The 15th Century Ancestor.
I almost spat my coffee across the train carriage when I saw my name in a 15th century manuscript.
Read More The 15th Century Ancestor.Tag: history
It’s cold out there… wear a wig.
This short cold period we are in, and my research on 17th century coffee houses took my mind to wearing wigs.
Read More It’s cold out there… wear a wig.J.T. Smith’s Ancient Topography of London
J.T. Smith published the Ancient Topography of London in 1815. Within it, I discovered a “sunken building”.
Read More J.T. Smith’s Ancient Topography of LondonHeatwave
The heat did me in this week. I am usually OK with high temperatures, or at least I thought I was. I have often worked outside in soaring temperatures. As an archaeologist I worked in wide open fields during heatwaves and remember the sweat dripping off my nose like a leaking tap. I developed a […]
Read More HeatwaveLondon Wall
What is London Wall? It is many things including a main road. It is archaeology, history and mythology. But above all, it is a boundary, that, although no longer here, is still ever present.
Read More London WallCorhampton
The yew tree in the Corhampton Church graveyard appears to predate the church.
Read More CorhamptonOld Winchester Hill
Iron Age hillforts have an impact on the landscape. In this blog I look at Old WInchester Hill in Hampshire.
Read More Old Winchester Hillthe last gravestone in dunwich
Jacob Foster’s gravestone is the last in Dunwich. To us, it represents so much more than just Jacob.
Read More the last gravestone in dunwichA Wall Will tell a 1000 Stories
Walls have so much to say. All the scars, knocks and scrapes tells of a wider story.
Read More A Wall Will tell a 1000 StoriesDark Earth
Dark Earth is an amorphous, bland and unremarkable archaeological deposit. but it represents so much more.
Read More Dark EarthThe Gard’ner’s Almanac
The Kaledarium Hortense is a classic gardening book by John Evelyn. It takes the gentleman gardener through the year, detailing what he is meant to do in the garden with fruit vegetables and flowers. Much of his advice is straight forward gardening knowledge and logic, and something you may well hear on TV, radio or […]
Read More The Gard’ner’s AlmanacThe Abbey
The meaning of historic places has very much changed in recent years. People have been using them in very different and personal ways, above and beyond the usual interest in architecture and historical events. I’ve seen this developing at Creake Abbey, an historic site I’ve been visiting for the past 15 years or so. It […]
Read More The AbbeyVisscher’s People
Claes Visscher’s panorama of London is one of the most famous images of the City for many reasons. We see the various landmarks across London, such as the churches, Leadenhall and the Exchange, all of them labelled. Architecturally the panorama is superb, with the buildings drawn in great quality, detail and precision. It shows us […]
Read More Visscher’s PeopleThere are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio…
I don’t really believe in ghosts, or the supernatural, but I am fascinated by it. Rationally, I don’t believe in ghosts. Emotionally, I want to, or rather, want to be left with a feeling of mystery. I am caught between two worlds. Rational logic and emotional desire. I am not looking to explain, nor indulge […]
Read More There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio…
An Historier's Miscellany 