Off the beaten track this place is huge and the gatehouse is the largest remaining in the country…read more Very impressive and loved by artists. You can go inside for, a fee up, the new staircase. Within the grounds stand the ruins of the monastic buildings, notably the elegantly decorated octagonal chapter house of 1282-1308. An early example of brick building in England, it proclaimed the wool trade-based prosperity of one of the wealthiest English Augustinian monasteries. Its founder Sir William le Gros, Earl of Yorkshire, was buried here. (Will the Fat) It is free to wander around it and I find it very atmosphering at dusk and eerie. I swear I have heard whispering voices. By day it is a lovely place to visit. They say if you take stone from the abbey you will die and there is a legend that a manor house build of it suddenly collapsed. Now you will think me mad but once on a sunny day I was walking back to the gatehouse from the chapter house and found myself rooted to the spot. My friends asked what was wrong and I said I couldn't move my legs and I couldn't! They pulled me and suddenly I was free. NO idea what it was but it scared me!

This is a memorial stone dedicated to the Pilgrims going to America…read more In 1608 the attempt to leave for Holland was made, this time from Killingholme Creek near Immingham where a Dutch ship waited. Men were ferried aboard first, but before the women and children could do so an armed crowd intervened. The Pilgrim Fathers left from the bank of the Humber at a place called Immingham Creek to Holland in 1608. The actual spot was marked by a memorial which was erected in 1924. The granite top stone of the memorial was taken from Plymouth Rock, Mass and presented by the Sulgrave Institution. The memorial was erected by the Anglo-American Society of Hull. The memorial became surrounded by industry as the Immingham dock area expanded and was moved in 1970 to its present site in a small park opposite the church in Immingham. According to Alan Tailby in his book the Pilgrims did hire a boat to take them to Holland from Boston in 1607 but the skipper, after taking their money, betrayed them to the authorities and they were imprisoned for a time. Many of the streets in Immingham are named after the Pilgrims: e.g. Clyfton Crescent and Brewster Avenue. Some 22 million Americans claim descent from the Pilgrim Fathers who sailed in the Mayflower and related crossings. The memorial stone, erected in 1924, on the estuary, was moved in 1970 to near St. Andrew's church because of re-development.When I worked in the archeology department I remember listing this as an SMA. (Sites and Monuments). Many Americans visit it each year.

People worry about climate change and this year has seen so much flooding. It is not new though…read more About 15 years ago my parents had all the rescue cats, from the rescue centre at Donna Nook on the coast, at their place due to threats of flooding.The sea defences cannot always hold back the sea..mighty as it is..even though many years have been spent strengthening them. Old flooding..Louth in Lincs has markers above 2nd story windows that are flood lines and I have seen York flooded many times. On 31st January, 1953, considerable areas along the coast of Lincolnshire were flooded. The Mablethorpe, Sutton-on-Sea and Skegness areas were the most seriously affected parts and forty-three people lost their lives. Many other coastal towns suffered too. It was soon after dusk when the first waves crashed through the sea defences in Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea and within an hour virtually the whole town including the high street lay underwater. Sutton has battled against the sea. Early accounts tell us of floods which washed away parts of the village in 1248, 1250 and 1251. Also in 1253 the sea flowed as far as Alvingham. 1571 saw great disaster for the village when, on October 5th, the high tide accompanied by a fierce wind and rain, took the church and a great part of the village. 1953 was a terrifying time for everyone living there and for the people drafted in to help. A long and cold night lay ahead. The destruction didn't stop that night however and the morning's high tide combined with the continuing storm saw the flooding get worse. It eventually reached more than two miles inland. Help was needed urgently to shore up the defences and the military was brought in. Of course it wasn't just humans that felt the effect of the flood, the storm also took it's toll elsewhere. Around 200,000 acres of farmland was devastated and hundreds of animals died. Flooding in some places reached a depth of 5 feet or more. A number of people were drowned and Sutton was evacuated. It is now fifty years since the floods came. (NO I didn't take the photos they are archive ones). Nevertheless the memories of what happened remain strong. The threat of further flooding is still present and many fear that another crisis could happen.

The Manor is an area although there is a real Manor House I don't know if it the same one. It is…read morehowever historically fascinating as this is where the Kings Champions came from. Queen's Champion - Origins: The office was originally granted to Robert Marmyon, along with the castle and manor of Tamworth and the Manor of Scrivelsby in 1066. From then until the nineteenth century the officer's role was to act as champion for the King at his coronation, in the unlikely event that someone gainsaid the new King's title to the throne. The Champion was required to ride in full armor into Westminster Hall during the coronation banquet, escorted by the Earl Marshal and the Lord High Constable, all in full dress, robes and coronets, and await the challenge to all comers. The King himself could not fight in single combat against anyone except an equal. This trial by combat remained purely ceremonial and had a central place in the coronation banquet. By 1377 the male line of the Marmyons had died out, and in that year the office of King's Champion at the coronation of King Richard II was fulfilled by Sir John Dymoke, who had married Margaret Marmyon, the heiress of the Marmyon family, and so held the Manor of Scrivelsby.later years, the Garter King of Arms read out the challenge, and the Champion threw down the gauntlet at the entrance to Westminster Hall, then again in the middle of the Hall, and lastly at the foot of the Throne, each time repeating the challenge. Each time the gauntlet was recovered by Garter. The Champion was rewarded with a gilt, covered cup, the King or Queen Regnant having first drunk to the Champion from it. It is alleged that the challenge was actually accepted in 1689 by an old woman, supposedly a noted Jacobite swordsman in disguise, who challenged the Dymoke of the day to combat next day in Hyde Park. There is no evidence to support this claim. Equally, rumour reported that in 1764 a white lady's kid glove fluttered down into the Hall, supposedly from a Jacobite. If the Champion fought, and won, he got as his fee the armour he wore, and the horse he rode (the second best in the Royal Mews), both of which were on loan. Charlie Dymoke (gardener)claims to be a decendant. From Wikipedia: Dymoke, the name of an English family holding the office of king's champion. The functions of the champion were to ride into Westminster Hall at the coronation banquet, and challenge all comers to impugn the kings title (see Champion). The earliest record of the ceremony at the coronation of an English king dates from the accession of Richard II. On this occasion the champion was Sir John Dymoke (d. 1381), who held the manor of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire, in right of his wife Margaret, granddaughter of Joan Ludlow, who was the daughter and co-heiress of Philip Marmion, last Baron Marmion. The Marmions claimed descent from the lords of Fontenay, hereditary champions of the dukes of Normandy, and held the castle of Tamworth, Leicestershire, and the manor of Scrivelsby. The right to the championship was disputed with the Dymoke family by Sir Baldwin de Freville, lord of Tamworth, who was descended from an elder daughter of Philip Marmion. The court of claims eventually decided in favor of the owners of Scrivelsby on the ground that Scrivelsby was held in grand serjeanty, that is, that its tenure was dependent on, rendering a special service, in this case the championship.

Trinity Bridge, Crowland, England was built 1360. This is an unusual 3-way bridge that now sits…read morehigh & dry in the center of Crowland. Sure enough, the River Welland now flows on a dead straight course to the west of the town along what is termed the Deeping High Bank. The Trinity or Triangular Bridge is said to be unique. Certainly, it is unusual and rather special. It stands in the middle of the town, at the junction of North, South, East and West Streets. Before the town was bypassed by the A1073 leading south to Peterborough, it was a familiar landmark for through traffic. It holds at least one mystery the identity of its mysterious carved stone figure, which people still argue about. The story of the bridge goes back to the 7th century when this part of the country was very different a time when England was divided into many kingdoms and when lonely saints found their way to remote islands. Some say it is King Ethelbald, complete with royal orb. Far more likely is that the statue is a representation of God or Jesus holding the world in His hands. If so, it bears a striking resemblance to statues on the surviving west front of the abbey and it is more than likely taken from there and placed in a more lowly position on the bridge. The current bridge dates to the 14th century (built between 1360 and 1390) and replaced previous wooden bridges but the earliest known mention of the bridge is by Ethelbald of Mercia in 716. The early bridge was probably made of timber, and not a trace survives. What we see today has an odd triangular design it has three arches but is one structure hence its name 'Trinity' or three in one. This came about because in those days it stood at the point where the River Welland divided into two streams. One led past the abbey at the water gate on the south side of the abbey site and the townspeople used it for sanitary and sewerage purposes. It drained into the River Nene. The main branch of the Welland meanwhile carried on northwards towards Spalding. These waterways were eventually covered over by the current street pattern. Arched over, they now serve as sewers. The bridge at one time had a large cross at its apex. It may have been used as a platform by preaching monks and as a centre of devotion for pilgrims approaching the abbey. During the Middle Ages it had gentle slopes leading upwards in more recent times steep steps have been substituted. If you are close by it is well worth taking time out to see the bridge and the abbey.

I atended a wedding here in October and what a stunning place. Along with a spacious hall, with…read morebeams and original dragon features, it also contains lots of interesting information and history of the place. As a venue for events, it has a lovely outside courtyard, perfect for warm evenings and photos opportunities. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly, and the layout of the facilities were excellent. One major memory that has to be mentioned are the super strength hand driers in the toilets!!

I really enjoyed a Birthday Party here in 2007, amongst the ancient beams and history. A really…read moremellow place to eat drink and be merry and to soak up 1,000 years of Norwich life.

Oxburgh Hall is a place that shouldn't be missed when visiting the area. It sits within a moat and…read moreis a great example of English brick gatehouses of the 15th century. It was originally built circa 1482 by Sir Edmund Bedingfeld and has been continuously occupied by the family ever since. There have been several upgrades as well over the years...centuries. There are Victorian additions that were added later in the 1800's like the terracotta chimneys and windows along with amazing gardens to name a few. It has always been used as a home, and not a fortress. The home has seen the War of the Roses, survived a fire and near demolition prospects and still stands. It is truly an amazing place to visit and I'm happy it's under the care of the National Trust. The hall is known for its "Priest hole". In the event of a raid a priest could hide in the wall and couldn't be found. This is open to the public, whereas most like it are closed. That makes this is a fantastic historical opportunity alone. I must say, it is a little unsettling to go into the hole and you definitely get the idea of how the priest must have felt. The home is also known for the needlework on display by Mary, Queen of Scots while imprisoned in England and Bess of Hardwick. You can also tour the Kings Room where King Henri VIII stayed when visiting. Photos are not allowed inside...darn it, but you are welcome to take pictures of the grounds and such. You can obtain books and postcards in the gift shop. This review was overdue and I simply can't believe that I didn't finish it. But I'm even more surprised that no one else has reviewed this place when it is so extraordinary. It shouldn't be missed if you are in the area. If you are a history buff like us, then you'll truly enjoy it. Gee Whiz info...the name is pronounced: "OX bru" Note: I also recommend becoming a member of the National Trust. They do great things and keep history alive. Whether you are from or live in the UK or just visiting from outside the country...it's well worth it and goes to a great cause...it's a win/win for all!

Our children's authors retreat took us on a truly fascinating tour of Belvoir Castle (pronounced…read morelike "beaver," because the English hate the French lmao). From the moment we arrived, the history and grandeur of the place were palpable. Our tour guide was an absolute gem! Her charm and delightful demeanor instantly reminded me of Mary Poppins - a comparison that probably screams "American tourist," but it's the most fitting image I can conjure! This adorable British lady, likely in her 50s with straight blonde shoulder-length hair, was an absolute ray of sunshine. As an art historian, she brought the castle and its inhabitants to life with a wealth of captivating stories and historical insights about the family who still call Belvoir home to this day. We even had the surreal experience of the current Duchess casually walking through our group - a seemingly ordinary brunette woman in a suit, walking barefoot! It truly underscored the fact that this isn't just a museum; it's a living, breathing family home. My favorite story was the one of Charles Cecil John Manners, 6th Duke of Rutland. Our tour guide showed us a portrait of him looking very Mr Darcy-like. She called him very inept and useless, as he was a leader of the House of Commons for only 3 weeks. But what she appreciated about him was the fact that he fell madly in love with a woman and wanted to marry her, but his family thought she wasn't good enough for them. When she got married off to someone else, the duke was so sad, he swore that if he couldn't marry her, then he would never marry at all. He kept his word, and died without ever marrying. He did scandalize society by giving his mistress a yacht in his will when he died. We also had the privilege of seeing the famous Henry VIII painting, a powerful reminder of the castle's rich historical connections. After seeing the painting in history books and the Royal Diaries volume of Elizabeth I (I grew up obsessed with the Royal Diaries published by Scholastic), it was surreal to see this painting in person. The afternoon culminated in a delightful high tea, the perfect way to soak in the atmosphere and discuss all we had learned. Finally, a leisurely stroll through the breathtaking gardens provided a serene and beautiful end to our visit. Belvoir Castle offers a fascinating glimpse into English history and aristocratic life, brought to life by wonderful storytelling and the unique experience of seeing it as a living family home.

The castle seemed beautiful but we didn't have time for a tour. Indeed we went purely for the…read moreafternoon cream tea. Their website suggests that Belvoir Castle essentially invented this great British concept. To be honest while the location is wonderful and the site is picturesque, the cream tea disappointed. £30 each but while the entire tea room was empty they crammed 5 of us at a single table that would have been fine for 2 or maybe 3 (why not push 2 tables together?). They had to cram the trays together too tightly and hence cram everything together. Because 1 of our group has prawn allergy they removed the prawn option totally for us all (maybe because they had to cram all together on the same plate). This left just 3 types of sandwich and the staff had problems knowing which was which. It seemed to be chicken (nothing special), egg (I hate egg sandwiches) and wafer thin cucumber sandwiches. In terms of the scones, Sainsbury's scones are bigger and tastier. Honestly none of us ate very much. The choice of teas was great and we all had two Pots each. Wouldn't go again sadly.