Alana Evans, Goodge Street, London

Alana Evans, just doing fine in London.

Alana Evans and artwork, off Goodge Street, London

Alana Evans after pizza with Sue Friday night London.

Learning Chinese at Holford

What would Dorothy W say? This is Holford Combe, one of the favourite places of the Wordsworths and Coleridge . Quite near the Coleridge trail, but not on it. Good walking and moutain biking.  The man in the photo is hanging out his shingle for Chinese lessons.  A reverse global flow. 

Porlock Weir

Porlock Weir.  The weir at the end of the road (after Porlock) and a Coleridge place.  Now serving home-cooked Asian food as well as fish and chips in the last cafe on the last road.  A walk through the woods to Culbone Church.

Nuclear Protest at Willliton

Williton, near Nether Stowey: there is an ongoing protest over the extension of the Hinkley Point nuclear power station nearby.  The protest relates both to the issue of nuclear power and also to the plant operator EDF (French) plans for developing housing for workers in nearby villages (including Nether Stowey).  No canon balls this time, just uranium.

Cleeve Abbey, Washford, near Dunster, Somerset

Tour guide Mark at Cleeve Abbey.  Mark knows monasteries and the history of the Cistercian monks very well and his one hour free tour of Cleeve on a Tuesday afternoon is the best value (well, the tour is included in the 4.20 GB pound entry price) in Somerset. Cleeve has sections built between the 13th and 16th centuries.  The order was silent but at least the monks were given half a pint of wine a day.  A thought for classes after Week 6?

Alfoxton House Holford

Entry section to Alfoxton House, Holford, home to the Wordsworths 1797-1798. The Holford glen needs to be photographed - Dorothy walked the Holford and Hodders Combes especially.  Wordsworth wrote 'The Reverie of Poor Susan' here so I should inspect further before returning to work.  

Saturday afternoon cricket at Kilve

Saturday afternoon cricket at Kilve, looking towards the Quantocks from the beach. The village is behind the row of trees to the right of the photo.  It is a good spot and includes a 'ruined chantry' destroyed when smugglers set fire to a stash of brandy. 

Dozing in the footsteps of Coleridge and the Wordsworths

A summer afternoon's doze at Kilve.The Wordsworths and Coleridge walked to this beach from Alfoxton Park--a bit of a walk but not as strenuous as Coleridge walking from Nether Stowey to Bristol to change his library books.

Dunster village

Packhorse bridge at Dunster village.  You will recognize this Barb E. The village is very pretty but full of tourists and tea shops.

Dunster Castle, Hogarth and a steam train in the distance

Dunster Castle, Somerset.  National Trust, a great old pile. Three items of interest: one, the sea used to come up to the castle walls and due to diversions of waterways it is now one and half miles or so distant, and this land therefore floods--Toowoomba City Council take note. Two, there is a copy of a Hogart print on one wall that has the word 'prostitute' etched out of Hogarth's title. The Castle has been there forever and there were some edgy paintings from an earlier era but someone has thought better of Hogarth's phrasing. Three, more canon balls-the Castle fell to both Royalist or Parliamentary forces during the Civil War.

The white puff in the background is the steam from the West Somerset Rail going past.

Ghosts at Dunster Castle

Lesley, the sign says 'Ghosts' but I ran out of time to go back and look for them. 

Taunton Town Centre

The town centre, Taunton--floral arrangements are a feature of the High Street and they are stunning. Lesley you will be pleased to know that the Europcar office has not changed. Very nice people but they gave me a SatNav that spoke German. And, before I forget--the 'mounds' that we wondered about along the Way--where the trees seemed to be planted higher than surrounding ground---were the old markers between hunting grounds of the lords of the day. 

The Coleridge Cottage -- a bit more work to do

Gardeners working to get the back garden of the Cottage ready by August 11. The National Trust is anxious.

Today I met Nether Stowey's former repairer of clocks, John, who promised to tell me the village history and what the cottage might really have looked liked.  John lives in a 400 year old cottage in Nether Stowey.  He explained why the birds fly in circles above the post office and how the house gables are built and  how Coleridge's friend,Thomas Poole, acquired his wealth.

Lights at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Over Stowey

Lights at the entrance to this church at Over Stowey, the next village over hill and dale, to Nether Stowey. The lights are quite modern (1902, Julie) but the church is not, an incumbent there in 1144.  William Morris designed work inside the church. One grave site records that Charles Davey Sellick died at aged 27 as follows: "1842  A singer of the Sanctuary. Fell Asleep. " The Sellicks has been in the area since 1645 according to a local history. Another history relates the comings and goings of parish life in the early 1800s:  the drunken villagers who sing out of tune at Christmas, the eccentric farmers, the post-chaises that fly down lanes with drunks aboard and nearly kill walkers (these days they are cyclists, I was almost taken out by on one this very road today); and the fact that young ladies walking through the mud from Nether to Over Stowey should note that they should not hold their skirts up too high because the back of a young lady's ankle is not nearly as attractive as the front.

Steam train West Somerset Railway

The West Somerset Railway (here seen at Watchet) attracts trainspotters galore. A Watchet lady complained that the line did not go straight through to Taunton (the main Somerset town) from Minehead, but began some 6 miles out of Taunton at  Bishops Lydeard.  According to the local the rail unions will not allow the train to go the extra 6 miles: 'Never 'ave, and never will.' 

The Ancient Mariner at Watchet

The Ancient Mariner statue at Watchet harbour.  Coleridge walked to Watchet from Nether Stowey and the town is said to have inspired the poem. The statue was created by a Scottish sculptor in 2003.

Old Frank burning the pipes

An elderly gentleman playing the bagpipes along Watchet harbour.  I heard a group of Watchet citizens later comment that 'Thar's old Frank, burning the pipes.'  It was not the best pipe playing I have heard but at least he was out there.

Nether Stowey village from the Mount

View

View over Nether Stowey village (centre) from the Mount. The Mount is really just a hill top that was the site of Stowey Castle in the 12th Century. In the 14th Century the castle moved into the village proper. The Bristol Channel is in the background.  This coast was important to fortification from the Spanish Armada.  There is a great story in local guides about Sir Francis Drake's lover being forced, by her father, to marry a local man of property.  As they approached the church door a huge rock smashed into the building.  The wedding party thought it was Francis firing from his ships (cannonballs from the Armada have been found in the coastal areas) but in fact it was a meteorite. The wedding party was spooked and Francis won the day.  How lucky can you be.

Today's menu and the Ancient Mariner

The Ancient Mariner pub opposite Coleridge's Cottage in Nether Stowey makes good use of the cottage wall to advertise Sunday lunch.  Local history guides tell the story of the American tourist who visited the very old pub and exclaimed  that it was all fantastic.."I wonder if he called the poem after the pub?"  

Sue arrives at Nether Stowey

Finally, at Nether Stowey.  Julia and Pete drove me to Feltham, then a train to Reading, then a train to Taunton, then a taxi to Nether Stowey.  The Bakers Cottage is between The Old House (where Lesley and I stayed in 2008) and the Rose and Crown pub (where Lesley and I drank and ate in 2008). It is a very old cottage, low beams, precarious staircase, overlooking a stone-walled yard and beautifully presented.  Nether Stowey is as I remembered but there is more building activity.  Still a little slow (no credit cards in the local shop thank you love-- although one did slip through the other day--they cost too much to process); but my mail from Kate was waiting and Barb, who looks after the cottage, arrived to sort out all things Nether Stowey. This includes fixing my computer; access to Coleridge's cottage; walking dogs on the Quantocks; and advice to get a car and take the local villages by storm. And going to the pub. The village is attempting to expand parking (you approach NS by way of a maze of hedgerows) so that the Coleridge Cottage can accommodate more visitors. Go the Parish council.

Julia Scaping's 2011 Summer Garden

Julia and Ann have entered a hanging basket in The Rifleman's hanging basket competition.  Pressure is mounting for the judging in the bar next Friday and an external 'examiner' has been brought in to ensure a fair competition.

Tavistock Square remembered

Tavistock Square bomb remembered: across the road from where Virginia Woolf once lived. 

The altar of the Knights Templar

A very special London site. The altar was brought to London (no one seems to know when) from the fort of the Knights Temple in Palestine.  The Knights Templar were formed in the late 12th century to escort Christian pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem.  The organization disbaned around the 15th century.  They were set up as a 'poor' organization but quickly became wealthy as pilgrims left their funds in the care of the Knights while the pilgrimage took place.

Gates to the Sacristy at All Hallows by the Tower

All Hallows by the Tower is a small church near the Tower of London.  If you descend towards the crypt you can see a segment of Roman pavement from two centuries AD.  Then if you move further into the crypt you find the Altar to the Knights Templar, which is a historic site -as opposed to Dan Brown locations. The gates to the Sacristy say "By Hammer & Hand All Arts Do Stand".  The gates were made by the Blacksmiths guild. The Christian church was built over the Roman site (and over a Saxon church) in the 14th century and bombed during World War 2 and restored again post WW2.

London Walks - in the rain

The first item of interest on Steve Thomas' Green City Walks; the old Port of London Authority building, soon to be a hotel.  The weather was dreadful and Steve (who accepts only small sum of money for charity for his tours) was debating whether to go ahead. Nearby are monuments to merchant seamen of WW1 and WW2.

Hampton Court fashion

We attended the 1960s fashion parade.  Some of the fellow guests were congratulated by the host on their take-up of the theme but they did not quite respond in kind.  The Twickenham ladies and colonial friend were already in trouble for smuggling a large jar of Pimms into the tent to enliven proceedings.

And the winner is ....Keats

A much better relationship of poet and display....and it won.

Flowers....and more flowers...

Julia giving her expert opinion on the aesthetics of Poets Corner

Julia Scaping and friends at the 2011 Hampton Court show

This is an annual pilgrimage for the Twickenham gardeners and their friends. The show is held in the grounds of Hampton Court and we were there, with thousands of other keen gardeners, on Members Day.  Stunning flowers of course.

Keats...getting warmer

On the Sea by John Keats......closer to Keats

Not quite Byron

Lesley this is Byron's display.  Not at all Byron but very pretty.

Hampton Court Flower Show Poets Corner

Poets Corner, starting with Wordsworth.  A bit of a jumble really, not sure of the connection.

British Library and blue skies

The British Library and conference centre forecourt.  There is a lot of pressure on the Manuscripts collection and lines of people are waiting at opening time-sometimes hard to get a seat.  I had to sit right in front of the desk as I was looking at a classified document, no gloves though.

Two minutes from Hyde Park Gate

Just near Hyde Park Gate but still quiet and peaceful. A respite after hours reading letters from STC's elder  brothers who were writing to their parents at Ottery St Mary from India in the 1770s. They had not heard from 'home' for a year and John especially worried about sending money back to the family;  there was a threat that a younger sister might be sent into 'trade' and have to stand behind a counter. Both John and Francis died in India without seeing the family again.

On the other hand Ben Carson surfaced from East Timor with the expansive email to the effect that India went well and East Timor was 'good.' 

Tara and Georgio

Tara and Georgio in their very smart and newly renovated flat at Finsbury Park.  Finsbury Park is thriving. According to Sara Battersea is not.

Tara in her new kitchen

Tara cooking lunch with the assistance of Pimm's on the day of the Gentlemen's final at Wimbledon.

The Anne Frank tree

The Library is very modern but calm and quiet.  Most people look very serious and do not throw coffee over themselves so I have to be on my best behaviour.

Getting organized at the British Library

There is actually a tree above this sign. The library was an oasis after the chaos of Oxford Street. The Euston bus gave up on being a bus and off-loaded everyone in the middle of Oxford Street: there was Gay Pride, an Christian rally, and it all got too hard.  No one knew how to get to where they were going so it was all a mystery.  I eventually made it to Euston and checked in to the BL with all the ID required and pre-registration papers. However, in the UK an 'invoice' is not a 'bill' and there was a detailed conversation about the status of my Origin account.  Nevertheless I was photographed and armed only with a plastic bag, paper and pencil allowed in the Manuscript Room. I have ordered the volumes although the librarian said the first two are classified. It is a mystery to him and to me but as we have to speak in hushed tones and communicate via sign language I will just have to wait and see. What was Coleridge saying in 1789?

Hotel #2 Lime Tree Hotel Belgravia

The Lime Tree dining room overlooking Ebury Street, Belgravia.  A very friendly B&B close to Victoria Station--although the Victoria Line was not running the very weekend of the stay. Well, why would it be.  Good bars and shops around the corner.  You are in danger of being talked to by American tourists but it is a small price to pay and they are very generous (even shouting me wine).  Not far from here is the Orange pub/restaurant where I had dinner with Sara and Gus. I had thrown coffee over myself at Tara and Georgio's earlier in the day and Sara fell up the stairs of the pub with Gus's guiness : Sara and I in Paris is looking good.