On June 5th 1944, with the world spinning on its axis, General Dwight Eisenhower addressed 1430 American paratroopers, from Greenham Common, England. “The eyes of the world are upon you.”  He announced, watching at just before midnight, as at 11 second intervals, eighty one C-47 Dakotas took off for Normandy to participate in one of the most decisive events of World War II, D-DAY.

Greenham Common's military past

Eisenhower was sixty miles west of London at a United States Air Force (USAF) base on Greenham Common, a well established historical military site. In 1643, during the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell’s men had waited there to stop the forces of King Charles I. In 1745, it was where five thousand troops prepared to quell an invading Scottish rebellion led by Bonnie Prince Charlie. In World War I, British tank troops had trained there and in March 1941 before America became involved in World War II, RAF Bomber Command was based there.

Greenham Common as an American World War II base

When the USAF arrived at Greenham in 1942 one of its lodges became the HQ for the 101st Airborne division and one of its manors, Bowden House, the HQ for USSAF 51st Troop Carrier Wing. It was from here that the invasion of North Africa was planned and where in 1944 Churchill, De Gaulle and Eisenhower planned the airborne element of the D-Day landings.

During the time the Americans were based at Greenham, it hosted several famous American stars who visited to entertain the troops. Bing Crosby, Betty Grable, Dorothy Lamour, Louis Armstrong and Glenn Miller were just some of it’s illustrious visitors.

It was also from here that my father, whose family home was a couple of miles away, first became acquainted with Americans. Servicemen, who according to my father's teenage recollections, were all handsome and smartly dressed, happy to share their candy with ration deprived English children. It was the beginning of a life long respect and admiration for a country, that over fifty years later, would be where I would live.

Greenham Common is nestled next to the bustling market of town of Newbury where my parents met and to the south lies Watership Down, (immortalized in Richard Adam’s novel of the same name) where bunnies still hop. Close by is Highclere Castle, now world famous as the location for Downton Abbey.

Covering just over two square miles, resplendent with gorse, bracken and purple heather it was where as a child I was taken to pick blackberries and where a few days ago I returned. I went to visit its 1951 Control Tower, recently opened to the public to tell its Cold War story.

The Greenham Common Control Tower

Surveying the panorama before me and blessed with clear skies I discovered other fascinating facts about Greenham. In addition to its military connections, in 1839 it was at Greenham that the winning post of one of England's finest horse race tracks stood, for the Newbury races. In 1873 it was the site of the Crookham Golf Club, one of the first inland courses in England.

Beginning in 1973 it became the host for Six International Air tattoos several of which I had attended! In 1980 Richard Noble broke the British land speed record here, reaching a speed of 245mph. Chosen by Noble probably because of the length of its runaway, for the same reason, at one point Greenham was designated as an alternative to Heathrow airport for Concorde and as the European landing ground for the Space shuttle.

At the top of the Control tower

The Control Tower was built in 1951 during the Cold War, when the USAF returned to Greenham, and new runways and buildings were constructed. B47 jets were deployed from Greenham followed by B52 bombers until the Americans departed again in 1964. The USAF maintenance hangers, are clearly visible from the tower now part of New Greenham Park Industrial Park.

Greenham as a Cruise Missile Base

The threat of the Cold War gripped the world on into the 1980's and as a consequence the Americans returned. Greenham became a controversial cruise missile base resulting in a woman’s protest camp being established round its boundaries. When it was announced that 96 cruise missiles would be arriving, on 12 December 1980, thirty thousand people, mostly women, joined hands in protest, circling Greenham’s entire 9 mile perimeter fence. In 1981 seventy thousand people formed a human fourteen mile chain from Greenham to the Atomic Weapon and Research Establishment at Aldermaston where Britain’s nuclear weapons are made.

In 1982 the USAF's 501st Tactical Missile Wing was activated as a launching ground at Greenham and a year later the first missiles arrived. An Alert and Maintenance Area (GAMA) site had been built to house the missiles, six shelters all designed to be able to withstand a direct hit. Each one was 50 feet high, 150 feet long and 16 feet wide, covered in reinforced concrete, titanium sheeting, sand and clay one being designed to be on permanent alert with living quarters.

Today they are privately owned and often rented out as movies locations, Star Wars and Top Gear have both been filmed here as well as a music video for singer Beyoncé.

The GAMA shelters at Greenham Common

In 1988, following the signing of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in which USSR & USA agreed to destroy their missiles a Soviet Inspection took place at Greenham. In 1991 the cruise missiles were destroyed and in 1992 the USAF returned Greenham Common to the Ministry of Defence.

In 1994 the airbase was designated as being of special scientific interest and in 1997 the Greenham Common Trust bought it for a million pounds. It eventually became a business park and Newbury District Council bought the open common for one pound. In 2000 the last of the peace camp disbanded and by 2002 the common was opened for all to enjoy as it is today.

In September 2018 The Greenham Common Control Tower was opened.

If you would like to visit it's free, the tower hosts events and talks, check the website for details and hours. Choose a sunny day and bring your walking shoes as the common is a delight to explore!

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“Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to...." one man.

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill  

In May 1940, after the shadow of war had descended across Europe, having been ignored for years about the increasing threat of Hitler, Winston Churchill became British Prime Minister. Driven by an incredible sense of what was right he stood alone but he stood firm and using the power of his words he galvanized a nation, "mobilizing the English language and sending it into battle.” He later commented 'It felt as if I were walking with destiny and that my whole life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial.”

Recently magnificently portrayed by Gary Oldman in ‘Darkest Hour’  (which has already won him a Golden Globe, a B.A.F.T.A and the Oscar nomination) this film leaves one in no doubt as to the accuracy of those words.

The story of this incredible man, arguably the greatest leader of all time, began a few miles from the university spires of Oxford, at Blenheim Palace Woodstock. I have written about and visited the palace often, twice last autumn. It's somewhere I'm always drawn back to, perhaps in large part because Blenheim is one of England's most resplendent stately homes, a UNESCO world heritage site since 1987, but also because of my passionate regard for Sir Winston Churchill.

The History of Blenheim Palace

The estate and title 'Duke of Marlborough' was given to the army General, John Churchill, Winston Churchill's great forebear, in 1705, by Queen Ann in recognition for his great victory at the Battle of Blenheim on August 13 1704. The palace was designed by Vanbrugh and took 17 years to build. John Churchill and his wife Sarah oversaw the project although only Sarah saw its completion.

The front of Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace remains the only property in the United Kingdom which is not a royal residence to be called a palace. This is thought to be because when it was built the locals proudly referred to it as such and the name stuck!

The Rear of Blenheim Palace

The Battle of Blenheim

The Battle of Blenheim led to the end of the War of Spanish Succession. The battle is depicted on a series of beautiful Belgian tapestries which line the walls of the palace.

Winston Churchill and Blenheim Palace

Winston always felt a deep seated connection to Blenheim Palace and his illustrious ancestor John Churchill. As a profuse historical writer Winston once remarked “The longer you look back, the farther you can look forward.” His first book was an epic biography of John Churchill. He went on to produce multi-volume works on the two world wars and then 'The History of the English-Speaking Peoples'. In 1957 he won the Nobel Prize for literature "for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values".

Although John Churchill, was the first Duke of Marlborough, Winston was not born to the dukedom, his father Randolph, being the 3rd son to John Spencer Churchill, the 7th Duke of Marlborough. Destiny, however determined that Blenheim should be Winston's birth place when he arrived a few weeks early during a family visit to the palace. Winston was thrilled to have been born at Blenheim.“I am proud to be born at Blenheim ….. this great house is one of the precious links which joins us to our famous past, which is also the history of the English speaking people on whose unity the future of the free world depends.” 

The room at Blenheim Palace where Winston Churchill was born

The 9th Duke of Marlborough and Consuelo Vanderbilt

Winston Churchill’s mother, Jennie Jerome was American and not the only American to marry into the family. Churchill’s cousin, Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, the 9th Duke of Marlborough, married the beautiful American railway heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt, who at just 17 was coerced against her wishes to marry the 9th Duke.

The marriage was not happy and once 'the heir and spare' had been born it ended in divorce. But the marriages achieved  its objectives, the title’s succession was assured, the Vanderbilt money saved the Palace from near ruin and the Vanderbilts won themselves a much coveted English title.

Despite the divorce, Winston remained close to both Consuelo and his cousin (known as Sunny) who always welcomed warmly Winston to Blenheim. Throughout his life Blenheim remained dear to Winston's heart and it was at Blenheim, in 1917 that he proposed to the love of his life Clementine Hozier, marrying her just a month later in London.

Winston Churchill as a statesman

Like his great ancestor John Churchill, Winston Churchill had an illustrious military career before following his father into politics. And just like John Churchill it was a world crisis that called him to meet his greatest challenge.

As Prime Minister, during the dark days of World War II, Winston Churchill's courage and determination saved the nation he so loved. Refusing to contemplate defeat and to 'never surrender', as a master orator his speeches, broadcast around the world, inspired and strengthened the Allies' will to defeat the common Nazi enemy.

In June 1944 when victory in Europe had been secured, this much deserved poem, on display at Blenheim, was published in the Times, in England.

St Martin's Church, Bladon

The gargantuan, inspiring life of this great man began at Blenheim Palace and it ended on its doorstep. Sir Winston Churchill chose to be buried within the shadows of the palace, in the humble graveyard of St Martin's, Bladon next to the Blenheim Estate.

The grave of Sir Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill should never be forgotten. The Churchill Exhibition at Blenheim Palace pays homage to this great man to whom the free world will remain indebted to for eternity.

Blenheim Palace is open to the public throughout the year hosting numerous events check the website for details.

Within in an hour of London, I highly recommend  a visit and do allow yourself time to spot by in adjacent, picturesque Woodstock, you won't be disappointed!

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Last time I wrote about my incredible and somewhat unexpected tower tour at Salisbury Cathedral. But our adventure didn't end with the tour, for apart from being a magnificent testament to medieval architecture, we discovered that the cathedral is also home to the Magna Carta, one of the world's most famous documents which for centuries has inspired and encouraged movements for freedom and constitutional government around the world.

The Magna Carta at Salisbury

Wandering along the cloisters of the cathedral you will come to the exquisite Chapter House where the Magna Carta is housed.

Entrance to the Chapter House

Handwritten in Latin on parchment (sheepskin), it is the best preserved of the four remaining original charters still in existence, all of which date back to 1215. It was bought to Sarum by the archbishop of Canterbury's chief official, Elias of Dereham who played a significant role in its negotiation. He was also responsible for the distribution of at least ten of the original charters which probably numbered between 40 to 60.

Inside the Chapter House

What is the Magna Carta?

The Magna Carta (literally meaning ‘great charter’) was written to establish the fundamental rights of people and the monarch, particularly with regards to their relationship with the church.

It was negotiated at Runnymede, near Windsor, in 1215 between King John, the Church and key Barons of England to establish constraints upon what they considered the tyrannical rule of King John. Enraged by crippling taxes imposed upon them to pay for the King’s wars in France, the Barons wished to protect their rights and wealth. At the same time, the Church, integral to all aspects of medieval life providing education, healthcare and welfare, as well as being an an immensely wealthy landowner, angered by King John’s interference and rejection of the Pope's choice for the next archbishop of Canterbury wished to assert their freedom.

Despite signing the charter, King John had no intention of abiding by it and as soon as he had regained the Pope’s support by agreeing to his choice for archbishop of Canterbury, he appealed to him for the charter’s annulment. During the resulting civil war King John died and was succeeded by his nine year old son Henry III. When those fighting on behalf of the young king were victorious, to cement the peace, his regent, William Marshall, reissued the Magna Carta and it became a document in support of the monarch.

A copy of the Magna Carta

(Photographs of the original are not permitted apologies for this poor copy)

The significance of the Magna Carta

A powerful and radical concept was thereby established namely that no King should act above the law. The Magna Carta became the test by which succeeding monarchs were judged. In 1225 Henry III issued a revised Magna Carta and by 1297 it had become a firmly established part of English law.

The Magna Carta today

The Magna Carta, has left fundamentally important legal legacies throughout the world. Four of the original clauses are still part of English law today, three of which establish individual freedoms. The Magna Carta was the foundation for the jury system, where court cases are decided by ordinary people and it also established the right to take a government to court should the law be felt to be unjust or being unfairly applied.

So my trip to Salisbury was one of fascinating discoveries! Like I said last time, don't miss the chance to visit it if you are in the area click here to visit its website for details. And as one of you so kindly wrote to remind me, if you would like to learn more about this incredible piece of English History,  'Sarum' by Edward Rutherford and 'Pillars of the Earth' by Ken Follett are great epic sagas to read.

Next time, at the request of so many of you we return to Provence and more about my house in Lourmarin, I promise!!

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This year I've divided my time almost equally between the three parts of the world I hold most dear. Many of you have been asking me where I think is 'home'. I am no longer sure of the place but wherever I maybe, I am and always will be an English girl and proud to be so. And so as the year dwindles to an end during this magical Christmas season it is perhaps appropriate that my last post for 2017 is from England. As you all know I love history, exploring ruins, palaces, villages perched, châteaux, churches and cathedrals to discover their stories. Whilst still in England earlier this month, on an ordinary Wednesday, standing in front of Salisbury Cathedral, little did I know what extraordinary 'trouble' my curiosity was going to led me into!

Salisbury Cathedral was built within site of Sarum, an iron age settlement dating to the 1st century B.C.

Following the 1066 Norman invasion of England, William the Conqueror built a castle and then a cathedral at Sarum which was completed in 1092.

Sarum was abandoned when a new cathedral was built in 1220 soaring 123 meters high above the city that grew up around it, Salisbury. Almost entirely Early English Gothic this resplendent place of worship took just thirty eight years to build using about 2,800 tons of oak, 420 tons of lead and 60,000 tons of local limestone from Chilmark and Tisbury about ten miles away.

The original cathedral, completed in 1258, did not have its famous landmark spire. The spire, Britain's tallest, was added between 1315 and 1330 to help make the cathedral more easy to locate for the hundreds of visiting pilgrims upon whose revenue the cathedral depended upon.

Stepping across the cathedral's threshold I was immediately enveloped within its serenity and architectural wonder. Speechless I gazed above me thinking about all the millions who, over its 750 year history, had stood marveling at this seemingly miraculous construction, pondering all the revelations it could share.

The first being that Salisbury Cathedral is home to what is believed to be the world’s oldest clock. Dating back to 1386, without hands or a face, it is powered by weights and told the time by the chiming of its bell. Commissioned in the 14th century it was originally installed in the bell tower between the cathedral and the city gate. When the tower was demolished in the late 1700's it was moved to the Cathedral tower until 1884 when it was replaced. In 1929 it was moved into the cathedral and restored in 1956.

Standing amongst the pews and gazing up at the cathedral's towering arches the magnificence of this place of worship was awe inspiring.

But I had no idea that having just agreed to go on a tour of the Cathedral tower with my friend, that I would end up standing directly below this centuries old, intricate spiders web. Thinking (or maybe we weren’t thinking!) we would just be climbing a few spiral, stone steps nothing could have prepared us for the astounding brilliance of what we were about to be shown.

Led by an amazingly knowledgeable guide (who I am sure must have been the lovely Jim Broadbent's brother), we twisted round the first series of steps quickly realising that our ascent was only just beginning. Perhaps this was not such a good idea, a thought which was quelled by the view which we were treated to following a short walk along on a narrow passsage which led us out onto a gallery above the sanctuary.

Standing with my back against the wall (I actually don’t like heights!) I was none the less transfixed, it felt as if we had become part of the very fabric of the building, immersed within the centuries old genius and craftsmanship all around us.

Encouraged by our guide we gingerly turned round and behind us was a kaleidoscope of colour, tiny pieces of medieval glass intricately pieced together to tell its religious story, disappearing above us seemingly into infinity. But before we could deliberate too long over the wonders of its creation we were ushered on to the next Rapunzel tower of winding stairs.

Just as before, when eventually and mercifully the steps ended, we were led through another corridor and this time found ourselves above the domed ceiling of the cathedral.

Once the lights were snapped on a tunnel of light revealed the cathedral's intricate, perfectly formed timber framed roof directly above us, we were utterly mesmerized! The realization that all of this had been transported and assembled at these dizzy heights, by hand, with none of the equipment or engineering knowledge we have today AND the length of time that it had been there was almost too much to comprehend.

Incredulously we listened to the story of its construction humbled by the centuries old skill, marveling at the achievement. We were further inspired to learn that there are still people today studying the same stone mason and joinery skills, available to make repairs, albeit aided somewhat by the inventions of Edison and Black & Decker……

Utterly absorbed by our guide's fascinating narrative, we followed him across the roof line into a further ‘chamber’ of spiraling medieval scaffolding.

On the way we passed window panes which astonishingly were covered in graphite. We were told that in the 1980's the panes had been carefully removed and sold for five pounds each to raise money. Anyone who bought one could engrave whatever they chose knowing their window pane would be immortalised forever within the cathedral, it had raised thousands of pounds!!

After our next ascent we found ourselves ensconced in an open space where once again a lattice of scaffolding reached up high above our heads. Quietly standing in the far corner stood a perilous looking wooden structure ascending upwards. With a sinking heart we realized with dread that we were probably going to be expected to navigate it!

Now when I say I don’t like heights, I really don’t and yes I have been known to get a tad claustrophobic in confined places, so what on earth was I doing here?! I glanced at my trusted friend who also looked somewhat concerned but just as we were about to articulate our trepidation our guide had disappeared within the timbered tower of terror and with thumping hearts off we followed!

Gritting my teeth and tightly gripping the open wooden sides I forced myself not to look down and to concentrate on the sound of the brightly chattering narrative leading me upwards. And yes I was frightened but also enthralled.....

In truth it wasn’t as bad as it had seemed from the bottom, well not after we had reached the top, where once more we gasped in wonder, finding ourselves in a large and lofty space, phew.... we had reached our destination, the top of the tower.

But maybe not, for there in the corner sat yet another pylon of death defying steps and as I glanced at my intrepid friend, now looking a little bit pale, we both realised, deep joy, that our guide was once again vanishing among them…..

This time it was even more tense, but fairly confident that this had to be the last upwards ascent and refusing to think about the fact that what goes up has to come down, I pushed the prospect of negotiating the descent from my mind. At the top (yes we had made it) we found ourselves in a surprisingly large chamber and gazed in awestruck amazement at the sight above our heads.

It was almost too much to believe, that this incredible feat of engineering was the age it was, that it had been achieved at all and so long ago and clearly constructed completely brilliantly, definitely brilliant, for it was still here!

Taking pride of place was a medieval windlass used to winch the stone and timber building materials, up to these dizzy heights. We were told that the windlass  is one of just three which have survived in situ, the other two being in Peterborough Cathedral and Tewkesbury Abbey.

Once the various modifications over the centuries at the hands of other geniuses such as Sir Christopher Wren and subsequent Victorian engineers had been explained we were led out for the final thrill, the view from the top of the tower.

Quite frighteningly thrilling, it was utterly breathtaking. Old Sarum was pointed out to us, the small green mound in the far distance.

A close up of Old Sarum

And no, there wasn’t a lift down and yes, clearly we lived to tell the tale and to not regret any part of it. It actually felt like a privilege to have been able to see at such close quarters such mind blowing, centuries old talent!

Somewhat chuffed at our achievement, totally paltry compared to what we’d been admiring, we realised in amazement that our little adventure had lasted almost three hours! Arm in arm, like two over excited, puffed up school girls we went off to enjoy a very late lunch, wondering what scampers we might led each other into next time we went out to do some Christmas shopping!

Salisbury Cathedral is open year round and the Tower Tour is available most days click here to visit its website for details. An hour & half from London, not far from other famous sights like Stonehenge and the Roman city of Bath, it is a truly memorable place to visit. It is also home to another spectacular piece of English history, The Magna Carta, more about that next time, in the New Year, which I hope it is full of peace and joy for you all!

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The Spread Eagle Hotel can be found in the pretty market town of Midhurst, West Sussex, in the heart of the beautiful South Downs, just over an hour south of London. Steeped in history, it is one of the oldest buildings in the region, boasting original medieval lattice windows, exposed oak beams, ancient doorways, equisite tapestries, undulating floors and inglenook fireplaces large enough to sit in next to squashy sofas and an inviting bar! Dine in the room which once hosted medieval Lords, sleep where a Tudor Queen once rested her head or just sit and sip something delicious in the place where Nazi leaders once conspired. The Spread Eagle oozes ambience from every crook and cranny, safely guarding centuries of history, an atmospheric and charming place to visit whether it be to sip, dine, stay or if you have time, all three!

Dating back to 1430, The Spread Eagle was built on the foundations of an early medieval building, next to the estates of the local Knights of St John. Following the growth of a new merchant class during the Tudor period, after 1650, as the need for travel accommodation increased, the inn underwent extensive improvements. Eventually The Spread Eagle became an important stage coach inn on the route between the docks at Portsmouth and London.

Over the centuries further renovations have been completed each being careful to preserve the hotel's delightful historical character. You can dine today right next to this tremendous inglenook fireplace!

The Christmas puddings dangling above the fireplace hang there all year ready for guests to enjoy for their annual Christmas lunch!

Cowdray House

The story of The Spread Eagle has close connections to the nearby ruins of Cowdray House, constructed by Sir David Owen, the illegitimate son of the Tudor dynasty’s founder Owen Tudor. Sir David inherited the estate through marriage into the de Bohun family and his role in placing Henry Tudor on the English throne meant that Cowdray became an estate of immense importance. Cowdray attracted many distinguished guests some of whom stayed at The Spread Eagle Hotel.

Guests at The Spread Eagle

Other famous guests to the hotel include Queen Elizabeth I, you can still stay in the room where she slept! Also Admiral Horatio Nelson with his mistress Emma and later, Prince Charles, H.G. Wells  the Maharajah of Cooch Behar and my grandparents in the 1950's!

The link to the  'Spread Eagle' and the inn

The ‘Spread Eagle’ was a powerful symbol in European history. During the Middle Ages the German dominated Holy Roman Empire adopted it as its emblem which is maybe why the Knights of St John came to Midhust.

In July 1939, Hitler's Ambassador to England, Joachim Von Ribbentrop dined at The Spread Eagle with Hermann Goering and four other officers after attending the Goodwood Races. Before coming to The Spread Eagle, Goering had been visiting Leonardslee near Horsham, then the home of Lady Loder, and it is believed that he had selected this beautiful property to be his H.Q. after the invasion of England.

Here is Von Ribbentrop signature in the The Spread Eagle's guest book.

During the World War II American GI’s based at Cowdray House often came to The Spread Eagle. It is rumored that when they returned to Midhurst after the war they bought with them this Eagle taken from Hermann Goering’s office in the Reichstag, Berlin.

They donated it to the hotel to thank them for all the happy times spent there during World War II.

The Spread Eagle today

The Spread Eagle  Midhurst is now privately owned, one of three in a group of historic Sussex hotels, each one having their own fascinating story to tell.

Do stop off at The Spread Eagle should you be visiting this pretty corner of southern England, even if it's just for a drink, although I would suggest you find the time to spend longer!!

 The Spread Eagle Hotel, South Street, Midhurst, Gu29 9NH +44 (0)1730 816911

Click here to read more about other places to visit about an hour from London

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"Oh, to be in England now that April's there,"
Robert Browning's words could not have rung more true for me this springtime in England.
Simply put it's pretty, breathtakingly pretty,
especially in the spring.

Springtime in England ~ rolling fields dotted with sheep tending their newly born lambs,

and endless stretches of bright yellow rape melting into the horizon.

 Gathering primroses on a woodland walk.

Springtime in England ~ where the trees are laden with blossom.

and everyone's delighted to be eating outside again,
there's nowhere nicer than an English country pub.

Wandering through beautiful gardens

and garden centers.

Springtime in England ~ at picturesque villages like Turville,
this one especially beloved by movie makers.
(This is the windmill from 'Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang')

With their cottages,

and
ancient country churches

Springtime in England ~ by the River Thames,

meandering along the towpath, bursting with spring growth.

Springtime in England ~ just warm enough for a game of that very English past time, lawn bowls.

Springtime in England ~ lucky me that I was there to enjoy it,

Where were you this springtime?

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England is famous for its palaces, castles and grand stately homes. Most sit surrounded by beautifully designed grounds and extensive gardens, commissioned by their dedicated owners centuries earlier. Steeped in a rich history, years of secrets are buried along their leafy pathways whispered by the rich and privileged who once strolled there. Today thousands of visitors are still inspired by their magnificence, here is an insight into three of them.

Sissinghurst Castle

Sissinghurst Castle in Kent is one of England’s most treasured spots, famous for its beautiful white garden. It was created by the poet, novelist, and garden designer Victoria Mary Sackville-West, known as Vita. Able to trace her family heritage back to William the Conqueror, Vita and her politician husband, Harold Nicolson,
bought Sissinghurst, once owned by Vita’s ancestors, in the 1930’s when bizarre English inheritance laws forced her to part with her family home at Knole House near Sevenoaks, Kent.
Vita was a controversial character and a member of what was considered the quite shocking Bloomsbury Group. She and her husband had an open  marriage both scandalously enjoying same sex relationships. Vita’s partners included the daughter of Alice Keppel, a mistress of King Edward VII and the prominent writer Virginia Woolf. Vita  died at Sissinghurst on 2 June 1962, and today the estate is run by the National Trust.

Waddesdon Manor

Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire was built in the 1870’s by Ferdinand de Rothschild as a grand French-style country house, it may not have a history as deeply rooted in English history as the Sackville-West’s but nonetheless is quite stunning with beautifully landscaped gardens and parklands.

The Rothschild family came from Germany. Ferdinand was the great grandson of Mayer Amschel Rothschild who was born in Frankfurt in 1744. From his humble origins he became a dealer in rare coins eventually managing the finances of the immensely wealthy Elector of Hesse-Cassel, and then began to issue his own loans amassing a great fortune. His five sons were sent off to grow the family's fortunes in different parts of Europe and Nathan Mayer Rothschild came to Manchester.
Ferdinand was born in Austria but his mother was English, Nathan Rothschild’s daughter. Ferdinand studied at Cambridge, and when he died in 1898 Waddesdon passed to his sister Alice who had been closely involved with its design.

Waddesdon was famous for its sumptuousness, entertaining its guests on lavish scale one of whom was  Queen Victoria who first visited it in 1890. Alice and the Queen became firm friends and Alice renamed her magnificent château in Grasse in the south of France "Villa Victoria" where the Queen also visited. Alice left Waddesdon to her great-nephew, James de Rothschild who bequeathed it to the National Trust in 1957.

Exbury

The other property with gardens created by a Rothschild are at Exbury in the New Forest, Hampshire.
Exbury was purchased by Lionel de Rothschild, Nathan’s son, in 1919. A passionate gardener, Lionel choose the 2600 acres for its gentle climate and acidic soil which he knew would be perfect for growing rhododendrons, his great love. Lionel grew orchids and developed hundreds of new hybrid rhododendrons and azaleas for which the estate has become famous.

Exbury was one of the key centres for the planning of the D-Day landings during World War II. After the war Lionel’s son, Edmund restored the Gardens, first opening them to the public in 1955 which today are run by the National Trust.

Cliveden

Cliveden near Taplow, about 25 minutes from London, is an elegant estate situated in a commanding position above the River Thames. The gardens we admire today were imagined by another famous family who like the Rothschilds had humble, German beginnings, the Astors.

John Jacob Astor, the son of a butcher was born in 1763, in Waldorf, Germany. He moved to America and established the American Fur Company in 1808 which he built up and sold some 22 years later to focus on his by then extensive real estate portfolio. On his death in 1848 he was said to have been the wealthiest person in the United States, worth about $20 million.

The existing property at Cliveden is the third house on the estate, the other two having been lost in fires. It was commissioned in the 1850’s for the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland. It was designed by Sir Charles Barry who also designed the Palace of Westminster. In 1893 it was purchased by John Jacob’s great grandson, William Waldorf "Willy" Astor who had moved his family to England in 1891 announcing America ‘no longer a fit place for a gentleman to live’. Using some of his reputed $100 million fortune he made sweeping alterations to Cliveden’s 375 acres. He became a British subject in 1899, and was made a peer as Baron Astor in 1916 and Viscount Astor in 1917.

In 1903 "Willy" Astor, purchased Hever Castle where he moved to three years later having given Cliveden to his son Waldorf on his marriage to the American-born English socialite Nancy Langhorne who became England's first female MP. Like his father, Waldorf became a member of Parliament and was publisher of the London Observer from 1915 to 1945.

The Astors were a controversial couple supporting appeasement with Germany during the 1930s. They entertained at Cliveden on a lavish scale and it became  a destination for the rich and famous especially between the two world wars when guests included: Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Joseph Kennedy, George Bernard Shaw, Mahatma Gandhi, Amy Johnson, F.D. Roosevelt, H.H. Asquith, T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), A.J. Balfour and the writers Henry James, Rudyard Kipling, and Edith Wharton.

Cliveden hit the headlines in 1963 for being the center of what became known as the Profumo Affair. John Profumo, Secretary of State for War met call girl Christine Keeler also involved with a Soviet naval attaché at Cliveden. It was a cause for national security it ended Profumo’s career and nearly brought down the government.

In the 1970’s it was occupied by Stanford University, which used it as an overseas campus. Today it is owned by the National Trust and the house is leased as a five-star hotel.

Hever Castle

Hever Castle is perhaps most famous for being the child hood home of Anne Boleyn. It was later owned
by Anne of Cleves, another of Henry VIII’s wives. When William Waldorf Astor purchased it it had fallen into serious decline and Astor invested time, money and imagination into its restoration. He built the Astor Wing and created the lake and gardens.

William Waldorf’s son, John Jacob, inherited the in 1919. John Jacob had represented Great Britain in rackets at the 1908 London Olympics winning gold in the men’s doubles. In 1922 he became MP for Dover and purchased The Times newspaper where he remained chairman until 1959. He was created 1st Baron Astor of Hever in 1956. In 1962 John Jacob placed the Castle in trust for his son Gavin and retired to France where he died in 1971.

In 1963 Gavin opened the Castle and gardens to the public. Following the floods of 1968 and ever increasing vast running costs Hever was sold tin 1983 to its present owner, John Guthrie who has remained dedicated to its preservation.

Maybe you have visited these or other famous grand English country homes, I'd love to hear what you discovered!

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England in September finds summer still lingering, the days maybe drawing in and autumn is just round the corner but the trees are still leafy green and although unpredictable the skies are frequently the colour of cornflowers. I went on a trip down memory lane with my mother, visiting places where I used to live but also where she lived as a little girl during World War II. As we explored the country lanes and villages together it hardly seemed possible that she had skipped along these very same pathways as a small child over 75 years ago, if only trees or walls or buildings could talk!

Henley-on-Thames

The River Thames

Phyllis Court by the river

Henley Bridge

Spaning the River Thames since 1786, the Henley Bridge has been watching over the famous Henley Royal Regatta each year since 1839

Henley Town Hall

St Mary's Church, Henley-on-Thames

Goring and Streatley

Just a few miles further along the river are the picturesque and charming villages of Goring and Streatley. Separated by their shared bridge over the Thames, yet two counties apart, Goring is in Oxfordshire and Streatley in Berkshire.

Goring and Streatley Bridge

Goring Streatley Lock

The Swan at Streatley

St Mary's Church, Streatley

My mother could remember coming to church services here during the war. The vicar was called Hugo and she recalled that as their family dog had the same name she and her brothers thought they were being really naughty calling for their dog every time the vicar came to call; 'Hugo Hugo'!

Gorgeous character properties on the main street through the village!

Aldworth and Westridge Green

St Mary's Church, Aldworth

Up the hill from Streatley are the tiny hamlets of Westridge Green and Aldworth and yet another St Mary's Church. This time in the tiny village of Aldworth, where both village and church date from the 1200's, before the times of Edward the Confessor. This is where my mother mostly attended church with her family each Sunday. St Mary's is famous for its yew tree, reputedly over a thousand years old, growing in the church yard (the remains of which are pictured far right) where Oliver Cromwell supposedly tied up his horse during the English Civil War.
Buried in the churchyard are the ashes of Laurence Binyon the English poet who wrote the famous Great War poem 'For the Fallen'; 'We will remember them'.
Aldworth also has a connection with Lord Tennyson who married Emily Sellwood from nearby Pibworth. Tennyson later named his home near Hindhead, Surrey 'Aldworth'.

Aldworth Village School

The school, founded in 1819 is where my mother and her brothers attended. It had just two rooms, strictly ruled over by two nuns; Miss Jermyn, dressed in a black habit, who taught the under sevens and Miss Cooper, dressed in a brown habit who taught the older children up to age fourteen. The only heating was a big black pot belly stove and the toilets were across the road. The school was eventually close in 1961 and today it is a private house.

The Bell Inn

Opposite the school is the Bell Inn, during Victorian times it was owned by a lady who refused to serve her customers until she had read to them from the bible! The same family who were there when my mother lived here in the 1940's still run the pub today!

The house where my mother lived ~ 1936 -1946.

When my mother moved here in 1936 the house was brand new and for the times thought to be very grand with an upstairs bathroom and a flushing 'loo'. However there was no hot water in the house, one can imagine all those kettles of hot water that dangerously had to be carried upstairs! The property has been much extended and changed since 1946 and now even has hot water!

My mother with her brothers outside their home in 1937

The 'B4009' from Westridge Green, my mother remembered when all the road signs were removed because of the war and how all the children were told to forget their names and then promptly went round chanting 'the B 4 0 0 9'!

The Aldworth village well

At one time this was one of four wells supplying the entire local area around Goring. This well was 372 feet deep, and remains one of the deepest wells in England.

The Bee Keeper's house

Mr Wheatcroft, the local bee keeper lived in this cottage, supplying the locals, including my mother's family, with local honey.

A 'gift' to my grandfather after World War II from Streatley

The Berkshire Downs 

From here one is high enough to look far over the horizon across miles of both Berkshire's and Oxfordshire's rolling countryside. My mother told me how during the war an A.R.P. warden was positioned here to keep constant watch for enemy air craft and for incendiary bombs being dropped, The nearby fields at Hampstead Norrys were full of Lancaster bombers and Wellingtons, farmland which had been turned into makeshift airfields for the war.

Different times, seventy five years after the Battle of Britain, when brave young men valiantly fought over this beautiful countryside protecting this small island for us all, we have much to thank them for....................

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There are some places you visit which speak to your heart and you leave wishing to return as soon as possible. Clifton, a quaint village within the city of Bristol, 70 miles, west of London, England, is one such place. I came to know and fall in love with it when our daughter lived there whilst studying at the University of Bristol. Charming, historic and packed with trendy shops and restaurants, Clifton’s avenues are lined with imposing, regency style properties where one expects Jane Austen’s Elizabeth Bennett to appear from at any moment!

Clifton has traditionally been the home of the more affluent. Historically, many who lived in this Bristol suburb, owed their prosperity to the city's long shipping legacy. Set high above the city of Bristol, Clifton was far removed from the poverty associated with large cities during previous centuries, especially the squalor which surrounded a busy port like Bristol's. Nestled on the River Avon, Bristol was once the 2nd largest port in England. Trading in a wide variety of goods, Bristol’s main export was woolen cloth. During the slave trade, much of this wealth was derived from the misery of others, when from 1697-1807, 2,108 Bristol ships carried a diabolical, human cargo of about 500,000 slaves making, Bristol one of the three points of the slave triangle, Africa and the West Indies being the other two.
Today, this unhappy legacy is not forgotten but Clifton remains a very desirable area to live. It’s thriving, chic, center is packed with delis, bakeries and artisanal grocery stores, a food lovers haven.

Fresh organic groceries from 'Reg the Veg'

Boutiques, florists,

and antique shops jostle for position amongst an extensive variety of delicious restaurants and coffee bars.

An Indian feast from Thali Cafe, one of our daughter's favourites.

The 'Jane Austen' style residential streets in Clifton.

Caledonia Place, where our daughter lived, leading down to the Avon Gorge.

The Avon gorge lies at the edge of Clifton. Spanning this deep ravine is the much visited Clifton Suspension Bridge, the world’s first suspended bridge, built in 1864 by the famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel .

There are many memorials to Bristol's rich history. From Clifton you can see the Cabot Tower built in the 1890s to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the journey made by John Cabot, who sailed the ship 'The Matthew' and discovered what we now know as present day Canada.


In and around Clifton many of the buildings are now part of Bristol University. The university's iconic main building, the Wills Building dominates the skyline It was commissioned in 1912 by George Alfred Wills and Henry Herbert Wills, magnates of the Bristol tobacco company.

Goldney Hall is another beautiful, historic building in Clifton, now owned by the university. Thomas Goldney II first rented, then bought the property in 1705. During the 1720's he rebuilt the house and the garden. Most of what we see today was the work of his son Thomas Goldney III and the later owners in the nineteenth century, the Fry Family, a prominent Bristol, Quaker family, well known for their confectionery business from the 18th, to the early 20th century.
Today, it's university gardens are a favourite spot for Weddings and large social events.

The stroll up to the Folly offers stunning views of the rest of the city.
If you are ever in this part of England, I highly recommend you stop off and visit, stay in Clifton and discover the museums, cathedral and rich heritage of this vibrant city and the delightful village of Clifton!

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We all know intellectually that a ten hour flight transports you to another world, yet no matter how many times you might make such a journey it never fails to surprise and amaze just how different that 'other place' is!  On Monday I left my home in Danville, just 30 miles East of San Francisco. The violet blue skies and 70 degree temperatures had enticed new leaves to unfurl, fruit trees to become kissed with clouds of cotton wool blossoms and camellias and magnolias to burst into bloom.

The English countryside, in the beautiful south Oxfordshire village of Ewelme, was a very different landscape. Brushed with an icing sugar dusting of snow, the fields glistened in the grey wintry light.

As I drew my bedroom curtains that evening, my heart skipped a beat at the view of the old Forge and the thatched roofs in the distance.

The next morning, as we strolled through Ewelme, the sheep were patiently waiting for their breakfast, it was hard for them to find much to nibble on in the frozen ground.

On the hillside above the village the view was captivating, no wonder it has been used for so many films, quite recently 'Les Miserables'!

Opposite the church is the stunning Ewelme farmhouse, straight out of a Jane Austin Novel.

Opposite is The Ewelme Primary School, founded in 1437, it is the oldest continuously functioning school building in England. Imagine coming to school here each morning?!

Adjacent to the school is the 600 year old, St Mary the Virgin Church and its stunning almshouses.

Through the archway it opened out into the courtyard of the almshouses.

The church was up a stone stairway just steps away.Inside this delightful place of worship it was tranquil and serene. Stepping across the threshold one could not help wonder about all those that had trod the worn flagstones before you.

Outside, the graveyard is the resting place of several famous people, including Geoffrey Chaucer.

Wandering back through the village there was little doubt which country in the world we were in; thatched cottages,

stately country homes,

and the lush green rolling countryside.

This is the nearby village of Skirmett, a place very dear to my heart, our home when our children were babies. Unchangingly beautiful, it was so nostalgic to return here...........

We escaped the bitterly cold afternoon and warmed ourselves by the roaring fire of Skirmett's charming pub, 'The Frog', there really is nothing quite like an English pub, nothing like 'home'!

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