A museum and heritage centre located in a former tin mine in western Cornwall, the Geevor Tin Mine is a great place to visit if you are in the Penzance, St Just area. Learn a little about the historic tin mining industry, you can take the underground tour, visit the Hard Rock Museum, take a look down the Victory Shaft, visit The Dry, left as it was when the mine was operational, or try your hand at mineral panning an see what you can find. Located near to the village of Pendeen, north of the town of St Just, the Geevor Mine is open Sunday to Friday.
December 29, 2010
December 18, 2010
Hoddesdon Hertfordshire
A a small commuter town located in the valley of the River Lea in Hertfordshire, Hoddesdon has a population of 20,250, and is an ancient town which mostly developed as a stopping point for horse drawn coaches travelling between London and Cambridge, heading north on the Great North Road. Hoddesdon originated as a Saxon settlement probably deriving its name from the Old English or Danish, it was significant enough in the 11th century to be listed in the Domesday Book and later received a charter to hold a market. As the importance of horse drawn carriages declined, another industry provided income for the town in the form of gravel, though this ran out by the 1970’s, leaving water filled gravel pits providing water sports facilities for its modern day residents. Hoddesdon is just north of Broxbourne and surrounding villages include Roydon, Great Amwell, Hunsdon, Lower Nazeing and Stanstead Abbotts.
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December 11, 2010
Aston Clinton Aston Martin
Interesting facts, did you know that the Aston Martin car derived the “Aston” part of its name from the Buckinghamshire village of Aston Clinton? The co founder of the Aston martin company, Lionel Martin road tested his early cars in a hill climb competition which took place on Aston Hill, close to the village of Aston Clinton, you can even view a plaque that has been placed on the site to commemorate this event. The company was founded in 1913 in London, and the other co-founder was Robert Bamford, the DB5 appeared in the James Bond film Goldfinger. Aston Clinton is a village situated east of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.
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December 10, 2010
Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire
A large town located in the county of Hertfordshire, Hemel Hempstead has a population of over 80,000 and though settled as long ago as Anglo-Saxon times, mostly grew as a New Town after the second world war. Recorded in the Domesday Book as Hamelamesede, the town received its charter in 1539, after which it held a street market every Thursday, its parish church of St Mary dates from the 12th century. In 1946 Hemel Hempstead was named as the site of a New Town, and quickly developed into a busy town, surrounding its older parts on all sides. Popular with shoppers from surrounding towns, Hemel Hempstead is a commercial centre for the region. Interesting places to visit in the Hemel Hempstead area include the historic village of Kings Langley, formerly the location of a priory and a royal palace (of the Plantagenet Kings), and the former coaching station of Redbourn sitting on Watling Street, a charming village with a 12th century church.
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December 8, 2010
Chesham Buckinghamshire
The largest town in the Chiltern District of Buckinghamshire, lying in the south-east of the county, Chesham is a market town situated in a steep sided valley at the source of the River Chess. A progressive town with a population of around 20,000, Chesham is a popular commuter town which is on the London Underground line (Metropolitan), giving good access to the capital. Chesham holds a market twice a week, much as it has done for centuries, and a more recent addition, the Elgiva Theatre attracts thousands of visitors to the town, providing much needed entertainment for both its residents and those living nearby. Surrounded by wide expanses of beautiful countryside, Chesham offers plenty of opportunity for walking and cycling, while providing a relaxed and friendly shopping experience for those choosing to stay in the town centre. Places of interest nearby include the Hertfordshire village of Bovingdon, which holds a well known Saturday market on its disused airport, on the same airport you can try out paintballing or watch banger racing, should you wish, and also the pretty village of Ashley Green, a charming place to spend an hour or two.
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December 7, 2010
Princes Risborough Buckinghamshire
Lying in a broad gap in the western Chilton Hills, the small town of Princes Risborough has a history going back to Anglo Saxon times and beyond, it was recorded in the Domesday Book, and the manor eventually passed to Edward the Black Prince, giving it the “Princes” part of its name. Later Princes Risborough received its charter to hold a weekly market from Henry VIII in 1523, it also from this time held 2 annual fairs. This expanding town still has many thatched and timbered cottages in its historic centre, its brick market house is topped with a wooden cupola, the National Trust run manor house dates from the 17th century, it has a Jacobean staircase and 18th century wainscoting. Princes Risborough is situated roughly midway between Aylesbury and High Wycombe.
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