Steve's World Blog » History

Sherborne Dorset

needahand — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:26:11 +0000

Sherborne Dorset – Sherborne is a small town in the county of Dorset in southern England, located on the River Yeo, 6 kilometres from the town of Yeovil (Somerset). Sherborne had 9,350 inhabitants in 2001, it is in the District of West Dorset and has a variety of historic buildings and schools, the best known of which is Sherborne School. The town takes its name from scir burne (Old English) as “a clear river source”. Origins of the town date back to the 7th Century, Sherborne was an important town and religious centre of Wessex, one of the seven kingdoms of England. Saxonian King Alfred’s older brothers Athelbald of Wessex and Athelberht of Wessex are buried in the abbey (Sherborne Abbey). Sherborne is located close to Dorset’s border with Somerset, to the east of Yeovil and to the north of Dorchester. Sherborne is the 9th largest town in Dorset.

Harlow Essex

needahand — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:25:27 +0000

Harlow Essex – Harlow is a town in Essex in south-east England. It was created in 1947 as a New Town from the towns of Harlow, Great Parndon, Latton, Little Parndon and Netteswell and today with some 80,000 inhabitants, is one of the largest north-eastern suburbs of London. Administratively, Harlow is both a town and district in Essex. Harlow was the first British town, which was equipped with a pedestrian zone in the town, also here in 1951 was the first residential tower in the country, now a listed building. Harlow is located approximately 30 km northeast of London’s city centre. It has a highway access to the M11 (London-Cambridge) and a station on the London-Cambridge line.The Harlow area has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, in Parndon was found an axe, which was dated to about 6000 BC. The place name Harlow indicates a foundation by the Anglo-Saxons. Harlow was in the Magna Carta and was mentioned as a typical rural village. Harlow is situated to the north-west of Chelmsford and also to the north-west of Brentwood.

Pineda de Mar Early History

needahand — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:23:38 +0000

Pineda de Mar Early History – Though today a modern tourist resort Pineda de Mar on the Costa Maresme has a long history which started even before the Romans arrived in Spain. Several remains of the Iberian period (fourth century BC) found in different parts of the town of Pineda de Mar (Montpalau Hill and near Mas Castellar) testify to the settlement in the area since time immemorial. The Iberian settlements are quite numerous throughout the Costa Maresme, the towns of the Laietans tribe, whose territory occupied the entire coastal strip from the Llobregat to Tordera stood in small promontories far from the coast. The intense process of Romanization of the region from the first century BC led to the gradual occupation of the coastal zone around Pineda de Mar, with numerous villas built along the coast, making the most of easy access by way of the Via Augusta, which led to Barcelona. In Pineda de Mar there are remains of an important Roman villa, Can Roig, where an aqueduct of four arches which are still quite visible near to Cua Can.

Pineda de Mar Map.

Ilfracombe North Devon

needahand — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:01:04 +0000

A large and popular seaside resort located on the north coast of Devon, in the United Kingdom, Ilfracombe first developed around an Iron Age hillfort, established on a nearby hill. Its sheltered position, protecting it from the worst of the region’s stormy weather, led to its becoming an important seaport, and it was used for a number of naval sorties over the centuries. Making its income mostly from fishing for many years Ilfracombe has, since Victorian times become popular as a seaside holiday resort. The Victorian used it for sea bathing after tunnels were dug to several of its shingle beaches. These days it attracts holidaymakers, who enjoy its charming and attractive harbour, good climate and weather, superb coastal walks, boat trips and sea fishing trips. Catch up on the local history of Ilfracombe at the Ilfracombe Museum, where you will find interesting facts about the town’s maritime history, and also see a collection of model ships and steamers, which have sailed the Devon coast through the centuries.

Wokingham Berkshire

needahand — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:54:02 +0000

A busy rural market town located in the near to Reading in the county of Berkshire, United Kingdom, Wokingham has around 30,403 inhabitants. The history of the town harps back to Anglo-Saxon times, when it was a small settlement surrounded by oak trees. Wokingham still has some old Georgian houses and some pretty half-timbered cottages, if you search down some of the back streets, and the town itself is still quite attractive, and well worth a visit, if you are in the Berkshire area. At one time having a significant brick-making industry, and even longer ago, a bell foundry and silk manufacture, it now relies on more modern businesses such as computer software design. The St Paul’s parish church is not that old by English standards and was only built in the 1860’s. A nice place for a stroll when the weather is fine is the pretty Agates Meadow. Other nearby places include Crowthorne, Binfield and Bracknell.

Rouen Notre-Dame Cathedral

needahand — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:21:52 +0000

One of the main tourist attractions in the French city of Rouen is the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was the site of a church as far back as the 4^th century AD. This great cathedral which attracts millions of visitors from all over the world is huge and awe inspiring, with an amazing history which features characters like Charlemagne, Rollo, and Richard I. The cathedral which contains the tomb of Richard the Lionheart, reaches a height of 151 metres, and was at one time the tallest spire in the world.

Map of France.

Lyme Regis Dorset

needahand — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:12:55 +0000

A charming little coastal resort on Lyme Bay in West Dorset, Lyme Regis was a significant medieval port which became a holiday resort during the eighteenth century. It was awarded it royal title “Regis” by Edward I in the late 13^th century. The harbour, which became a haven for vessels in stormy weather, it protected by a wall called “The Cobb”, which also allowed the port to build and launch ships. The ill-fated Monmouth Rebellion to overthrow James I, began here in 1685, after the Duke of Monmouth landed there. Lyme Regis was a popular area for smugglers during centuries past and later featured in two books, Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” and John Fowls “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” (later made into a film starring Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep. Lyme Regis and neighbouring Charmouth are two of the best areas for fossils, this being part of the Jurassic Coast Heritage Coast of Dorset.

Andover Hampshire Early History

needahand — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:35:34 +0000

A sizeable town in the north-west of Hampshire, Andover has a population of 52,000, and it stands on the banks of the River Anton roughly equidistant from the city of Winchester and the town of Basingstoke. Like most English towns it dates from Anglo-Saxon times and was recorded in Saxon annals as a royal hunting lodge belonging to King Edred (this was in the tenth century), and even saw the holiding of a Saxon ‘Parliament’. Later also recorded in the Domesday Book, Andover even at this early time had six watermills. Plodding along as a little market town it became quite significant for producing wool, which was the main source of income for the town. At this time Andover had a church, a priory, a hostel and a lepers hostel, the priory being eventually closed by Henry VIII. Much later in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries is developed into an important stagecoach stopping off point being on the route between London and Exeter (via Salisbury).

Hampshire Map.

Warminster Wiltshire

needahand — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:05:51 +0000

A small town standing on the River Were in the county of Wiltshire, Warminster (population 17,000), dates from Anglo-Saxon times, though there may well have been settlements in the area as far back as the Iron Age. During the Middle Ages, Warminster grew in size and wealth through the wool and cloth trade, and also due to its importance as a corn market (only surpassed in this region by Bristol). Warminster later became significant as the home of a bell foundry, which produced high quality bells for local churches throughout the 17^th century. During WW1, many troops from various countries of the British Empire, were garrisoned in and around Warminster. When the weather is fine, take a pleasant stroll along the River Were, or visit the Minster Church of Saint Denys.

View a map of Wiltshire here: Wiltshire Map.

And check out the latest weather in Warmnster here: Warminster Weather.

St Lucia Windward Islands Caribbean

needahand — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:57:31 +0000

An island country situated in the Windward Islands, Lesser Antilles, in the Caribbean Sea, St Lucia covers an area of about two hundred and thirty eight square miles, it has a resident population of just over one hundred and seventy three thousand. The first settlers in St Lucia came from France, and they found the native Carib people already on the island, control of St Lucia changed continually between France and England, until 1814, when the British finally took over total control of the island. St Lucia is a popular holiday destination and the most poplar time to visit is between January and April when the weather is at its best (this being the dry season). The capital of St Lucia is Castries.

History of Fuengirola Costa del Sol

needahand — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 08:20:19 +0000

Location of an early Iberian settlent, what is now known as Fuengirola was originally known as Suel. A little later the Phoenicians founded a trading post there, to serve their ships, which regularly plied their trade along this coast, on their way to Portugal and beyond. Subsequently occupied by the Romans, and noted by Pomponius, a Roman historian, a fortress was built in Fuengirola, together with spa baths and residential villas. Sohail Castle was built much later, and by another civilisation, namely the Moors, this was during the 10^th century. The settlement was burnt to the ground in the Middle Ages, and became little more than a heap of ashes and rubble, its remaining residents fleeing to nearby Mijas. In the late 15^th century Fuengirola was recaptured from the Arabs, by the Christians, it soon became depopulated, but eventually recovered to become the sizeable town that it is today. In the 20^th century tourism arrived and saw the area grow considerably, attracted by the wonderful weather, excellent beaches, and good amenities, Fuengirola has continued to attract visitors up to the present day, becoming one of the most popular resorts on the Costa del Sol.

Rugby and Southam Warwickshire

needahand — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:38:36 +0000

A couple of towns which are situated fairly close together in the county of Warwickshire, Rugby and Southam are both to the south-east of Coventry. Rugby is in fact the 2^nd largest town on the county, since Coventry and Birmingham were moved to the West Midlands in 1974. Rugby of course gives its name to the sport, after the new game was “invented” by William Webb Ellis, while playing football at Rugby School in 1823, when he bent the rules by picking up the ball and running with it. Southam is a much smaller town but has an interesting history receiving a charter from Ethelred the Unready during its early day as a Saxon settlement.

Coventry West Midlands

needahand — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:00:35 +0000

Previously part of Warwickshire, but, since the 1974 counties shake up, one of the cities of the West Midlands, Coventry is a large city with over 300,000 residents. It has a proud history of industry, first in weaving, then coal mining and finally car manufacture. The history of the city however goes back beyond any of these industries, to Saxon times, when it grew up around a Saxon nunnery during the seventh century. The modern history of Coventry is more brutal, with its almost total destruction by German bombing during World War 2. Due to this damage the city appears mostly modern, though a surprising number of old buildings survived, including Bird’s Hospital, the Charterhouse, the Golden Cross Inn and the St Mary’s Guild Hall. Many may not realise that a river runs under Coventry city centre, the River Sherbourne was mostly paved over, during the rebuilding work that took place after the War, outside the city the river is a nice place to take a stroll when the weather is fine. Coventry is approximately ninety seven miles from central London.

Warwickshire Towns

needahand — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:41:36 +0000

Located in the West Midlands region of England in the United Kingdom, Warwickshire comprises some famous towns and popular tourist destinations. Its worldwide fame as the birthplace of William Shakespeare gives it its nickname “Shakespeare’s county” though of course it has much more to offer, such as Warwick Castle, located in the county town of Warwick, a Norman castle built on the foundations of a former Anglo-Saxon burg. The county also boasts a famous spa town in the form of Leamington Spa, known to the Romans but mostly developed much later, in the 19^th century. One of the counties largest towns, located in the heart of coal mining country, Nuneaton was actually better known for its textiles, it too goes back to Saxon times but grew mostly later around a Benedictine nunnery. The town with which William Shakespeare is inextricably linked is, of course, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and life in this pretty town seems to revolve around the Bard and everything connected to him.

Leicestershire Towns

needahand — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:22:43 +0000

Continuing our series of posts on Leicestershire, today we shall be visiting 4 more towns to the west of the city of Leicester, Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Hinckley and Lutterworth. Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch are two ex-coalmining towns, the name Coalville of course, slightly gives this away, and in fact it has seen the digging of coal since medieval times, and continued until the decline in the industry in the late twentieth century. Ashby-de-la-Zouch has not been quite so reliant on mining, with other industries like brick-making and ribbon making, to supplement the coal. Hinckley on the other hand is famous for the production of hosiery and stockings, second only to Leicester for this specialised trade. The Warwickshire border runs between Hinckley and Nuneaton which is only five miles away. Lastly we shall consider Lutterworth, a smaller town with around eight thousand residents, Lutterworth got its name from the Old Norse, and has some ancient buildings.

Desborough Rothwell Loddington and Braybrooke

needahand — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:42:29 +0000

Four of the lesser known of Northamptonshire’s towns and villages, Desborough, Rothwell, Loddington and Braybrooke, are all in the Kettering area, and all lie to the west of that larger town. The largest of the towns, Desborough grew around the weaving industry and now has a population of approximately 8,000. Another town of a similar size is Rothwell, its well known Market House, was designed by the eccentric William Grumbold, and took over three hundred years to complete. The village of Loddington lies close to the Cransley Reservoir, and has a population of just four hundred. Finally the village of Braybrooke used to be the site of a fortified manor house, called Braybrooke Castle, little now remains of this structure, Braybrooke has a population of just three hundred.

Towcester Rushden and Corby

needahand — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:02:12 +0000

Towcester Rushden and Corby - Three widely differing towns located in the county of Northamptonshire, Towcester, Rushden and Corby are 3 of the larger towns in the county. Towcester famous for its racecourse actually dates from Roman times, when it was a significant settlement, it is a charming place with a 12 century church. Rushden is a growing town, the 5^th largest in the county, with over one fifth of its 10,000 population arriving in the last 10 years, it grew around a variety of industries including lacemaking. Corby is an almost entirely industrial town, peppered with industrial estates, it grew around first the iron ore industry then later steelmaking, which produced a boom for the town during the twentieth century. These three towns surround the county town of Northampton, Towcester to the south-west, Rushden to the east and Corby to the north-east.

Northamptonshire Map.

Lowestoft Maritime Museum

needahand — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:10:13 +0000

One of the most popular attractions in the Lowestoft, Suffolk area, the Lowestoft Maritime Museum is located in Whapload Road, and opened in 1958 as a resource for local people to trace the maritime history of this area. Ideal for a visit when the weather is not so good, it was founded by the Lowestoft and East Suffolk Maritime Society in Robert Sparrow’s cottage, in what is known as “Sparrows Nest Park”, the museum housed in a small cottage, has rooms featuring various aspects of Lowestoft’s maritime history, specifically the fishing industry, with exhibits of nets, tools and trawling equipment. So if you are planning a visit or holiday in the Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth or Corton areas, this year, be sure to head along to this fine museum and learn something of the industry which has been so important for the area. The address of the Lowestoft Maritime Museum is: Maritime Museum – Sparrows Nest, Whapload Rd, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 1XG. Telephone Number: 01502 561963. Website: lowestoftmaritimemuseum.org.uk Lowestoft is 3 miles from Corton and 12 miles from Great Yarmouth

Northamptonshire England

needahand — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:56:03 +0000

A county of spires and squires located in the East Midlands region of England, Northamptonshire or Northants, is a landlocked county bordering Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire. Taking its name form the town of Northampton, the county has a population of over 600,000 and an area of some 2,364 square kilometres. The county town as you would expect is Northampton itself, and it has several largish towns namely Kettering, Daventry, Wellingborough, Corby and Rushden, to name but a few. Kettering is a market town dating back to Roman times when it was taken from a tribe called the Belgics. Daventry is another market town with Anglo-Saxon roots, it now has a population of over 20,000. Wellingborough another market town received its charter from King John, and is surrounded by five wells.

Aylesbury Villages Weston Turville

needahand — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:33:03 +0000

Five Bells Weston Turville

A charming little village and civil parish located between the Buckinghamshire towns of Aylesbury and Wendover, Weston Turville has a population of less than 3,000, and has remained largely unspoilt, despite its proximity to considerable urban development. With 3 village pubs (one a hotel – The Five Bells), and a few village shops, it retains its local identity and sense of local community. Just outside the village is the Weston Turville Golf Club, which attracts numerous visitors to the village, following their favourite hobby. Also within cloxe proximity of the village is Stoke Mandeville, the name synoymous with the hospital, which is in fact located in Aylesbury. The name Weston Turville (or at least the “Weston” part) originates from Anglo Saxon times and means roughly “western estate”, and it was though important enough to be recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book, compiled by order of William the Conqueror. The parish church dates from the 12^th century, and is set apart from the village. A pretty Buckinghamshire village, Weston Turville is a popular place to live, having a countryside setting, while still be close to Aylesbury and Wendover for employment purposes, jobs being relatively easy to come by in normal times. Towards Wendover you will find Weston Turville Reservoir, a popular nature reserve established by BBONT, this attracts bird watchers and anglers from all around the area. The B4544, which cuts through the village joins the A413 and the A41 (at Aston Clinton), making the village easy to access and giving it good road links with London.

Weston Turville Map.