has a particular interest in gender history. She has been the project historian for ‘Marble Hill Revived’ since joining English Heritage over six years ago, and has also worked on a range of other projects at sites including Richmond Castle, Kirby Hall and Bolsover Castle.

HENRIETTA HOWARD AND HER RETREAT AT MARBLE HILL LECTURER DR MEGAN LEYLAND, SENIOR PROPERTIES HISTORIAN DATE TUE 8 MAR, 6PM

Marble Hill was built in the 1720s by a remarkable woman: Henrietta Howard (1689–1767), Countess of Suffolk. Situated on the banks of the River Thames in Twickenham, this perfectly proportioned villa is surrounded by gardens inspired by the ‘ancient’ past. Here, Howard entertained her cultural, political and intellectual circle on a scale that was even said at one time to have rivalled the royals. However, Marble Hill was also a much longed-for retreat after a turbulent early life, an abusive marriage and decades spent navigating the royal court as both a mistress to King George II and servant in the household of his wife, Caroline.

Drawing on extensive research undertaken as part of English Heritage’s ‘Marble Hill Revived’ project, this talk will look at Henrietta Howard’s elegant retreat and her fascinating life. It will highlight the latest discoveries on the house and garden, engross listeners in the poetry and correspondence of the age, and explore Marble Hill’s importance in the life of its intelligent and resourceful creator.

LECTURE SERIES PRESENTER ANNA EAVIS, CURATORIAL DIRECTOR Anna is responsibile for the presentation of more than 400 historic sites and their collections. She is also a trustee of the Stained Glass Museum, Ely, and of the Leeds Castle Foundation, and is a member of the fabric advisory committees at Salisbury Cathedral and Canterbury Cathedral.

WATCH THE LECTURES To find out more and to watch the lectures, go to www. english-heritage.org.uk/ chairmans-lectures www.english-heritage.org.uk

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highlands to the islands

An island hopping expedition from Oban to Portsmouth aboard the MS Serenissima 29th July to 6th August 2022 This expedition has been devised to celebrate the stunning scenery of the British Isles from the highlands of Scotland to the outlying islands off the English coast. Sailing from Oban we will spend eight nights island hopping including a day in the beautiful Hebrides and visits to Tory Island, the Isle of Man and Lundy, rarely visited gems which are almost never included in cruise schedules. Our time will be spent walking the nature trails, seeing the abundant birdlife and flowers and experiencing life in these remote communities. Continuing south to the Isles of Scilly and the Channel Islands we visit amazing little contained worlds including the subtropical Abbey Gardens of Tresco and St Martin’s, Guernsey and Herm with their crystal clear waters and fine white sandy beaches that would not disgrace a Caribbean island.

With a maximum of just 95 passengers, the MS Serenissima is the perfect ship for our venture. With her ability to reach remote ports and, with the use of the Zodiacs, we will be able to explore in small groups, ensuring the solitude we find on the isles is not disturbed. Our journey offers a portrait of life in our islands and is a wonderful opportunity to see some of our most beautiful places, meet some interesting inhabitants and learn more about both the past and present of Britain.

MS Serenissima The charming MS Serenissima accommodates a maximum of just 95 guests in attractively designed cabins which feature air conditioning, modern shower and toilet, telephone, flat screen television and other thoughtful appointments. Cabins are arranged over five decks and all feature either windows or portholes and the suites feature balconies. Onboard facilities include a lido area with a bar and Jacuzzi, two lounges, a small library and a spacious observation deck. The free seating Venice Restaurant accommodates all guests in one sitting. In addition, there is an outside dining area for when the weather and itinerary permit. The atmosphere on board is warm and welcoming, and the emphasis is on well thought out itineraries, relaxation, time spent with like-minded passengers and discovery.

For full details on this holiday call us today on 020 7752 0000 for your copy of our brochure.

SMALL SHIPS – BIG EXPERIENCES WITH NOBLE CALEDONIA

village hall and enjoy some of their legendary storytelling, music and dance. Tory Island is also famous for its migratory birds; seabirds nest here in large numbers and a puffin colony nests on the northern cliffs.

SCOTLAND Tory Island

Iona

Portrush

Oban Colonsay Rathlin Island

NORTHERN IRELAND

Peel ISLE OF MAN

WALES ENGLAND

Skomer Lundy

Portsmouth

St Martin’s Tresco ISLES OF SCILLY

Guernsey CHANNEL Herm ISLANDS

The Itinerary in Brief Day 1 Oban, Scotland. Embark the MS Serenissima this afternoon.

Transfers will be provided from Glasgow International Airport and Glasgow Central Railway Station at a fixed time. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner as we sail this evening.

Day 2 Colonsay & Iona. We will spend the morning exploring the island of Colonsay with her craggy, heather-clad hills and sparse woodland yet impressive array of plants and birdlife. Near Colonsay House, built in 1722 by Malcolm MacNeil and bought by Lord Strathcona in 1904, we will visit the attractively dilapidated woodland gardens which protect the tiny, enigmatic 8th century St Oran’s Cross.

We continue to Iona which has been occupied for thousands of years and has been a place of pilgrimage and Christian worship for several centuries.

Visit the Abbey or perhaps walk along the white sandy beaches or go in search of the corncrake amongst the irises.

Day 3 Tory Island, Ireland. Located off the northwest coast of Ireland and home to 150 or so Gaelic speakers, Tory Island is the most remote inhabited Irish island; although only 14 miles offshore, it feels like many more and island life here is full of traditions. Meet some of the local community in the

Day 4 Rathlin Island & Portrush, Northern Ireland. Just a few miles from the North Antrim coast, Rathlin Island has been settled for more than 6000 years. Today, there are only 140 or so souls, whereas before the Great Famine there were 1200 inhabitants. History can be seen everywhere here amongst the historic buildings and ruins. Enjoy a guided walk which will also take in the seabird life as well as grey and harbour seals.

Also see the unique “upside down” Rathlin West Light, a great feat of engineering and one of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland. Over lunch we sail to Portrush, our base for a visit to the Giant’s Causeway which became widely known from the 1700s as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ and large numbers of visitors came to view this amazing array of basalt columns – it is estimated that there are around 40,000 in total.

Day 5 Peel, Isle of Man. Arrive this morning on the Isle of Man at the main fishing port of Peel. Leaving Peel we will visit Tynwald Hill, located in the little village of St John’s.

This grass-topped, tiered hill is made from the soil and stones from each of the island’s 17 parishes and is the point from which, each 5th of July, all the laws enacted in the year preceding are promulgated to the gathered government officials and the public at large, both in Manx and English languages. Continue to Castletown where we board the vintage steam train for a delightful and traditional journey to Douglas.

Dating from 1874, the Isle of Man Steam Railway is the island’s oldest

Victorian rail system and this narrow gauge railway still runs with its original locomotives and carriages.

Return to the ship for lunch and an afternoon at leisure to explore Peel.

Day 6 Skomer, Wales & Lundy, England. Be on deck this morning as we pass Skomer Island, one of the most important wildlife sites in Northern Europe. It is a marvellously peaceful and scenic island with fantastic birdlife including 6,000 pairs of puffins and the elusive Manx shearwater and storm petrel. We may also see the seal colony hauled out over the rocks. Continue to Lundy, a remote island in the Bristol Channel. Although small, just three miles long by half a mile wide, its isolation has made it a home for a range of wildlife whilst it is also home to a clutch of listed buildings and monuments. Spend the afternoon being as active as you wish, maybe explore the wide bays and coves by way of hanging valleys, see ancient burial chambers, climb the lighthouse, have a drink at the tavern or buy the island’s ‘puffin stamps’ at the shop.

Day 7 Tresco & St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly. We will spend the day exploring the beautiful Isles of Scilly.

From our central anchorage, we will

use our Zodiacs to visit traffic-free Tresco, walking its idyllic lanes from the beach to the famous subtropical Abbey Gardens. Defying the Atlantic weather, this miracle of a garden is home to more than 20,000 species of plants from over 80 countries.

Later we will tender ashore to the northernmost island of the group, St Martin’s, a small island community of just 120 residents. Enjoy time to explore independently, climb to one of the viewpoints for vistas over the islands and the offshore seal colonies or maybe join one of our birders on a guided walk.

Day 8 Guernsey & Herm, Channel Islands. Anchor this morning off Guernsey, the ‘Island of Flowers’.

There will be the option of a walking tour of St Peter Port including a visit to Castle Cornet, a 12th century battlement which guards the entrance to St Peter Port Harbour. Alternatively, enjoy a panoramic island drive. Over lunch we sail the short distance to Herm, the smallest inhabited Channel Island and, at just one and a half miles long and half a mile wide, perfect for discovering on foot.

Day 9 Portsmouth, England.

Disembark this morning. Transfers will be provided to Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station at a fixed time.

PRICES & INCLUSIONS

Prices per person based on double occupancy start from £3695 for a category 2 cabin.

WHAT’S INCLUDED: Eight nights aboard the MS Serenissima on a full board basis • House wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner • Noble Caledonia expedition team • Shore excursions • Gratuities • Transfers.

NB: Zodiacs will be used regularly during this expedition. Travel insurance is not included in the price. Ports & itinerary are subject to change. Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations.

Alternatively view or request online at www.noble-caledonia.co.uk

SMALL SHIPS - BIG EXPERIENCES

Conservators Stephen Rickerby and Lisa Shekede assess the paintings at St Mary’s Church, Kempley

DIVINE I N TE RV E N T I O N

Thanks to your support for our 2019 appeal to save our wall paintings, the rare Romanesque frescoes at St Mary’s Church, Kempley, are undergoing essential conservation work. We headed to Gloucestershire to learn more WORDS JO CAIRD PHOTOGR APHS OLIVER EDWARDS

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W

alking into the chancel at St Mary’s Church in Kempley, Gloucestershire, it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. It’s dimly lit here compared with the sunlight-filled nave, but it’s not long before the treasures that cover these centuriesold walls begin to make their presence felt.

Twelve apostles lead your gaze upwards towards the figure of Christ, who’s resplendent on the ceiling and framed in a bubble of white. Winged figures – the symbols of the gospels – surround him, while a sun and moon shine above his head. This Apocalypse was painted directly on to fresh plaster 900 years ago, around the time this tiny church was built, meaning that the details are sometimes hard to make out. But the more time you spend with them, the more you see.

These works were designed to tell the story of the coming of the Kingdom of God, to inspire medieval churchgoers to live their lives in accordance with the Lord’s will. While the paintings will not affect most modern viewers in the way their designer originally intended, these images nonetheless make for an evocative experience.

St Mary’s may look like an ordinary English church from the outside – solid and dependable, surrounded by a neat and tidy graveyard where bees buzz among the wildflowers – but don’t be fooled by this simple-looking exterior.

A heritage gem

‘We have the most complete cycle of Romanesque wall painting anywhere in Northern Europe,’ says Michael Carter, senior properties historian at English Heritage, which is responsible for St Mary’s.

‘It’s really quite stunning.’ The paintings are located all around the church, which historians believe was probably built in around 1130 by Baron Hugh de Lacy to memorialise the journey of his father’s body from Hereford to Gloucester.

Along with some later medieval works, these wall paintings are the subject of a major conservation project. Started last spring and continuing in the autumn and again in spring 2022, the restoration is part of a wider programme to safeguard all 77 precious wall paintings in English Heritage’s portfolio. These include those at Bolsover Castle, Lullingstone Roman Villa, Wrest Park, Berry Pomeroy Castle, Farleigh Hungerford Castle and Longthorpe Tower. Funding for the conservation programme comes partly from the Save Our Story – Wall Paintings appeal that was launched back in October 2019.

The current focus of the conservation work at St Mary’s is a detailed investigation into www.english-heritage.org.uk

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the paintings and the rate at which they’re deteriorating. ‘We’re trying to get back to first base really, to assess the condition of these paintings.

Although famous, no one has really looked at their condition for some time,’ explains Stephen Rickerby, one of the specialist wall painting conservators who is working on the project.

Central to this investigation is getting to the bottom of a mysterious coating that was applied to the paintings in 1872, shortly after they were discovered under layers of limewash, where they had remained hidden for centuries.

‘The emphasis now is, quite rightly, on non-invasive, in situ examination and investigation’ Above The wall paintings completely cover the nave of St Mary’s Left Rickerby and Shekede used old photos to gauge any change to the paintings

The limewash, Carter explains, was probably applied during the Reformation, the turbulent period around the middle of the 16th century when the Church of England moved away from Roman Catholicism to embrace Protestant doctrine and, with it, an abhorrence of religious iconography.

‘We just don’t know what the circumstances were: was it, Let’s get rid of it this papalist nonsense? Or was it done with a very heavy heart – one day we’ll be able to remove this and bring this church back to its splendour? Whatever the reason, it preserved them for later generations.’

A cautious approach

LEARN ABOUT OUR PAINTINGS CONSERVATION www.english-heritage.org. uk/learn/conservation/ paintings-conservation 26

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The paintings were preserved but they haven’t had an easy time of it. The limewash itself could have weakened the upper layer of paint. Its removal in the 19th century – by the vicar at the time with the help of a local architect – would have been ‘a pretty traumatic intervention,’ says Rickerby. ‘Goodness knows what might have been lost in that process.’

The materials that were applied once the limewash had been removed, meanwhile, have

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probably done more harm than good. ‘As usually happens, in time they went wrong. They darkened, started flaking and started causing problems,’ explains Rickerby. For Rachel Turnbull, English Heritage’s senior paintings conservator, this 19th-century purportedly ‘protective’ coating is an excellent example of the need for a slow, meticulous approach when it comes to conservation today.

‘That was done with the very best of intentions but it hasn’t been ideal for the paintings’ survival,’ she says. ‘What we don’t want to be guilty of is doing something that somebody else comes along in the future and says, “It was very well intentioned but what they did was wrong.”’

The approach taken by Rickerby and his wall painting conservator colleague Lisa Shekede is therefore a cautious one. ‘The emphasis now, and rightly so, is on non-invasive, in situ examination and investigation,’ says Rickerby.

Getting the next steps right

Over the course of a week in March, the pair completed an extensive visual examination of the wall paintings at St Mary’s, comparing their present condition with historical photographs to try to identify any areas of change. They also used some high-tech tools to garner further insights into the state of the paintings: infrared thermography to peer inside voids in the plaster; multispectral imaging and portable microscopy to better explore the nature of the 19th-century coating; and UV-induced fluorescence imaging to ascertain how much of the wall paintings is covered by the coating.

Shekede and Rickerby don’t have all the answers yet but there have been some revelations, says

The conservators employed a number of cutting-edge technologies to ascertain the state of the paintings

ART CONSERVATION The other wall paintings about to be rescued by our appeal The conservation project at St Mary’s, Kempley is just one of several projects made possible by generous donations to the Save Our Story – Wall Paintings Members’ funding appeal.

Wall painting conservators are currently on site at Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon, a ruined 15thcentury fortress with an important depiction of the Adoration of the Magi on a wall of its gatehouse.

The conservation project aims to address the damage caused by the resident swallows and bats. Before anything can be done to remove the offending material, however, English Heritage must design an ‘ecologically sound programme’ to limit future access to the area by wildlife, explains Rachel Turnbull, the charity’s senior collections conservator.

Turnbull is also hoping work will soon get underway at Farleigh Hungerford Castle in Somerset. Another ruined property from the 14th century, it boasts wall paintings of knights in its chapel (see above) that were commissioned when the building was refurbished in 1440. English Heritage will be repairing damage done by hot wax applied as a preservative treatment between 1931 and 1955.

At Lullingstone Roman Villa in Kent, meanwhile, the plan is to assess the condition of a wall painting of water nymphs from AD 180. The issue here is not just the state of the painting but even gaining access to it, as Turnbull explains. ‘The actual floor that you stand on is part of the archaeology, so has to be treated with great care and concern, and also the physical safety of the conservators getting in and out of that space has to be well thought through.’

Rickerby. ‘We established that there are traces of those coatings on virtually all the paintings.’

An important next step will be implementing a system of monitoring that will enable the team to get a handle on the rate of deterioration. ‘That’s been elusive to date, with conventional imaging, but now it’s possible,’ continues Rickerby.

‘It’s been really difficult to establish the rate of change, because things are happening on such a micro scale. While you might have old images, there’s no consistency. For the first time in its long history, those paintings have a chance of being monitored in a hyper-accurate way.’

While the emphasis is always on non-invasive techniques in the first instance, as the team continues with the project there’s potentially a role for lab-based work involving samples carefully removed from the site.

‘We have a lot of capacity for different kinds of material analysis in-house,’ says Turnbull, citing a recent award of funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council that’s enabled the charity to purchase some new equipment that might www.english-heritage.org.uk

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Left Work will now begin on unravelling the mystery of the coating on the paintings Below St Mary’s simple exterior belies the artistic treasures that visitors can find inside

from that and thinking about what’s going to be best for the painting and its long-term preservation,’ says Shekede. ‘Intervention isn’t always the answer.’

That’s not to say that conservators won’t take necessary action to stop the further deterioration of precious works like these. In fact, Shekede and Rickerby completed some emergency repairs at St Mary’s in March, using lime plaster and lime grout – traditional materials that would have been familiar to the 12th-century builders of the church.

This was in order to stabilise a few areas at ‘human height’ where the plaster was crumbling because of contact with people.

An orderly approach

prove crucial in solving the mystery of the coating.

English Heritage’s senior conservation scientist, Dave Thicket, will be joining Turnbull, Shekede and Rickerby on site at St Mary’s in the autumn to assess the role that lab testing could play in working out how the materials covering the paintings are interacting with them.

It’s only when we have a clear idea of the risks posed by the coating beneath that conservators can consider the wisdom – or not – of any interventions.

‘It’s a knee-jerk thing to think if there’s something there that’s non-original then we must remove it.

But conservation is, I hope, moving a little bit away

The conservators don’t like ‘putting the cart before the horse’ by undertaking repairs during the investigative phase of a project, explains Shekede. But there are times when it’s unavoidable and, more importantly, ‘not controversial’ in conservation terms.

When it came to these repairs, ‘We knew the causes and we knew the solutions and we understood the technology,’ she says. ‘It’s another

‘Conservation is moving towards thinking about what’s actually best for long-term preservation’ story if you think that there’s something that needs doing but you don’t understand what the technology is and you don’t understand the causes.’

These beautiful paintings have survived, against all the odds, for the last 900 years. The 19th-century rediscovery of the scheme and paintings under its protective layer of limewash was an extraordinary gift granted to subsequent generations. It’s now the job of the team at English Heritage to ensure that we handle that gift with all the care and attention it deserves, ensuring that the legacy of the artisans is able to be enjoyed for years to come.

St Mary’s, says Shekede, is ‘one of those little time capsules where you can get a sense of what the people who built that church and worshipped in it might have been experiencing, how they might have felt, what might have been their priorities in life.

‘We’re not just preserving them as physical entities. We’re preserving them as part of who we are, what made us who we are and where we came from. It might even give us some ideas about where we’re going as well.’

FIND OUT MORE To learn more about the Save Our Story – Wall Paintings appeal or to make a donation, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/wallpaintings

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YOUR LINK TO THE ISLAND

Make

lasting memories on the Island

500 miles of footpaths means that there’s plenty of scope to stretch your legs.

From just 22 minutes away...

Book at wightlink.co.uk/englishheritage

MEMBERS’

APPEAL

NO TWO WINDOWS ARE THE SAME, YET THOUSANDS NEED URGENT CARE AND REPAIR

While many of us appreciate the beauty and character of the unique windows at our properties, often their history is overlooked. Yet, these windows into the past tell us so much. The architectural trends of bygone eras. The fine skills of talented craftspeople. The status of property owners. We must protect these irreplaceable windows, so their fascinating stories can live on.

Membership helps us to look after the windows at our properties. But, with as many as 12,861 historic windows at more than 1,200 buildings, it’s an immense task. In addition, the changing climate is against us. With more heat, window frames can blister and crack. With more rain, water can seep through vulnerable frames and threaten our buildings and collections.

To preserve the past, we must use highly skilled craftspeople. Materials for thousands of windows must be carefully selected for authenticity. All this comes at a great cost. Please give your additional support today by making a donation online. Your gift could do so much to preserve more historic windows and protect the properties in our care.

Yes, I’ll support the care and repair of our historic windows.

HOW TO DONATE You can donate online at www.english-heritage.org.uk/windows or by completing the form below and returning it in an envelope to: Members’ Appeal, English Heritage, The Engine House, Fire Fly Avenue, Swindon SN2 2EH.

Here is my gift of: £40 Title

£65

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(please choose your own amount)

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Address Postcode Email Membership number I enclose a CHEQUE/CAF CHEQUE for £ , payable to The English Heritage Trust (please write your Membership number clearly on the reverse of your cheque) Please note, cash and CAF card donations cannot be accepted.

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Boost your donation by 25p for every £1 with Gift Aid

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By ticking this box you confirm that you agree that you wish The English Heritage Trust to benefit from Gift Aid legislation.

You confirm that you are a UK taxpayer and have paid or will pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax that is at least equal to the amount reclaimed on ALL your Gift Aid donations (not just The English Heritage Trust) for each tax year.You understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify.This declaration applies to all eligible Membership subscriptions/donations you have made during the last four-year period and until further notice.

Please let us know if you wish to cancel this declaration, change your home address, or you no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.Your support is helping to keep the story of England alive at more than 400 historic sites across the country. We’d love to keep in touch with you about things to see and do, exclusive offers, our latest work, appeals and how your support makes a difference. We will never share your details with anyone else to use for their purposes.You can change your mind at any time.

The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a company, no. 07447221, registered in England.

HELP PROTECT OUR HISTORIC WINDOWS AND PROPERTIES

BRODSWORTH HALL

BOSCOBEL HOUSE

R ANGER’S HOUSE

A gift of £40 could go towards repainting window frames at Brodsworth Hall, which are vulnerable to weathering. This will also help prevent rot, which damages casings and sills.

A gift of £65 could replace a small quarry in a leaded light window, such as those in the 17th-century buildings at Boscobel House.This is urgently needed to stop damaging leakage.

A gift of £80 could restring a sliding sash window, such as those at Ranger’s House. We have a huge challenge to carry out this work before the fabric of the building is threatened.

WIND21

We urgently need your support to maintain and restore our historic windows.

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FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, ON LOAN TO ENGLISH HERITAGE AT AUDLEY END HOUSE AND GARDENS, ESSEX

CLOSE U P

Native American material culture at Audley End House, Essex WORDS PETER MOORE PHOTOGR APH MICHAEL BOWLES

Audley End has been home to many generations of collectors over the centuries, and consequently the house today contains thousands of objects. In addition to the many works of European art and design on display, there are also some more unexpected artefacts from all over the world. Among these are a small group of incredibly rare items of Native American origin. A deerskin shirt, brought home by Richard Cornwallis Neville following his posting to the British military garrison in Montreal in 1840, exhibits the skill of the indigenous people of the Great Lakes in manufacturing textiles during the early 19th century. Garments such as this were collected by European military officers but very few survive today. Two ball-headed war clubs, which were brought to Audley End by Lady Jane Cornwallis following her marriage to Richard Neville, 3rd Baron Braybrooke, were originally collected by her grandfather, Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis. Recent examination of the iconographic carvings on the clubs indicates that they were used around 1781, during the American Revolutionary War, with one of them seeing action in 23 battles.

DISCOVER MORE To learn more about the collection at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex, or to plan a visit, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/audley

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REMAI O F T H E DAY The Dissolution of the Monasteries saw the destruction of Britain’s monastic buildings and the dispossession of the monks and nuns, but what became of their sacred treasures? Senior properties historian Michael Carter reveals why only a tiny proportion of these monastic assets survive today ILLUSTR ATIONS KIT BOYD

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STORIES OF ENGL AND

O

n 23 June 1537, Robert Southwell, a lawyer and talented royal administrator, arrived at Furness Abbey to oversee its suppression. This was a key event in Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries, which, between 1536 and 1540, saw the forcible closure of every religious house in England and Wales. Up until this point, it was the smaller monasteries that had faced closure – a policy that helped spark a huge rebellion across northern England known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. But now Furness itself – which had been involved in the rebellion – became the first of the ‘greater’ monasteries to fall to the crown. The ‘voluntary’ surrender of the abbot and monks of Furness provided a legal precedent for dissolving similar large abbeys and priories, which had hitherto been excluded from the Crown’s assault on the monasteries. By 1540 none were left standing.

The Court of Augmentations was established to oversee the administration of monastic property that was seized by the Crown. A recently www.english-heritage.org.uk

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STORIES OF ENGL AND

discovered set of accounts at the National Archives submitted by Southwell to the Court provides fascinating information about the final days of Furness, especially the sale of its considerable moveable assets. This encompassed everything from silver chalices to corn awaiting harvest in the fields. Their sale grossed Henry VIII over £700, equalling the income the abbey derived from its extensive estates (all of which went to the king).

LISTEN TO OUR EXPERTS ON MONASTERIES www.english-heritage.org. uk/podcast

Monastic possessions

What else did these assets consist of and who was buying former monastic possessions? Furness can act as a case study for events played out at abbeys and priories across England. Yet 500 years later, historians are still debating why Henry and Thomas Cromwell, his chief minister, turned against the monasteries. Were they targeted as part of a genuine effort to reform the Church, or was it down to simple malice and greed?

Regardless of the motive, Henry and his advisors were determined to extract every penny from the monasteries, and Furness was no exception.

Collectively, the monasteries were very rich indeed, owning as much as a third of all the

Stone heads from Rievaulx Abbey’s ruined buildings were excavated in the 1920s.

They can now be seen in the abbey’s museum

land in England. They were also repositories of great material and cultural riches. Furness was founded in the early 12th century, and by the early 16th century it was the largest and richest monastery in the region and the second richest Cistercian abbey in England.

The importance of Furness was reflected in the size of its buildings, especially its cathedral-like church, where several religious services were observed every day. The most important of these was daily Mass, or the Eucharist. The accounts prepared by Southwell start with the value of the sacred silver-gilt vessels used during the Mass.

Two chalices with patens (shallow dish on which the chalice sits) were appraised at a little over £12.

However, it is hardly credible that this was the only sacred silver owned by the abbey.

Comparative evidence from similarly sized

‘Richly embroidered vestments worn by priests during services were also seized from the monasteries’

SALVAGING THE SPOILS Evidence from several monasteries now in the care of English Heritage shows that determined efforts were made by the last generation of monks and nuns to save precious possessions HENRY CUNDALL, LAST ABBOT OF ROCHE When Roche was dissolved in 1538, Cundall received a pension of £33. He was also allowed to take, among other items, his books, some cattle, a chalice and £30. He retired to a rectory and devoted his later years to beekeeping.

ELIZABETH THROCKMORTON, LAST ABBESS OF DENNY When Denny Abbey was dissolved in 1539, the last abbess, Dame Elizabeth Throckmorton, returned to her family home in Warwickshire. She took with her the abbey’s ‘Dole Gate’, a wooden hatch set in the monastery’s front door that was inscribed with her name.

WILLIAM BROWN, LAST PRIOR OF MONK BRETTON Brown, together with three of his community, retired to Worsborough Hall, South Yorkshire, close to their former monastery. They assembled 160 books that had been in Monk Bretton’s library (only two are known to survive) and also some of the priory’s vestments.

JOHN PYNDER, MONK OF RIEVAULX When Rievaulx was dissolved on 3 December 1538, Pynder was granted a pension of £5 6s 8d. He died shortly after, bequeathing vestments and a Missal, which must have come from Rievaulx, to a local parish church. None of Rievaulx’s vestments survive.

MONKS FROM BYLAND ABBEY Sculptures from Byland Abbey in North Yorkshire were hidden to stop them falling into the hands of Henry VIII’s henchmen. In the 19th century, an alabaster sculpture of the Trinity was discovered buried amid the abbey’s ruins.

monasteries suggests that there would have been twenty or more chalices and that the abbey would also have owned an array of precious metal reliquaries and altar frontals.

Although Southwell arrived at Furness in June 1537, the process of its dissolution had actually started in April of that year. It therefore seems likely that the monastery’s gold and silver had already been sent to the king’s treasury in London.

So meticulous were Southwell and the other commissioners who oversaw the dissolution of England’s monasteries that not a single precious metal chalice now survives with a known monastic provenance. Crosses and candlesticks made of base metal fared little better, and a late 15th-century processional cross said to be from Gisborough Priory, North Yorkshire, and now at Leeds Minster, is a very rare survival.

Richly embroidered vestments worn by priests during religious services were also seized from the monasteries. Southwell sold the vestments in the possession of Furness for over £26. The identity of the buyer or buyers is not recorded but, in other instances, for example Roche Abbey, South Yorkshire, local parish churches snapped up vestments, which were offered for a fraction of their true value. Monastic vestment chests also provided rich pickings for the gentry seeking furnishing for their private chapels. A splendid set of 15th-century Mass vestments were taken

by Sir John Towneley from Whalley Abbey, Lancashire, to his nearby manor house at Towneley Hall, where they continued to be used for Catholic worship until the early 20th century.

Rievaulx Abbey inventory

The vestments from Furness were combined for sale with other ‘churche stuffe’. An inventory of the fixtures and fittings of Rievaulx Abbey, which was dissolved in 1538, shows that this would have included the screens dividing the church, the sculpted and painted retables standing on the altars and even the pavement of the church.

Purchasers included local churches and gentry.

A 15th-century oak screen sculpted with a depiction of the Annunciation to the Virgin from Sawley Abbey, Lancashire, is now at Mitton Parish Church, whereas the choir stalls from Whalley were removed to the nearby parish church.

Robert Constable, a member of a prominent and religiously conservative Yorkshire gentry family, is documented as buying an alabaster altarpiece sculpted with images of the Trinity, Our Lady and St Margaret when Rievaulx was dissolved.

Lead from the roof of Furness and other monasteries was reserved for the king. Determined efforts were made to extract every ounce of this valuable commodity. While at Furness, Southwell wrote to Cromwell expressing his gratitude to the king’s first minister for teaching him how to melt the ashes from the first smelting, a process that www.english-heritage.org.uk

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STORIES OF ENGL AND

‘Hailes Abbey was pillaged to such an extent that a special court of enquiry was convened to investigate’ refectory, the bedding from the abbey’s guest houses and infirmary, and even the pots and pans from the kitchens. At Roche Abbey, one of the monks even tried to sell the door from his cell.

Monastic livestock was also put up for sale.

At Furness this included 120 milk cows, which were sold for the enormous sum of £401. In a letter to Cromwell, Southwell recorded that ‘there resortyde owt of alle partes of the Sowthe [south] hether to buy catall’, evidence of the thriving trade in monastic property. This extended to crops still growing in the fields. Furness’s were sold with its grain for £37. One Anthony Bodegood, a former servant of the Earl of Dorset, was among the purchasers. Speculators made huge profits from the sale of monastic possessions.

The populace descends

yielded ‘grett profett’. The lead from Furness weighed 227 ‘fother’, or tons. This was melted into lead bars, or ingots, with the ‘Kynges marke fyxsyde’ on each of them. Such a bar, complete with the king’s stamp, survives at Rievaulx.

The sale of the bells used to regulate the monastic day could also achieve large amounts of money. The Southwell accounts record that Furness had five bells that were sold to the ‘men of Kendal’ for £80. These bells would have hung in the abbey’s bell tower. Southwell was lucky to find a buyer. There were so many monastic bells on the market that they often went unsold. The bells at Roche Abbey are said to have hung in the ruined tower for a year after the abbey’s suppression.

It was easier to find purchasers for smaller items and even relatively humble objects were up for grabs. At Furness the sale of the ‘stuff of household’ realised over £33, the purchasers ‘sundry persons’. The items they bought would have included the furniture from the monastic 38

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A crozier and ring from a burial at Furness Abbey, giving an idea of the riches in the possession of the abbey

Rich pickings were also sometimes available after the royal commissioners had finished their work. A description of the dissolution of Roche Abbey written in the late 16th century, but based on eyewitness accounts, describes how the populace descended on the abbey, and ‘it seemeth every person bent himself to filtch and spoil what he could.’

Hailes Abbey, Gloucestershire, was pillaged to such an enormous extent that a special court of enquiry was convened to investigate the affair.

Those participating in the plunder included members of the local gentry community and parish priests, one of whom filled several saddlebags with stained glass to take back to his church. It’s been suggested that this was because of local hostility towards the monastery because of its ‘feigned’ relic of the Holy Blood. But in actual fact it’s difficult to detect any explicit religious motive in all this and the scavengers included both Catholics and Evangelicals. Instead, sheer opportunism seems to have been the order of the day: ‘Might I not as well as others have some Profit of the Spoil of the Abbey?… Therefore I did as others did,’ said one of those who raked over the remains of Roche.

DISCOVER MORE For more about monastic buildings, go to www. english-heritage.org.uk/monasteries-and-abbeys

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E

Step in time Plot a trail taking in many of Britain’s most spectacular historic landscapes and monuments on a walking break with HF Holidays

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n Britain the past is all around us – and the most rewarding way to explore this rich history is on foot. Our glorious countryside is studded with ancient stone monuments, the remains of Roman rule, the picturesque ruins of castles and monasteries, and elegant historic houses – all of which are linked by paths offering journeys through time.

You can discover these stories written in our landscapes on a walking holiday with specialist tour operator HF Holidays.

This award-winning company has over a century’s experience creating guided and self-guided walking and special-interest holidays, many based at its own country houses – there are 14 across England, plus three more in Scotland and Wales, offering high-quality accommodation equipped with boot and drying rooms.

HF Holidays’ characterful properties are all in national parks or Areas of

Outstanding Beauty, enabling you to discover new routes and experiences in Britain’s best walking regions and most spectacular landscapes, including the Dales and Downs, the Lake District and the Peaks, the Cotswolds, Exmoor and more.

From Longmynd House in Shropshire, you might amble the craggy Stiperstones ridge to encounter the Bronze Age stone circle known as Mitchell’s Fold. And from Larpool Hall, on the edge of the North York Moors, it’s a short walk to atmospheric ruined Whitby Abbey. Or you could step forth from artist haven St Ives to visit the ancient villages and burial chambers of Cornwall’s farthest-flung corner.

On HF Holidays’ centre-based UK breaks, expert guides lead a choice of three walks daily, so you can choose your activities and destinations based on fitness, interest or just a whim – such flexibility makes HF Holidays popular for multi-generational

getaways. For a more history-focused experience, guided heritage breaks explore Shakespeare’s heartland, Roman remains along Hadrian’s Wall, and the castles and ruined priories of the Northumberland coast. Alternatively, improve your painting or photography, develop cooking or winetasting expertise, or learn about Britain’s wildlife on a range of specialist holidays.

And since all country house holidays are full-board, they’re great value, too.

Book now and save

English Heritage Members enjoy an exclusive saving of £30 per person off the best online prices. To find out more or book with this discount, go to www.hfholidays.co.uk/ englishheritage or call 0203 974 8878, quoting code EH2021. Visit our website for full T&Cs.

Clockwise from main image Enjoy walks in spectacular historic landscapes; Newfield Hall is the ideal base for exploring the Yorkshire Dales; home comforts at Freshwater Bay House on the Isle of Wight

TAXIDERMY IS FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, ON LOAN TO ENGLISH HERITAGE AT AUDLEY END HOUSE AND GARDENS, ESSEX

WHATEVER THE WEATHER You can never guarantee the English weather but, with many of our indoor spaces open again, there’s no need to let rain stop play this season.

Here’s our guide to the best all-weather family days out at our sites WORDS HELEN DORRITT

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AUD L EY EN D H OUS E AN D GAR D EN S ESSEX A spectacular stately home, Audley End House and Gardens is packed full of fun on a rainy day. The house is renowned as one of the most opulent Jacobean buildings in the country, and kids will love wandering through the Great Hall, the library and the natural history collection – you can even play the piano.

Once you’ve explored the main house, head over to the service wing to experience life below stairs.

DON’T MISS The Victorian stable yard where you can meet our horses and experience daily life for those who worked there. www.english-heritage.org.uk/audley www.english-heritage.org.uk

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ELT HA M PA LAC E A N D G A R D EN S LONDON The unique mix of art deco and medieval makes Eltham Palace a truly entertaining day out for all ages, and its varied indoor spaces are ideal for wet weather. You can learn more about the amazing history of the palace using the family-themed interactive tour, which also includes touchscreen games, before enjoying a spot of dressing-up in former resident Virginia Courtauld’s bedroom. Kids will also love seeing the map room, decorated with beautiful murals and antique maps, and the medieval great hall, where a young King Henry VIII once dined.

DON’T MISS The Courtaulds had a beloved pet lemur – you can still see his luxurious rooms and his heated bed. www.english-heritage.org.uk/eltham D OW N H OUS E KENT Bring science to glorious life with a look around Charles Darwin’s Kent home, where he wrote On The Origin of Species and conducted many groundbreaking experiments.

Take advantage of the family discovery trail sheets to explore the house and gardens, where new interactive posts also tell the story of Darwin’s experiments, or enjoy the multimedia tour narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

The greenhouses are full of exotic specimens, from insect-eating plants to a bee observation hive, and kids can experience Victorian family life with dressing-up clothes in the main bedroom.

DON’T MISS Taste some honey from the Down House bees in the café, or buy a jar from the gift shop to take home. www.english-heritage.org.uk/downhouse

FR AM L I N GH AM C AST L E SUFFOLK

BO LS OV E R CAST L E DERBYSHIRE This Stuart mansion is a great all-weather option as there are so many interactive elements that the whole family can get involved with. Do your kids love dressing up? They can don cavalier hats in the Riding House then dress in period costumes from the play Love’s Welcome, which was originally commissioned by the owner of the castle. Everything in the Little Castle can be freely explored, and there’s also a family multimedia guide that gives lots of information on the house, and games to play while looking around.

If you brave the elements to take a walk around the walls of the castle, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views of the Derbyshire countryside.

DON’T MISS Ask the Little Castle volunteers to open the balcony from the Heaven Closet so you can enjoy great views of the garden below. www.english-heritage.org.uk/bolsover 42

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Plenty of hands-on activities mean this 12th-century castle is a fantastic indoor option. As well as the medieval castle where Mary Tudor was proclaimed queen, you can look around the 17th-century workhouse, which took in local paupers for two centuries. Kids can try on a range of headgear in the Hats Through the Ages dressing-up section, which features everything from a Norman helmet to a workhouse cap, and can play a range of fun games relating to the history of the castle. There’s also a family trail to help you get the most from your day at the castle.

DON’T MISS Try a Tudor-inspired dish in the café, such as pottage or the intriguingly named tart owte of Lent. www.english-heritage.org.uk/framlingham

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DON ’T FORGE T YOU R W E L L I E S !

Want to stay outdoors and embrace the elements?

Here are our top five sites for splashy family adventures.

The sight of the prehistoric monument at Stonehenge in Wiltshire is magnificent whatever the weather, and there are plenty of walks around the site to explore the surrounding prehistoric landscape and view the stone circle from different angles. www.english-heritage.org.uk/ stonehenge

B ROD SWORT H H AL L AN D GAR D EN S SOUTH YORKSHIRE Brodsworth was preserved ‘as found’, so it’s a fascinating glimpse into life from the days of the Victorian Thellusson family until the late 20th century, when the house came into English Heritage’s care. When you walk around the house you’ll find a cavernous Victorian kitchen, a billiard room, a library with beautifully faded wallpaper and a woodworking room full of a century’s worth of clutter – keep an eye out for a stuffed passenger pigeon and baby’s gas mask.

DON’T MISS The mummified hooves of the 1855 Doncaster Cup winner, which are sure to intrigue kids. www.english-heritage.org.uk/brodsworth

Take a walk around the grounds at Walmer Castle and Gardens in Kent with its recently restored glen.

Get a free family trail leaflet and enjoy exploring woodland paths, a wildflower meadow and more. www.english-heritage.org.uk/ walmer

The 40 acres of Cheshire’s Beeston Castle and Woodland Park make it ideal for a family stomp. Keep an eye out for the recreated Bronze Age roundhouse tucked away among the trees. www.english-heritage.org.uk/ beeston

You can follow the route of the battle using a special children’s audio guide at 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield, then enjoy a wander along the new wood-carved sculpture trail. www.english-heritage.org.uk/ battle Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire is set in stunning landscape, and families can have a fantastic time exploring the ruins of this Cistercian monastery. Find out about life as a monk, and you can even have a game of hideand-seek. www.english-heritage.org.uk/ rievaulx

TI L B URY FORT ESSEX Creep along the magazine passages, explore the rooms where gunpowder used to be stored and learn about the role of the fort in London’s defence – these are all great indoor activities to enjoy at Tilbury Fort. Situated on the Thames Estuary, the fort has been protecting London since the 16th century, and its ancient walls are full of fascinating tales for your family to discover.

DON’T MISS Play on the parade ground near the original early machine guns. www.english-heritage.org.uk/tilbury-fort www.english-heritage.org.uk

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DOV E R CA ST LE KENT From Tudor palace to Second World War frontline defence, Dover Castle has a fascinating history spanning more than 700 years.

Experience life in Henry II’s court when you look around the Great Tower and King’s Hall, immersing yourself in vibrant colours and pretending to be kings and queens. Climb to the castle’s curtain walls for amazing views of the harbour, the Channel and, on good days, the coast of France, then head below to explore the secret wartime tunnels that played an important part in the rescue of Allied soldiers (British, French and Belgian) from Dunkirk. With special effects, projections and real-life footage to create an amazing atmosphere, the experience will really bring this period of history to vivid life for kids.

DON’T MISS The only working British 3-inch anti-aircraft gun, which is housed at the castle’s fire command post. www.english-heritage.org.uk/dover 44

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PEND E NNI S CA ST L E CORNWALL The keep of this Tudor coastal fortress is a delightful rabbit’s warren of rooms and twisting staircases that are perfect for getting lost in on a wet afternoon.

Older children can learn about the First World War with an exhibition in the barrack block, and there’s a display of guns through the ages in the Field Train Shed. After enjoying the sights of the castle, indulge in a cream tea (just make sure you put the jam and cream on in the correct Cornish order), while your little ones let off some steam in the soft play area next to the café.

And the sea views from the top of the keep are magnificent, even on a rainy day.

DON’T MISS The immersive installations, where you can test your skills by loading an interactive cannon. www.english-heritage.org.uk/pendennis

WH I T BY AB B EY YORKSHIRE This 13th-century abbey, which stands proudly on the clifftop above the pretty fishing town of Whitby, is a great place for families to explore. The Gothic ruins themselves are fascinating but, if the weather’s not being kind, you can also find out more about the site’s history in the visitor centre. Housed in a 17th-century mansion, it’s full of fascinating objects that tell the story of the abbey.

There’s also the option to take part in an Ammonite Quest, an interactive trail that takes you around the abbey and museum to reveal the site’s secrets.

DON’T MISS The signed copy of Dracula – the abbey’s connection to this spooky story and character is sure to fascinate. www.english-heritage.org.uk/whitby

BIRD OSWALD RO M A N FO RT CUMBRIA Travel back to the days of the Roman Empire with a visit to this fort on the remains of Hadrian’s Wall. As well as the fort and wall itself, the on-site exhibition is full of hands-on activities to help bring this period of history to life, including a quiz that enables you to figure out what role you would have played in the Roman army. Children can also build a wall with bricks, while older children will enjoy playing a Roman board game, learning about defensive signalling and undertaking a quest around the fort to uncover a spy. When it’s time to refuel, there’s an excellent café or some great picnic spots and, if you need some time out, the fort has a family room with a sink and space for prams. You can even bring the dog.

DON’T MISS Taking a peek through a periscope to see the same view as the Roman look-outs. www.english-heritage.org.uk/birdoswald

B OS COB EL H OUS E AN D T H E ROYAL OAK SHROPSHIRE This site may be best known for being the location in which Charles II hid in an oak tree, but the timber-framed house is full of fascinating nooks and crannies to explore.

The new candlelight tour of the house is perfect for the colder, darker months, while there’s also a playground, grass maze, willow tunnel and Victorian farm to enjoy if the sun does come out.

DON’T MISS The priest hole in the house where Charles II sought refuge. www.english-heritage.org.uk/boscobel MORE WET WEATHER IDEAS For more inspiration on things to do at our sites on rainy days, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/rainy-day www.english-heritage.org.uk

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Explore more this winter With the right kit, there’s no need to let the winter weather stop you from getting out and exploring English Heritage sites with your membership

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he temperature is dropping outside, and you might feel like wrapping up more, but it’s no reason to stop exploring. With the right gear, you can carry on enjoying days out at historic properties and their gardens whatever the weather – from crisp autumn mornings to (this being England) days packed with dramatic downpours.

Craghoppers is the perfect partner for the all-weather clothing that will help see you through the autumn and winter months. Founded in 1965, Craghoppers’ aim is the same today as it was all those decades ago: to create comfortable and practical clothing ranges to help you stay out and about for as long as possible. With new designs every year, using the latest technologies and innovations, Craghoppers’ gear is now more comfortable, waterproof, insulating and sun-protective than ever before.

Craghoppers’ jackets will help to see you through the most inclement of British weather conditions. Using cutting-edge fabrics and materials,

HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT KIT FOR WINTER WALKS

they are made with an adventurer’s pursuits in mind, and are renowned for their ease of movement and durability – you can rely on your kit when you need it most. Craghoppers also offers an unbeatable range of lightweight and insulating fleeces, perfect for when you need an extra layer aginst the cold. Plus, with a selection of gilets, scarves, gloves and boots, Craghoppers has everything you’ll need to make enjoying the great outdoors over the coming months a breeze – even if there is a breeze.

And when you buy from Craghoppers, you can rest easy that its products are designed with the planet in mind. From this autumn, 70% of its products will be made from recycled materials, while its dyeing processes use minimal water and yarn is repurposed. Plus, all of Craghoppers’ products are guaranteed for life, so you’ll never need to buy a winter jacket again. Register your product, keep a proof of purchase and it will be replaced either with the same item or a like-for-like alternative.

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Waterproof jacket

Do you want an insulated style, more suitable for a gentle stroll? Or would a shell jacket that you can wear on top of layers and add or remove as required suit you? Look for a durable water repellency (DWR) treatment, which helps the rain bead off.

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Technical trousers

Your walking trousers should be comfortable and help protect you from harsh conditions. Look for trousers with decent pockets to store essentials. For really wintery conditions, waterproof trousers – not overtrousers – are a great practical option.

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E

THREE WINTER WALKS TO ENJOY AT ENGLISH HERITAGE SITES DEVON: BERRY POMEROY CASTLE TO TOTNES CASTLE Distance: 4 miles/6.4km (2–2.5 hours walking, plus time to visit the properties) Tucked away in a deep wooded valley, Berry Pomeroy Castle is the perfect romantic ruin with a colourful history of intrigue. A winter afternoon creates the ideal atmosphere to explore this picturesque property. The walk then takes you to the Norman Totnes Castle through gorgeous countryside, where you’ll be rewarded with wonderful views over Totnes.

NORTH YORKSHIRE: HELMSLEY CASTLE TO RIEVAULX ABBEY Distance: 2.5 miles/4km (1 hour 30 minutes walking, plus time to visit the properties) Great for a gentle stroll, this delightful walk takes in two English Heritage properties set in the North Yorkshire countryside. Park in the beautiful town of Helmsley and explore the magnificent castle before heading over to the ruined Rievaulx Abbey to enjoy the winter sunlight flooding through the atmospheric arched stone windows.

SHROPSHIRE: WENLOCK PRIORY TO THE IRON BRIDGE

SAVE 20% English Heritage Members can save 20% at www.craghoppers.com.

Simply use the code CRAGSEH20 Offer valid until 18 August 2022

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Essential accessories

It’s a good idea to keep extremities warm on a cold day, so pack a classic bobble hat and a pair of gloves.

Walking poles are also a great item to take on a walk. They help provide an extra level of stability and are ideal for steep ascents and descents.

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Distance: 4.5 miles/7.5km (2–3 hours walking, plus time to visit the properties) Enjoy the contrast of walking from the beautifully tranquil medieval Wenlock Priory to the masterpiece of 18th-century engineering that is the Iron Bridge, all via countryside beloved by Vaughan Williams and A E Housman.

This route follows the Shropshire Way, so you can use the waymarkers where possible.

For downloadable maps of these walks, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/ travel-guides/winter-walks

Boots

There’s nothing worse than going for a walk in boots that rub or let in water. So look for good torsion stability, a sturdy outsole, and padding on the collar and tongue. Boots with a waterproof membrane will keep your feet dry when it starts raining.

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Rucksack

A rucksack with separate compartments enables you to sort wet and dry clothing. Look for decent padding on the shoulder straps and back. A café strap – which allows you to clip your bag to a table or other solid object – can be a useful security feature.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT HISTORY England’s history is fascinating, complex and sometimes controversial. And it’s our responsibility to try to explore the past in full, writes curatorial director Anna Eavis

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istory has never been more popular. Our vast appetite for learning about the past is catered for by a wide range of content: we watch YouTube channels and TV series, we listen to podcasts and radio documentaries, we read bestselling books and glossy magazines and, of course, as Members of English Heritage, we visit all manner of fascinating historic sites.

This widespread consumption of history is a relatively recent phenomenon and, over recent decades, it has prompted increased public discussion about the complex relationship between the past and the present day. As Sir David Cannadine put it earlier this year, ‘History is no longer the exclusive domain of “dry as dust”, but an essential – and thus a contested – part of our broader national culture and national life.’

The events of the past 18 months certainly bear this out. Since the summer of 2020, history has

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barely left the headlines. In particular, there has been heartfelt, and often heated, debate about how we commemorate individuals and events of the past, and about the appropriateness of statues and memorials that we have inherited from previous generations. It’s a complex issue and, as custodians of our nation’s heritage, it’s only right that we engage with it.

That’s why I wanted to take this opportunity to explain the approach English Heritage takes when dealing with so-called ‘contested’ or ‘difficult’ history – and to reassure you that we have absolutely no intention of removing statues, taking down blue plaques or trying to ‘cancel’ history in any way whatsoever. Instead, it is our ambition to explore it more deeply and more broadly than ever before.

The extraordinary range of the sites, statues, plaques, monuments and collections in the care of English Heritage provide – to an unparalleled degree – rich material for exploring England’s

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Dresden city centre, after it was devastated by Anglo-American bombing in February 1945. Bomber Command helped defeat Nazi Germany but the deadly area bombing of cities was controversial at the time and remains so today

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‘Like all good historians, we seek to improve our understanding of the past with new evidence and insights’ past. As a charity, we’re responsible for sharing the fruits of this exploration with the entire nation.

That means telling familiar stories, but it also means addressing those communities and groups in our country whose histories may have been previously overlooked – something we’ve tried to do for many years.

This can be done by bringing previously ignored stories to light, or by looking at places, people and moments from different perspectives.

Like all good historians, we seek to improve our understanding of the past with new evidence and insights.

This important work is grounded in research, aimed at ensuring that our interpretation of the

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Anna Eavis tackles a selection of the common questions around our approach to contested history Are you trying to rewrite history by applying modern values to the past?

We always take historical values into account when we look at a particular period, and we recognise that it’s vital to understand how people thought about the world and themselves in their own times. It’s true that today’s historians will inevitably have different perspectives on the past compared with, for instance, Victorian historians. But this isn’t ‘rewriting’ or ‘erasing’ history – it’s merely expanding and refining our understanding of it.

Are you prioritising black history in response to Black Lives Matter?

The debates that took place in 2020 made us realise that we have sometimes overlooked the histories of people and groups because of religion, race, sexuality, gender, disability and other characteristics.

We have been increasing our efforts to make sure that these stories are no 50

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longer ignored, but we will never do this at the expense of the stories we already tell.

Are you changing or removing blue plaques and statues?

No, we won’t remove or change any of our blue plaques and statues.

We may publish more detailed information about the recipients of blue plaques and statues on our website, but we’ll strive to do this in a balanced, thoughtful manner, and we certainly never rush to judgment.

Don’t you want us to feel proud of our history?

Just as there are in the histories of any individual, group or nation, there are parts of England’s story that people are rightly proud of, and other parts that people may find more uncomfortable. Our country’s history is all the more interesting because of this complexity, and we firmly believe that we can remember the ‘bad’ and very much still celebrate the ‘good’.

past is rigorous and well-informed. Our historians, curators, conservators and scientists have an outstanding reputation for the excellence of their research. They use varied techniques – including documentary research, archaeological investigation and scientific analysis – to gather as much evidence as possible.

Background knowledge

The work of the experienced professional historian does not end there, of course. The evidence is questioned, interrogated and then analysed.

Hypotheses are drafted. Background knowledge is drawn upon, long-term historical trends are considered, secondary texts are consulted, theories are formed, judgments are made and counterarguments are put forward. Books, articles, interpretation panels and image captions are written, and other historians are invited to comment and critique. This process of ‘doing history’ is painstaking and complex, and all of English Heritage’s experts hold themselves to the very highest standards of professionalism.

The majority of today’s historians do not believe that history can be reduced to a simple narrative of progress – of good people doing good things and

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exploring it more deeply. We can feel pride in the achievements of the past and, at the same time, be critical or questioning of certain aspects of it.

And these thoughts and feelings can exist alongside each other, because the past is not something we must choose to either ‘cancel’ or celebrate. Instead, it’s a process of discussion, reflection, debate and learning. Sometimes this process may be challenging or uncomfortable, and we may not always agree with each other.

But by engaging in it, we learn something valuable – about ourselves, about the people in the past, and about the rich, fascinating, and complicated ways in which we are all inextricably connected with our history.

English Heritage never has, and never will, try to cancel our past. We will continue to do what we’ve always done, which is to try to understand it, and to share our findings in a fair-minded, open and honest way. We will continue to welcome people of all backgrounds to explore England’s past for themselves, in the very places where it happened. And above all else, we will continue to do our very best to protect it for future generations, so that they too may do the same.

SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION Head proper ties curator Jeremy Ashbee shares his top tips for researching history bad people doing bad things. It’s not a fairy tale – it’s real life. And real life is rarely simple.

We can be awed by the political and cultural reach enjoyed by Britain at the peak of its imperial pomp – but we can also recognise the conflict and pain caused by colonial regimes. We can commemorate Sir Arthur Harris as a man who helped defeat Nazi Germany, but we can also acknowledge that he, under orders from the War Cabinet, oversaw the area bombing of cities including Hamburg and Dresden, during which thousands of civilian lives were lost. We can enjoy visiting Brodsworth Hall – and we certainly want you to do that – but we can also point out to visitors that the hall’s owners made a good chunk of their fortune from the transatlantic slave trade.

England’s history is full of stories of heroism, courage and innovation, and these are a source of great inspiration and comfort. Our past has also left us a wonderful collection of buildings, monuments and objects that we are incredibly privileged to care for. We are rightly proud of England’s history and its heritage and, as a charity, we will do all we can to protect it for future generations to experience and enjoy. But being proud of something doesn’t prevent us from

Above An engraving of the port of Liverpool, taken from The Modern Universal British Traveller, 1779. Britain profited greatly from the transatlantic slave trade before making efforts to suppress it in the 19th century

• First, think about where your information is coming from. Consider whether what you’re reading has been properly peer-reviewed. This will be the case for most books from credible publishers, and for some resources available online, such as the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, or academic journals (the latter can, unfortunately, be expensive to access).

• Try to find different sources of information – not just the written word but photographs, maps, drawings.

For modern history, oral history recordings can be a wonderful resource.

• The words of the person concerned and their contemporaries can offer a window into the past, but beware: people in the past were just as capable of being wrong or biased as we are.

• If you come across any debate about the past, do your best to understand both sides of the argument – not just the rhetoric but the evidence too.

• Above all else, avoid rushing to judgment and be open to the possibility of changing your mind. www.english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk

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AC C E S S ALL AREAS Making heritage sites and their history accessible for visitors with disabilities comes with complex challenges.

We discover how and where these are being tackled to ensure everyone can enjoy a rewarding day out

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BEHIND THE SCENES

OLIVER EDWARDS

All of the information panels at Stonehenge are designed to be accessible to wheelchair users

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ur ancestors went to great lengths to make sure England’s castles and fortresses were hard to access, with strong doors, high walls and deep, wide moats. But while their doors are now open to visitors, these and other historic buildings or monuments can still pose real challenges for people with disabilities who would like to explore these sites.

For example, some are remote or surrounded by rough ground. Important rooms can be up steep stairs or down narrow corridors. Some spaces can be confined and claustrophobic. Many are in ruins, open to the elements, or were simply just not designed for wheelchair access. Others have a complex history that needs to be interpreted in innovative ways to ensure it is accessible to all.

‘We want to be able to welcome everyone, every day,’ says head of on-site visitor experience, Heather Redmond. Part of this journey involves rethinking sites to ensure they are as physically accessible as possible. This includes measures such as removing steps, providing ramps or lifts, redesigning routes and carefully selecting the location of facilities, such as toilets and parking. ‘This isn’t as easy as it sounds,’ says Redmond. ‘We are still learning, and the more we learn the more we realise we need to learn. But we are getting there.’

Physical challenges aside, improving accessibility also involves thinking about how information is presented. Video and audio content needs to be designed with hearing loops, subtitles and, where

Above There are buses with ramps at Stonehenge that take visitors from the visitor centre to the stone circle Below An audio app at St Augustine’s Abbey in Kent helps to provide information for visitors who are visually impaired

‘Stonehenge is one of the biggest single investments. Every part is wheelchair accessible’ possible, British sign language interpretation.

Text on information boards and other signs needs to be the right size and not set against a backdrop of sharply contrasting colours so it can be easily read. Signage also needs to be placed in the right locations and at a height where they are visible to everyone, including those in wheelchairs. It’s also important to remember to pitch information at the right level to make sure it doesn’t assume too much knowledge.

Investments in accessibility

Stonehenge in Wiltshire is one place where all this learning has been brought together. ‘It’s one of the biggest single investments in accessibility we’ve made,’ says senior interpretation manager Joseph Savage. ‘Every part of the site is wheelchair accessible. There are ramps, accessible toilets with room for carers, including a Changing Places facility, and the site is the model for where we are going as an organisation. There are buses with ramps to help people get around. All of the interpretation is designed to be accessible and there are tactile maps and models that explain the monument’s story.’

Another site that has hugely benefited from efforts to make it more accessible is Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, where a spectacular 68-metre cantilever bridge was installed and opened in 2019 to reconnect the two halves of the 13th-century castle. This means 54

www.english-heritage.org.uk

BEHIND THE SCENES

ACCESSIBILITY ADVANCES The current projects making the history of English Heritage sites more accessible for all

visitors no longer need to climb 148 steep and often busy steps to reach the island half of the castle. But there have also been adaptations in the exhibition – such as quiet spaces with calm lighting – to make it more accessible for neuro-diverse visitors.

Elsewhere, curators are finding more whimsical solutions. Play is a key way in which many visitors experience English Heritage sites, and at St Augustine’s Abbey in Kent there are wheelchair-accessible monks’ costumes to dress up in, along with audio guides and tactile displays for visually impaired visitors in the site museum.

‘This means everyone can enjoy imagining what it was like there,’ says Savage.

At Walmer Castle in Kent, English Heritage is rethinking the sculptural elements on the information panels in the garden to make them more accessible and creating a large tactile site model. The community engagement officer

Top right The interpretation at St Augustine’s Abbey includes tactile displays in its museum for visually impaired visitors

consulted with visually impaired groups as part of the design process. And at Muchelney Abbey in Somerset, the interpretation has been redesigned to include large-print graphics. There are also quiet spaces for those who might find crowds difficult.

There are other occasions when physical constraints demand an entirely different solution.

At Conisbrough Castle in South Yorkshire, there was no way to make the site’s spiral staircases more accessible. So the curators focused on providing resources for those who couldn’t access the main structure, including a cutaway model and digital content in the visitor centre that gives anyone who can’t enter the keep an opportunity to explore the site.

Individual needs

While English Heritage endeavours to anticipate and address issues, only visitors themselves fully understand their own individual needs. English Heritage’s participation in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme, in which visitors can use a sunflower card or lanyard to discreetly indicate to staff that they need additional support, has also helped to facilitate conversations around this.

‘We learned a lot during the Covid pandemic about hidden disabilities through our involvement in the scheme,’ says Redmond. ‘We learned about not stereotyping people’s needs or assuming anything.’

These insights are particularly important when it comes to school visits, as children’s needs can be complex, and they may need help www.english-heritage.org.uk

55

OLIVER EDWARDS; MARK PARREN TAYLOR

Many historic buildings have steep stairs that can be challenging for wheelchair users. But at Marble Hill House in west London, English Heritage has managed to install a lift without damaging the structure of the building. ‘This means that the first floor – which contains the main suite of rooms – is accessible for the first time,’ says curatorial director Anna Eavis. ‘And we have a step-free main entrance, which means that wheelchair users can enter with everyone else, instead of using a side door.’

But accessibility isn’t just about wheelchair access – as those working on a project to conserve Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens in Northumberland discovered. ‘The site has a lot of outdoor paths that people with walking sticks, frames or buggies found difficult to use,’ says Eavis. To address this, all the paths are now being replaced with wider, flat surfaces that are safe for all.

Like a lot of archaeological sites, Richborough Roman Fort and Amphitheatre in Kent was difficult to access. But the installation of new paths made from cellular plastic rolled into the turf will help everyone explore the site safely for the first time. ‘It’s a really light-touch solution,’ says Eavis. ‘And it will open up the site for more people, from parents to older people.’

However, there are some sites that are much harder to adapt, such as Clifford’s Tower in York, where a major project is underway to conserve its walls and improve the experience of visitors. Here, the medieval keep is located on a high mound only accessible via a steep staircase, making it impossible to install a lift. ‘To help everyone reach the tower we’ve put resting points on the stairs, meaning you don’t have to struggle up in one go,’ explains Eavis. ‘Plus, we’ve put a lot more information at the base for those who can’t climb up.’ This new interpretation includes a bronze timeline set in the ground, a virtual tour and a tactile model of the city and castle in the 1300s.

BEHIND THE SCENES

There are childen with special needs in most school groups, and it’s not just physical access that needs to be addressed. Some children can be anxious and might need a quiet place or to be shown the exits so they don’t feel trapped. They may need easy access to toilets or somewhere to take medication.

‘We have to look at our sites with fresh eyes,’ says Bosworth. For example, children with autism, Asperger’s or anxiety issues may need to be shown “social stories” in the run up to a visit. These show the children what to expect and help them prepare for their trip by making the site more familiar.

‘We can provide teachers with pictures to help them with this preparation,’ says Bosworth.

‘We can also show them alternative viewpoints, where children can at least see places they may not be able to physically access. At Carisbrooke Castle we offer a 360-degree virtual tour that children can view on a tablet if they can’t otherwise get to where they want to be. With every decision we make, we need to be thinking about people with non-typical needs.’

Strategic change

‘The key thing is to make sure everything we do is grounded in visitors’ experiences’ Above Accessibility is at the heart of the Discovery Visits for children at Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight Right Our Conservation in Action van has activities that are accessible to children with special needs

talking about mobility problems, sensory issues and other difficulties. These considerations are second nature for education visits officer Laura Bosworth.

She hosts Discovery Visits for children at Osborne and Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, and ensures accessibility is at the heart of the visits.

‘When I started, we were hosting children in a room up two flights of stairs with no lift,’ she says.

‘We had a visit from a little girl in a wheelchair and, while we did get her up, it was clear that it wasn’t an appropriate situation. And that had to change.’

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www.english-heritage.org.uk

Pulling all these issues together across the whole estate is Nicole Stockton-Davies, English Heritage’s new visitor access manager. She describes her role as being ‘the quarterback for accessibility’, who will act as a central point of contact and help drive strategic change.

‘The key thing for me is to look at the feedback from visitors and make sure everything we do is grounded in their experiences,’ she says. ‘I want to dig down and really focus on what visitors want to change and involve those affected in the decisions we make.’

This communication needs to go both ways and Stockton-Davies is determined to do more to use social media and the English Heritage website to reach out to Members. ‘Pre-visit information is so important,’ she says. ‘We need to be creating more videos that show people what they can expect to find when they arrive and help them plan their route around our places. We need more access maps with key information clearly displayed, such as the distance from the car park to the site itself.

‘We can’t do everything. But we can do more than we are. It’s all about giving people the right information and allowing them to make an informed decision. Only they know what they can manage.’

Her ambition is that every visitor is given what they need to enjoy England’s story, however they want to experience it. ‘Talk to us,’ she adds. ‘We want to hear your feedback and we’ll use it to keep driving change in the right direction.’

PL AN YOUR VISIT To check the accessibility aspects ahead of your visit, look for more details on the relevant property page on our website at www.english-heritage.org.uk

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E

Clockwise from this image Hornblower cruise to Niagara Falls; the Thousand Islands; Ottawa river cruise

Fall for Canada’s historic heart Discover the flavours, wildlife, arts, heritage, lakes and waterfalls of cosmopolitan Ontario on a self-drive adventure with Canadian Sky

M

any of us are feeling the urge to stretch our wings for a big adventure. And adventures don’t come bigger than those offered in Canada, where you’ll find thrilling wildlife encounters and epic landscapes, outdoor activities and culinary discoveries, and fascinating history and heritage.

Fortunately, you don’t have to travel ‘from sea to sea’, as Canada’s national motto proclaims, to experience the best this vast nation has to offer. Simply take a comfortable eight-hour flight to Toronto and take the wheel for a 12-day self-drive tour around Ontario with award-winning luxury holiday specialist Canadian Sky to tick off a host of bucket-list experiences.

Canada’s biggest metropolis is also arguably its most artsy and diverse.

But while Toronto’s headline sights demand attention – lofty CN Tower, historic downtown neighbourhoods, Lake Ontario’s shoreline – don’t miss its gastronomic highlights, such as classic

poutine (chips with curd cheese and gravy), and the boutiques, cafés and restaurants of the hip Distillery District.

Head east to step back in time at Gananoque and the nearby ‘Limestone City’, Kingston, packed with reminders of its colonial past – notably Fort Henry, the 19th-century fort built by the British to guard the Rideau Canal. It’s also a gateway to the Thousand Islands, some 1,800 outcrops speckling the St Lawrence River: take a boat cruise or, better still, kayak past the opulent Victorian summer mansions on these islets.

Canada’s capital, Ottawa, rivals Toronto for culinary delights, and tops it for art and culture. Browse world-class galleries and museums, and admire the Gothic revival Parliament Buildings at its heart.

Then hop west to explore the forests, lakes and rivers of Algonquin Provincial Park.

There’s time for wine-tasting, farm-tofork feasting and relaxing in the Muskoka region before heading for the thundering

cascades at Niagara, a suitable climax to an extraordinary adventure in Ontario.

English Heritage Members can enjoy a free excursion worth up to £150pp when booking the ‘Experience Ontario – Great Lakes, Wineries, Cities & Niagara Falls’ tour with Canadian Sky by 31 December.

This 12-night self-drive tour costs from £2,339 per person, including return flights from London, fully comprehensive car hire, an electronic roadbook, roomonly accommodation and an exclusive excursion – choose from a foodie tour of Toronto, a wine-tasting tour, a Niagara Falls cruise and more.

Start your adventure

To book, or to see the full range of tours, visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/ canadian-sky or call 01342 332692 and quote ‘ENGLISH HERITAGE’.

IS BACK ON STAGE!

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE, LONDON

LYCEUM THEATRE, LONDON AND ON TOUR ACROSS THE UK

©Disney/CML

PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, LONDON

ON TOUR ACROSS THE UK

Book your tickets at english-heritage.org.uk/members-area

©Disney

Over to you My experience Your say Trending Ask the experts

Got an interesting story to share?

Email us at membersmagazine@ immediate.co.uk

Paranormal investigator Katie Waller at Bramber Castle in West Sussex MY EXPERIENCE

‘People expect to see apparitions but that is rare’

How a 15th-century tale inspired Katie Waller to look for evidence of paranormal activity have been interested in the paranormal since I was young. We moved into a new house when I was in my early teens and, at night, I would hear a lady wailing but I would never find anything.

When I was old enough, I joined a paranormal group and, from there, I started to do my own investigations. It’s not what you often see on TV. It’s all about collecting evidence. I use a range of specialist equipment, from full-spectrum cameras to electromagnetic field devices. I think

ADAM BRONKHORST

I

many people expect to see apparitions but that is incredibly rare.You’re more likely to hear a noise or capture a light anomaly. I wanted to investigate Bramber Castle as it has some interesting stories attached to it, such as a man named William de Lindfield who was entombed alive here in the 15th century. After gaining approval from English Heritage, I investigated the castle on a quiet day but the only ‘evidence’ I got was an odd squeaking sound on my digital recorder.You should only do night-time

investigations if they’re part of bookable events.

I’ve been to a few paranormal events run

by English Heritage. My favourites were at Bolsover Castle and Kenilworth Castle. I understand people saying there is no such thing as paranormal activity. But as technology and scientific research is evolving, we are learning to understand things that we previously had no evidence for, so I guess anything is possible. www.english-heritage.org.uk/ bramber-castle www.english-heritage.org.uk

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OV E R TO YO U

Your say

www.english-heritage.org.uk/magazine facebook.com/englishheritage twitter.com/englishheritage

Share your stories and send us your experiences, photos and tips

instagram.com/englishheritage

Each issue, our star letter writer will receive a Craghoppers jacket worth £100 – perfect for exploring in the outdoors. To be in with a chance of winning, simply send in a letter or email for publication in the magazine. Email us at membersmagazine@immediate.co.uk or write to us at English Heritage Members’ Magazine, Immediate Media, Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST.

STAR LETTER

Ranger’s House ancestor

I enjoyed reading about Ranger’s House (May 2021 issue), as it was built by my ancestor Admiral Francis Hosier around 1720.

He died of fever in the West Indies in 1727, with thousands of his sailors, which prompted fury at the orders given to him by the Admiralty. The family lost the house after an 11-year series of court cases, as he died intestate. A nephew said that he was the legal heir and claimed that Hosier’s widow, Diana, was not married to him, although the records of St Bride’s, Fleet Street (still!) show a wedding in 1710. Her daughter Frances and her husband Robert Hart continued to fight their cause, so that the Christian name Hosier was continued to be used in our families into the 20th century.

John Grayling

Viking buildings In reply to a question about Viking buildings in Britain in the July issue, Steven Brindle said, ‘There are no standing buildings created by the Vikings in England.’ I know you are English Heritage but might he not have mentioned, even as a side note, that the Vikings built a magnificent cathedral in Kirkwall, Orkney, that is still in use today (St Magnus)?

Jill Buss

TRENDING What’s got you talking on our social media channels?

Delightful Dalmatians I was delighted by the article on Dismal Desmond in the July issue. I have owned Dalmatians for nearly 50 years and have loved Dismal Desmond for nearly as long.

The photo shows my Dalmatian Lily during a recent visit to Whitby Abbey.

Joan Atkinson

Member Kevin Nichols at Hadrian’s Wall

Northumberland adventure

Joan Atkinson’s Dalmatian at Whitby Abbey

Blue plaques tour When walking around London in the summer, we gave our teenagers the task of spotting as many blue plaques as they could, taking photos and noting down the connection between houses and well-known people.

The prize (of pizza and ice cream) for the most unusual pairing was the Brook Street one where Jimi Hendrix and Handel were neighbours, albeit 200 years apart.

Nigel Cox

Making history A new documentary on the re-enactors who entertain visitors at our events, Meet the History Makers, has over 89,000 views on Facebook. bit.ly/3eYHh5o

Old spice Our latest video starring Audley End House cook Mrs Crocombe, on how to make ginger beer – the Victorian way, has been viewed 248,000 times. bit.ly/3rBVA4T

We recently decided to make full use of our new membership with a holiday to Northumberland. We were not disappointed – the area was breathtaking. We visited some of your castles, gardens and country houses. But the biggest highlight was a trip to Housesteads Roman Fort and Hadrian’s Wall. We climbed up to the fort and wall beyond, where we enjoyed spectacular views. Thank you to the friendly staff and volunteers who made all our English Heritage experiences so enjoyable.

Ruth and Kevin Nichols Clarification In the July 2021 magazine we discussed some of the steps we are taking to reduce our use of plastic bags and single-used plastics. In catering and retail, single-use plastic bags haven’t been purchased since 2018, and we will no longer provide single-use plastic bags in our shops and cafés from 1 April 2022. Where we have regional suppliers who can support our plans, single-use plastics will also be phased out by this date. We will strive to ensure we significantly reduce our plastic usage across all our cafés to be single-use plastic free, where viable.

Legendary view This Instagram image of the imposing statue Gallos, standing sentry atop the cliff at Tintagel in Cornwall, has had more than 26,700 likes. bit.ly/3ryRNoV www.english-heritage.org.uk

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OV E R TO YO U

MEMBERS’ AREA

WHAT’S NEW?

Ask the experts The English Heritage team answers your questions

Make a mini model of Boscobel House Help your children make our latest ‘homes through history’ model. www.english-heritage. org.uk/kids

Andrew Hann

Properties historians’ team leader

Sally Johnson

Collections conservator, East territory

Listen to our latest podcast episodes Don’t miss our episode on the excavation at Richborough Roman Fort. www.english-heritage. org.uk/podcast

Win a kids’ goody bag worth £100 Design a Royalists or Parliamentarians recruitment poster. Plus, play our Civil War game! www.english-heritage. org.uk/kids

Delve into our magazine archive Go to the Members’ Area to read digital editions of previous issues. www.english-heritage. org.uk/members

Eltham Palace and Gardens in Greenwich, London

Bethan Daniels asks… recently visited Eltham Palace and was struck by Q Ihow much it must have cost the Courtaulds to renovate and maintain the property. What were the costs involved and how were they able to afford this?

Andrew Hann replies…

Stephen and Virginia Courtauld certainly spared A no expense on building and furnishing their luxurious home at Eltham Palace. From accounts kept by the architects, Seely and Paget, we know that construction of the palace and its outbuildings, and landscaping of the grounds, cost them £107,511 18s 3d, equivalent to around £5.5m today. This included £2,059 for the squash court and orangery, and £662 for the swimming pool. The land came rather cheaper as the Courtaulds leased the estate for 99 years from the Commissioners of Crown Lands for a yearly rent of £300. Such lavish expenditure was only a drop in the ocean for the Courtaulds, who were fabulously wealthy as a result of shares held in the Courtauld textile business. In 1920, the company’s share value was estimated at £12m (£350m in today’s money).

Jeremy Ashbee

Head properties curator

Geoff Eyles asks… intrigued by the photo on the back cover Q Iofwas the July issue, showing work on the statues at Wrest Park. What exactly are the restorers doing?

Sally Johnson replies…

The statues date from around 1730 and were A designed by the English sculptor John Cheere.

They were painted to resemble marble, which was the fashion for 18th-century garden sculptures. We continue to maintain this appearance by repainting the statues every few years, as the paint layer wears away.

This is due to their location and being exposed to the elements. After a gentle clean to remove dirt and loose paint, the surface is allowed to dry and then any cracks and holes can be conserved. The final process is then to apply two coats of specialist paint that is suitable for external sculpture. We plan to complete the other two in the same way later in the year.

Andy Padgham asks… soil erosion well documented, why is most Q With archaeology found buried under the ground?

Jeremy Ashbee replies…

A fascinating question, with complex answers.

A A lot of things we find under the ground were always under the ground: the foundations of buildings have survived but the superstructures have been demolished. Mercifully we live in a country where earthquakes are rare, though landslips, marine transgression, silting-up of watercourses or wind-blown movements of sand have sometimes caused sites to become buried or drowned. On other occasions, human action is responsible: soil is brought in and dumped, for cultivation, or some other purpose – for example, the earth banks of medieval castles sometimes conceal the remains of earlier houses.

SEND US A QUESTION For your chance to have your questions answered by one of our English Heritage experts, email us at membersmagazine@immediate.co.uk www.english-heritage.org.uk

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AUTUMN OFFERS

Treat yourself this autumn with savings on everything from knitwear to wine. Enjoy even more offers at www.english-heritage.org.uk/rewards

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INGREDIENTS 2oz of a gin of your choice ¾oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed ½oz honey syrup METHOD 1 Honey syrup is easy to make. Mix equal measures of honey and water in a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the honey is dissolved. Allow to cool.

Keep in a container for up to a month.

2 Pour the gin, lemon juice and honey syrup into a shaker with ice, and shake until well chilled.

3 Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

BUY A BOTTLE OF ENGLISH HERITAGE GIN AND GET TWO FREE 5CL BOTTLES PLUS FREE SHIPPING The British Honey Company is a UK-based producer of spirits, honey and jams, producing 13 honey products and 16 spirits. With this amazing offer you can sample three delicious flavours for the price of one 70cl bottle.

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3 AUTUMN STROLLS AT ENGLISH HERITAGE SITES 1 Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Northumberland The gardens boast many seasonal treasures, including a huge copper beech, the striking Japanese katsura tree with its glorious colours and scent of candy floss, and a Vitis coignetiae or crimson glory vine, giving a stunning scarlet show.

Watch out for the red squirrels, too.

2 Witley Court, Worcestershire For a quintessential autumnal experience, swathes of yellow, orange and bronze leaves decorate the trees here, turning burnt orange as the season progresses, all against the backdrop of the dramatic ruin (right).

3 Down House, Kent An annual highlight as you stroll around the historic house’s gardens is the scarlet red Virginia creeper engulfing the house, in striking contrast to the purple shades of the Boston ivy.

To redeem all of these offers and more, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/rewards

RUNNING HEAD

The time of your life It’s so important to do what makes you happy – that’s why Nigel Morris decided to move to a McCarthy Stone apartment

N

igel Morris is a firm believer that you should always embrace new adventures, and it was in this spirit that he and his wife, Janice, decided to downsize from their family home and move to McCarthy Stone’s Scott Place development in Lichfield.

‘We wanted to move somewhere that would help us do more of the things we love during our retirement years,’ explains Nigel. ‘That, and the fact the garden in our family home was becoming tricky to maintain, felt like a good enough reason to move.’

The couple had a good feeling about Scott Place from the moment they saw it. ‘As soon as we stepped into the property, we knew it was right for us,’ says Nigel. ‘We chose a two-bedroom apartment overlooking the beautiful Lichfield Cathedral and Stowe Pool, which is an ancient reservoir. Our building is just 100 yards from the marketplace and

a range of local shops, including a butcher’s, bakery and greengrocer’s.

It almost feels as though this apartment was built for us.’

Art and music

As a pair of culture enthusiasts, Nigel and Janice are perfectly placed to make the most of all the city has to offer. ‘Lichfield Cathedral hosts inspiring services and fantastic musical events. An arts venue, The Hub at St Mary’s, has everything from classical recitals to jazz evenings. And, as we’re only a five-minute walk away from the Garrick Theatre, we can see all the pantomimes, plays and comedy gigs we could desire,’ says Nigel.

Back at Scott Place, there are plenty of gathering spaces along with a thriving community, so Nigel can also indulge in his hobbies from the comfort of his home. ‘There are three experienced thespians living here, and we often get together for a bit of fun.

‘I never thought, at the ripe old age of 81, I would meet so many new people’

Clockwise from this image A typical interior at a McCarthy Stone development; McCarthy Stone homes in Bawtry, South Yorkshire; a newly decorated sitting room; Lichfield, home of the Scott Place development; Nigel Morris and his wife Janice

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E

At our Christmas party, we created a four-minute sketch of Cinderella.

I played an ugly stepsister, perhaps a little too well,’ he laughs.

The tight-knit community is one of the many advantages of living at a McCarthy Stone property. ‘You can never feel isolated living here,’ says Nigel. ‘My wife and I have made new friends and enjoyed some excellent gatherings. Last time, the New Year’s Eve celebrations went on until 2am.’

Outdoor space

Nigel is a skilled writer, and recently published a 60-page booklet exploring the life of Sir Robert Peel. Now, he’s working on his autobiography. But when he needs a change of scenery he’ll head to the communal outdoor space. ‘I’m cultivating a herb garden along with four other residents,’ he explains. ‘People come down and pick the herbs we grow to use in their cooking. It’s rewarding to see our hard work pay off.’

Getting a daily dose of fresh air is also important for Nigel and Janice, and they enjoy wandering around Beacon Park, a 70-acre stretch of greenery just a stone’s throw from Scott Place. ‘Hitting my two-miles-

a-day target is easy when the walk is this beautiful,’ he says. ‘I have no excuse not to.’

Aside from spending time outdoors, the couple look forward to Wednesday afternoons, when their two grandsons come to visit after school. As there’s an on-site guest suite at Scott Place, it’s easy for them to stay over, too. ‘Being able to see our family regularly is so important and something we didn’t want to compromise on.

We knew living at Scott Place would facilitate that,’ says Nigel.

New opportunities

Nigel couldn’t recommend moving to a McCarthy Stone property more.

‘I never thought that, at the ripe old age of 81, I would meet so many new people,’ he laughs. ‘Moving here has helped us to make the most of life and enjoy new opportunities.’

If, like Nigel and Janice, you’re ready to begin a new, exciting chapter, why not explore the apartments to buy or rent* at the many McCarthy Stone developments across the country? Simply call the number below or head to the McCarthy Stone website to find out more.

To find out more, call 0800 310 0572 or visit www.mccarthystone.co.uk * Rentals not available in Scotland

english-heritage.org.uk

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RY O F CT O E U D ER S G O FF ER ITA TR O AD ER IN RE H R ISH FO GL EN

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OCTOB E R 2021– MARCH 2022

WHAT’S ON Your guide to this season’s English Heritage events

Scarily

Go to the English Heritage website to check the latest information on access to sites and events

good fun Don’t miss our Halloween events for all ages, including our terrifying Ghost Tours and our family-friendly Spooky Woodland Walks

INSIDE Enchanted events, Battle of Hastings re-enactment returns, Christmas Adventure Quests, exclusive Members’ Events and more!

FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK ONLINE www.english-heritage.org.uk/events Phone 0370 333 1181 with queries

Go to the English Heritage website to check the latest information on access to sites and events

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www.english-heritage.org.uk

FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK ONLINE www.english-heritage.org.uk/events Phone 0370 333 1181 with queries

H A L L OW E E N HIGHLIGHTS

Make the most of half-term and enjoy supernatural stories and spectacles with a Halloween visit to an English Heritage site near you The last day of October sees a flurry of activity as pumpkins are carved and creepy costumes dusted down. Halloween is also the perfect opportunity to get out and indulge in an eerie activity with the family.

A host of English Heritage sites are offering daytime and evening events, including ghoulish walks, spinetingling storytelling and wizardly quests. The dark and shadowy corners of sites across the country are

The Wizards of Once Halloween Quests Our special Halloween Quests offer fantastical days out this half-term for families with young children. Head to one of 16 sites – including Battle Abbey, Audley End, Beeston Castle and Eltham Palace – and explore your destination on a brand new adventure trail inspired by Cressida Cowell’s bestselling Wizards of Once series. Will you find the ingredients for the spell to get rid of witches and uncover the location of the Cup of Second Chances? Wear frightful fancy dress to enter our competition and maybe win a prize. Whether you come across tricks or treats, it’ll be a wizard day out.

perfect for getting pulses racing as you look out for something spooky. Choose to visit during this Halloween half-term period and you might come across a scary character. Join in the fun by dressing up in a supernatural costume and you could win a prize. Find out more by visiting www.englishheritage.org.uk/halloween or look out for the news emails that we send you for the latest details.

Spooky Woodland Walks As the days shorten and the evenings grow darker, join our ghost-hunting storytellers on a family-friendly Spooky Woodland Walk through the shadows of the grounds at Audley End, Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, Walmer Castle, Witley Court and Wrest Park. With tales full of spooky and strange goings-on, this Halloween walk is sure to get you into the spirit of the season. This is an outdoor, early evening tour and will last around 45 minutes. Ideal for those looking for a more light-hearted event this Halloween, families with children aged five to 12 will love this fun-filled fright fest.

Ghost Tours How daring are you? Do you have the nerve to go out in the dark of night to visit one of 11 spooky English Heritage sites this Halloween? Why not join our storytellers as they guide you on a bone-chilling journey through the past. With tales of ghosts, supernatural sightings and horrors from history, this is not a night for the faint-hearted – make sure you’ve got a hand to hold.

These tours are suitable for those aged 16 and over. And don’t forget to bring a torch – you’ll need it, as things are going to get dark…

www.english-heritage.org.uk

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Make the most of the months ahead with our exciting selection of seasonal events at sites near you – enough to bring some warming cheer to even the chilliest of days

Go to the English Heritage website to check the latest information on access to sites and events

Summer has faded away but the mellow delights of autumn and winter’s rugged charms await, along with a whole host of ways to enjoy your English Heritage membership. Battle-hardened enthusiasts or budding young warriors can explore every nuance of the Battle of Hastings at the very spot it took place. For spectacular light shows, an illuminated evening at Whitby Abbey will deliver,

as will Enchanted events at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex, and Eltham Palace and Gardens in London. If you’re after more energetic fare, join a Christmas quest, where little adventurers can hunt down the clues to secrets of the past in these dramatic settings. Find out more about these winter spectacles below, or check the English Heritage website for further details.

UNMISSABLE EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Battle of Hastings at Battle Abbey The Battle of Hastings re-enactment is back and will take place on the very spot where King Harold and Duke William fought in 1066.

Some 500 re-enactors will recreate this epic conflict. Visit the army encampments to see their weapons and armour, and watch the soldiers practise 11th-century skills and craftsmanship.

Illuminations at Whitby Abbey The site that inspired Bram Stoker takes on a new lease of life this Halloween as Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire is bathed in illuminations. Explore the Gothic splendour of the ruins lit up with a rainbow of colours, and see the story of Dracula unfold before your eyes within the abbey, with a brand new twist this year.

Enchanted evenings Gather your friends and family to experience the past in a spectacular new light this December.

Explore the gardens of Audley End House and Eltham Palace, discover a magical world of illumination, sound and colour, and see the historic buildings bathed in light. Warm up with a glass of mulled wine or toast a marshmallow under the night sky.

Christmas Adventure Quests Our family-friendly festive adventure quests take place across several English Heritage sites, including Beeston Castle, Osborne, Pendennis Castle and Belsay Hall. Explore these extraordinary sites as you follow the trail and track down the clues before rewarding yourself with a warming hot chocolate – you’ll deserve it!

Spring Explorer Quests With spring just around the corner, get out and about this February halfterm on this brand new explorer quest. Track down the clues and solve the puzzles for a brilliant day out in history. You can follow the family trail through the grounds of a selection of beautiful historic sites, including Dover Castle, Battle Abbey, Brodsworth Hall and Carisbrooke Castle. www.english-heritage.org.uk

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For details of even more Members’ Events, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-events

Members’ Exclusive Events Meet our experts and enjoy special access to sites at these events that are just for Members

Discovering Blue Plaques in Marylebone

LONDON

WED 9 MAR, 11.30 am –2p m London’s blue plaques scheme, founded in 1866, is believed to be the oldest of its kind in the world. Join historian Dr Susan Skedd on a guided walk around the streets of Marylebone and find out about notable local writers, artists, musicians and actors, and learn why not all blue plaques are blue. The meeting point is outside the Wallace Collection and the walk will end in Baker Street. £22 Booking from 1 October

Members’ Exclusive Events

BROMPTON CEMETERY AND CATACOMBS, LONDON

A Grave Concern

MARBLE HILL HOUSE, LONDON

Marble Hill in Wartime

AM

THU 11 NOV, 12p m –1.30 p m On Armistice Day join a landscape volunteer on a wartime walk of the grounds of Marble Hill House, which was used as a bomb shelter in the First World War. See the bomb sites and where the bomb shelter was located. Members can come for 10.45am for the remembrance event. An exhibition on wartime Marble Hill will also be accessible. £10 Booking from 1 October

Marble Hill in Wartime Access challenging

AM

Access moderate

AE

Queer Old Soho

STOKE NEWINGTON, LONDON

AM

SAT 11 DEC, 11am –1p m Overcrowding of central London graveyards was a serious concern for Victorian urban planners, and resulted in the creation of a number of huge suburban metropolitan cemeteries, many including extensive catacombs. Join us for a journey into the often morbid mindset of the Victorians, and descend into the labyrinthine catacombs themselves. £30 Booking from 1 October

AC

AM

SOHO, LONDON

Queer Old Soho

AM

SAT 26 FEB, 11am –1p m & 2p m –4p m Take a walk on the wild side and explore the LGBTQ+ history of Soho with Nick Collinson. Discover where queer artists Lou Reed, Dusty Springfield and Freddie Mercury all recorded in the 1970s, which royal was embroiled in one of the most sensational scandals of Victorian England, and the location of what was the most notorious ‘cottaging’ spot in all of London. £14 Booking from 1 October

London’s Lost Rivers: The Tyburn

AM

SAT 22 JAN, 11am –1p m & 2p m –4p m The river Tyburn was one of London’s smaller rivers. It was buried during the expansion of the West End, and as such it flows beneath some of the most recognisable of London’s landmarks.

We follow its route through some of London’s most affluent areas until we reach its mouth at the Thames, while hearing stories of life on the river in days gone by. £14 Booking from 1 October

INSTANT EXPERT… THE BLUE PLAQUES SCHEME In 1863 William Ewart MP came up with the idea of a commemorative plaque scheme for London. The idea was taken up three years later by the Society of Arts, which put up its first plaque – to Lord Byron – in Holles Street (off Cavendish Square). Sadly the plaque, and house, were lost to demolition in 1889. The oldest surviving plaque is to Napoleon III in King Street (off St James’s Square). The London County Council took over the scheme at the turn of the 20th century. It used various materials, designs and colours for its plaques but the unadorned blue roundel did not become standard until after the Second World War. The Greater London Council took over in 1965 and

Access easy

put up plaques over a wider metropolitan area, and expanded the range of figures commemorated to include more popular entertainers. English Heritage has run the scheme from 1986, since when over 450 plaques have gone up. There are now over 970 official London plaques – most coming from public suggestions.

Recently, for the first time, more women than men have been approved for commemoration. www.english-heritage.org.uk

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FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK ONLINE www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-events Phone 0370 333 1181 with queries

MARYLEBONE, LONDON

FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK ONLINE www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-events Phone 0370 333 1181 with queries

SOUTH EAST Members’ Exclusive Events

FORT SOUTHWICK UGHQ, HAMPSHIRE

Operation Overlord

AC

SAT 22 JAN, 11am –1p m & 1.30 p m –3.30 p m Descend deep into the bowels of Portsmouth Hill and enter the vast labyrinth of wartime tunnels beneath the Victorian Fort Southwick. From this underground bunker, Operation Overlord was coordinated and orders from General Eisenhower’s HQ at nearby Southwick Park were dispatched to the D-Day invasion force. £20 Booking from 1 October

Operation Overlord Fort Southwick UGHQ

Wreath Making Walmer Castle and Gardens

FORT WIDLEY, HAMPSHIRE

Defending Portsmouth

76

www.english-heritage.org.uk

AC

SAT 5 FEB, 11am –1p m & 1.30 p m –3.30 p m Fort Widley was constructed in the 1860s as one in a chain of Victorian forts defending the strategic ridge of Portsdown Hill, with panoramic views over Portsmouth and its vital naval dockyard. The fort’s history encompasses 150 years, from the Victorian ‘Palmerston’s Folly’ and First World War transit barracks to a Cold War bunker and, more recently, a disaster response training school. Fort Widley is currently maintained as a riding and equestrian centre and, as such, public access to the historic fabric is not normally permitted. £20 Booking from 1 October

WHY DO WE HAVE WREATHS AT CHRISTMAS? The Christmas tree was introduced to England from Germany during the Georgian period. It was this showcasing of the evergreen during the festive period that led to the creation of wreaths. As excess foliage was cut off to ensure the trees fitted in as pretty a way as possible, ‘circles’ were woven with the offcuts to decorative effect. The circular shape of the wreath was mainly for convenience, as this made it easier to hang the decoration.

It is also said in folklore that as the tree would be trimmed to the shape of a triangle, this three-cornered shape represented the Trinity.

WALMER CASTLE AND GARDENS, KENT

The wreath was an important symbol from much earlier eras too. In Greek and Roman times it was a symbol of power, strength and victory. Laurel leaves were often the foliage of choice at the time.

In ancient sporting events, a crown or wreath of olive branches, pine, wild celery, laurel or wild flowers would be worn by the victor, as it would by guests and leading players at a wedding.

Now, wreaths mostly hang on our doors. It might once have represented divine perfection or symbolised eternity as a circle with no end. Now, whether handmade or not, they say ‘welcome’.

Wreath Making

AE

THU 4 NOV, 12.30 p m –4p m Step into the warmth of Walmer Castle near Deal and unleash your creative side in our festive Christmas clay workshop. Under the guidance of Brenda Burgess, a Kent-based artist and sculptor, have a go at forming your own ceramic Christmas table centrepiece to display during the festive season and at yuletide family dinners for years to come. It’s a wreath but not as you know it. Finish off by enjoying a hot drink and slice of cake while admiring your new-found sculpting skills. £40 Booking from 1 October

SOUTH WEST Members’ Exclusive Events Gloucester Gaol

ST MARY’S, ISLE OF SCILLY GLOUCESTER

Gloucester Gaol

AM

SAT 19 FEB, 11am –1p m & 1.30 p m –3.30 p m Gloucester Castle was demolished in the 1790s to make way for this prison, which only closed in 2013.

Previous inmates included Irish nationalist Pierce McCan, one of the founders of Sinn Fein in 1905, as well as ‘The Hay Poisoner’ Major Herbert Armstrong, who was hanged here in 1922. As a site of public execution, it is thought that up to 122 unmarked graves lie beneath the prison. Tread carefully on this fascinating tour of what is a hugely storied prison. £35 Booking from 1 October

Spring in Scilly: A Three-Day Tour

AC

TUE 22–THU 24 MAR In March 2022 join us for an exclusive look at the beautiful Isles of Scilly.

Enjoy spending time with the author of Defending Scilly, Allan Brodie, as we tour the two largest islands over three days, focusing on their military heritage and their varied natural and archaeological treasures. We will start the first day at a gentle pace with an afternoon tour of the Garrison Walls to set the scene. On day two we will travel by boat to Tresco to discover its military history on a walk around the island. There will also be time in the afternoon to enjoy the celebrated Abbey Gardens at your own pace or

Spring in Scilly: A Three-Day Tour

COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Walking Tour of Medieval Colchester

EAST OF ENGLAND

SAT 9 OCT, 11am –1p m Join Philip Wise from the Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service on a walking tour of Colchester’s medieval history. Starting at Colchester Castle, the sights will include St John’s Abbey Gatehouse. £20 Booking from 1 October

Members’ Exclusive Events

AE

WEST MIDLANDS Members’ Exclusive Events

GOODRICH CASTLE, HEREFORDSHIRE

An Architectural Eye on Goodrich Castle

FRI 10 DEC, 11am –1p m Remarkably well preserved, Goodrich Castle both reflects typical English castle architecture while containing many unique features all of its own.

Join archaeologist Mark Bowden for an in-depth look at this impressive castle. £20 Booking from 1 October

Walking Tour of Medieval Colchester AC

Access challenging

AM

Access moderate

AM

AE

Access easy

www.english-heritage.org.uk

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FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK ONLINE www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-events Phone 0370 333 1181 with queries

simply admire the natural beauty of your surroundings. The final day will be spent on St Mary’s, the largest of the islands, to enjoy a full day on foot to discover its heritage and the beauty of this special place. £159 Booking from 1 October

BYLAND ABBEY, NORTH YORKSHIRE

FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK ONLINE www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-events Phone 0370 333 1181 with queries

YORKSHIRE & THE HUMBER

The Built Heritage of Leeds

The Treasures of Byland Abbey Museum

AM

TUE 1 MAR, 10 am –11.30 am Join collections conservator Susan Harrison for a closer look at the newly reopened museum at Byland Abbey, which rose to be one of the largest abbeys of the Cistercian order in Britain and inspired the design of church buildings throughout the North. £12 Booking from 1 October

Members’ Exclusive Events BRODSWORTH HALL AND GARDENS, SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Caring for the Collection

LEEDS, WEST YORKSHIRE AM

TUE 16 NOV, 10 am –12.30 p m Around 200 years ago Leeds was in the thick of the Industrial Revolution.

Join urban geographer Rachael Unsworth as we discover the sites and the stories of the city and its people during this transformative time. Drawing on a newly published trade directory, the 1821 Census, biographies, maps and more, we’ll conjure a sense of late Georgian Leeds – minus the smoke. £12 Booking from 1 October

AE

FRI 19 & FRI 26 NOV, 10 am –11.30 am Join the collections team at Brodsworth Hall and Gardens as they prepare many of the property’s unique pieces for the upcoming winter months.

Discover what care is needed, and why, in this rare behind-the-scenes tour. A hot drink and slice of cake will be served after the tour. £20 Booking from 1 October

YORK, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Historic York at Christmas

AE

FRI 3 DEC, 5p m –6.30 p m Join Yorkshire tour guide Sarah MilneDay for a unique tour of York city centre at Christmastime. We will explore the history of this wonderful city, which has a close link to Christmas, and discover why it’s the most Christmassy place in England. £15 Booking from 1 October

The Treasures of Byland Abbey Museum

HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE

Walking Tour of Hull City Centre

Caring for the Collection Brodsworth Hall and Gardens

AM

TUE 9 NOV, 10 am –12p m Discover the maritime heritage, the magnificent architecture and the characters that made Hull such a thriving, vibrant and radical place to live. From the cobbled High Street, which recently featured in the film The Personal History of David Copperfield, to the modern redevelopment of the waterside, via tales of artists, rebels, merchants and campaigners, Hull has it all. £20 Booking from 1 October

Historic York at Christmas

MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE

NORTH WEST Members’ Exclusive Events

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www.english-heritage.org.uk

Manchester’s 20th-Century Architecture

AE

FRI 18 FEB, 10.30 am –12.30 p m & 1.30 p m –3.30 p m This tour with guide Emma Fox will take you to see works by eminent architects, listed buildings, hidden gems and feats of engineering, while exploring and interpreting the tales behind these storied buildings. £20 Booking from 1 October AC

Manchester’s 20th-Century Architecture Access challenging

AM

Access moderate

AE

Access easy

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HERITAGE PUZZLES

Check your answers in the Members’ Area at www.english-heritage. org.uk/quizzes

English history-inspired brainteasers to put your knowledge to the test

CROSSWORD 6 - - - Oak, name given to Charles II’s hiding place in the field behind Boscobel House (5) 7 Site of the Triangular Lodge that was designed by Thomas Tresham, father of one of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators (7) 9 Location of a tithe barn on the river Avon first built in the 14th century (8) 10 - - - Bretton, remains of a medieval priory located just outside Barnsley (4) 11 - - - Abbey, ruined abbey with a chequered history, founded in the 12th century (6) 12 County that contains many sites including Tilbury Fort and Hadleigh Castle (5) 14 - - - Carn, Bronze Age burial chamber located on the Scilly Isles (5) 16 - - - Graves, prehistoric flint mine with a grassy cratered landscape in Norfolk (6) 19 - - - Kennet Long Barrow, part of the Avebury World Heritage Site (4) 20 - - - Castle Deer House, Durham animal shelter built as a square mock castle (8) 22 Derbyshire castle built by one of William the Conqueror’s knights in the 11th century (7) 23 St - - - Commandery, former chapel, close to Dover, built of flint walls and later converted into a farmhouse (5)

DOWN 1 Old - - - Manor, rare example of a manor house that survives from the 13th century, located in Kent (4) 2 German-born composer, famous for his Messiah, who has a blue plaque at his former dwelling in Brook Street, Mayfair (6) 3 - - - House, building constructed as a conduit to supply water to Bolsover Castle in the 17th century (5)

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4 River, for the defence of which Tilbury Fort was built to prevent an attack on London by the Dutch navy (6) 5 - - - Pillar, monument constructed in 1656 by Lady Anne Clifford at the gateway of Brougham Castle for her mother (8) 8 & 13D - - - Priory, medieval monastery in North Yorkshire (5,5) 11 Town with the remains of a 15th-century guildhall located on the Norfolk coast (8) 13 See 8D

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15 - - - Castle, Norman motte and bailey fortification that affords views across the River Dart in Devon (6) 17 - - - Chantry, former leper hospital in Kent that was used as a gas decontamination chamber in the Second World War (6) 18 - - - Lloyd George, former prime minister who commissioned Edwin Lutyens’s war memorial, the Cenotaph, in 1919 (5) 21 The - - - Stones, prehistoric stone circle located just off the A35 in Dorset (4)

WORD WHEEL

WHERE AM I?

How many words can you make using the letters in the wheel?

Words must be four letters or more, each word must contain the central letter E. Plurals and proper nouns are not allowed.

The nine letters can be arranged to spell the name of an English Heritage castle and priory.

Identify the castle using these clues

www.english-heritage.org.uk

1 Its oldest buildings date back to the 1080s 2 Henry II took control of this castle in 1171 3 During the First World War, the castle was occupied by the Northern Non-Combatant Corps

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Test your knowledge of autumn and winter traditions with this quiz

1 Mount Grace Priory was granted ‘two tuns of the better red wine of Gascony yearly at Martinmas’ by Edward IV. When is Martinmas?

2 When Stonehenge was first built, at which point in the circle would the sun have set on the winter solstice?

3 During Oliver Cromwell’s reign as Lord Protector, Parliament banned Christmas festivities. Where is the castle that Cromwell gave his name to?

9 Which of these ingredients isn’t included in traditional Victorian mince pies?

A Ox tongue B Boiled lemons C Cinnamon

10 Charles Darwin wrote a letter from Down House in 1877 where he blamed a scarcity of bees for fewer berries on the holly that year. What is holly’s Latin name?

LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST ON AUTUMN FOLKLORE www.english-heritage.org. uk/podcast

15 After last Christmas many of our properties left their decorations up until Candlemas, rather than taking them down on Twelfth Night. What date is Candlemas celebrated?

16 Stir Up Sunday was established by Victorians as the day to make your Christmas pudding. Which way was it traditional to stir the mixture?

4 Thomas Percy was part of the Gunpowder Plot. Can you name this castle, once owned by the Percy family?

11 During the Second World War, churches had to stop lighting their stained-glass windows at Christmas due to the risk of attracting bombers.

Which year was this ban lifted?

A 1944 B 1949 C 1954

12 Who ‘invented’ Father Christmas in 1616?

5 Sigillaria were gifts that were traditionally exchanged during the Roman midwinter feast of Saturnalia, but what are they?

A White caps B Decorative wine cups C Little wax or pottery figures

6 What is the Yorkshire name for trick or treating?

7 What’s the name of the first Monday after Twelfth Night?

8 When enjoying a slice of Tudor Twelfth Night cake, what would you hope to find in your portion?

13 On which day in the festive period did the Tudors traditionally exchange gifts?

14 Why is this engraving significant to modern Christmas traditions?

17 As well as being All Hallow’s Eve/ Halloween and All Souls Night, what else is 31 October known as in parts of England?

18 Ash Wednesday falls the day after Shrove Tuesday, where ash crosses are marked on people’s foreheads.

What are burned to create the ash?

19 What are kern babbies, a Cambridgeshire handbell, Straw Jack, a Durham Chandelier and a Worcester Crown all types of?

20 The counties of Devon and Somerset have their own version of the yule log.

What is its name?

If you don’t have internet access, please contact our customer services team on 0370 333 1181 for the answers www.english-heritage.org.uk

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PA S T L I V E S

Freddie Mercury’s blue plaque On the 30th anniversary of the death of Queen’s frontman, we look back at his life, commemorated by a blue plaque at his childhood home in London WORDS HOWARD SPENCER ILLUSTR ATION JASMINE WHITELE AF

or those with vivid memories of his performance at Live Aid in 1985, it seems extraordinary that Freddie Mercury died 30 years ago this November – and incredible that he would have turned 75 this September had he not become a casualty of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. More than just a frontman for the band Queen, he wrote many of their hits, including ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘We are the Champions’ and ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’.

Behind this success, and the glitzy stage name, lay Farrokh Bulsara, a young man who came to England as a 17-year-old in 1963 with his family – father Bomi, a cashier in the British colonial service, his mother Jer and younger sister Kashmira.

They were East African Asians, and followers of the Parsi (or Zoroastrian) faith. The young Farokkh – or Fred, as he was already calling himself – was educated at boarding schools in India.

Their arrival in Britain is enmeshed with the wider story of the end of the empire. Zanzibar, a British protectorate since 1890, gained its independence in 1963 under a sultan, but was toppled a month later by an African-led revolution, partly triggered by a skewed election.

Thousands were killed and many of the minority Asian population fled.

Although they were British subjects, the Bulsaras thus came to England effectively as refugees. They settled in Feltham, in London’s far west, where they had family connections: 22 Gladstone Avenue is the terraced house that bears Freddie Mercury’s English Heritage blue plaque.

Fred Bulsara studied art and graphics at Isleworth Polytechnic and Ealing College of Art, followed by a stint working at Heathrow Airport. He also joined his first bands – Ibex, later known as Wreckage, and Sour Milk Sea. Like many young adults, he was in and out of the family home, but

F

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www.english-heritage.org.uk

‘The family’s arrival in Britain is enmeshed with the wider story of the end of the empire’

was still giving it as his address in 1969.

The following year he joined another band called Smile with Roger Taylor, Brian May and, later, John Deacon. At his instigation, they changed their name to Queen – and the superstar Freddie Mercury was born.

DISCOVER BLUE PL AQUES Find out more in The English Heritage Guide to London’s Blue Plaques, available from www.english-heritageshop.org.uk

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1,200 BUILDINGS 12,861 HISTORIC WINDOWS

Audley End House and Gardens, Essex

THOUSANDS OF IRREPLACEABLE WINDOWS NEED URGENT CARE AND REPAIR PLEASE HELP NOW

Weather damage and natural decay are putting our unique windows at risk. Your help is urgently needed to help preserve the many thousands of historic windows in our care.

Find out more on page 30 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/ windows

The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a company, no. 07447221, registered in England.