Category Archives: history

Posts predominantly history related.

Glaciers, ciders, blow-outs and the helping hand of Wayland Smithy

Posted on October 19, 2020 by

Having been blown about for a few hours it was time to return to the car but not before I took a look at The Manger.  An incredibly steep and beautiful valley formed during the las ice-age.  In fact you … Continue reading →

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Dragons Hill – Where Saint George killed that dragon!

Posted on October 14, 2020 by

We’re nearing the end of my series of posts set on and around Whitehorse Hill and the Ridgeway.  It would be easy to think that surely there is nothing else to see within the short walk of the car park … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, history, Life, Popular Culture, Travel, Ye Olde England Tours | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Uffington Whitehorse

Posted on October 12, 2020 by

This beautiful hill carving, lying close to Uffington Hillfort in Oxfordshire is best viewed from a distance but can be accessed by walking uphill from the signposted carpark. The horse is 110m long and carved through the grass into chalk … Continue reading →

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Uffington Iron Age Castle

Posted on October 7, 2020 by

Just a short walk from the Ridgway and a little under 2 miles from Waylands Smithy is the old Iron Age hillfort which is known  as Uffington Castle.   It sits atop the summit of Whitehorse Hill. This is not … Continue reading →

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Waylands Smithy – The neolithic monument which is home to a supernatural Elf!

Posted on September 30, 2020 by

Monday saw my post on the ancient Ridgeway road and I used that to visit another ancient place, Waylands Smithy. I’ve wanted to visit here for years but never got around to it as despite being not too far from … Continue reading →

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Walking The Ridgeway, one of the oldest roads in the world

Posted on September 28, 2020 by

On Saturday I had my first and likely only real day out all year went to Oxfordshire to visit various ancient and picturesque sites.  One of the places I was looking forward to travelling on was the Ridgeway which is … Continue reading →

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I found an old fashioned water well in my street!

Posted on September 23, 2020 by

Snooping around is part of my job and I end up in all sorts of weird and sometimes possibly illegal situations especially in the old City of London or out in the country. Two days ago I noticed that there … Continue reading →

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The Legend of Jack O’ Legs – Hertfordshire’s answer to Robin Hood!

Posted on September 21, 2020 by

We all know the story of Robin Hood, Little John and the others in Sherwood Forest but where I live we have a similarly motivated though perhaps less successful and well-know figure and his name is Jack O’Legs who also stole … Continue reading →

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Daniel Lambert – The heaviest man of the 18th Century

Posted on September 14, 2020 by

Daniel Lambert 1770 – 1809 was a gaol keeper (jail) and animal breeder from Leicester, England, famous for his unusually large size. After serving four years as an apprentice at an engraving and die casting works in Birmingham, he returned … Continue reading →

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Visiting WW1 trenches in the heart of England

Posted on September 7, 2020 by

As someone with a keen interest in WW1 or The Great War, I’ve written before on my visits to the Western Front in France and Belgium. Not many people know that there are still trenches in England and conveniently only … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, history, Life, Travel, WW1 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments