Category: History

Witchfinder General

Yesterday I left you in Essex on a bank of the Stour estuary at Mistley. The Mistley Thorn where we lunched has a strange and disturbing tale to tell on a board on its west wall.

Wrabness to Mistley

On Tuesday I took a slightly shorter walk than usual, only five miles. As usual, it was along a tidal stretch of river – not the Thames, the Stour that divides Essex from Suffolk and joins the North Sea at Harwich.

A Royal Baby

A royal baby was born 199 years ago at Kensington Palace. Her father was the fourth son of George III, the Duke of Kent, her mother was Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Published
Categorised as History

Montauban to Paris

To Montauban yesterday morning to catch the 09.17 to Paris Montparnasse train that had started from Toulouse. A second class, window seat upstairs not far from the on-board café is a snip at Euros 36. It is a two-hour journey noth-west through Agen to Bordeaux and then another two hours north-east to Paris.

Rokeby’s Half Crown

Rokeby Hall is a fine Georgian house in Co Louth not far from Grangebellew. It was built for Richard Robinson, 1st Baron Rokeby and Archbishop of Armagh. My brother, also a Baron, is at present only a Diocesan Reader in Armagh but I have hopes that he may follow in Lord Rokeby’s ecclesiastical footsteps.

Staveley Road

You wouldn’t give Staveley Road a second glance as you drive past along Great Chertsey Road towards the M3, although it looks a lot like Stella Street. (It is adjacent to Chiswick House.) I walked along it to look for two things and found three.

Today & Yesterday

The beauty parlour that closed at the end of last year remains vacant and now Paperchase, that opened in March 2016, has closed too.

St Wulfstan and his Priory

Edward Elgar’s grave lies in the cemetery at St Wulstan’s church. It is curious that this saint is not better known. Incidentally his name has various versions of which Wulfstan is prevalent.

Stella

Stella no doubt reminds you of Jonathan Swift’s friend whose real name was Esther Johnson. Whether she was more than an old friend, he first met her when she was eight, or his mistress or wife is unclear. She was for sure born in Richmond in 1681 so it was appropriate that I went to… Continue reading Stella

Trouble in Haiti

A comment yesterday drawing attention to the exoticism of the coats of arms of many African countries reminds me of an esoteric volume held by The College Of Arms.

Published
Categorised as Art, History