British Library & British Museum – 8 May 2010

Temperatures plummeted in the UK this week, so it seemed like a good day to check out the new Magnificent Maps exhibition at the British Library. This free exhibition is well worth visiting.

The maps on display came from many different countries, and included the World's largest Atlas, presented to Charles II in 1660. It has 41 maps, many unique and the others very rare.

We were fascinated to read the notes accompanying the display on how maps were used in the past, that “Rulers received their guests in their audience chamber, where maps conveyed their power and dominance.” As we have a tapestry map in our living room (purchased on holiday in Florence and supposedly a copy of Christopher Columbus's map of the world), we decided that this put us up with the 'ruler' mentality.

The Library also has a permanent exhibition which features among other interesting items, the original hand written lyrics for some of the Beatles' famous hits and two of the four extant copies of the Magna Carta.
A real treat when visiting the Library, is to have lunch right beside King George III's library collection. This was donated to the British Museum by his son George IV, and since relocated to a specially designed four story tower, appropriately called the King's Library Tower.

The British Museum is only a short walk away, and we enjoyed our first visit in years, to have a dip into the various galleries by way of their new 'History of the World in 100 Objects' programme. This is in conjunction with the BBC, and so far only the first 30 objects are identified, with a map to find them. It was a great way to follow a theme and cover most of the Museum in the process.

From Liverpool to the potteries – 3 May 2010

After another look around the docklands, and a visit to the Docklands Museum, we did not take the “Ferry 'cross the Mersey” we took, instead, the tunnel under the Mersey River to have a look at Port Sunlight, a model village built by Mr Lever manufacturer of Sunlight soap products, for his workforce. This village is definitely worth a detour; beautiful homes built in a village filled with flowers and manicured lawns. I imagine there must have been a waiting list to get a job in the factory, to have the right to live in one of these lovely houses.

From here we took a route straight across Cheshire, through the towns involved in salt production since Roman times. The town we liked best was Sandbach, with two carved pedestals over 1,000 years old. Previously, they would have supported stone crosses.

Our final stop of the day, was for a tour booked at the Moorcroft Potteries. Their tours do not run on weekends, but happily for us, they did run on Bank Holiday Monday. We found the process very interesting, and now understand why their products are expensive.

Manchester & Liverpool – 2 May 2010

After spending the night in a suburb of North Manchester, we were perfectly placed to start the day with a look around the city. The outskirts of Manchester looked very depressed, with closed shops and boarded up buildings everywhere. The city centre seemed to have survived the recession, and we enjoyed walking around the buildings reflecting the grander styles of past eras, and modern look of glass and copper at The Lowry re-development of the docklands area.

The highlight of Manchester was a visit to the John Ryland Library. The wife of this Victorian industrialist built the library, which opened in 1900, to commemorate his life. She chose a Gothic style to compete with the great libraries at Cambridge and Oxford, and the building is stunning. There is a large Reading Room, and smaller rooms filled with interesting exhibitions.

From Manchester we travelled the short distance south back to Liverpool. Once again, the outer areas looked very sad, with many closed premises, and the city centre itself is a mixture of grand, but tired buildings and livelier but equally shabby areas. A good proportion of the city centre is now a UNESCO heritage site, and we were frankly not sure why. But the heritage area of the Albert Docks, is also UNESCO, and this is a total delight to spend time in. The old dock buildings have been given a new lease of life as shops, restaurants, cafes and museums.

A 30 minute walk uphill, leads to the Metropolitan Cathedral. This Catholic church, opened in 1967, is dramatic in design both inside and out. The lantern is the largest lead light window in the world and combined with the blue leadlight windows around the circular building, fills the whole auditorium with a blue glow.

A short walk along Hope Street took us to the Philharmonic Dining Room. This equally dramatic building, originally for pre or post-show gatherings, is definitely worth a visit. The look downstairs is of an opulent Gentlemen's club, complete with the only Grade 1 listed Gents in the UK, which ladies are able to inspect if the coast is clear.

When we visited, although reasonably early in the evening, the place was already bustling with people clutching their glasses while standing in the only places available – the corridors. Upstairs is much more peaceful (and also less grand, as it was the room the carriage drivers used to wait in) and we were one of only two tables enjoying a very nice and quiet meal.

May Day - 1 May 2010

Heading towards Liverpool, we left the motorway system at Stafford, and entered a world of timbered Tudor buildings and cherry blossom. Some towns, like Market Drayton, showed the effects of the recession, much more strongly than London.

The National Trust runs a Beatles Tour from Speke Hall near Liverpool. Of all the masses of Beatles themed tours in Liverpool, this is the only tour with access inside the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. We found the tour very interesting. Though growing up in the Beatles era, we knew very little about their years before the band. Mendip was John Lennon's childhood home until age 23. He was raised by his Aunt & Uncle, and Aunty was a formidable character, who considered his interest in music a passing fad.

Paul's home was lower class than John's, but his father encouraged their music. It was fascinating to find that Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields were close by and Mother Mary was Paul's mother. And, we have been in the room where John and Paul first played guitar together and the rooms they wrote many of the great Lennon-McCartney songs. The Beatles Liverpool connection is obviously big business. While we visited the two homes, we saw several tours gather outside.

Speke Hall, the starting place of the tour, is worth a visit, even without the Beatles tour. It is huge dramatic Tudor house, furnished with heavy wooden period furniture.

London Marathon - 25 April 2010

Follies or Philanthropy – 24 April 2010

Mad Jack may have been unfairly labelled, he was a wealthy Victorian, who inherited a fortune made in the iron industry. He is remembered for the six follies he commissioned but equally, it is suggested, he was providing work for local men who lost their jobs due to the decline in the Wealdon iron industry.

We found all six of his follies, with the aid of the Web. All but his pyramid shaped mausoleum in the churchyard at Brightling, are on private property,but two have a public right of way leading to them. These were the tower built to mimic the restoration he was carrying out at nearby Bodiam Castle, and a sugar cone shaped tower, built after he lost a wager.

Visiting Bodiam Castle was a must, after viewing Mad Jack's follies. This castle was built in the 14th century, and although built surrounded by a deep moat, it was not only a stronghold, but a comfortable home as well. Sadly, it was left as a ruin in the 17th century after the Civil War, but restored by Mad Jack in the 19th century.
The other highlight of the day was tulips in two beautiful gardens. Pashley Manor Gardens were holding their annual tulip festival. The long winter meant they were only just coming out, and will still be lovely for several weeks. The crowds were certainly drawn to this beautiful country garden.

The second garden was not far away at Great Dixter. Having enjoyed it last year at the end of summer, we found it equally lovely full of tulips and spring blossom. The house is undergoing restoration, so we were fortunate to see a different part of the house. The great hall from the 15th century was open as usual, but we were also able to see a Yeoman's Hall of the same age, which in the 20th century had been transported by horse drawn cart from a neighbouring town, and added as a wing to the original Hall.

An AA driving tour we had started in Brightling, took us from here to the stunning town of Rye and back to Brightling via Battle. Rye is a town equal to any of the picturesque towns of Europe, and only a little over 90 minutes from London.

Farewell to the daffodils – 18 April 2010

After a relaxed start to the day, we set off with a picnic lunch to enjoy a day our in our classic car, only to have it die on us, as seems to be the way with our particular historic car. But as it was such a lovely day, we still set out on our picnic after the AA got us going well enough to return home and swap cars.

Our destination, Hatfield House, was definitely worth driving to, even though we had a mid-afternoon picnic lunch. Only 30 minutes from home, it feels like a few centuries away. This house has seen so much history. Built in Tudor times by Lord Cecil, the Chancellor, it was home to Elizabeth I for much of her childhood. At the end of the afternoon, we did a walk through the 1,000 acre grounds, past the spot where, in 1558, Elizabeth was given the news that she was now the Queen.

The house still has an original feels inside, which doesn't mean it is run down in a 600 year old look, but rather that the Tudor interiors have been carefully preserved and it still looks magnificent today.

The house is complimented on three sides by perfectly maintained formal gardens. Only the West Garden is open on weekends, but is a real treat to wander through this expansive garden. The woodland walks have been a mass of daffodils, now finished, but in the woodland beyond the West Gardens, the daffodils are still in perfect condition.