The memorial to Sir Arthur Sullivan, Embankment Gardens, London

Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) was the composer half of “Gilbert and Sullivan” who wrote a series of comic operas in the late 19th century that have been performed to great acclaim ever since. Sullivan was also a composer of note in other fields, particularly choral church music. His best-known contribution in this genre was probably the hymn tune to “Onward Christian Soldiers”. 

The Gilbert and Sullivan operas were staged at the Savoy Theatre in London’s Strand, so it is appropriate that the memorial to Sir Arthur stands in the Embankment Gardens facing in the direction of the Savoy Hotel and Theatre, although his bronze bust, if granted the gift of sight, would find that his view was obscured by high buildings. 

The memorial is conventional enough in concept, in that it is a bust on a stone plinth, but there are features that make it somewhat unusual. 

At the base of the plinth, to one side, is an extra piece of bronze consisting of a mandolin, a mask of Pan, and a score of one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s works, namely The Yeoman of the Guard. 

However, what catches the eye to a far greater extent is the figure of a young woman clasping the plinth in a pose that conveys great distress. Even more remarkable is the fact that her emotional state has caused her costume to fall to her waist, leaving her upper portion naked. 

One has to ask – why? The figure of the girl was not originally modelled with the Sullivan memorial in mind, having been made in Paris in 1899 when Sir Arthur was still alive, but somebody clearly thought that it would convey the sorrow that many people felt at the loss of the great man. Whether they would be adequately represented by a half-naked young woman is a matter for conjecture. 

It might have been thought that the figure was reminiscent of one of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, namely Patience, which features “rapturous maidens” draping themselves over the object of their affection, the poet Reginald Bunthorne who was loosely modelled on Oscar Wilde. If that is so, potential opera-goers need to be reassured that – in the vast majority of performances – all such maidens stay fully dressed throughout the show! 

At all events, the afterthought of adding the maiden to the plinth has resulted in what is probably one of the more erotic memorials to be found in London!

© John Welford

Chesil Beach, Dorset

Chesil Beach is the seaward side of Chesil Bank, which stretches 29 km (18 miles) along the coast of Dorset. It has the effect of connecting the Isle of Portland to the mainland, trapping a tidal saltwater lagoon known as the Fleet. It is an example of a tombolo, the name given to a spit that reaches to an island. 

Chesil Bank probably formed offshore and was driven onshore by waves and tides. It faces southwest towards the Atlantic and the prevailing winds, so it is in no danger of returning whence it came. That was also a problem in past centuries for sailing ships that found themselves driven on to the beach, because there was no way of setting the sails to allow an escape. 

Like most storm beaches, Chesil is steeply sloped with a gradient of up to 45 degrees on the seaward side. 

Chesil Beach is studied as an example of what happens under conditions of variable wave energy. At the Portland (eastern) end wave energy is much greater than at the western end. This means that smaller pebbles are washed offshore by the strong eastern waves but onshore by the weaker western waves. This graduated effect can be traced all along the beach, such that a blindfolded expert could tell exactly where he/she was if dumped at any point on the beach, simply by feeling the size of the pebbles, which are pea-sized at one end and potato-sized at the other. 

© John Welford

Blythburgh, Suffolk

Blythburgh is a village in Suffolk, not far from the coast and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village is close to marshes and heathland, and the tidal lagoon of Blythburgh Water. These make the area extremely rich as a wildlife resource. 

Blythburgh Church (Holy Trinity) is a large building that seems to be out of proportion to the size of the village. Known as the “Cathedral of the Marshes” it gives the impression that Blythburgh must once have been considerably larger than it is now. However, there is no evidence that the village was ever anything other than a small one. There was once an important medieval priory nearby that was wealthy enough to endow a large church, so that is why it is the size it is. The choir stalls have holes for inkwells, due to the chancel once having had a dual role as a school. 

The church is notable for its medieval carving, particularly the large angels that look down from the rafters and the pew ends. The rafters and angels show evidence of having been shot at. This was once thought to have been the work of Cromwellian soldiers who were trying to destroy “popish idols”, but the more likely explanation is that local boys were shootings jackdaws in the church! 

The pew end carvings, which are known as “poppyheads”, feature the Seven Deadly Sins (plus a few extras) being guarded against by the angels overhead. Slander has his tongue out, Gluttony has a prominent paunch, Hypocrisy prays with his eyes open, and Sloth is still in bed. 

In 1577 a lighting bolt brought down the church spire. This was blamed as the work of the Devil, which was confirmed when Black Shuck, the legendary devil dog of the marshes, ran through the church and killed two parishioners. 

Well – that’s what they said! What was certainly true was that the collapse made a hole in the roof and the congregation had to worship beneath umbrellas on wet days before the roof was repaired. 

This is certainly a village that is well worth a visit, both for the splendours of Holy Trinity Church and the delights of the local countryside.

© John Welford

Old Sarum, Wiltshire

Old Sarum is a prominent hilltop site about two miles north of the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire. The history of the site goes back to Iron Age times, when a giant earthwork was raised to enclose a camp some 56 acres (23 hectares) in area. It was occupied almost continuously by Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Danes and Normans.

A Norman castle and cathedral were built, as well as houses and other buildings, but there were two main problems with this arrangement that came to a head in the early 13^th century. The first was that the military and ecclesiastical authorities could never agree over who had priority over the running of the city, and the second was that this windswept hilltop might have been OK for a relatively small group of Iron Age farmers, but it did not suit the needs of a growing urban community. In particular, water supply was always a problem.

There was, however, plenty of water in the open space to the south of Old Sarum, where four rivers joined together. The clergymen therefore decided to build a new cathedral to the south, using stones from the old building. This became the Gothic edifice of Salisbury Cathedral, which was usable by 1258, but without its magnificent spire, which came later.

The population of Old Sarum gradually migrated to “New Sarum” and the old city was eventually abandoned when the castle also fell into decay. Evidence of what was once there is limited to a few fragments of the castle and the outline of the cathedral foundations.

However, the fact that Old Sarum was virtually dead by the mid-13^th century did not prevent the original borough from being given the privilege of sending two members to the English Parliament founded by Simon de Montfort in 1265. This right was maintained for more than 500 years until the Great Reform Act of 1832 did away with the “rotten boroughs”, of which Old Sarum was one of the most rotten!

© John Welford

Tips for visiting British castles

Tip 1 

Join English Heritage and The National Trust. Between them, and their sister organisations, they look after a large number of castles in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as many other historical buildings and places of scenic beauty. An annual membership grants free entry to most of their properties, and other benefits. You can join when you visit your first castle, or online. However, there are also castles that are privately owned and are therefore either not open at all, or are not covered by the above memberships. Some castles, such as Windsor which is a royal residence, only allow public access to part of the site.

Tip 2

Plan your castle visiting with care. There are some parts of the country that are awash with castles, and it is quite possible to visit several in a day. However, you need to allow enough time to do each castle justice, and not exhaust yourself, so, for most visitors, one before lunch and one afterwards is quite sufficient. Your planning should also take into account the fact that some castles only open for limited seasons. Also, during the summer months there are often events at castles that should not be missed, such as battle re-enactments, or displays of medieval crafts, etc, and you should plan your visits to take in as many of these events as you can.

Tip 3

Learn some background history. The main period of castle building in England and Wales was between the 11th and 16th centuries, which were turbulent, and often lawless, times, during which kings and powerful people sought to defend their territories and demonstrate their power. Knowing the reason why a castle was built, and possibly rebuilt and/or extended many times, helps towards an understanding of why a castle looks as it does today. It is also useful to understand the basic structures of castles at various times, and to distinguish between, say, a motte-and-bailey arrangement and a fortified manor house.

Tip 4

Watch the weather. Many castles in Britain are ruins, sometimes due to enemy action but more often because of the ravages of time. You can still have a great day at a castle ruin on a rainy day, but expect to get wet unless you dress appropriately! Bare stone gets slippery underfoot when wet, so wear sensible footwear and watch your step.

Tip 5

Be prepared to exert some energy! Not surprisingly for defensive structures, castles were often built on hilltops, and so a steep uphill walk is needed before the visit even begins. However, take your time and have a good look at the castle’s exterior while you pause for breath. Imagine yourself as a potential invader! When inside the walls, you are likely to find many paths to walk along, buildings and structures to visit, and stairs to climb. Be patient, especially on busy days, as you climb hundreds of steps in a spiral staircase, and be prepared to have to squeeze past other people who are coming down. Some castle buildings are enormous, and visiting every part is good exercise!

Tip 6

Keep an eye on the kids. Although the people who own and maintain ancient castles take all reasonable precautions to prevent accidents, such as covering wells and fencing off dangerous drops, they cannot guard against every eventuality, and these buildings were put there long before health and safety laws came into force! So it is up to you to make sure that everyone has a great time but does not do anything stupid. This includes making sure that they do not climb on exposed stonework (which will get worn away if everyone does this) and drop litter around the place.

Tip 7

Enjoy the experience. You can learn a lot from a castle visit, and it is certainly worth buying the guidebook. You will probably find boards placed around the castle describing each room and section, and there may be an audio guide that you can take round with you, playing the commentary into your earpiece as you reach each point of interest. Don’t overlook the castle grounds, as these are often pleasant places to walk, especially if an effort has been made to maintain them by, for example, reproducing the planting schedule of the original kitchen gardens. Also, have a look round the local town or village, as this may well have been founded at around the same time as the castle and have many stories to tell. Take your camera with you, but take note of any restrictions placed on photography.

Tip 8

Come back soon!

© John Welford

Billingsgate Market

The buildings in this photo offer a marked contrast in architectural styles! The one on the right is the old Billingsgate fish market on the north bank of the River Thames near the Tower of London.

The site was used as a fish market from at least the 13^th century, when fish were landed at a wharf and sold to traders, although other goods were sold here as well.

From 1698 it was laid down that only fish would be sold here. The building in the photograph dates from the 1870s.

It became the custom for Billingsgate porters to wear large flat hats on which loads of fish were balanced. The name Billingsgate also became used to describe the sort of abusive and expletive-laden language that they tended to use!

The site was abandoned in 1982 when a new market was opened further down-river, which allowed the original building to be restored to its former splendour.

© John Welford

St Kilda

St Kilda is a group of islands off the west coast of Scotland that very few people ever get to visit. The islands lie 66 kilometres (41 miles) west of Benbecula, which is one of the Western Isles. The islands have not had a permanent population since 1930, when the declining number of islanders agreed that they no longer had a future on these bleak islands.

The only people to be found there now are military staff and a nature warden.

It is the wildlife of St Kilda that sets it apart from other islands and is one of the reasons why it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986. It has a remarkably high bird density per acre of land, its high cliffs (among the highest in Europe) being home to huge numbers of endangered birds including puffins and gannets. When the island was occupied the inhabitants used the birds as a food source, climbing down the cliffs to capture them, but such activities were never likely to endanger any bird species, given the huge numbers involved.

The sea around St Kilda is also vital as a marine conservation area, harbouring as it does zones of marine biodiversity that are just as important as those on land.

Evidence of former human habitation – which began more than 2,000 years ago - can be seen from the abandoned stone cottages and walls that divide the fields that were once used for growing subsistence vegetable crops. The islands were renowned for the brown St Kilda sheep which were left behind when the islanders left and now roam free. 

© St Kilda