A county in eastern England, well known for its Fens and its University city, Cambridgeshire has plenty of attractions for anyone planning to visit the county. The Fens which were once unusable and inhospitable, have long since been drained and now provide large areas of productive arable land that produces vast quantities of vegetables and fruit. A good first choice of places to visit would be Cambridge itself, the beautiful University city with large numbers of historic buildings, its Peterhouse College was founded in 1284, attractions in the city are many and varied, but you could choose from the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Cambridge Museum of Technology, and Cambridge University Botanical Garden. From Cambridge you could head for Ely, where one of the most beautiful cathedrals in England resides, dating from the early 11th century this stunning cathedral is a must visit place in Cambridgeshire, while in Ely you could also take a look at the Bishop’s Palace and the King’s School. From Ely, you could next head for Wisbech, famous centre of the spring bulb industry, this charming riverside town has some fine Georgian architecture, which makes it well worth a visit. In Wisbech head for Peckover House, a National Trust run property, built in 1722, it has superb interiors and a beautiful Victorian walled garden. From Wisbech you could head west to the city of Peterborough, standing on the River Nene. This city which is the centre of England’s brickmaking industry has a long history and another beautiful cathedral, this one built in the 12th century, and the burial place of Catherine of Aragon. Peterborough Cathedral boasts a magnificent west façade in Early English Gothic style. From Peterborough you could go next to Huntingdon (to the south of Peterborough), a charming town on the River Great Ouse, here you could take a look at the Cromwell Museum, ensconced in a former school in which the former Lord Protector of England was educated. Oliver Cromwell was actually born in Huntingdon and there are many references to him in the town, other places to visit include Hinchingbrooke House, originally an 11th century nunnery which later became home of the Cromwell family, and Huntingdon Racecourse where you can watch some excellent horse racing. From Huntingdon an obvious next stop would be St Neots, named after a Cornish monk (St Neot), this pretty town on the River Great Ouse has some delightful old coaching inns and a cathedral like church dating back to the 12th century. This concludes our brief tour around Cambridgeshire, I shall be back soon to write about other places in the county.
November 3, 2010
October 27, 2010
Lincolnshire Attractions
The 2nd largest county in England, Lincolnshire is perhaps also one of the least well known and least visited, though it has an attractive city in Lincoln, and there is plenty to see and do in the county, so today we will feature just 5 of its major attractions.
Belton House – Grantham, Lincolnshire: 17th century country house, built for Sir John Brownlow. Apart from the house, which is magnificent, the estate has beautiful gardens and extensive parkland.
Tattershall Castle – Tattershall, Lincolnshire: Medieval brick built castle built by Ralph Cromwell.
Woolsthorpe Manor – Nr Grantham, Lincolnshire: 17th century manor house, and former home of scientist Sir Isaac Newton.
Grantham House – Grantham, Lincolnshire: Handsome townhouse in the Castlegate area of Grantham.
Gunby Hall – Gunby, Lincolnshire: 18th century, red brick house with Victorian walled garden, beautiful when the weather is fine.
If you would visit just one town in the county, then you would probably pick Lincoln, the county town, here you can visit the stunning Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln Castle, or any number of other interesting places.
There also plenty of sports and entertainment facilities in the county, one of the best known is Market Rasen racecourse which holds National Hunt meetings throughout the year.
October 26, 2010
Grantham Lincolnshire
Once acting as a staging point between London and Lincoln, the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire is an ancient and historical town, perhaps best known for its St Wulfrum’s church, with its 281 foot spire. One of its best known buildings is the Angel Inn, dating from the 14th century, and said to be the place where Richard III signed the Duke of Buckingham’s death warrant in 1483. Grantham Museum is worth a visit, and contains some interesting exhibits relating to Sir Isaac Newton who was born nearby and attended Grantham’s King’s Grammar School. When the weather is nice, you could take a walk along the charming Grantham Canal, which opened in 1797.
Felbrigg Hall Norfolk
Situated about 3 miles inland from Cromer you will find the National Trust run Felbrigg Hall, a 17th century Jacobean House with some attractive gardens and a park. Former home of the Windham family, it passed to the Ketton-Cremer family in the early 20th century and finally to the National Trust. Inside the house look for the Gothic style library and the Georgian Drawing Room, outside you will find beautiful gardens, woodland and a lake. Felbrigg Hall house is open to the public from April to November, the gardens late February to early January, and the estate walks are open all year round.
Cromer Norfolk
Perhaps most famous for the quality of its edible crabs, caught by local fishermen for many centuries, Cromer, located on the north coast of Norfolk is also renowned for the bravery of its lifeboatmen, and one in particular, Henry Blogg, to whom a museum is dedicated. One of Norfolk’s most charming seaside resorts, Cromer attracts a good number of holidaymakers during the summer time, and has a good beach, a pier and plenty to do, even when the weather is not so good (which it often isn’t!). Worth a look in Cromer, is the parish church (St Peter and St Paul), the RNLI Henry Blogg Museum, Cromer Lighthouse and Cromer Pier, close by you will find several attractive villages such as Overstrand and East Runton, just a short drive away is the village of Felbrigg, where the National Trust run Felbrigg Hall can be visited, here you can enjoy the stunning house, walk around the beautiful gardens, or stroll around the park and estate, with woodlands and lake.
Icod de los Vinos Tenerife
A good sized town in the Santa Cruz de Tenerife province of Tenerife, Icod de los Vinos is also the capital of a municipality of the same name, it is in the northern area of Tenerife and has a population of 24,179. Not especially noteworthy as a tourist destination, it is however famous for its Dragon Tree, said to be over 1,000 years old, and whether this is true or not it is a fine example, and makes the town worth a look if you are passing nearby. The municipality which also takes in an area of coastline, comprises mostly fertile agricultural land, which has made the town prosperous through its orchards, banana plantations, and particularly its vineyards, for winemaking is the towns main enterprise. The town of Icod de los Vinos is 57 km drive from Santa Cruz de Tenerife.