Monday 30 April 2012

Z is for Zee Castles’ Summary - Zee End ...


This summarises the tour of Castles that we have visited – starting south of London in Kent and working clockwise ...
The Bayeux Tapestry contains one of the earliest
representations of a castle.  It depicts attackers using
fire, one of the threats of wooden castles.  The Bayeux
Tapestry is an embroidered cloth depicting the
events leading up to the  Norman Conquest of England


Each of the castles has a very different history – some are ruins, some restored, some refurbished, some family homes – while each is open for us to see in its way – we can cross the centuries ....


... walk where the Recorders for the Domesday Book would have walked, seen where the great artists of the day would have painted from, seen history depicted as it would have unfolded ...

... imagine dragons breathing fire, fairies at the bottom of the garden ...

Our starting point in the County of
Kent is shown
However Great Britain and Ireland has so much history and we are fortunate that it is recorded in our castles, mansions, churches, cathedrals, monuments, museums, archaeological sites, great parks, ancient forests, crumbling shoreline ....

Each county and area has a great deal on show – here is a reminder of the 23 we have visited, with some extra photos:


South East England:

Lullingstone Castle, Kent – a property held by the same family for 20 generations, for which the present heir mapped out his future there when he was kidnapped and held hostage in the Columbian jungle.  The World Garden is Hart Dyke’s treasure trove of plants from each part of the globe.

There is a Roman Villa and a Medieval Church within the confines of the village and estate.
An Oast House in Kent

Scotney Castle, Kent showcases two castles – the ruin and the new.  The National Trust maintains and runs the site – there are beautiful grounds, with stunning views. 

There’s a dinosaur’s footprint in the quarry garden below the new house, while the National Trust record their work in three blogs – the Castle Estate, the 19th century restoration of the Walled Gardens and the Scotney Garden...

Dover Castle, Kent – the ‘Gateway to England’; fortified from Roman times, with particular emphasis from William the Conqueror’s reign onwards 1066 – to its refurbishment and restoration in the 21st century.

A village sign -
Alfriston has an interesting past

Herstmonceux Castle, Sussex – a brick-built Tudor castle, which after World War II became the home to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, before being purchased by Queen’s University, Ontario as an overseas International Study Centre.

Beautiful grounds, Elizabethan walled gardens ... in 1066 land – Pevensey Bay, the Battle of Hastings field and Norman Conquest history is nearby.


Knepp Castle, West Sussex -  an example of a very early motte castle (a ruin); a new castellated Gothick mansion, which the present owners, in the 21st C, are turning the clock back to early land management –
The South Downs Way

- i.e. hands-on custodial and guardianship of the landscape, letting nature run free as it would have in Domesday times.


Cornwall (West Country)

Pendennis Castle, Falmouth, Cornwall – one of Henry VIII’s Device Forts – a well preserved coastal defence castle; there’s also the National Maritime Museum nearby.  On display at the Castle by English Heritage are George Butterworth’s wartime cartoons.

The sculptor Barbara Hepworth's tools
as she left them

Tintagel Castle, Cornwall – a cascading ruin on the cliff’s edge – holding the haunting tale of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table while Merlin’s Cave can be accessed at sea level.  

An added bonus is the custard millionaire’s indoor attraction nearby: King Arthur’s Great Hall, which has featured in many a film, and tv programme.  The stained glass windows, created by a pupil of William Morris, throw kaleidoscope colours onto the round table with its granite thrones recreating the legend of Arthur and his knights.

St Ives Bay - over which the Tate looks

Cornwall also offers much including St Ives with the Barbara Hepworth museum and gardens, the Tate Gallery, the Eden Project and the lost Gardens of Heligan.


West England (Bristol – Oxford area)

The Ridgeway - Uffington Castle ring
fort in the distance on the left


Alfred’s Castle, Berkshire/Oxford borders – Iron Age Hill Fort 6th century BC to 871AD (near The Ridgeway - one of the major pre-Roman tracks)




South Wales and West Wales

Usk Castle, Monmouth, south east Wales – a ruin, which has been modified into a private residence. 
St David's Cathedral, west Wales

However the estate surrounding what remains of the castle offers a place for weddings, horse riding, archery, walks – including the River Usk trail – an idyllic setting for many events.

The Red Kite - the symbol of
Welsh wildlife


Manorbier Castle, Pembrokeshire, West Wales is a feudal castle, which despite being a ruin is relatively intact; it offers a unique insight into feudal life in the Middle Ages.


Oystermouth Castle, Pembrokeshire on the Gower peninsula in west wales – a fine example, despite being a ruin, to understand the complexities of a fortress castle

The Old Court House, Ruthin,
Denbighshire, built in 1401, following
Owen Glendower's  attack on the town


Welsh Borders - Herefordshire
  
Croft Castle, Herefordshire – an estate now reflecting the transfer of power in the intervening 1,000 years from Domesday times, lying as it does within the Welsh borders.

A National Trust Property – open to the public and hosting many events. Ancient way-marked walks along tree-lined avenues.


The Malvern Hills, England
Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, Herefordshire – a sham castellated mansion dating from the 19th century (1812 – 1820) – still family owned.


There are magnificent collections of armour, tapestries and paintings on show, while the grounds offer a Rope Walk within magnificent parkland.

  
Skara Brae, a neolithic settlement, located
in the Bay of Skaill, Isles of Orkney
Scotland


A Pipe Major playing the
Great Highland Bagpipe
Inverary Castle, Argyll, west Scotland – a family home ensuring that the recording of Scottish history through the ages is not forgotten.



 Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, east Scotland – modernised by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria into a white granite castellated cosy mansion in the 1850s.



Venlaw Castle Hotel, Peebles, in the Scottish borders – now a hotel, which is considered to be an excellent example of the Scottish Baronial style of mansion.  The hotel sits within the Tweed valley offering magnificent walks and fishing sites.


I have also written about Stirling Castle - its skeletons and the forensic analysis to find out who they were; and on its history

North-West England

Raby Castle, County Durham – one of the finest medieval Castles in England – beautifully restored to showcase their treasures ...

The Staffordshire Moorlands Cup.
A similar one is owned by the Duke of
Northumberland and kept at Alnwick.
The cups detail Hadrian's Wall.
... Meissen porcelain, tapestries, furnishings and paintings; while the gardens are a site to behold; the Coach House charts the history of coaches, carriages and their trappings.


Warkworth Castle, Northumberland – formerly a Percy family favourite castle before their allegiances took them to reside at Alnwick Castle.

Warkworth Castle is a scheduled monument, a nationally important historic building and an archaeological site, with a Grade 1 listed building status.  Its Keep is magnificent.

Alnwick Castle

Alnwick Castle – the present Duke and Duchess of Northumberland have turned their ‘home’ into a national heritage site, including the magnificent Poison Garden – not included in my A – Z .... but well worth a visit (see my Hotspur, the Duchess and the Poison Garden post)


Statue depicting Robin Hood

Midlands

Nottingham Castle, Nottinghamshire – historically very interesting, though the castle is a ruin, however the legend of Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham and Sherwood Forest remain to entertain..

Little remains of the Castle but the Gate House was renovated by the Victorians to hold its unique museum and art collections.

Then there is the added bonus of a trip to ‘Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem’ pub in the caves under the castle!


East Anglia

Lincoln - 16th century: High Bridge

Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire – an estate that has been forward thinking since the 19th century, which continues to this day – there is a lot to offer the visitor here.

The house showcases tapestries, paintings, coronation robes and plate – a veritable treasure trove of historic artefacts – all set within beautiful grounds.


Gainsborough's 'Mr and Mrs Andrews' (1748/49) is in
the National Portrait Gallery -  showing the Suffolk
landscape at that time.

Framlingham Castle, Suffolk - an original Norman Castle much altered over time, now owned by English Heritage and run as a tourist attraction.

It is possible to see the transitions that the Castle has gone through, while the Poorhouse would give a historical insight into changes in our thinking of dealing with women, the poor and disabled.

Hampton Court Palace -
decorative brick chimneys

Home Counties (London area)


Queen’s Castle, commonly known as Windsor Castle, Berkshire, West London – THE CASTLE of Great Britain with an incredible history, over 1,000 years.



Enniscorthy Castle, Co Wexford

Eire – south east Ireland

Johnstown Castle, Wexford, Eire – a machicolated family mansion set in beautiful gardens; with an agricultural museum recording Irish rural history


Zee End of the North, South, East and West twenty three Castles that I have posted about for this A – Z Challenge this year .. here endeth this ABC series of British Castles.

Many thanks for all your comments – I have really appreciated everyone.

Bob Scotney posted on the town of Yarm and its Castle - it is a fascinating read

and while I'm at it - his Z Castle - is for the Z plan Castle ...

Also Bob's Castles give some added history and include many hauntings enhancing the rich fabric each estate.

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

59 comments:

Lynn said...

Cheers, Hilary! I loved all of your castle posts. I will be a regular reader of yours now, after the challenge.

I called my Z post Zee End also. :)

Old Kitty said...

Yay for reaching the Zed of the Challenge!! It was a lovely lovely journey through all these diverse and eclectic castles - rich in history and still standing! Hooorah!! Thank you!! Take care
x

Bob Scotney said...

What a marvellous way to finish the Challenge. I've learned a lot from your posts. Thanks for your cross-fertilisation and I glad we only 'clashed' on Nottingham and Warkworth.

Congratulations on completing the course.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

It's been a wonderful journey Hilary. Congrats on finishing the challenge.

Yvonne.

Anonymous said...

Hi Hilary! What a wonderful way to wrap up the A to Z Challenge. I've enjoyed learning about all the magnificent British Castles you've shared in your posts.

Susanne
PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER

Glynis Peters said...

You did an incredible job, Hilary! Congratulations.

Jo said...

Great wrap up Hilary. Enjoyed the castles wish I had visited many of them.

Robyn Campbell said...

mAYBE I'll visit Johnstown Castle when we take our Ireland trip. *hopeful* What a super fantastic journey you have given us. You have shown us things we might never see. Ever. I am very thankful for you, pal. :-)

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Thanks for a month of wonderful castles. It's been enlightening and fun.

T

Francene Stanley said...

You did a great job of exhibiting these castles. The ones that interest me the most are those in Cornwall. I've written many books where my characters live in the intriguing area.

http://francene-wordstitcher.blogspot.com/

MorningAJ said...

It was a great choice of topic for the month and I've had a wonderful time following you around lots of new places. I never would have believed you could find so many I've never visited. It's been fun!

Slamdunk said...

Congrats on finishing Hilary. This education you provided on castles has been interesting.

Anonymous said...

I love your posts. When hubby and I want an idea for a UK holiday in shall direct himn to these posts. I'd like to see the dinosaur footprint.
Maybe you could do churches next time. Our church has connections with the poet Robert Herrick
http://www.stlukes.buckfastleigh.org/dean_herrick.htm

Inger said...

You put in so much work into this challenge, I know you must be glad to have reached Z. I hope you will take a little rest now. Does Haver castle, not sure of the name, the one of the Boleyn girls fame, where Queen Anne of Cleves retired still stand. I enjoyed those books and it just came to my mind now.

Julie Daines said...

Great job on the A to Z Challenge. I've loved reading about all these wonderful places to visit. I want to see them all. There is so much interesting history buried in all the old places. Thanks for sharing!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Lynn - absolutely delighted that you're here and enjoyed the tour - and I'll see you anon -

@ Old Kitty - thanks .. so pleased you enjoyed the journey round England looking at various castles in all their vagaries.

@ Bob - well we managed to provide complementary postings, different castles, yet the two that were the same had very different takes .. so telepathically we worked exceedingly well together.

You too - and I loved your Z plans - that was one post I'd intended to do ..

@ Yvonne - so glad you enjoyed the tour, and a few of the castles stirred your memories.

@ Susanne - many thanks .. and I'm delighted the wrap-up post ties it all in .. and you've enjoyed your tour around castles.

@ Glynis - many thanks - I enjoyed it .. and I guess that's what it's all about!

@ Jo - I haven't been to most of them .. but now I can start an actual tour out sometime ..

@ Robyn - now that would be interesting if you went south to Wexford, when you come over to Ireland: hope you'll tell us all about it. Delighted you enjoyed the tour -so good to know.

@ Karen - many thanks .. it's been fun!

@ Francene - good to see you - yes Cornwall is 'my home county' .. so it was good to write about Tintagel and Pendennis. Lots of pixies down there ...

@ Anne - delighted my selections were interesting, which makes it more fun doesn't it .. I really didn't want to do just walls!

I think I've learnt more history this month than in the rest of my life!!

@ Slamdunk - so pleased you enjoyed the castle tour ...

@ Madeleine - Many thanks - well if you come over to Kent to visit Scotney Castle, please pass by Eastbourne for a tea or coffee or something!

I'd actually thought I'd do something lighter next time - just as much fun .. similar in someways - but not quite so intense!!

However - I had thought of lots of ideas for these sorts of postings, which I'd learn from. We have so much history that we don't know about ..

@ Inger - many thanks but I've enjoyed the postings very much and have learnt so much.

No rest for the wicked I've a few posts up my sleeve ..

It is Hever Castle - and you're right .. looking in Wiki it is a very pretty Castle .. and one day I must call in and look around ..

Hever Castle was the Boleyn family home and still stands - I pass it sometimes.

Thanks everyone so much .. I'm way behind and must now catch up on commenting .. see you all soon - cheers Hilary

The Rambling Pages said...

Another trip down memory lane, I have very fond memories of many a summer visiting Tintagel Castle!

Lynn Proctor said...

what a wonderful experience you have presented--congrats!!

Julie Flanders said...

Haha, I love your Z word. It was fun to read through this summary and remember all of your great posts. I've really enjoyed learning so much about castles and UK history!

Birdie said...

I just love your castle posts. I live in Canada and there are no castles anywhere that I know of. Well, not any OLD castles. Thanks for the post. :-)

Sara said...

I loved your A-Z challenge theme.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Whew! All the A-Z participants are worn out by now, what with all that exercising all month. (You know ... hopping around from blog to blog) But YOU must be extra tired, because you covered an awful lot of ground and history. Great job! Congrats on making it all the way to zed. (See, I can speak Brit, too!)

Annalisa Crawford said...

Wow, you've had a great tour. I've really enjoyed reading the ones I have. I'll be popping back when I've got the time to catch up on the castles you posted before I was following you.

Heather Murphy said...

We made it! I'm so glad to be following you from the challenge and I look forward to reading what else you have in store

Denise Covey said...

Hilary, zis was a wonderful series. If I ever need the guff on a castle, I know where to come! Thanks for all the research you did for the series and the beautiful way you presented each post. A credit to you!

Denise

klahanie said...

Hey Hilary,
What's that you Zed, I mean said.
Thanks for a delightful castle tour and before I come to a Zed end, sorry dead end, I wish you continued happy writing via your informative and fascinating postings.
With respect and kind wishes,
GaZZa aka Gary :)

A Lady's Life said...

Indeed so much history and stories there. I am also so intrigued that the stories never die.
People still see ghosts from the past haunting the old walls.
It makes for very interesting reading.
:)

Connie Arnold said...

I've enjoyed so much your castle posts, your great pictures and the wonderful information you've shared. I visited a few castles the two times we were in England, but it has been most enjoyable "touring" all these with you. Thank you for sharing!

Susan Scheid said...

Now, isn't this the handiest of reference guide! Congrats on a marvelous series once again!

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Congratulations on finishing the A-Z blogfest!

Loved your castle posts! It makes me feel less homesick when I see places I've been to on your blog. :)

Ella said...

Congrats Hilary! I wondered how you would finish~ I have to go back and see what I have missed~ It was an amazing challenge! I always learn so much from you~ Thank you!
Cheers :D

Manzanita said...

My hands are clapping for your castle accomplishments. You should work with the films in the authenticity department. It was exciting to learn so many new things about the different themes of the blogs.

Ta dum.... we did it.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ The Rambling Pages - delighted the posts stirred some memories for you - especially Tintagel.

@ Lynn - many thanks

@ Julie - glad you enjoyed the posts and the little history on castles and the UK

@ Birdie - it's great isn't it that we enjoy posts from other places - so pleased you enjoyed each castle

@ Sara - so pleased you enjoyed the theme ..

@ Susan - well done on Zed - your amateur radio ones are so interesting and I need to read them all properly.

I now need to get hopping and exercising my little fingers to catch up on some commenting.

Delighted you enjoyed the posts - I did too .. and I think I'll leave American to the Americans!!

@ Annalisa - that's great that you feel you'd like to come back and read the others .. delighted and thank you

@ Heather - we did make it .. and glad we found each other .. better get my head into gear for another post!!

@ Denise - many thanks ... I loved your theme - childhood bloggers - great fun.

Well some of the guff is here - but am delighted you've enjoyed the posts.

@ Gary - great to see you .. yup that's what Zed means .. Zee End! I 'll see you soon .. loved the Jethro Tull video ..

@ A Lady's Life - folklore and story telling has been with us for ever hasn't it .. thankfully we have wonderful records here ..

@ Connie - at least having been round a couple of castles and the country you can appreciate these castles a great deal more.

@ Susan - I hope it's a useful guide .. and am so pleased you enjoyed the various castles I took you round .. enjoy Wales next week - I do hope you have reasonable weather .. it is very soggy at the moment!

@ Sharon - lovely to see you - and that's a wonderful compliment that you can feel as though you're here when you read some of my posts - so appreciate your comment.

@ Ella - many thanks - just delighted everyone seems to have enjoyed their history tour.

@ Manzanita - that's a wonderful thought clapping me home! The films and tv shows are usually pretty accurate and use castles as backdrops - Sadly I'm sure they know more than I do .. !!

The themes of the blogs are just wonderful to read aren't they - your Hunza peoples have been so interesting to read about - their customs, traditions, culture etc .. it's an amazing life they lead ..I'll be back to read properly.

Cheers everyone - thank you so much for commenting and more importantly joining me on our castle tour - it's been a pleasure for me to have you along, as well as the learning I've acquired in the process.

Congratulations to everyone on finishing the A - Z .. cheers Hilary

Chase March said...

Hi Hilary,

You really knocked it out of the park for this years A to Z challenge. Congratulations!

If ever I need info about a castle from this point forward, I will come here first. Thanks for a great resource.

Unknown said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Your words really touched me.

I just loved the theme for your A-Z and I want to spend May going back over the beautiful castles.

Alexandra Heep said...

congrats on finishing the challenge and thanks for the history lessons and lovely pictures!

Alex

Michael Di Gesu said...

Beautiful theme... beautiful Castles! So glad I finally came to visit.... Wonderful writing, wonderful pics, and I LOVE castles!

Talli Roland said...

I've really enjoyed this series, Hilary! Congrats on completing the challenge.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Chase .. thank you so much - so appreciate your support and your comment. Delighted to have your comment.

@ Clarissa - pleasure .. I loved your stories - just don't know enough about death mysteries in the States - so failed dismally guessing what happened.

That's great - will look forward to seeing you in May ..

@ Alexandra - so pleased you enjoyed the posts .. with the history lessons! Many thanks for your visits.

@ Michael - delighted to see you and thanks for coming by .. castles always set our stimuli out ..

@ Talli - you at least know some of the places .. sorry you didn't take part this year - but appreciated your visits.

Thanks so much Chase, Clarissa, Alexandra, Michael and Talli .. lovely to see you - cheers Hilary

Karen Lange said...

What a wonderful ending! Congrats on A to Z success! Enjoyed reading the posts whenever I was able.

Time for a bit of rest? Have a great week!

Take care,
Karen

Betsy Brock said...

Congratulations on such a wonderful A to Z Challenge! You did a remarkable job..oh my goodness...so many lovely photos and interesting facts. I particularly love the statue of robin hood and the clouds hovering over the road long the way there on the left...just gorgeous!

D.G. Hudson said...

A little late to the party, but I wanted to let you know I plan to check in with you when I can. I hope you'll do the same.

I've enjoyed this series on castles, and I'd love to see quite a few of them. Thanks for sharing the history, too.

Glad to have met you, and discovered a great blog.

Denise Covey said...

Hi Hilary. I've commented before but had to tell you just by accident I got into my Spam folder and found a heap of your comments. So that's where they ended up. I've now posted them.

Also, Sarah was E because her blog is called Empty White Pages.

Denise

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Karen - many thanks .. delighted you enjoyed any posts you were able to read .. I'm trying to catch up, sort myself out and dust myself off! Great to see you.

@ Betsy - lovely having you here and thank you so much .. I enjoyed writing up the posts and selecting the photos - so your comment is much appreciated.

Robin Hood - I could put him in here as he's an extra to Nottingham Castle! The photos of the landscape are stunning .. beautiful cloud structures.

@ DG - no worries, always good to see you. I'm sure I've commented over on your blog - they may have gone to blogger spam again .. as Denise mentions.

I really appreciate your comment and I too have loved reading your Paris posts - with the French election on tv .. some of the places you posted on are appearing! Then they make even more sense!!

@ Denise - so pleased my comments have surfaced from spam!! It's a pain I don't understand why some work, some go to spam and some seem lost forever ..

I was probably struggling with blogger and connectivity - so concentrating wasn't a strong point re E and Sarah!!

Cheers Karen, Betsy, DG, Denise .. have great weeks and see you very soon .. Hilary

Theresa Milstein said...

Look at that old court house. We don't have anything that old in America, since settlers didn't come until later. I remember going inside a 1000 year old church in Cambridge, England. Just amazing.

I must get to Scotland one of these days.

Liara Covert said...

Hilary, I am delighted to have you as the guide through such marvelous historic landmarks. You are incredibly knowledgable. We feel your enthusiasm as well. The door of my heart is open, receptive and appreciative of all you offer here.

Amanda Trought said...

Hilary, well done for getting to the end of the challenge, it has been really great reading your posts and getting to see some of the amazing places in the UK to visit, I might challeng myself and attempt to visit each one over time! Blessings to you and your mother! Amandax

D.G. Hudson said...

Hilary, got two comments this morning out of the spam box, but don't worry about that. I can see when they show up and I will rescue them. You're worth the extra effort.

I'll have to check if I can put your site in my Google reader, I did that for another person with a wordpress site. I'll try that.

Hope you have a great day. We had my hubby's mother living with us for about 15 years. She's now in a care home and will be 97 this year.
A little dementia, but still loves to have us visit. Good luck with caring for your mom.

Gina Gao said...

These are such great pictures! I really like your posts.

www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

Golden Eagle said...

It was wonderful to read your posts about all the different castles! I had no idea there were so many before--or that they were so varied. :)

Jannie Funster said...

It is awesome how now you will have new regular readers from the A to Z. Lynn, first commenter here was one of my very very first blogging buddies. She And YOU are 2 gems.

And Bob had a castle? Cool.

xoxo

Unknown said...

Such beautiful pictures and interesting information on these castles - I have enjoyed perusing your posts! Congrats on a job well done!

Patricia Stoltey said...

This was a wonderful tour, Hilary. It would be wonderful to spend several months visiting all these castles.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Theresa .. glad you enjoyed the history - and Cambridge has some wonderful buildings - cathedrals and churches.

@ Liara - many thanks that's an honour. My knowledge isn't huge - but with enthusiasm from commenters we gain our knowledge and ideas .. and I certainly have learnt so much this past month.

@ Amanda - those would be fun trips and rather a good idea. We do have so much on our doorstep here. Many thanks for your thoughts re my Mama.

@ DG - many thanks for rescuing my spammed comments!

I'm thankful my mother is fully looked after in a Nursing Centre as she is bed-ridden, and take what opportunities I can and the positives that are available to us. We are creeping towards 97! My Mama is with it, but just doesn't often talk much now .. still she enjoys the company.

@ Gina - nice to meet you and thanks for popping by ..

@ Golden - glad you enjoyed the different castles we have .. rather a lot of them around!

@ Jannie - yes .. it's been lovely meeting new friends - Lynn being one of them. I recognised her avatar from your blog. Bob Scotney was doing haunted castles - Kelly might like those?! Good to see you .

@ Dawn - so pleased to hear you've enjoyed all the posts .. thank you.

@ Patricia - certainly just for these 23 with a few extras, you would need that time!! One day perhaps you'll come over again ...

Thanks so much everyone for your support - wonderful to see you - cheers Hilary

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I hear the pride you feel for Great Britain in each post, Hilary, and I understand completely. What a fascinating country with all its historic value and its majesty. I long to visit. In the meantime, your blog presents me with an inside view that is most entertaining. Thank you for this series. It was spectacular.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Hilary, You've really outdone yourself with your castle theme this month! I'll try to catch up on some other posts that I missed soon. Thanks for your lovely email, and I hope you can get some much needed rest. Julie

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Joylene - we just have so much history and it would be terrible if it wasn't there to inspire or draw us all on. It would be great to see you here one day .. to actually visit and get a feel of the actuality of these wonderful archaeological structures and records we have. I'm delighted my blog goes someway to giving you an insight .. it's a pleasure having you here.

@ Julie - many thanks - I totally enjoyed doing the posts and I hope you enjoy the rest of your reads.

Pleasure having you here Joylene and Julie .. thanks for your support .. cheers Hilary

Annalisa Crawford said...

Ah yes, sorry Hilary - your comments go to spam! I type without thinking sometimes - I hope I didn't give you palpatations :-)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Annalisa .. not a problem - this is due for the Reflections post .. so can see where you're going or coming from ... or twirling on the magic roundabout, wondering what you're doing!

No worries - have a good week!! Cheers Hilary