Category Archives: Heritage

Posts predominantly related to Heritage

To be on Tenterhooks in Spitalfields

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

Have you ever heard of the phrase “on tenterhooks”? It has come to mean being in a state of tension, uneasiness, anxiety, or suspense, and that is because tenterhooks were once very common sights indeed. Tenterhooks aren’t the big hooks you … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, history, Life, London | Tagged Aldgate, Cloth, English language, Spitalfields, Straight from the Horse's Mouth, Tenter, Tenterhooks, Whitechapel, Words | 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 | 6 Comments

The Hartley Colliery Disaster of 1862

Posted on September 9, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

My blog is full of disasters from beer floods in London to Grace Darling – A Victorian Heroine. burning building self-sacrifices to heroic against the odd tales of survival I Am The Army – The Incredible Story of William Brydon Many of them … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, history, Life, Northumberland and Durham | Tagged Coal Mine, Death, Hartley Colliery Disaster, Hester Pit disaster, Northumberland, Victorian, Video | 3 Comments

The Fig Tree Tomb of Watford

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

Last week whilst on a little diversion in my local town, I took the time to visit the beautiful and ancient St Marys Church. It is the oldest building in Watford and in truth following decades of wanton destruction by … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, history, Life, Religion and Faith | Tagged Cemetery, church, Death, Fig Tree Tomb, Legends, Victorian, Watford | Leave a comment

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

Remembering Alfred, Lord Tennyson on bis birthday

Posted on August 7, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

This morning as I write this, or yesterday when this is posted, I was giving an all day tour to a family from New York and we went inside the incredible Westminster Abbey. As we were there 15 minutes before … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, history | Tagged Alfred Tennyson, Literature, Lord Tennyson, Poetry, Poets Corner, Victorian, Westminster Abbey | 5 Comments

Looking for and finding Waxwell, a Holy Well in Pinner (London)

Posted on June 26, 2019 by Stephen Liddell

Fresh from my success of finding a possible Neolithic burial mound in the middle of densely populated Watford, I was on the lookout for the second in the triumverate of off-beat and ancient sites and it lay just a few … Continue reading →