<rss xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:nm="http://www.newmind.co.uk/rssmodules/tourism" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:geo="http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#" xmlns:xCal="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xcal"
version="2.0">
<channel>
<title>Visit Heritage</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk</link>
<description>Visit Heritage Blog</description>
<language>en-GB</language>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Mar 2025 03:30:01 GMT</pubDate>
<lastBuildDate>Tue, 11 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT</lastBuildDate>
<docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
<ttl>60</ttl>
<item>
<title>TEALS Announces Exciting New Farm Shop Collaboration at Burghley’s George Farm, Stamford</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/03/teals-announces-exciting-new-farm-shop-collaboration-at-burghleys-george-farm-stamford-b424</link>
<description>TEALS and Burghley are hugely excited to announce a new collaboration to regenerate parts of George Farm, London Rd, bringing to life a shared vision for a new food market, restaurant, food to go and gift store on the outskirts of Stamford.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TEALS and Burghley are hugely excited to announce a new collaboration to regenerate parts of George Farm, London Rd, bringing to life a shared vision for a new food market, restaurant, food to go and gift store on the outskirts of Stamford.</p>
<p>The project combines TEALS’ expertise in innovative, experience-driven retail and hospitality and Burghley's long-standing support of, and vision for, a thriving local economy. With community at the heart of the partnership, TEALS will champion local farmers, growers, makers and producers and help connect both local people and passers-by with the spirit of this vibrant region.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/1(37).jpg"></p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://teals.co.uk/">“We are thrilled to be working with Burghley on this fantastic project,” said Ash Sinfield, Founder and Head of Local of TEALS. “The collaboration is consistent with our mission and what we enjoy - bridging the gap between producers and guests whilst cultivating a shared pride and enthusiasm for the region's heritage, the faces, stories and dedication behind the products. By sourcing from nearby farms and artisanal makers, Teals also ensures access to the freshest ingredients from the local area, benefiting guests, the local economy and the environment.</p>
<p>TEALS also serves as a community hub, bringing people together through food, adding to and complementing fantastic existing offers in and around Stamford and delivering value for locals and visitors alike.”</p>
<p>“We’re excited to partner with TEALS to regenerate this key location in Stamford,” said David Pennell, CEO, Burghley. “TEALS’ focus on innovation, community, and supporting local producers aligns perfectly with our vision for this project. We’re confident their expertise will be a positive addition to Stamford, and we’re delighted to collaborate with a partner who shares our passion for strengthening the local economy and creating something special for the community.”</p>
<p>Construction will begin in April 2025 with an opening in Spring 2026.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/03/teals-announces-exciting-new-farm-shop-collaboration-at-burghleys-george-farm-stamford-b424#comments424</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 11 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/2(30).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Celebrating influential women this Women’s History Month</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/03/celebrating-influential-women-this-womens-history-month-b418</link>
<description>The month of March is Women’s History Month – a celebration of the achievements of women throughout history. To mark the occasion, here are some of Britian’s incredible women and the amazing things that they achieved in their lifetimes.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The month of March is Women’s History Month – a celebration of the achievements of women throughout history. To mark the occasion, here are some of Britian’s incredible women and the amazing things that they achieved in their lifetimes.</p>
<h2>Eleanor de Montfort</h2>
<p>Eleanor de Montfort was born in 1215 and like many women of the time, found herself married off. However, unlike her peers, she cannot be described as the meek, submissive wife that many were labelled as. She was rebel and had an influential role in a civil war.</p>
<p>Her second husband, Simon de Montfort, became England’s de facto ruler during the Second Baron’s War when both Henry III and the future Edward I were captured. This didn’t last long though, when Edward escaped, both Eleanor’s husband and eldest son were killed in battle, leaving her living at Dover Castle and in a very vulnerable position. Rather than surrender, she held the castle against the king and his forces. Eventually the royal forces won, but Eleanor ended up negotiating a successful settlement, which saw her household pardoned and she was exiled to France.</p>
<h2>Ada Lovelace</h2>
<p>Being the only legitimate child of Lord Byron makes her interesting as it is, but Ada Lovelace is also credited with being the world’s first computer programmer. She was a mathematician and worked with Charles Babbage on his analytical engine, the precursor of the modern computer. To this day, programmes created by Ada Lovelace are used in computing making her an incredibly influential woman to acknowledge this month.</p>
<h2>Rosalind Franklin</h2>
<p>Another amazing woman working in a scientific field – Rosalind Franklin’s research into DNA molecules helped scientists identify the structure of DNA. Sadly, she died of cancer in 1958, a few years before her colleagues won a Nobel Prize for their work and was largely removed from the story until fairly recently when her work was finally acknowledged.</p>
<h2>St Hilda</h2>
<p>So influential, she was made a saint! St Hilda was the abbess of Whitby, a monastery for men and women back in Anglo Saxon England. In 664, she hosted the Synod of Whitby, which set the course for the future of Christianity in England.</p>
<h2>Amy Johnson</h2>
<p>You will have no doubt heard of Amelia Earhart but have you heard of Amy Johnson? She flew solo from Croydon to Australia in a second hand De Havilland Gipsy Moth and was the first woman to undertake such a journey. She went on to make and break many flight records and was the first British woman to qualify as a ground engineer.</p>
<h2>Eleanor Coade</h2>
<p>The second Eleanor on our list, this one lived during the Georgian era and was an entrepreneur at a time when it was virtually unheard of for women to do such a thing. She invented and manufactured a kind of high quality artificial stone and ran her own business making garden ornaments. Many items made from the material still exist today and were sold as far afield as South Africa! You can see some examples of her work at Chiswick House, Audley End House and Battle Abbey.</p>
<h2>Kitty Godfree</h2>
<p>For a long time, Kitty Godfree held the World Record for holding the most Olympic medals won at tennis. She made her debut at Wimbledon in 1919 and together with her husband, won the doubles in 1962. They remain the only married couple to have won the title. If being a tennis pro wasn’t enough, she was also an accomplished skater, golfer and cricketer and was also an Badminton champion!</p>
<p>Find out more about amazing women in history <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/discover/womens-history">here.</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/03/celebrating-influential-women-this-womens-history-month-b418#comments418</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/49.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens Announces Grand Reopening for the 2025 Open Season</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/kelmarsh-hall-and-gardens-announces-grand-reopening-for-the-2025-open-season-b423</link>
<description>Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens are delighted to announce the grand reopening for the 2025 open season, o:ering visitors the chance to experience the grandeur of the Hall, explore the historic gardens, and enjoy a variety of exciting events throughout the season.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens are delighted to announce the grand reopening for the 2025 open season, offering visitors the chance to experience the grandeur of the Hall, explore the historic gardens, and enjoy a variety of exciting events throughout the season.</p>
<p>The Hall, a beautiful Palladian style country house nestled in the heart of Northamptonshire, invites guests to step back in time and discover its fine rooms, including the servants' quarters and exhibition rooms. This year, Kelmarsh Hall is introducing a newly-designed guest bedroom, inspired by the renowned Nancy Lancaster. Reflecting Nancy’s signature shabby chic style, the room promises to captivate with its charming and timeless appeal.</p>
<p>Beyond the Hall, visitors can immerse themselves in the breathtaking historic gardens. The tranquil woodland and lakeside walks provide the perfect setting for a peaceful escape, and the magical Fairy Walk is set to delight children with its enchanting displays and whimsical features.</p>
<p>The 2025 season will feature an array of special events and activities for all ages. Highlights include floral arranging workshops, storytelling in the woodland, quiet garden open days, a Fairy Picnic, artisan fairs, and much more. These events promise to delight our visitors throughout the season, o:ering something for everyone. Be sure to visit the Kelmarsh Hall website for full details on event dates and ticket information.</p>
<p>New for this season, Kelmarsh Hall is also proud to unveil a beautifully redesigned Gift Shop. Featuring a selection of locally made crafts, home décor, garden accessories, and unique gifts, the shop is the perfect place to find a special souvenir to remember your visit.</p>
<p>If you can’t wait until the o:icial reopening, join Kelmarsh for the Pre-Season Preview and Spring Walk on Sunday, 23rd March. Take an early stroll through the gardens as spring begins to bloom and get a sneak peek at what’s in store for the upcoming season! Tickets for this event can be found on the Kelmarsh website.</p>
<p>Tickets for entry to Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens can be purchased via the website or at the Visitor Centre upon arrival. With so much to explore and enjoy, it’s the perfect time to rediscover the magic of Kelmarsh.</p>
<p>The 2025 open season will begin on Sunday 20th April and run through to Sunday 28th September.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/kelmarsh-hall-and-gardens-announces-grand-reopening-for-the-2025-open-season-b423#comments423</comments>
<pubDate>Sat, 22 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/kel%20blog.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Historic England acquires some of the UK’s oldest photos</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/historic-england-acquires-some-of-the-uks-oldest-photos-b422</link>
<description>Some of the oldest photographs in England, which shows the country’s transformation through the Industrial Revolution, have been acquired by Historic England.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Some of the oldest photographs in England, which shows the country’s transformation through the Industrial Revolution, have been acquired by Historic England.</p>
<p>The photographs are part of a collection that includes around 8000 images and was put together over decades by Janette Rosing, a photographic consultant, who has previously worked with the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle, auction houses and museums. The earliest photographs in the collection were taken in the UK in the mid-1830s, others are from the 1860s and later, showing England at a time of great change as the Industrial Revolution took hold of the country.</p>
<p>The collection has been acquired as part of the government’s acquisition in lieu scheme, administered by Arts Council England. The scheme allows individuals to donate important cultural items to museums and galleries in return for a tax reduction and preserve them for the benefit of the public.</p>
<p>Speaking to the Guardian, Ian Savage, the collections manager at Historic England, said: “From maritime scenes by James Mudd to detailed architectural studies by Linnaeus Tripe, each photograph in this exceptional collection offers a glimpse into the past, showcasing Janette Rosing’s expert eye for quality. Rosing’s collection will continue to connect us with our history and inspire future generations to appreciate England’s rich cultural legacy.”</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/historic-england-acquires-some-of-the-uks-oldest-photos-b422#comments422</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/Your%20paragraph%20text(2).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Celebrate 160 years of Alice in Wonderland with new collection in Oxford</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/celebrate-160-years-of-alice-in-wonderland-with-new-collection-in-oxford-b421</link>
<description>Celebrate the 160 th anniversary of Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland by visiting Christ Church College in Oxford where an exceptional collection of Lewis Carroll’s writings and photographs are on display until 17 th April.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Celebrate the 160<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland by visiting Christ Church College in Oxford where an exceptional collection of Lewis Carroll’s writings and photographs are on display until 17<sup>th</sup> April.</p>
<p>The collection features thousands of letters, photographs, illustrations and books from one of the world’s largest private collections of Lewis Carroll’s works. They have been donated to the University of Oxford’s Christ Church College, where Carroll lectured and met the inspiration for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice Liddell, by an American philanthropist.</p>
<p>The collection includes more than 200 autograph letters, some of which are unpublished, early editions of the Alice books and other writings and even an edition dedicated to Alice’s mother by Lewis Carroll. As well as being known for his writings, Carroll is also considered to be one of the best amateur photographers of his day and the collection’s photographs include more than 100 snaps of his friends and noted figures of the time, including Dante Gabriel Rossetti.</p>
<p>The collection has been donated by Jon A Lidseth, an American philanthropist, who emailed the college out of the blue offering them the collection. Speaking to reporters about the donation, a librarian at the college said: “It was a bit of a surprise. It’s an enormous collection, he’s incredibly generous, it would be impossible to make a collection like this nowadays without having an enormous amount of money.</p>
<p>“Such material doesn’t come on the market these days and not all at once. When we’ve tried to buy Carroll photographs, we’ve never had enough money.”</p>
<p>Some of the most exceptional items in the collection will be on display in Christ Church’s historic upper library until 17<sup>th</sup> April.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/celebrate-160-years-of-alice-in-wonderland-with-new-collection-in-oxford-b421#comments421</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/Your%20paragraph%20text(1).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>New blue plaques announced for London</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/new-blue-plaques-announced-for-london-b420</link>
<description>Pop culture icons Audrey Hepburn and Marc Bolan are month the famous names who will be honoured with Blue Plaques as more of them are announced to appear around London.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Pop culture icons Audrey Hepburn and Marc Bolan are month the famous names who will be honoured with Blue Plaques as more of them are announced to appear around London.</p>
<p>Plaques will also honour Barbara Pym, Graham Sutherland, Alicia Markova and Una Marson among others.</p>
<p>Speaking about the new plaques, Matt Thompson, Curatorial Director at English Heritage, said: “2025 marks an exciting year for the Blue Plaques Scheme as we honour these outstanding individuals who transformed the cultural fabric of London.</p>
<p>“From literature and art to dance and music, these figures helped shape the London we know today. Their contributions not only had a profound impact on their fields but also continue to inspire generations.”</p>
<p>The scheme has been running since 1866 and the new plaques are set to be installed throughout this year. The locations for the plaques will depend on the building’s current owners approvals, but English Heritage has confirmed that Audrey Hepburn’s will appear in Mayfair, while Marc Bolan’s will be at one of his previous addresses in West London and Alicia Markova, co founder of the English National Ballet’s will be at her childhood home in Muswell Hill.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/new-blue-plaques-announced-for-london-b420#comments420</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/New%20blue%20plaques%20announced%20for%20London.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Facts about Valentine’s Day</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/facts-about-valentines-day-b417</link>
<description>We all think we know about Valentine’s Day – it’s a day of chocolate, cards and spoiling your special someone but the origins of the day goes a lot deeper than that. Here’s everything you need to know about St Valentine and why it became synonymous with love.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We all think we know about Valentine’s Day – it’s a day of chocolate, cards and spoiling your special someone but the origins of the day goes a lot deeper than that. Here’s everything you need to know about St Valentine and why it became synonymous with love.</p>
<h4>St Valentine wasn’t just one person</h4>
<p>Did you know there are actually two St Valentines? There’s St Valentine of Rome and St Valentine of Terni – both of them were martyred, but it’s not sure which of them is the inspiration for Valentine’s Day. St Valentine of Rome was a priest who defied Emperor Claudius II’s ban on soldiers getting married, conducting ceremonies in secret, so many believe the day is associated with him but there’s nothing to say for sure.</p>
<h4>Valentine’s Day isn’t just a Roman thing – it’s Pagan</h4>
<p>Valentine’s Day, like most of our holidays, has connections to Paganism. It originated as a festival of fertility that was celebrated on 15<sup>th</sup> February. Thankfully, though we kept a festival in the month of February, we left the actual celebrations behind. Pagans would celebrate the day by sacrificing animals and gently slapping each other with goat hides dipped in blood. Supposedly, this helped with fertility.</p>
<h4>It became a festival of love in the 1300s</h4>
<p>Valentine’s Day became part of the Christian calendar when Pope Gelasius outlawed the Pagan celebration that came before it. However, it wasn’t until the 1300s that it became associated with romance and moved to 14<sup>th</sup> February. For that, we can thank Chaucer who wrote a poem in 1375 which references St Valentine’s Day.</p>
<h4>What about Cupid?</h4>
<p>We know the stories of Cupid’s bow helping you fall in love but did you know that Cupid is older than Valentine’s Day? Cupid can be traced back to the ancient Greek myth of Eros, the God of Love. Over time, he was adopted by the Romans and became Cupid and then in around the 19<sup>th</sup> century, he became associated with Valentine’s Day.</p>
<h4>Valentine’s messages have been around for centuries</h4>
<p>According to historians, the oldest Valentine’s message on record dates back to 1415. It was written by the Duke of Orleans who wrote a love note to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. A section of the letter read: I am already sick of love, my very gentle Valentine.”</p>
<h4>Mass produced Valentine’s cards began in the 1840s</h4>
<p>Valentine’s Day as we know it began in the 17<sup>th</sup> century when people started exchanging cards between lovers and friends. The first mass produced Valentine’s cards were introduced in the 1840s in America – Esther A Howland is credited with commercialising the holiday by selling romantic cards with lace and ribbons on.</p>
<h4>Giving flowers also began in the 17<sup>th</sup> century</h4>
<p>Giving flowers, specifically a rose was popularised by Lady Montagu, the wife of a British ambassador to Turkey. Though it is thought that she misunderstood the idea of “flower language” where specific flowers represent feelings and messages. But after her mistake, red roses became linked with romance.</p>
<h4>Cadbury invented Valentine’s chocolates</h4>
<p>You didn’t think it would be anyone else did you? Richard Cadbury, son of the Cadbury founder, John, started packaging chocolates in fancy boxes to increase sales. He introduced the first heart shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day back in 1861.</p>
<h4>XOXO has been used to sign off letters for longer than you think</h4>
<p>The origins of XOXO stem from the Middle Ages – yep, that’s right, though it didn’t always mean hugs and kisses. Back then the X stood for a Christian cross and the O was an oath. It later came to mean sealed with a kiss and now is more commonly thought of as hugs and kisses.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/facts-about-valentines-day-b417#comments417</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/VH%20blog%20thumbnails(5).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Celebrate Yorkshire Dales Dark Skies Festival with Broughton Hall</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/celebrate-yorkshire-dales-dark-skies-festival-with-broughton-hall-b416</link>
<description>From 14 th – 19 th February, Broughton Hall becomes a celestial wonderland with amazing stargazing events, astronomy talks, solar meditation and nature walks to help connect you to the magic of the cosmos and enjoy the incredible night skies over the Yorkshire Dales.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>From 14<sup>th</sup> – 19<sup>th</sup> February, Broughton Hall becomes a celestial wonderland with amazing stargazing events, astronomy talks, solar meditation and nature walks to help connect you to the magic of the cosmos and enjoy the incredible night skies over the Yorkshire Dales.</p>
<p>The Yorkshire Dales is an international Dark Sky Reserve, so designated because of the lack of light pollution, making it easy to enjoy the night sky without having to use a telescope. From the Dales, you will be able to see planets, meteors and even the Northern Lights. The reserve covers the upper ends of Swaledale, Rawthey Valley, Garsdale, Littondale and Wharfedale, giving you plenty of places to enjoy the night sky.</p>
<p>Why not take part this year by booking a stay at Broughton Hall? It’s the perfect place for the opening celebrations. Guests can stay in a Broughton Sanctuary Holiday Home to fully immerse themselves in the festival atmosphere and enjoy the benefits of the night sky. It’s a great option for families looking for a unique half-term break. There are a host of events happening daily as part of the festival, including daily children’s activities and family-friendly events, including Solar System Wonders with Chris Higgins.</p>
<p>As well as the Dark Skies Festival, there are other half term activities to enjoy while at Broughton Hall. Parents can relax, while the kids can enjoy outdoor adventures with the Wild Explorers Kids’ Holiday Club and Teenage Camps, running throughout the week.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/02/celebrate-yorkshire-dales-dark-skies-festival-with-broughton-hall-b416#comments416</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/1(34).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Dartmoor National Park awarded more than £3m from Heritage Fund</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/dartmoor-national-park-awarded-more-than-ps3m-from-heritage-fund-b415</link>
<description>The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded more than £3m to a programme working to restore nature and protect heritage on Dartmoor.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded more than £3m to a programme working to restore nature and protect heritage on Dartmoor.</p>
<p>The Dartmoor Dynamic Landscape partnership was given £3, 124,179 to help enhance the cultural heritage of the area. Speaking about the funding, the partnership said that the money would help deliver a range of projects focusing on conservation, as well as creative arts and engagement activities, with the communities of Okehampton, Ivybridge and Princetown becoming hubs for visitors.</p>
<p>Pamela Woods, chair of Dartmoor National Park Authority, told reporters: “We’re delighted to have secured this funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. There is so much excellent work taking place already on Dartmoor and thanks to National Lottery players, we can continue building on our collective successes.”</p>
<p>The funding project will bring together a host of organisations, all working to preserve Dartmoor’s natural beauty, including: the Dartmoor National Park Authority, the Woodland Trust, Sustrans, the RSPB, Dartmoor Hull Farm Project, Emergency Exit Arts and Flock South West, the Environment Agency, Shallowford Trust, Dartmoor Headwaters Project, South West Water for the South West Peatland Partnership and the Westcountry Rivers Trust.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/dartmoor-national-park-awarded-more-than-ps3m-from-heritage-fund-b415#comments415</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/VH%20blog%20thumbnails(4).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Historical facts that proves time is wild!</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/historical-facts-that-proves-time-is-wild-b413</link>
<description>If you or someone around you has said the phrase: “I can’t believe its 2025” or something along the lines of how time moves, make sure to direct them to this. Here are some of history’s wild timeline coincidences that will show just how wild the passage of time is.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you or someone around you has said the phrase: “I can’t believe its 2025” or something along the lines of how time moves, make sure to direct them to this. Here are some of history’s wild time line coincidences that will show just how wild the passage of time is.</p>
<h4>Cleopatra lived nearer in time to the moon landing than the building of the pyramids of Giza</h4>
<p>Yep. You might think that Cleopatra, who died around 30 BC, is ancient history, but she was born more than 2000 years after Giza’s three main pyramids were finished. That means that she was alive closer to the moon landing in 1969 than she was to the iconic buildings of her country.</p>
<h4>Oxford University is older than the Aztec Empire</h4>
<p>You no doubt already knew that Oxford is one of the oldest university in the known world, but did you know that it is older than the Aztec Empire? You might think that the Aztecs are ancient history, but the empire actually dates to around 1325, while Oxford University was accepting students in 1096. That means people were graduating before the Aztec Empire was established.</p>
<h4>Coca Cola is older than the Eiffel Tower</h4>
<p>By three years to be exact. De John Pemberton sold the first ever glass of Coca Cola at a pharmacy in Atlanta for 5 cents in 1886. Construction on the Eiffel Tower wasn’t completed until 1889, three years later!</p>
<h4>Wooly Mammoths still existed when the pyramids were being built</h4>
<p>We might assume that Wooly Mammoths died out with the dinosaurs, but actually, there is evidence to suggest that there were mammoths in parts of the arctic around 4000 years ago – centuries after they build the pyramids.</p>
<h4>You could catch the tube to watch executions in London</h4>
<p>The last public hanging took place in London in 1868 – the London Underground was already in existence, so to get to the hanging at Newgate Prison, you just needed to get the Metropolitan Line to Farringdon Station, a line that had been running for five years at that point.</p>
<p>Speaking of executions, did you know that Star Wars was playing in cinemas in the same year that France carried out its final execution by guillotine. The last one took place in 1977.</p>
<h4>The Great Wall of China was completed after the invention of the telephone.</h4>
<p>The Great Wall of China was built between the 3<sup>rd</sup> and 17<sup>th</sup> centuries, eventually measuring 13,171 miles and is one of the world’s most famous structures. However, two years before it was finished, Alexander Graham Bell had invented the telephone and made the world’s first phone call.</p>
<h4>Jack the Ripper and Nintendo existed at the same time.</h4>
<p>You might associate Nintendo with the nineties and Jack the Ripper with the 1880s, but actually Nintendo was founded in Japan in 1889, initially producing handmade playing cards – that was just a year after Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror and the case was still active.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/historical-facts-that-proves-time-is-wild-b413#comments413</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/46.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Roman ‘service station’ uncovered in Gloucester</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/roman-service-station-uncovered-in-gloucester-b414</link>
<description>Not far from the famous Gloucester services on the M5, archaeologists have uncovered a Roman version – known as a mutatio, or a horse changing station</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Not far from the famous Gloucester services on the M5, archaeologists have uncovered a Roman version – known as a mutatio, or a horse changing station</p>
<p>Located just a few miles away from Gloucester Services, the 2000 year old Roman site would have been used by travellers making their way along the Roman road that linked Gloucester to Hampshire.</p>
<p>The site, which is being excavated to make way for a new link road has, been part of an ongoing project for the past two years, with up to 70 archaeologists working on the almost 8 hectares site. The team have so far uncovered quarry pits used in the construction of Ermin Street, as well as over 400 Roman coins, 15 brooches, 420kg of pottery and animal bone, as well as a shoe, hair pins and a ring. The most exciting find at the site however is a copper alloy statue of Cupid, which stands at around 2 inches tall and would have been quite valuable.</p>
<p>The mutatio is believed to have been a simple building, featuring a couple of rooms and is likely to have been first built in around AD 160.</p>
<p>Alex Thompson, the project manager, told reporters: “It’s quite a nice stopping point between Gloucester and Cirencester, about halfway after a tricky climb up the Cotswold escarpment out of the Severn Valley.</p>
<p>“The road itself would have been very busy. Cirencester was the second largest Roman settlement outside of London in Britain and Gloucester was a very important centre for the military.”</p>
<p>Most of the work is now finished, with a small team remaining in case other items of importance are found. All the finds will be displayed at local museums and the project features in Digging for Britain, which aired on 15<sup>th</sup> January on BBC2 and is available to watch on iPlayer.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/roman-service-station-uncovered-in-gloucester-b414#comments414</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/Your%20paragraph%20text.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/celebrating-250-years-of-jane-austen-b412</link>
<description>2025 marks 250 years since the birth of one of Britain’s most beloved writers, Jane Austen. Her stories have touched the lives of generations and live on even today, with many heritage properties providing the backdrop as her stories are adapted for new audiences.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>2025 marks 250 years since the birth of one of Britain’s most beloved writers, Jane Austen. Her stories have touched the lives of generations and live on even today, with many heritage properties providing the backdrop as her stories are adapted for new audiences.</p>
<p>This year, the places that Jane lived and set her novels are gearing up to mark her birthday, so here is your opportunity to learn more about the lady herself and visit some of the places that inspired her works.</p>
<p>First though, let’s look at who Jane Austen was.</p>
<p>Jane was born on 16<sup>th</sup> December 1775, the seventh of eight children born to the Reverend George Austen and Cassandra Leigh. The Austens were an old and wealthy merchant family, however, by the time George Austen had been born, there was little money left and after he and his sisters were orphaned, he relied heavily on wealthier family members. He met his future wife, Cassandra Leigh, while studying at St John’s College, Oxford. She came from a prominent family, her father was the rector at All Souls College and her eldest brother had inherited a fortune from a great aunt.</p>
<p>The pair were married in <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/our-regions/south-west">Bath</a> at St Swithin’s Church and had a modest income, supplemented by their families.</p>
<p>After becoming ordained, George and Cassandra were given the Deane Rectory where they lived and had their first three children, James, George and Edward. They then relocated to Steventon in <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/our-regions/south-east">Hampshire</a>, where the rest of their children were born and George worked as Rector and a teacher, with several young boys boarding with the family to help make ends meet. While living at Steventon, the Austens discovered that their second son, George, was unwell, suffering from seizures, he was sent to live with the Leigh family, staying with an uncle who had a similar condition.</p>
<p>There were eight Austen children in total: James, George, Edward, Henry, Cassandra, Jane and Francis (known as Frank).</p>
<p>The family were known to be highly literate and creative, as well as being heavily influenced by the church. Jane began writing at around the age of 11 and her brother James was also known to be a poet. James and another brother, Henry both went into the church, while Francis and Charles joined the Navy, both rising high in the ranks. All of the children were well educated, including the girls, Cassandra and Jane.</p>
<p>The girls were initially both sent off to school in Oxford, Jane was just six years old. Their education then took them to Southampton, but both returned home after contracting typhus – Jane became so ill that she almost died. Following this, they were homeschooled, until being sent to the Abbey School in Reading. However, the school fees were too expensive, so the girls completed their education at home under the guidance of their father and brothers. Rev George was said to have been encouraging of his girls, supplying them with books and paper for writing and drawing. Jane was known to produce stories and plays which she performed for the family. Her teenage writings survive and are split between the <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/places-to-stay/london">British Library in London</a> and the Bodelian Library in <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/our-regions/south-east/oxfordshire">Oxford</a>.</p>
<p>In 1801, when Jane was 25, her father retired and the family, now consisting of Jane, her sister Cassandra and their parents, moved to 4 Sydney Place in Bath. Though Jane was upset to leave her family home, she was known to have an active social life while in Bath, attending balls and concerts and holidaying in Devon and Dorset. While she was in Bath, she is only known to have written one piece of work, an abandoned novel, though she did set two of her books in the city. Her father died unexpectedly, leaving the family in financial difficulties. The Austen boys pledged to support their mother and sister financially, and the three of them left Bath, first for Worthing in Sussex and then Southampton, where they lived with Frank, one of the brothers and his wife, keeping her company while he was away at sea.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/2(29).jpg"><em>Image: Visitors to the Jane Austen Festival which takes place in Bath every year. Credit: Visit Bath on Instagram</em></p>
<p>Another of Jane’s brothers, Edward, was adopted by a wealthy, childless relative, inheriting their estates at Chawton in Hampshire and another in Kent. He gifted a house on his Chawton estate to Jane, Cassandra and their mother and the three moved in with a friend. It was here that Jane did the majority of her writing. She revised earlier manuscripts, most of which were written while still living at Steventon. While here, Jane had the freedom to write. Together with her brother Henry, she began to negotiate with publishers and in 1810, Sense and Sensibility was published anonymously. It wasn’t the first time she had sold a manuscript, in 1803, she sold a novel to a publisher in Bath for the sum of £10, but it was never published.</p>
<p>Pride and Prejudice followed in 1813 and once that was out, Jane began a new novel, Mansfield Park and then Emma, which was published in 1815 by the most fashionable publisher of the time. Following her success, Henry helped her buy back her first sold manuscript which went on to become Northanger Abbey, unfortunately, this wasn’t published in her lifetime.</p>
<p>Jane had begun to feel unwell in around 1816. She ignored this and continued writing – by the middle of that year, she started to deteriorate, eventually being unable to walk, lacking energy and being confined to bed rest. In 1817, she began her final novel, only managing to complete the first 12 chapters, it was in this year that she and her sister moved to Winchester, to be closer to her doctor. By this time, she was experiencing agonising pain and died on 18<sup>th</sup> July 1817 at just 41. Her brother Henry used his contacts in the church to arrange for her to be buried at Winchester Cathedral. Six months after her death, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published together. Henry oversaw the process and provided a preface to the novels, naming his sister for the first time as the author of all her published works.</p>
<h2>Jane Austen’s novels</h2>
<p>Jane Austen is known for six full length novels, a partially finished novel and a novella. She wrote several short stories and plays as a teen, which were gifted to her nieces and nephews and some of these writings still exist and are split between the British Library in London and other libraries around the world.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/1(33).jpg"><br>
<em>Image: The title page of Emma, credit: Canva </em></p>
<p><strong>Sense & Sensibility</strong><br>
Originally called Elinor and Marianne, it was started while Jane lived in Steventon and then revised when she moved to Chawton. With Henry as her informal literary agent, Jane secured a publisher and it was published on commission, meaning that the financial risk was to Jane, rather than the publisher. It was published anonymously, simply stating that it was by A Lady. The first print run completely sold out in 2 years, making Jane a profit.</p>
<p><strong>Pride & Prejudice</strong><br>
Perhaps her most famous novel, originally called First Impressions, it was written while living at Steventon following a visit to her brother Edward’s inherited home in Kent. It was revised and renamed while living in Chawton. After the success of her first book, the publisher chose to purchase the copyright, it was again published anonymously as By the same author as Sense & Sensibility. It sold out quickly, but as Jane sold the copyright, she didn’t receive any profits.</p>
<p><strong>Mansfield Park</strong><br>
This was completely written while living at Chawton and was the first of Jane’s novels to have a political theme, touching on slavery and religion. Jane and Henry arranged for this one to be published on commission and again it was published anonymously as By the author of Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice. The first print run sold out in 6 months.</p>
<p><strong>Emma</strong><br>
The last novel published in Jane’s lifetime, Emma is the first of her protagonists who does not need to marry for money, but there are still themes of class and the lack of possibilities for women, as well as having a political stance, including mentioning the issues in Ireland at the time and health. It was published on 23<sup>rd</sup> December 1815 and was credited to the Author of Pride & Prejudice etc and included a dedication to the Prince Regent, however public reaction was mixed.</p>
<p><strong>Northanger Abbey</strong><br>
The first of two novels published posthumously – it came out 6 months after her death. It follows the daughter of a clergyman who leaves her village to go to Bath, it satirises the popular Gothic novels of the time and was initially drafted while in Steventon and was called Susan. It was originally sold for publication in 1803 but never published, Henry brought the manuscript back for the same cost it was sold for and Jane revised it. It was published alongside Persuasion.</p>
<p><strong>Persuasion</strong><br>
Published in 1817 alongside Northanger Abbey, it features the most mature of Jane’s protagonists. It was the last novel to be completed before her death and was originally called The Elliots, however, when Henry arranged for publication, it was renamed Persuasion. The family kept the copyright.</p>
<p><strong>Sanditon, The Watsons and Lady Susan</strong><br>
Sanditon is an unfinished novel that Jane started in 1817. It was originally called The Brothers and she only completed the first 12 chapters before having to stop because of her ill health. It was published in 1925 as Fragment of a Novel by Jane Austen.</p>
<p>The Watsons is the only work she is known to have written while in Bath. It was likely started in 1803 and the fragment was published in her nephew’s book A Memoir of Jane Austen in 1871. The original manuscript is now split between the Morgan Library and Museum in New York and the Bodelain in Oxford.</p>
<p>Lady Susan was one of her earliest works, likely written in 1794 but it was never submitted for publication in Jane’s lifetime. It was published as a novella in 1871.</p>
<p>Even though Jane Austen is famous for writing romances, she was not known to have many relationships. When she was 20 she was introduced to Tom Lefory, who was training to be a barrister, the pair spent some time together over that summer and Jane wrote of him often to her sister. As neither the Austens of the Leforys had money, it wasn’t deemed a good match and his family intervened, the pair never saw each other again.</p>
<p>Perhaps no other suitors matched up to Tom, but Jane did receive a marriage proposal in 1802 from Harris Brigg-Wither. He was the younger brother of a friend and was heir to considerable estates. Jane initially accepted but withdrew the following day, no journal entries or letters survive detailing how she felt about the situation or why the match didn’t work out.</p>
<p>Now you know all there is to know about Jane, here are some of the places you should visit in 2025 to mark her 250<sup>th</sup> birthday.</p>
<h4>Hampshire</h4>
<p>Steventon in Hampshire was Jane’s birthplace.</p>
<p>Chawton in Hampshire is where you’ll find Jane Austen’s House, a museum that has been set up in her final home.</p>
<p>Winchester – Winchester Cathedral is her final resting place.</p>
<p>The majority of her novels were written while living in Hampshire.</p>
<h4>Somerset</h4>
<p>
<p>The city of Bath – Jane Austen lived here for a time, the family moved to 4 Sydney Place in the city and you’ll also find the Jane Austen Centre, a museum dedicated to her.</p>
<p>In September, you can join the Jane Austen Festival, this year taking place between 12<sup>th</sup> – 21<sup>st</sup> September.</p>
<p>You’ll also find St Swithin’s Church in the city, Jane’s parents were married here and her father is also buried here.</p>
<p>Montacute House – Managed by the National Trust, the house was used as in the 1995 adaptation of Sense & Sensibility.</p>
<p>Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were both based in Bath.</p>
<h4>Wiltshire</h4>
<p>Lacock Village – Managed by the National Trust, Lacock Village was used in two different adaptations of Austen’s work.</p>
<h4>Surrey</h4>
<p>Box Hill – one of the most pivotal scenes in Emma is set at Box Hill in Surrey.</p>
<p>Emma is primarily set in Surrey.</p>
<h4>Derbyshire</h4>
<p>Parts of Pride and Prejudice were set in the Peak District and Chatsworth House was name dropped in the novel while Elizabeth was on her way to Pemberley.</p>
<p>It also featured as Pemberley in the 2005 adaptation.</p>
<h4>Warwickshire</h4>
<p>Stoneleigh Abbey – the family home of the Leigh family, Jane’s mother’s family. Jane was known to stay here for a time and modelled Northanger Abbey and Sotherton Court from Mansfield Park on the house.</p>
<h4>Basingstoke</h4>
<p>The Vyne – another property now managed by the National Trust, Jane and her sister Cassandra were known to attend dances here.</p>
<h4>London</h4>
<p>Westminster Abbey – there is a tablet dedicated to Jane Austen at Poet’s Corner.</p>
<p>Places in Mayfair and Bloomsbury also feature in several novels.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2025/01/celebrating-250-years-of-jane-austen-b412#comments412</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/VH%20blog%20thumbnails(1).png"
type="image/png" />
</item>
<item>
<title>The murder that rocked the Middle Ages</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/12/the-murder-that-rocked-the-middle-ages-b411</link>
<description>Just over 850 years ago, on 29 th December 1170, a murder changed the course of history and marked the downfall of a monarch – here’s the story of Thomas Becket.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Just over 850 years ago, on 29<sup>th</sup> December 1170, a murder changed the course of history and marked the downfall of a monarch – here’s the story of Thomas Becket.</p>
<p>At one time, Thomas Becket was one of the most powerful figures of his age. His murder, which took place in Canterbury Cathedral, is something that remains just as shocking now as it was at the time. While you might have been visiting Canterbury Cathedral to enjoy the festivities at this time of year, let’s not forget what happened to Thomas Becket, former Archbishop of Canterbury.</p>
<h2>Who was Thomas Becket?</h2>
<p>Thomas Becket, later known as St Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and Thomas á Becket, was born in the Cheapside area of London in 1120. His parents and grandparents were Norman, and had come to London following the Battle of Hastings. His father, Gilbert Becket was a well connected merchant and it is believed that there was some relation to Theobald of Bec, Thomas’ predecessor as Archbishop of Canterbury. Despite having connections, the Becket family were not known to be particularly wealthy or powerful, though Thomas was of a high enough status to receive an education, studying at Merton Priory and attending a grammar school in London, possibly the one at St Paul’s Cathedral. While at school, he was known to have studied grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy. He even went away to Paris for a year to continue his studies, though it was said that he never had any real education in church affairs and his Latin wasn’t the best.</p>
<p>His education was cut short when his father’s fortunes changed and Thomas had to return to England and find work. He began to clerk for Theobald of Bec, the Archbishop of Canterbury and was described as being intelligent and charming. Thomas was trusted with several important tasks for the Archbishop, including visiting Rome, and Theobald instructed him in the study of canon law. Not long after starting this work, Thomas was named the Archdeacon of Canterbury and held several ecclesiastical offices around England. Theobald became so impressed with him, that he recommended him to King Henry II for the vacant post of Lord Chancellor.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/discover/royal-history/house-of-normandy/henry-ii-the-first-plantagenet">Henry II</a> was also impressed with Thomas and appointed him Lord Chancellor in January of 1155. The pair became close friends, going hunting and gaming together. It is said that Thomas thoroughly embraced court life and his friendship with the king. He took on several residences, all of which were lavishly decorated and was known to throw huge parties.</p>
<h2>But… What is a Lord Chancellor?</h2>
<p>As Lord Chancellor, Thomas Becket’s main role collecting and administrating the money that the crown took from all landowners around England – this included the churches and bishopricks. That’s important, so keep it to hand for later.</p>
<p>During this time, Thomas became incredibly rich and powerful and was even trusted with the care of King Henry’s son, also Henry, who went to live in Becket’s household. Though the pair were friends, Thomas maintained his relationships with those he met through the church, so when Theobald of Bec passed and the position of Archbishop of Canterbury became available, Thomas was one of those nominated for the role. This pleased King Henry, who was keen to appoint someone who would allow him to exert more power over the church and on 23<sup>rd</sup> May 1162, Thomas was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, something he would do alongside his role of Chancellor.</p>
<h2>The great falling out</h2>
<p>So, Thomas Becket is now Lord Chancellor and Archbishop of Canterbury, besties with the king and enjoying an elevated level of power and wealth. How did it all go wrong?</p>
<p>Well, for a time, it was all rosy. Thomas continued in his role as Chancellor and took on the duties of the Archbishop, however, he found himself leaning further into the church and began to pull away from the king. He wanted to protect church interests and against King Henry’s wishes, resigned as chancellor. This was the beginning of the end.</p>
<p>From the end of 1162 onwards, their relationship deteriorated to the point where Thomas was summoned to appear before the King’s Council and surrender all his property as punishment for upsetting the king. Thomas refused, choosing instead to flee the country, landing in France.</p>
<h2>Thomas in exile</h2>
<p>Thomas Becket remained in exile in France for the next six years, under the protection of King Louis of France.</p>
<p>While he was out of the country, King Henry continued to try and gain a stronghold in the church. At one point, he snubbed Thomas by having his rival, the Archbishop of York, crown his son, Henry – the very one that Thomas helped raise – early as a co ruler, making him Henry the Young King. This caused a whole load of problems – not just with the King and Thomas’s relationship, but that’s a story for another time. Having the Archbishop of York crown Henry the Young King, breached Canterbury’s privilege of coronation, something that soon became the business of the Pope himself.</p>
<p>Thomas appealed to the Pope, who put enough pressure on King Henry that he agreed to negotiate Thomas’ return to England. In the summer of 1170, the pair spoke for the first time in six years, with King Henry assuring that Thomas could come home and have his powers as Archbishop of Canterbury fully restored. Though Thomas took the olive branch offered to him, he was keen to have the last word, using his reinstated powers to excommunicate the Archbishop of York and the others that had been involved in the coronation.</p>
<h2>The lead up to the murder</h2>
<h2></h2>
<p>Thomas Becket returned to England on 1<sup>st</sup> December 1170, apparently to cheering crowds. However, several members of the clergy were upset with his actions and complained to the king.</p>
<p>King Henry, who was in France himself at the time was outraged. It was here that he supposedly declared: “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” in front of a group of knights. Contemporary reports say what he actually said “What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low born cleric?” – a reference to Thomas’ humble roots. Though King Henry later claimed that this wasn’t an order, it prompted four knights, Reginald FitzUrse, William de Tracy, Hug de Morville and Richard le Bret (or Breton) to travel to Canterbury in search of Thomas.</p>
<h2>The murder</h2>
<p>Unlike most murders, there were a number of witnesses to Thomas’. One key account is from a man called Edward Grim, who was so close to the killing, he was actually wounded by one of the knight’s swords.</p>
<p>On the day of the murder, Thomas was at the Archbishop’s palace. The knights initially left their weapons outside and hid their armour under cloaks before entering the palace. They approached Thomas and told him he was to go to Winchester to give his reasons for the excommunication. He refused and the monks at the palace, advised him to go to the Cathedral for sanctuary.</p>
<p>With Thomas’ refusal to submit to the king’s will, the knights retrieved their weapons and followed him to the Cathedral. The monks tried to bolt the doors for safety, but Thomas reportedly said that it wasn’t right to make a fortress out of a house of prayer and refused to let them shut the doors.</p>
<p>The knights burst in and attempted to forcibly remove Thomas from the building. He again refused, holding to one of the pillars to prevent from being taken away. Realising he wasn’t going to come quietly, the knights drew their swords, FitzUrse appeared to be the ringleader and delivered the first, but non fatal, blow to Thomas’ head. This blow apparently sliced off the top of his head, and motivated the other knights to also begin to attack, which caused injury to Edward Grim, and leading the others in the cathedral to flee. The third strike, thought to have been dealt by Richard le Breton, was the killing strike and left him with a broken sword. At this point, the top of Thomas’ head had been completely removed, exposing his brain. A clerk who accompanied the knights was said to have put his foot on Thomas’ neck as he lay dying, kicking at his damaged head before saying: “Let us go knights, this fellow will not get up again.”</p>
<p>After the murder, the knights returned to the Archbishop’s Palace, plundering Papal Bulls, Charters, gold, silver, vestments, books and utensils.</p>
<h2>A sidenote on the murderers</h2>
<h2></h2>
<p>The four knights who set off in search of Thomas Becket were Reginald FitzUrse, William de Tracy, Hug de Morville and Richard le Bret (or Breton).</p>
<p>These knights were all high ranking individuals. Hugh de Morville also held the title of Lord of Westmoreland and Knaresborough. His father was also the Constable of Scotland and offered them sanctuary following the murder. The four of them sought refuge at Knaresborough Castle, which was owned by the de Morville family, for some time.</p>
<p>William de Tracy lends his name to the town of Bovey Tracey in Devon, where his family seat originated. He also founded his own church at Nymet Tracey.</p>
<h2>The aftermath</h2>
<p>After the knights had left, the clergy at Canterbury were in shock. The body was left where it fell for several hours, with several people coming to the cathedral to collect vials of Thomas’ blood, under the belief that he would become a martyr. He was later moved to the high altar over night, before being buried the following day in the cathedral’s crypt.</p>
<p>Almost as soon as news of the death began to spread, people began to report witnessing miracles, which led to the monks being pressured to open up the crypt so that people could visit the tomb, which resulted in even more miracles being reported. Something that continued for several years.</p>
<p>The fact that an Archbishop was murdered, apparently by order of the king, in a holy place, is what made something that was already quite gruesome, even more so. There was increasingly public pressure on King Henry to acknowledge the murder and take accountability for it. He was threatened with excommunication and did public penance in several cathedrals, as well as being forbidden from attending Mass.</p>
<p>On 21<sup>st</sup> February 1173, Thomas Becket was officially canonised by the Pope, one of the fastest canonisations in history. This meant that his reputation as a miracle worker spread quickly, with people coming from all over Europe in the hope that his spirit could heal them. Canterbury became one of the most important pilgrimage destinations, with visitors coming from all over to purchase bottles of Thomas’ blood mixed with water, that was sold by the monks as St Thomas’ Water.</p>
<p>The following year, in another act of public penance, King Henry visited the tomb.</p>
<p>And what about the knights that actually killed him? Well, the four of them fled first to Scotland where they were protected by Hugh de Morville’s father, the Constable of Scotland. From there, they made their way to Knaresborough Castle in Yorkshire, another of the de Morville’s residences.</p>
<p>All four were excommunicated by Pope and were ordered to undertake penitentiary pilgrimages to the Holy Land, where they were to spend 14 years. However, none of them were arrested and the crown did not confiscate their lands. However, he did refuse to help them when they sought his protection in the summer after the murder.</p>
<p>The four of them attempted to appeal to the pope, three of them, De Morville, le Breton and de Tracy built a church near Scunthorpe, but this did not impress anyone. They were ordered to go to Rome, though their departure was delayed by a rebellion against the king. Finally, after four years, they were all granted an audience in Rome and were banished to Jerusalem. There are conflicting accounts about what happened to each of the knights after this, it is thought that de Tracy died of leprosy before reaching the holy lands, but it is thought that le Breton completed his exile and eventually retired to Jersey. The others were believed to have died in Jerusalem, their remains were thought to have been sent to Brean Downs in Somerset.</p>
<p>In 1220, Thomas Becket’s body was moved from the crypt to a new purpose built shrine on the upper floor of the cathedral and continued to bring visitors to Canterbury until 1538 when Henry VIII ordered the destruction of the shrine during the dissolution of the monasteries. He also destroyed Becket’s bones and ordered all mention of his name to be removed from texts. Henrys clearly have it in for Thomas Becket.</p>
<p>There are several churches across the UK that are dedicated to Thomas Becket that you can visit, including:</p>
<p>Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth<br>
St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Canterbury<br>
Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Monmouth<br>
St Thomas á Becket Church, Pensford<br>
St Thomas á Becket, Widcombe<br>
Church of St Thomas á Becket, Capal<br>
St Thomas the Martyr, Bristol<br>
St Thomas the Martyr’s Church, Oxford</p>
<p>So there you are, while visiting Canterbury to enjoy the festive season, spare a thought for the hideous murder of Thomas Becket, that took place in the cathedral itself.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/12/the-murder-that-rocked-the-middle-ages-b411#comments411</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/VH%20blog%20thumbnails(3).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Britain’s forgotten Christmas traditions</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/11/britains-forgotten-christmas-traditions-b407</link>
<description>We all have our own traditions when it comes to Christmas, maybe you all get new pyjamas to go to bed with on Christmas Eve, maybe you leave out a treat for Father Christmas or if you don’t celebrate or celebrate a different holiday in your house hold, there are other traditions that are special to you. Did you know though that Britain’s general Christmas traditions have changed throughout the years and some have disappeared completely.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We all have our own traditions when it comes to Christmas, maybe you all get new pyjamas to go to bed with on Christmas Eve, maybe you leave out a treat for Father Christmas or if you don’t celebrate or celebrate a different holiday in your house hold, there are other traditions that are special to you. Did you know though that Britain’s general Christmas traditions have changed throughout the years and some have disappeared completely.</p>
<p>Here are some of the forgotten traditions that would have been part of the Christmas celebrations in years gone by.</p>
<h3>The Lord of Misrule</h3>
<p>This is something the royal family would have definitely done back in the day – especially pre Tudor England. Under the tradition, a member of the royal court would be made Lord of Misrule, allowing them to be mayor of their town or city for the Christmas season and would provide entertainment to all who lived there. Henry VIII ended up banning the practice but Elizabeth I and the Stuarts did bring it back briefly.</p>
<h3>First footing</h3>
<p>In a tradition that was observed mainly in England and Scotland, first footing was the idea that the first person to cross the threshold on Christmas Eve brought good luck with them. Personally, we think this one should come back!</p>
<h3>Going to bed with an onion</h3>
<p>Yes, you read that right. For over three centuries, women in Britain would take an onion to bed with them on St Thomas’ Eve (that happens right before Christmas Eve). The tradition says that on this day, you have to peel an onion, wrap it up and then put it under your pillow. If you pray to St Thomas, it is said that your lover will be brought to your arms that night.</p>
<p>That wasn’t the only tradition on St Thomas’ Day…</p>
<p>St Thomas’ Day was traditionally a day where the less fortunate would go house to house and ask for food or money for Christmas. The practice had several different names depending on where in England you were, in Kent it was known as a-Thomasing and a-mumping in parts of Herefordshire.</p>
<h3>Goose dancing</h3>
<p>This didn’t actually involve geese, but it did involve dancing. Apparently, on the Isles of Scilly, people would dress up in clothes associated with the opposite gender. They would then knock on doors and dance with whoever opened up. Women would typically dress as sailors and men as aristocratic ladies and they would jokingly flirt and banter with each other, which sounds like lots of fun to us!</p>
<h3>Eating a mince pie a day</h3>
<p>
<p>While an apple a day is said to keep the doctor away, in the Middle Ages the tradition was to eat one mince pie every day from Christmas Day until 6<sup>th</sup> January, that’s one mince pie for the 12 days of Christmas. This is another one we can get behind!</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/11/britains-forgotten-christmas-traditions-b407#comments407</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/42.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Stir up Sunday – a winter tradition</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/11/stir-up-sunday-a-winter-tradition-b406</link>
<description>It won’t be long before the Christmas decorations are up, Michael Buble is thawed out and crooning from our speakers and the shops start advertising Christmas Puddings.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img alt="" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/2(27).jpg"></p>
<p>It won’t be long before the Christmas decorations are up, Michael Buble is thawed out and crooning from our speakers and the shops start advertising Christmas Puddings. </p>
<p>It’s the time of year for celebrating tradition and enjoying the nostalgia of season but there is one very important tradition that kicks off the season and we’re here to help you get involved too!</p>
<p>Stir Up Sunday takes place on 24<sup>th</sup> November, the last Sunday before Advent and is an important date in the Christmas celebration because it’s the day that Christmas puddings are prepared ready for the big day! Though you might think the name comes from the actual act of stirring together the ingredients but it actually comes from the Book of Common Prayer.</p>
<p>Anyway, let’s take a look at the tradition of the Christmas Pudding and how you can get involved with Stir Up Sunday.</p>
<p>As we’re sure you know, the Christmas Pudding as we know it today was introduced to British culture by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. He usually gets the credit for lots of our Christmas traditions, but George I was actually the first person to introduce the concept of a meatless Christmas Pudding. We have him to thank for a lot of our traditional puddings, so many in fact that he ended up being nicknamed the Pudding King!</p>
<p>Anyway, the original Christmas Pudding contained meat and was eaten as a starter, though thankfully, that died out. The pudding as we know it today contains spices, dried fruit and brandy – traditionally there were 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his disciples and silver coins were added into the mixture. Whoever found it on Christmas Day was said to receive health, wealth and happiness in the common year. Though, for health and safety reasons, it probably isn’t a good idea to add coins to your puddings these days!</p>
<p>Tradition states that on Stir Up Sunday, families gather together to mix the pudding’s ingredients, with everyone taking a turn to stir while making a wish. It must be stirred from east to west in honour of the Wise Men who visited the baby Jesus.</p>
<p>And why the last day before Advent? Well, it is because Christmas Puddings need around 5 weeks to fully infuse all those flavours! In fact, any Christmas treat involving dried fruit and alcohol takes several weeks to fully prepare, so you might as well make yourself a Christmas Cake while you’re at it.</p>
<p>Want to get involved this Stir Up Sunday?</p>
<p>Here’s a traditional Christmas Pudding recipe, though don’t worry, we don’t expect you to use a cloth to steam it!</p>
<p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p>
<p>50g blanched almonds<br>
2 large Bramley apples<br>
200g candied peel<br>
1 whole nutmeg<br>
1kg raisins<br>
140g plain flour<br>
100g soft white breadcrumbs<br>
100g light muscovado sugar<br>
3 large eggs<br>
2 tbsp brandy<br>
250g butter</p>
<p><strong>Method:</strong></p>
<p>Chop the almonds; peel, core and chop the apples. If the candied peel is not already chipped, do this and grate around ¾ of the nutmeg. Mix these together with the raisins, flour, breadcrumbs, sugar, eggs and 2 tbsp of brandy in a large bowl.</p>
<p>Get the butter straight out of the fridge and grate around ¼ into the bowl. Stir everything together and then grate the rest of the butter in quarters until all in the bowl and then stir for around 4 minutes. The mixture is ready when it subsides slightly after each stir. If you’re doing Stir Up Sunday the traditional way, get everyone in the family to take a turn stirring and making a wish until you get to this point.</p>
<p>Grease two 1.2 litre bowls and add a circle of baking parchment into each one. </p>
<p>Fill the bowls with the pudding mixture and cover with a double layer of baking parchment, pleating it to allow for expansion and then tie with string. Trim off any excess paper.</p>
<p>Stand each bowl on a large sheet of foil and bring the edges up over the top. Add another sheet of foil over the top and bring it down underneath to make the puddings water tight, tie these with string, making sure to create a small handle to allow you to easily lift in and out of the pans.</p>
<p>Now, boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hours, topping up the water when necessary.</p>
<p>Once cooked, remove from the pans and leave to cool overnight. When cold, discard the wrappings and rewrap in foil and baking paper and store in a cool dry place to mature ready for Christmas! </p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/11/stir-up-sunday-a-winter-tradition-b406#comments406</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/41.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Cornish monument discovered to be older and more unique than originally thought</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/11/cornish-monument-discovered-to-be-older-and-more-unique-than-originally-thought-b410</link>
<description>Archaeologists have found that King Arthur’s Hall, a stone and turf structure on Bodmin Moor is much older than originally thought.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Archaeologists have found that King Arthur’s Hall, a stone and turf structure on Bodmin Moor is much older than originally thought. It had been believed to be a medieval animal pen, but recent studies have discovered that the structure is actually Neolithic and is unique in Europe, with nothing similar being uncovered.</p>
<p> The new research now means that King Arthur’s Hall’s original purpose is a mystery. The monument, which is on Bodmin Moor, close to Helstone, consists of a banked enclosure that measures around 49m x 21m and features 56 standing stones lining the inside. The new study was commissioned by Cornwall National Landscape, after initial investigations by locals called the medieval origins into question. The study, undertaken by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit and experts from the universities of Reading, St Andrews and Newcastle, has now found that the interior of the monument dates back to around 3000 BC.</p>
<p>Speaking about the find, lead archaeologist, James Gossip, told reporters: “There isn’t another one of these anywhere. There is nothing built at that time or subsequently in prehistory that is a rectangular earth and stone bank with a setting of stone orthostats around the interior. There is no other parallel.”</p>
<p>When asked about the reason for the structure, he told reporters he believed it functioned as a place for the community to gather. The middle Neolithic period, which King Arthur’s Hall dates back to, was a time where communities started to form and buildings began to appear. Gossip said: “The thinking is that these are meeting points for communities, perhaps to mark special occasions or to carry out ceremonies. It remains an enigma, but now we know a little more about it, and we can firmly place it in the prehistoric landscape context of Cornwall.”</p>
<p>Cornwall is important in the myths of King Arthur, though the structure didn’t receive its name until around the 1580s, so even if he did exist, it wasn’t built for him. It is generally believed that people attributed ancient monuments and unexplained sites to King Arthur because of his association with something mythical and powerful.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/11/cornish-monument-discovered-to-be-older-and-more-unique-than-originally-thought-b410#comments410</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/43.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>National Lottery Heritage Fund awards grant to celebrate Devon’s heritage</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/11/national-lottery-heritage-fund-awards-grant-to-celebrate-devons-heritage-b409</link>
<description>The Devonshire Association has received a grant of £39,936 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to raise awareness of the heritage of six outstanding assets in the county which have been designated as having global significance by UNESCO.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Devonshire Association has received a grant of £39,936 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to raise awareness of the heritage of six outstanding assets in the county which have been designated as having global significance by UNESCO.</p>
<p>The Devonshire Association, a charity with over 150 years of experience in championing science, art and literature in Devon, will use the grant to put on events aimed at engaging the public with the county’s unique heritage. There will be a number of free talks and events taking place across the six areas recognised by UNESCO. These areas include:</p>
<p>Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site<br>
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape Heritage site<br>
North Devon Biosphere Reserve<br>
The Exeter City of Literature<br>
Exeter Cathedral’s Exeter Book<br>
English Riviera Geopark.</p>
<p><img alt="Exeter street showing the cathedral and Tudor style houses" src="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/1(32).jpg"></p>
<p><em>Image: Exeter Cathederal and Tudor houses</em></p>
<p>As well as these events, there will also be a number of talks celebrating Devon’s World Class Heritage and a celebration of Exeter Cathedral.</p>
<p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/11/national-lottery-heritage-fund-awards-grant-to-celebrate-devons-heritage-b409#comments409</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/1(31).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Get into the festive spirit at Syon Park</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/get-into-the-festive-spirit-at-syon-park-b408</link>
<description>Grab your festive treats and stock up on the Christmas cheer at Syon Park this November with the Two Day Festive Market.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Grab your festive treats and stock up on the Christmas cheer at Syon Park this November with the Two Day Festive Market.</p>
<p>Curated by Dapper and Suave and taking place in Syon Park’s Great Conservatory, you’ll find 49 small businesses offering a range of high quality items, perfect for stocking fillers, gifts, decorations and food for the festive season.</p>
<p>The Two Day Festive Market is running on 22<sup>nd</sup> November, from 3pm – 8pm and 23<sup>rd</sup> November, from 10 am – 4pm.</p>
<p>Find out more <a href="https://syonpark.co.uk/events/festive-market/">here.</a></p>
<p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/get-into-the-festive-spirit-at-syon-park-b408#comments408</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/1(30).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Horrific History | Spooky stories from across the UK</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/horrific-history-spooky-stories-from-across-the-uk-b405</link>
<description>With spooky season nearly upon us, it’s time to get cosy and tell a ghost story or two and here in the UK, we’re never short of a few of those.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With spooky season nearly upon us, it’s time to get cosy and tell a ghost story or two and here in the UK, we’re never short of a few of those. From the stories of beheaded queens running around the Tower of London to the witch trials and the horrors of Jack the Ripper, there are plenty of spooky tales to tell throughout history. We’ve told you several of them over the years, but we thought for this edition of Horrific History, we’ll be delving into some of the spookiest stories from across the UK.</p>
<h2>The hairy hands of Dartmoor</h2>
<p>Dartmoor National Park in Devon is home to some really creepy stories. Not only did it inspire Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write the Hound of the Baskervilles after hearing about so called Yeth Hounds, which are said to roam the moor at night and are considered harbingers of doom, but there are also stories of giants, witches and ghostly visitors to graves. One of the best known spooky stories from Dartmoor however involves a pair of hairy, disembodied hands. Supposedly, people travelling along a stretch of road near Postbridge on Dartmoor have been terrorised by the apparition of a pair of hairy hands that come out of nowhere and attempt to force them off the road. While you might think this is a way to explain dangerous driving, stories of these hands have been popping up since the early 1900s. Everyone from army captains to staff at Dartmoor prison and holiday makers have reported seeing the hands – they don’t always go for moving vehicles either, one woman reported that the disembodied hands attempted to gain access to her caravan after she had set up camp for the night.</p>
<p>While some claim that the incidents can be attributed to people who aren’t familiar with the narrow roads around Dartmoor, others say that the hairy hands are just one of the many spirits that call the moor home. After all, there are many tales of witches, giants, pixies and more from those that live on Dartmoor.</p>
<h2>Edinburgh’s underground vaults</h2>
<h2></h2>
<p>You might have heard of Paris’ catacombs, but did you know there is some spooky underground goings on much closer to home? Beneath Edinburgh’s Old City, there are a collection of underground vaults and passageways which you can visit as part of a tour via the team at the Real Mary King’s Close.</p>
<p>These vaults were at one time the home to the city’s poorest and were dark, dank and had little in the way of ventilation. The deepest and most extensive of these can be found at Blair Street, with one of the rooms being used as a tavern dealing in illicit whiskey. Unlike the catacombs in Paris, there has been no discovery of human remains, but that doesn’t mean that people didn’t live and die down there, one particularly restless spirit is a little girl known as Abandoned Annie, who likes to grab the hands of visitors. Today, there is a little altar dedicated to Annie, where you can leave donations which then go towards helping Edinburgh’s sick children.</p>
<h2>The Hellfire Caves</h2>
<p>No, we’re not talking Stranger Things, we’re talking about actual Hellfire Clubs, a series of secret societies for high ranking individuals in England during the 18<sup>th</sup> century. The first official Hellfire Club was founded in London in 1718 by the Duke of Wharton but the most famous is the Order of the Friars of St Francis of Wycombe, which was founded by Francis Dashwood and included the Earl of Sandwich as a member. This particular Hellfire Club originally met at a nearby pub before moving into the Hellfire Caves, a series of man made caverns near Medmenham Abbey in West Wycombe.</p>
<p>The caves are now a tourist attraction and are supposedly a hot bed of paranormal activity thanks to the stories of the debauchery that went on there. Records show that the members performed parodies of religious rites, held public sacrifices to Pagan Gods and took part in orgies and other bacchanalian activities. Much of the atmosphere in the caves comes from the insinuation that devil worshipping and blood sacrifices took place here, but there are some stories about ghostly goings on that don’t involve either of those things. One of the spirits said to haunt the caves is that of a young barmaid from the village called Sukie. Sukie was lured to the caves by a group of men and thought she was meeting a wealthy aristocrat who wanted to marry her. Though no one is sure what happened, Sukie never made it home and it is said that she continues to roam the caves. Other stories involve the ghost of Paul Whitehead, who was a member of Dashwood’s club and asked that when he died, that his heart and ashes be kept in the Dashwood Mausoleum. His heart was stolen and he apparently terrorises visitors to the caves, looking for his lost heart.</p>
<h2>The empty coffin of Scotney Castle</h2>
<p>Scotney Castle in Kent has its own creepy mystery. Originally built as a fortified manor house, the castle became the property of the Darrell family, who then lived there for several generations.</p>
<p>In the 1720s, Arthur Darrell set off to visit Europe, where he passed away. His body was so called returned to the family and they held a funeral for him at Scotney. However, during the service, a strange in black, that was stood among the mourners was said to say “that is me they think they are burying.”</p>
<p>Either no one felt the need to question it at the time or any further conversation has been lost to history, however some 200 years later, Arthur Darrell’s final resting place was excavated and instead of finding his remains, the coffin was full of stones. So, did Arthur fake his own death? Was his body never recovered and a funeral was held anyway? Over the years, there have been several reports of seeing figures climbing out of the moat around the castle, many believe this to be the restless spirit of a revenue collector who was murdered by Arthur before fleeing the country and faking his own death.</p>
<h2>The creepy tales of Farleigh Hungerford Castle</h2>
<p>Located in Somerset, Farleigh Hungerford Castle has a very interesting history. The castle was initially home to the Hungerford family, who lost it during the Wars of the Roses and then regained it again following the Battle of Bosworth. Sir Edward Hungerford was one of the attendants at Henry VIII’s Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520, so this family was a pretty big deal. He also married a murderer – his second wife, Agnes Cotell, was convicted of murdering her first husband, Sir Edward’s steward by throttling him and then disposing of him in the kitchen furnace. She ended up being executed at Tyburn.</p>
<p>Want more? Sir Edward’s successor, Walter worked for Thomas Cromwell and eventually became Lord Hungerford. He might have been in favour, but his wife wasn’t, so he had her imprisoned at Farleigh Hungerford Castle. The so called Lady Tower was her home for three years where she was forced to survive by drinking her own urine and relying on smuggled morsels from the castle’s staff.</p>
<p>That’s still not the creepiest thing about Farleigh Hungerford Castle. Beneath the castle chapel, in the crypt you’ll find a collection of anthropoid coffins, which are lead caskets in the shape of people. There are 8 in total, and it is easy to see which ones are for children, which ones are for women and which ones are for men. The coffins contain some of the Hungerford family and date back to the 1600s. That’s still not the creepiest thing – in the 1800s, people would come to visit the castle and drink coffin juices from these anthropoid coffins. Over the years, holes were drilled into the lead and visitors could try the corpse infused liquids. Coffin liquor is produced when improperly preserved corpses liquify, thankfully, though you can visit Farleigh Hungerford Castle, you can no longer drink from the coffins.</p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/horrific-history-spooky-stories-from-across-the-uk-b405#comments405</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/17(2).jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
<item>
<title>Heritage events to enjoy this half term</title>
<link>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/heritage-events-to-enjoy-this-half-term-b404</link>
<description>Want to indulge in some heritage this half term? Spooky season, with its ghost stories is the best time to unearth Britain’s heritage – here are our suggestions for a fun day out for the whole family this half term.</description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Want to indulge in some heritage this half term? Spooky season, with its ghost stories is the best time to unearth Britain’s heritage – here are our suggestions for a fun day out for the whole family this half term.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/knebworth-house-p4568901">Knebworth House’s Halloween Adventure</a><br>
Knebworth House, Hertfordshire SG3 6PY</h3>
<p>Get your costumes ready and your tickets to Knebworth House’s Halloween Adventure! With a host of games and activities, plus tasty seasonal treats, there’s fun for the whole family throughout the gardens.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/things-to-do/american-museum-and-gardens-p4316061">American Museum’s American Halloween</a><br>
American Museum, Bath, Somerset BA2 7BD</h3>
<p>Enjoy a classic American Halloween with exciting indoor and outdoor trails and fun activities throughout half term. If you visit on Halloween itself, you can take part in trick or treating and costume parades around the gardens.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/halloween-half-term-at-carisbrooke-castle-p4361191">Halloween Half Term at Carisbrooke Castle</a><br>
Carisbrooke Castle, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1XY</h3>
<p>Managed by English Heritage, Carisbrooke Castle has a host of family friendly things to do this half term and if you book online, you’ll even get a discount off your visit!</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/halloween-at-blenheim-palace-p5603331">Halloween at Blenheim Palace</a><br>
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire OX20 1UL</h3>
<p>A much anticipated Halloween trail with even more surprises than before comes to Blenheim Palace, you might see a headless horseman or two!</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/wizard-week-isle-of-wight-steam-railway-p3569441">Wizard Week @ Isle of Wight Steam Railway</a><br>
Isle of Wight Steam Railway, PO33 4DS</h3>
<h3></h3>
<p>Grab your wands and brooms and hitch a ride on Isle of Wight Steam Railway for wizard week! Meet the witches of Havenstreet and keep an eye out for the Birds of Prey from Haven Falconry.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on/october-half-term-at-brunels-ss-great-britain-p5643521">October Half Term at Brunel’s SS Great Britain</a><br>
Great Western Dockyard, Gas Ferry Road, Bristol BS1 6TY</h3>
<p>Board the SS Great Britain for the spookiest Halloween yet, throughout half term, you can follow a turnip trail and indulge in some Victorian ghost stories.</p>
<p>Want more ideas for this half term? <a href="https://www.visitheritage.co.uk/whats-on">Click here</a></p>
<p>
<p>]]></content:encoded>
<author>marketing@visitheritage.co.uk (Visit Heritage)</author>
<comments>http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/inspiration/visit-heritage-blog/read/2024/10/heritage-events-to-enjoy-this-half-term-b404#comments404</comments>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
<media:content
url="http://www.visitheritage.co.uk/dbimgs/40.jpg"
type="image/jpeg" />
</item>
</channel>
</rss>