Category Archives: Culture

Posts predominantly culture related.

Paying homage at the tomb of the Venerable Bede

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

If like myself you have anything like a passing history in old Anglo-Saxon history or even history itself, the works of Bede are something to behold. I always find it a bit boring I suppose that so many people think … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, history, Northumberland and Durham, Uncategorized | Tagged Cathedrals, Durham, Historia Ecclesiastica, history, Jarrow Monastery, Venerable Bede | Leave a comment

Open House London

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

Open House London has long been my favourite cultural event in London each year, despite the fact I’ve always been busy working and never got to enjoy the fun myself but it is the concept of it that I love … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Culture, Life, London, Uncategorized | Tagged Architecture, Downing Street, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London, Open House London, Tours, Travel | Leave a comment

An example of how English has changed over 1200 years.

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

I found this poster earlier today and thought it was well worth sharing. The text contains a brief passage of one of the most famous Psalms and I think gives a wonderful insight to how language changes. I really don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Heritage, history, Religion and Faith | Tagged Anglo-Saxon, Beowulf, English, English language, Middle English, Old English, Psalm | 9 Comments

Quotable Tennyson

Posted on August 12, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

Last week I posted on the birthday of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It is little known but this Poet Laureate is actually the ninth most quoted literary figure. Whilst not in the same league as Shakespeare or perhaps as entertaining … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Heritage, history, Life, Popular Culture, writing | Tagged Alfred Tennyson, Better to have loved and lost, Charge of The Light Brigade, Literature, Lord Tennyson, Poetry, Quotes | 3 Comments

The Knollys Rose Ceremony – Paying off a 619 year old rent

Posted on June 19, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

London and Britain is full of obscure ancient traditions and on Monday I bore witness to a ceremony that I did know about but never expected to see and it all has its foundations in events 619 years ago. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, history, Life, London, Ye Olde England Tours | Tagged All Hallows Church, Company of Watermen and Lightermen, Lord Mayor of London, Rose, Seething Lane, Sir Robert Knollys, The Knollys Rose Ceremony | 5 Comments

John Donne – A forgotten poet and his discovered manuscript.

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

In the long and rich history of English literature, John Donne is almost forgotten about by many today but in his time he was pioneering. Born into a Catholic family at a time when it was illegal to practice the … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Heritage, history, Life, writing | Tagged English, John Donne, Literature, Poetry, Treasure | 3 Comments

When two (spaces) are better than one

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

I don’t know about you but there are countless things that annoy me about modern life and one of them is the slow decline into the use of a single space after a full stop or period. Until the early … Continue reading →