England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: The Hidden Gems Series

INTRODUCTION

What images come to mind when you think of England? Do you imagine Sherlock Holmes stalking the back alleys of Victorian London? Or the windswept moors of Yorkshire, covered in heather? Or perhaps the dramatic coastline and chalky white cliffs of Dover?

But what lies beyond the trappings of red telephone boxes, Roman baths, and bittersweet Dickensian tales? What is the authentic England, the very essence of the country that remains alluring and steadfast?

This is not simply about tea served in dainty china, cricket matches on village greens, or the iconic chimes of Big Ben. It’s the unseen spirit of the land, the richly woven tapestry of history and tradition that ceaselessly beckons the wanderlust-filled hearts.

Every person will hold a different vision of England in their mind, whether they’ve visited or not. It might be a video of a royal wedding, a much-loved show on PBS or BBC America, or a classic novel like Pride and Prejudice. The food, landscape, history, music, or a combination of all of these can speak to the heart.

There is a wealth of fascinating things to do, stunning places to see, and friendly people to meet in London, the Cotswolds, or in the North. Be it the shifting landscape of rolling hills in the Lake District, or the seaside town carnivals, these aspects change with your perspective, and with time, to reveal previously hidden depths.

I have always had a special fondness for England and English history. My mother lived in England for a few years before I was born, and a good chunk of my ancestry comes from that country.

I first visited in 1996 as part of a week-long trip to Somerset with a group of new age hippies. Well, the part with the hippies was a week, but I went over for two weeks. Four days in Ireland, three days in London, and then I went to Somerset.

My three days in London were eye-opening as this was my first trip overseas (that I was old enough to remember, at least). I took the touristy hop-on/hop-off tour around the city, experienced the hordes of people, rode the Underground, ate fish & chips, and wandered around Piccadilly Circus and Hyde Park.

The hippie new age group visited some of the classic magical sites, such as Avebury Stone Circle, Bath, West Kennet Longbarrow, and Wookey Hole. It was a delightful introduction to the rural part of England.

I’ve been back several times, exploring different parts of the country, and I always feel welcome and centered in England.

In this book, I will explore many aspects of England. I will delve into the history and myths that shaped the culture, as well as the superstitions and beliefs that still hold sway today.

Parts of that are, of course, the religious traditions, the deep and varied history, and the various invasions from European cultures.

I shall talk about the food, the music, the people, and, of course, the drinks. Some practical aspects to planning your trip, and your photography, are next, as well as some discounts and tricks to save some money. And, of course, a nice big section on hidden gems, places off the beaten track, to get away from the busloads of tourists and find your own special places.

Please, enjoy your journey through my book. And, if I have convinced you to travel to this incredible place, please let me know. I think everyone should visit England and be enriched by this incredibly cultured, charming, and classic land.

HISTORY AND MYTH

What We Know and What We Believe

Prehistoric (to 55 BCE)

In the hushed whispers of antiquity, England was not the proud and solitary island we know today. She stood as a majestic peninsula, her verdant expanses reaching out from the heart of Europe, her feet caressed by the capricious sea.

As a stalwart outpost, she watched the world. Her form was cradled by the vast, unruly ocean, waiting for the tides of time to sculpt her into the insular queen she would become.

The oldest remains we have discovered so far belong to a previous species of human, Homo heidelbergensis, who lived in England around 500,000 years ago. Since then, Neanderthals visited the island and then modern humans.

The earliest known cave art dates from about 13,000 years ago, in the Creswell Crags in Derbyshire. This was near the end of the last Ice Age, and as the ice faded away, people seeped into the land now known as England. These were nomadic hunters, living off the land before the advent of farming.

Come with me, back to a time when wooly mammoths still roamed the earth, and England was but a twinkle in the eye of history. When Neolithic hunters crossed a land bridge from the European mainland around 6,500 BCE, they found an island covered with forests and teeming with wildlife.

Then, in a torrential flood, the sea ate the land bridge between England and the continent, separating the island forever more.

When agriculture arrived in England around 4,000 BCE, they farmed pulses, wheat, and barley. They were still nomadic, but they usually had trackways and common areas. They built communal monuments, like Windmill Hill or West Kennet Long Barrow in Wiltshire.

Imagine living in this time. Moving to a new area each season, constructing temporary houses of wattle-and-daub with conical thatched roofs, hunting deer or fishing for food, gathering in groups at the solstice celebrations.

This is also the time when stone circles and megalithic structures dominated the land, such as Castlerigg, Silbury Hill, Avebury, and the most famous of them all, Stonehenge. There are hundreds of these monuments around the country, some no more than ankle-high remnants of once proud and tall stones.

As the Bronze Age arrived around 2,300 BCE, the natives, who we call the Beaker People, started settling down a little more. They started burying their dead in elaborate graves, rather than cremating them.

They discovered the tin mines in Cornwall and learned how to make bronze for weapons and tools. They traded with other areas in a complex network. The first hillforts were built, such as Old Sarum in Wiltshire. Yes, Wiltshire was home to a great many ancient sites.

Then, the Iron Age technology arrived in England, and the hillforts grew massive, like Maiden Castle in Dorset, or Old Oswestry in Shropshire.

With iron tools came better weapons, and with better weapons came better warriors. A hierarchy built around fighting prowess grew prevalent, and small family units morphed into larger tribal groups.

Roman Era (55 BCE—410 CE)

The Romans first arrived in Britain in 55-54 BCE, and their occupation as Romans lasted until at least 410 CE. During that time, they conducted a few invasions, starting with Julius Caesar, Agricola, and Aulus Plautius.

Once the Romans established a foothold in the south, they shifted to a policy of setting up trading agreements with certain tribal chiefs of the Celtic tribes. There were a series of rebellions led by Caracticus and Boudicca.

Boudicca was a queen of the Icenii tribe, and when the Roman soldiers flogged and violated her daughters, she led an incredibly successful series of raids. She destroyed several colonies, including Camulodunum (Colchester) and London.

Another initiative of the Romans was to conquer and destroy the Druids, the priest caste of the ancient natives of Britain. The Romans raided the Druids’ traditional center at Anglesey, known as Mona.

There is a fascinating book by Bryan Sykes, called Saxons, Vikings, and Celts: The Genetic Roots of Britain and Ireland. The book explores the DNA evidence of settlement and invasion by the various groups into England, Ireland, England, and Wales, and comes to some fascinating conclusions about these invasions.

Early Middle Ages (410 CE—1066 CE)

This time used to be known as the Dark Ages, a time of murky tales, lofty legends, and transformative turmoil. However, the more recent name of Early Medieval Age is more descriptive, and less dramatic.

As the Roman legions receded, invaders emerged from the mysterious mists of the North Sea, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. Wielding axe and shield, they descended upon Britain, pushing the indigenous Celtic Britons westward into what’s now Wales and Cornwall.

These years were a tumultuous mosaic of tribal rivalries, petty kingdoms, and heroic warriors. Legends of King Arthur and the saga of Beowulf stirred the hearts of the people, echoing in the mead halls amidst the clatter of ale-horns and the thrum of lyres. Within this chaotic tapestry, England, or Angle-land, began to form.

In 597 CE, Pope Gregory I sent Augustine to convert the residents of this island to Christianity. He set up his archbishopric in Canterbury, a place that still holds ecclesiastical prominence today. The monks, with their skills in literacy and organization, were the glue binding society together, and their monasteries, beacons of learning and artistry, dotted the landscape, at least until Henry VIII came along.

Skilled Anglo-Saxon artisans crafted intricate jewelry, like the mesmerizing gold and garnet pieces found at Sutton Hoo. The beauty of the illuminated manuscripts, such as the Lindisfarne Gospels, is a timeless treasure.

Then, from the icy fjords of the North, Viking dragon-ships appeared. These seaborne raiders, drawn by wealth and opportunity, attacked Lindisfarne, the first in an endless series of raids. Monasteries burned, and kingdoms fell, but the Viking Age was not merely one of destruction. They founded vibrant cities, introduced new technologies, and spurred England into becoming a more unified entity under one of the era’s greatest figures, Alfred the Great.

Taking the throne of Wessex in 871 CE, Alfred battled valiantly against the invaders. A lover of learning, he also invited scholars to his court and initiated the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, providing a priceless historical resource, one of the few written sources historians now have of those years.

Following Alfred, the threads of the English tapestry began to weave tighter. His dynasty reclaimed lands from the Vikings, culminating in Æthelstan’s reign.

But Sweyn Forkbeard, a Danish king, and his son Cnut, cast a new wave of Viking dominance over the island. Cnut, ruling an empire spanning England, Denmark, and Norway, fostered a period of prosperity.

The Early Medieval Age ended in 1066 CE with the Battle of Hastings, the last successful invasion of England. The victorious Norman Duke, William the Conqueror, ushered in the era of medieval kings and castles.

So, the Early Medieval Age of England, a time shrouded in obscurity, was, in fact, a crucible in which the country was forged. A chaotic yet captivating period, bristling with raw human spirit, epic sagas, resolute resistance, and the dawn of a nation that would stride forth into the annals of history.

Medieval Period (1066 CE—1485 CE)

The saga begins with the Battle of Hastings in 1066 CE, when William the Conqueror seized the English crown, based on a promise he was given by Edward the Confessor. His reign introduced a pantheon of castles and cathedrals, and a huge influx of French terms into the budding English language.

In the 12th century, the struggle for the crown between Stephen I and the Empress Maud tore the country into bits. The resulting chaos, termed The Anarchy, resulted in a widespread breakdown in law and order. This conflict set the stage for the later War of the Roses.

In 1215, King John signed the Magna Carta, an iconic parchment that limited royal power and set the stage for governance drama. It was the seed from which the great tree of parliamentary democracy would grow.

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Life wasn’t all chivalry and cathedrals, though. The Black Death, an uninvited guest in the 14th century, left devastation in its wake. Yet, even this tragedy wove a strange silver lining, weakening the feudal system and stirring up societal change. This resulted in the eventual end of the serf class with the reign of Elizabeth I.

The Middle Ages also