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Episcopal High School, Alexandria, VA Windsor
Dominated both in
spirit and in fact, by its magnificent castle, yet the town itself is very
attractive with Georgian and Victorian buildings, church street being one of its
prettiest areas. The parish Church of St John stands in the High Street
with railings designed by Grindling Gibbons. Nearby is the Guildhall
designed at the end of the 17th Century by Sir Thomas Fitch and finished by Sir
Christopher Wren. However it is the castle that made the town and still
attracts thousands and thousands of visitors every year. Windsor Castle The castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and covers over 13 acres. Its story starts with William the Conqueror who quickly grasped its strategic position and the advantage of a forest for hunting close by. Since then practically every sovereign has had a hand in the building, Henry II put up the first stone buildings including the round tower, but the defences are still those built by Henry III. Edward III was born at Windsor and loved it, he enlarged the royal apartments and founded the order of the Knights of the Garter, making Windsor a centre for chivalry. The castle is made up of three parts, the lower ward, which includes St George's chapel, the upper ward in which lie the state apartments and the middle ward where the enormous round tower gives wonderful views over 12 counties. St. George's Chapel, Windsor
A sumptuous and impressive
building which yet gives an effect of light and spaciousness. The
perpendicular chapel was begun by Edward IV in 1475 and completed in the reigns
of Henry VII and VIII. Many sovereigns and famous men and women lie buried
here, including Charles I, Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and the present Queens
Mother and father. Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert were also
buried at Windsor but in the royal mausoleum at Frogmore in Home Park near the
castle. London the Capital City of England & the United Kingdom Within a few years of invading Britain in 43AD the Romans had built forts and towns across the land. They linked these outposts with a number of well constructed roads, some of which had to cross a wide tidal river (Thames). The Roman engineers eventually picked a crossing point from generally marshy ground on the South bank (with islands of firm ground) to an area on the North Bank situated on two low hills, these hills formed the highest and driest site on the tidal river. At this point the Romans built their bridge and before long a settlement grew up on the hills and then a City took shape, the Romans called it Londinium. The landscape that greeted the Romans now lies deep beneath the modern city, upto 8 metres deep, the reason, every new building over the past 2,000 years was built on top of the rubble of the old. Horse Guards Parade
The former tiltyard or
jousting field of Whitehall Palace, used for the ceremony of Trooping the Colour
each June to celebrate the Queens official birthday. The Horse Guards
building by which one enters the parade ground from the direction of Whitehall
was reconstructed in 1750 prior to which it was the gatehouse of the Palace of
Westminster. The horse mounted guards who stand duty under two archways
either side of the clock tower stand guard for just one hour at a time not all
day. The soldiers belong either to the Life Guards (red tunics & white
plumes) who formed the bodyguard for Charles I or the Royal Horse
Guards (blue with red plumes) who grew out of a regiment formed by Cromwell.
Both regiments now belong to the Household Cavalry which provides the Queens
Bodyguard on all state occasions. Houses of Parliament
The present building
occupies the site of the old Royal Palace. The oldest surviving part of
this palace is Westminster Hall (some of the walls dating back to 1097/99).
In 1840 Sir Charles Barry with the help of his eccentric assistant, Pugin began
building the neo Gothic new house which still graces Parliament Square.
Although it was badly bombed in 1941 the Commons Chamber was completely
destroyed, the new one was opened in 1950. As you look at the palace from
the square the commons are on the left and the lords on the right.
Standing a little to the left of the building is Westminster Hall. This
ancient hall is 290ft long, 68ft wide and 92ft high, it was built in 1097 by
William II and modernised by Richard II in 1399. It was here that Charles
I was condemned to death in 1649, Edward II abdicated in 1327, Oliver Cromwell
was installed as protector and the Guy Fawkes conspirators sentenced to death.
It was the centre of London life, a very public place in which to have sentence
passed. it remains lofty, beautiful, impressive and empty, the oldest part of
the palace and the most lovely. River Thames
One of the longest
rivers in England at 215 miles in length, it flows from its source near
Cheltenham to the sea through some of the most beautiful countryside before
becoming the main artery that the wealth of Britain has been bourn. No
river can have influenced a nations destiny more, from Roman times to the
present day.
Westminster Hall
This ancient hall is 290ft long, 68ft long and 92ft high. It was built in
1097 by William II and modernised by Richard II in 1399. It was here that
Charles I was condemned to death in 1649. Edward II abdicated in 1327.
Oliver Cromwell was installed as protector and the Guy Fawkes conspirators
sentenced to death. It was the centre of London life, a very public place
in which to have sentence passed. It remains lofty, beautiful, impressive
and empty, the oldest part of the palace and the most lovely. Churchill War Rooms
In 1940 as the bombs rained
down on London, Winston Churchill, his Cabinet, his Chiefs of Staff and
intelligence chiefs were meeting below ground in a fortified basement in
Whitehall, later to be known as the Cabinet War Rooms. They offered
shelter in which to work, sleep and live for as long as necessary. When
the war ended the lights were switched off and the rooms left silent and
untouched for many years. The rooms were in operational use from 27th
August 1939 to the Japanese surrender in 1945 the war cabinet held more than 100
meetings in these somewhat cramped rooms. Without doubt some of the most
important decisions of the Second World War were taken here. Buckingham Palace Until the 18th Century the original site was occupied by Buckingham House which was bought by George III in 1762. When George IV acceded the throne in 1820 he commissioned John Nash to build a palace fit for a King on the same site. Much of the original structure and decoration survives to this day. Banqueting House Completed in 1622 and designed by Indigo Jones, it was the first building in London to embody the classical Palladium style together with the use of Portland stone in the construction. Built originally as a part of Whitehall Palace it was the only building to escape the great fire which destroyed the Palace in 1698. The main hall is 115ft long and 60ft wide but it is the ceiling which catches the eye. Painted by Rubens for Charles 1st in 1629-34 it depicts the Apotheoses of the Stuart Dynasty in nine panels, which should be viewed from the far end of the room. In 1649 Charles 1st stepped out of one of the windows of the hall on his way to the scaffold erected outside in the yard, to his execution. Ironically Charles II celebrated his restoration to the throne here 20 years later. Still used for state banquets and official functions by the Government and the Queen. 10 Downing Street
Has been the official
residence of the Prime Minister since Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime
Minister lived here in 1732. The street was named after its builder, Sir
George Downing. The iron gates were erected for security reasons in 1989. Westminster Abbey
Legend has it that the
first Church built on Thorney Island in the Thames was built by King Segbert in
the 7th Century, there is also mention of a Charter from King Offa of
Mercia to the people of Westminster granting land. We also have a Charter from
King Edgar in the 10th Century for the restoring of the Benedictine
Abbey. It is also written that a substantial foundation existed in Westminster
when King Edward the Confessor became King in 1042. We do know that Edward
started to build a Church here close to the previous building and it was
consecrated on 28th December 1065. Eight days later Edward died and
he was buried in front of the high altar. Museum of London Charting the History of London from Prehistoric times to today. With exhibits including the remains of Neolithic life along the Thames, Roman occupation, The Great Fire of London and the 2012 Olympics. There are exhibits and contextual information covering over 10,000 years of London's History St. Paul's Cathedral, London
The original Cathedral was
built on Ludgate Hill by the Anglo Saxons in 604A.D. built of wood it burnt down
and was rebuilt on a number of occasions. The present Cathedral was
started by Sir Christopher Wren in 1675 and it took 35 years to build. The
Cathedral was damaged during the Second World War with bombs falling through the
roof and destroying the alter and one damaging the North transept. A
famous picture taken at the time shows the cathedral surrounded by fire and
smoke and through the gloom appearing unscathed the dome of St Pauls rising
dominantly and defiantly from the inferno below, a source of inspiration to the
whole country in its hour of need. In the crypt lie buried, Wren, Nelson,
Wellington and
many other famous British people. The peel of 12 bells is outstanding and
the choir of 38 boys and 18 men maintain a very proud tradition. Covent Garden
Believed to have been
the Convent Garden of St Peters, Westminster, where the Monks sold surplus
vegetables. In 1638 the area was very residential developed by Indigo
Jones, with arcaded walks based on the Piazza D` Arme at Livorno. In 1671
by right of charter it became a small market which gradually filled the Piazza.
In 1830 the 6th Duke of Bedford rebuilt it in its present form. It became
the largest fruit, vegetable and flower market in the country. Since the
market moved South of the river the area has been redeveloped. Still
keeping the magnificent canopy and many of the buildings from the early 1800s.
the area is now well known for its restaurants, shops, market stalls and of
course the Royal Opera House. The Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
Transport Museum, Theatre Museum and much, much more. Canterbury
A very ancient city
with more than 2,000 years of history and the site of Canterbury Cathedral.
There were Belgic settlements here pre-Roman time and Julius Caesar took the
area by storm in 54B.C. after their conquest in 43A.D. the Romans established a
centre here called Durovernum. In 597 St Augustine arrived on his mission
to spread Christianity in England and built his first cathedral. Something
like half the Medieval walls which encircled the old city on the Eastern side
still remain. They date from the 13th & 14th Centuries, they were partly
built on Roman remains. Canterbury Cathedral
The Cathedral of course
dominates the city, the original was built by St Augustine but nothing remains.
In fact nothing pre-Conquest does remain. A little while after the
Conquest a new Cathedral was built by Lanfranc, the first Norman Archbishop.
Since that time there have been many additions, the oldest remaining part of the
Cathedral is the crypt dating from 1100. Only one English monarch is
buried here, Henry IV, who lies with his Queen Joan in Trinity Chapel. The
tomb of Edward, the Black Prince is close by and described by many as the most
magnificent in England. In Trinity chapel you will also find the shrine of
St Thomas a Becket, Archbishop from 1162-1170 when he was murdered by four
knights of Henry II after a long and bitter feud. The nave completed in
the early 15th Century is 187ft in length, 71ft in width and 79ft in height.
The tall central bell tower which dominates the external views of the cathedral
dates back to 1498 and is certainly one of earliest large brick structures in
England. Viewed from inside all but the top 50ft is visible. 130ft
above the floor level is the magnificent fan vaulted ceiling, the South window
is a splendid example of 12th Century art and the whole Cathedral is alive with
stained glass, despite the Civil War and the Second World War damage. Cambridge
Cambridge is one of the
most important and beautiful towns not only in East Anglia, but also in Britain
and even Europe. The quality of its buildings in particular those
belonging to the University and the particular atmosphere caused by the
felicitous combination of river and gardens have given the city a place in the
itinerary of every visitor to this country. The history of Cambridge began
many hundreds of years before the first college was founded, a Celtic settlement
had arise on Castle Hill 100 years prior to the Roman conquest. At the
foot of the hill was a ford across the River Cam. It is thought the Romans
built a bridge here. The site of Cambridge became of great strategic and
commercial importance. With the departure of the Romans the town continued
to spread to its present position on the East Anglian side of the river.
The coming of the Normans only increased expansion they even rebuilt the Castle.
Then in the 13th Century saw the founding of the first Cambridge College,
Peterhouse College, established in 1281 by the Bishop of Ely and moving to its
own hostels in 1284. So was established the first College and the
consequent increase in the importance of the city as a seat of learning and a
centre of communal life. Kings College, Cambridge
One of the most
outstanding buildings in Britain and the finest Gothic building in Europe.
It was begun in 1446. its unusual dimensions, 300ft long, 80ft high and 40ft
wide, prepare the visitor for its extraordinary system of spatial relationships.
The effect of the interior is breathtaking. the shafts on either side of the
chapel lead the eye up into the roof where the profusion of delicate fan
vaulting appears to be made of lace rather than stone. The organ case
(1606), screen and choir stalls (1536) stained glass windows (1515 incidentally
the year the chapel was completed) act as a perfect foil to the magnificent
roof. Does this give meaning to look upwards to heaven for the splendours
that are above. Selwyn College, Cambridge
Takes its name from Augustus Selwyn, who was the first Bishop of New Zealand
(1841-1868), whoes memory the College was founded. Building began in 1880
and the main building comprises of 7 staircases on which members of the College
live and teach, as well as the Tower and Gateway, Masters Lodge, Dining Hall and
Chapel, all formed around and to create an enclosed court. Selwyn College
expanded in the 1960's with the building of Cripps Court and then again in the
2000's with the addition of Ann's Court. Selwyn College was the first
College at Cambridge to go "Mixed" with the admittance of women in 1976 Hampton Court Palace The grandest Tudor residence in England. Built from 1514 onwards by Cardinal Wolsey as a country home, he presented it to King Henry VIII in 1525 who continued to build until 1540. Sir Christopher Wren added extra buildings from 1689 for King William III and Queen Mary II. Winchester
The historic city of
Winchester has been welcoming groups for centuries, ever since the first
pilgrims visited the shrine of St Swithun. Already an important town in
Roman times, it became the capital under the Anglo Saxons, and in Alfreds time
871-901 was a great centre of learning. William the Conqueror kept
Winchester as his capital and as late as the 17th Century Charles II planned a
palace here. The city is rich in important buildings, one such building is
the Great Hall, completed in 1235 it is a magnificent example of 13th Century
domestic architecture. It is now an Assize Court. Sir Walter Raleigh was
condemned to death here in 1603 and on the wall hangs what is called King
Arthur's Round Table, marked out and inscribed for his knights. However one
building stands out above all others, the cathedral. Winchester Cathedral
The
building was started in 1079 and consecrated in 1093. Work from this
period can still be seen in the crypt, transepts and east part of the cloister.
Between 1189 and 1204 the lady chapel was built and the choir extended. It
is the longest Medieval Cathedral in Europe (556ft) in 1110 the central tower
collapsed and was rebuilt with the supporting piers greatly strengthened (they
are now 20ft in width). Among its treasures is the Great Winchester Bible dating
back to the 12th Century, this illuminated copy was written in the scriptorium
at Winchester and is now preserved in the Cathedral library.
Hospital of St Cross,
Winchester
St Cross is almost a Norman Cathedral in miniature but also doubles as the local
parish church of St Faith. The structure is almost entirely of the late
Norman period. The Nave is dominated by massive Norman piers. A
closer look will see the Norman architecture giving way to Gothic walls and
windows. The church was extensively restored by Butterfield in the 19th
Century. But it is outside that one finds a perfect gem,
England’s
oldest and most perfect Almshouses. Begun in 1136 to house 13 poor men and
feed a 100 local people each day. The founder was Henry De Blois the half
brother of King Stephen. It was the Almshouses that saved the Church after
the Dissolution in 1536. The Almshouses are still in use today serving 12
or so Brothers and are situated round two Tudor quadrangles. The quaint
intentions of the founder is still honoured today. Every traveller
knocking at the door receives a morsel of bread and a horn of beer (known as the
Wayfarers Dole) Portsmouth Royal Naval Museum
The
historic dockyard is home to great ships, such as HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's
Flagship from the battle of Trafalgar. HMS Warrior (1860) the worlds first
iron-hulled, armoured warship powered by steam, still afloat in Portsmouth
harbour. Also the Mary Rose, one of the most famous ships in the world,
built in 1510 and capsized and sank dramatically in an accident in 1545.
This great ship was raised again in 1982 and has undergone extensive
preservation work ever since, with the new museum opening in Spring 2013.
The Dockyard also houses the Royal Navy Museum and many other attractions. Romsey Abbey
The Abbey dates back to
the start of the 10th century. Anglo-Saxon foundations have in fact been
discovered. (a trapdoor exists to access the remains from the church). The
main building however does date back to the 12th Century built by Henry de Blois,
Bishop of Winchester. The church was actually sold to the town for £100
during the dissolution. With the exception of the West front the Abbey is
entirely 12th Century. The Norman nave is over 250ft long and soars to a
height of over 70ft. Some very interesting items are to be seen within the
walls, especially at the rear of the altar in the South choir aisle, where you
can see a small Anglo-Saxon rood showing Christ with angels and soldiers.
Also on the West wall of the South transept hangs a crucifixion with the hand of
god reaching down, it is verified that this also dates back to Anglo-Saxon
times. A delightful Abbey which cannot fail to inspire and enthuse one. |
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