Standing beneath Trajan's column following the frieze as it winds it way upwards, round and round, telling the story of the a eponymous emperor's bloody wars in Dacia, I marvel at how close up to it I can get. The column's too tall, though, so the top half is sitting quietly next to the bottom … Continue reading The Cast Court, Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Medieval
Wordless Wednesday #9: Medieval church floor tiles
In the land of the Prince Bishops: the city of Durham, England
The city of Durham is one of my favourite places. The medieval castle and cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site standing high up on a wooded peninsula above a bend in the River Wear, and the steep, winding streets below form an historic centre the equal of anywhere in Europe. Bill Bryson, in his Notes … Continue reading In the land of the Prince Bishops: the city of Durham, England
In Photos: St Michael’s Mount and Mount’s Bay, Cornwall
Heading along the road towards Marazion, Cornwall, from the A30 affords the first view of St Michael's Mount. The huddle of buildings on the top of the island makes it look bigger than it perhaps is, but it's the obvious focal point of Mount's Bay. I visited a while ago with my family taking photos … Continue reading In Photos: St Michael’s Mount and Mount’s Bay, Cornwall
Two castles and a church: a wander around historic Dartmouth and Kingswear, Devon
The bus dropped me in Kingswear up above the marina and the station for the steam railway. Lying on the eastern side of the River Dart in Devon it’s opposite the town of Dartmouth, my destination for the day, a popular spot for tourists in the summer and also a medieval port set back about … Continue reading Two castles and a church: a wander around historic Dartmouth and Kingswear, Devon
Gloucester’s Roman City wall and King’s Bastion
About 5m below the rather innocuous 1960s King’s Walk shopping centre in Gloucester lies a section of the Roman City Wall. Only open to the public every now and then, I jumped at the chance to visit this summer. The entrance is right in the middle of the shopping centre, underneath a large metal cover. … Continue reading Gloucester’s Roman City wall and King’s Bastion
