Croft Castle in Herefordshire

25 April 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: General, Museums, Exhibitions, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  6 minutes

© Tabbipix/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Tabbipix/cc-by-sa-3.0

Croft Castle is a country house in the village of Croft, Herefordshire, England. Owned by the Croft family since 1085, the castle and estate passed out of their hands in the 18th century, before being repurchased by the family in 1923. In 1957 it was bequeathed to the National Trust. The castle is a Grade I listed building, and the estate is separately listed as Grade II*. The adjacent Church of St Michael is listed Grade I.   read more…

Portrait: William Wallace, a Guardian of Scotland

23 April 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: Portrait Reading Time:  6 minutes

Sir William Wallace by David of Buchan

Sir William Wallace by David of Buchan

Sir William Wallace (Scottish Gaelic: Uilleam Uallas, Norman French: William le Waleys) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence.   read more…

Inveraray in Scotland

12 April 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

Main street © Holger Uwe Schmitt/cc-by-sa-4.0

Main street © Holger Uwe Schmitt/cc-by-sa-4.0

Inveraray (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Aora, meaning “mouth of the Aray“) is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Located on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, Inveraray is a former royal burgh and known affectionately as “The Capital of Argyll.” It is the traditional county town of Argyll, and the ancestral seat to the Duke of Argyll.   read more…

Dunrobin Castle in the Scottish Highlands

28 March 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: General, Architecture, Museums, Exhibitions, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  8 minutes

Dunrobin Castle and Gardens © geograph.org.uk - Andrew Tryon/cc-by-sa-2.0

Dunrobin Castle and Gardens © geograph.org.uk – Andrew Tryon/cc-by-sa-2.0

Dunrobin Castle (mostly 1835–1845 — present) is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland, as well as the family seat of the Earl of Sutherland, Chief of the Clan Sutherland. It is located one mile (1.5 kilometres) north of Golspie and approximately five miles (eight kilometres) south of Brora, overlooking the Dornoch Firth.   read more…

Portrait: John Law, a Scottish-French economist and financier

26 March 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: Portrait Reading Time:  11 minutes

John Law by Casimir Balthazar © Rama

John Law by Casimir Balthazar © Rama

John Law was a Scottish-French economist and financier. He served as Controller General of Finances under Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who was regent for the juvenile Louis XV of France, and promoted a novel financial scheme for French public finances known as Law’s System (French: le système de Law) with two institutions at its core, John Law’s Bank and John Law’s Company.   read more…

Mumbles in Wales

20 March 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

Castle Avenue © geograph.org.uk - john bristow/cc-by-sa-2.0

Castle Avenue © geograph.org.uk – john bristow/cc-by-sa-2.0

Mumbles (Welsh: Mwmbwls) is a district of Swansea, Wales, located on the south-east corner of the unitary authority area. It is also a local government community using the same name. At the 2001 census the population was 16,774, reduced slightly to 16,600 at the 2011 Census. The district is named after the headland of Mumbles, located on its south-east corner.   read more…

Scotch egg

16 March 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: General, Bon appétit, London Reading Time:  4 minutes

© flickr.com - Ewan Munro/cc-by-sa-2.0

© flickr.com – Ewan Munro/cc-by-sa-2.0

A Scotch egg is a boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs and baked or deep-fried.   read more…

Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast

1 March 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: General, Bon appétit, House of the Month Reading Time:  7 minutes

© geograph.org.uk - Aubrey Dale/cc-by-sa-2.0

© geograph.org.uk – Aubrey Dale/cc-by-sa-2.0

The Crown Liquor Saloon, also known as the Crown Bar, is a pub in Great Victoria Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Refurbished in 1885, and at least twice since, it is an outstanding example of a Victorian gin palace, and one of Northern Ireland’s best-known pubs. It is owned by the National Trust and is leased to Mitchells & Butlers who run it as a Nicholson’s pub.   read more…

Vicars’ Close in Wells

27 February 2025 | Author/Destination: | Category: General Reading Time:  8 minutes

© Kmtextor/cc-by-4.0

© Kmtextor/cc-by-4.0

Vicars’ Close is a dead end street in Wells, Somerset. It is reportedly Europe’s oldest residential street with the original buildings still intact. John Julius Norwich called it “that rarest of survivals, a planned street of the mid-14th century”. It comprises numerous Grade I listed buildings, comprising 27 residences (originally 44), built for Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury, a chapel and library at the north end, and a hall at the south end, over an arched gate. It is connected at its southern end to Wells Cathedral by a walkway over Chain Gate.   read more…

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