Nigel's Photo Blog

  Yachting on the River Thames at Goring This afternoon, I am reporting on Goring-on-Thames which  is an upscale village and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England. Location is about 5+1⁄2 miles south of Wallingford and fifty-five miles west of London . Population is put at 3,335  Goring & Streatley railway station is on the main Oxford–London line. Most land is farmland, with woodland on the Goring Gap outcrop of the Chiltern Hills. Its riverside plain encloses the residential area, including a high street with shops, pubs and restaurants. Nearby are the village churches – one dedicated to St Thomas Becket has a nave built within 50 years of the saint's death, in the early 13th century, along with a later bell tower. Goring faces the smaller Streatley across the Thames. The two are linked by Goring and Streatley Bridge.  John Barleycorn Pub St Thomas of Canterbury Church River Thames scene Local architecture High Street, Goring on Thames River Thames

This evening I am reprising a tour of Essex in eastern England from where many early emigrants to what became the United States originated. In fact,this tour was specifically arranged for a couple from the U.S. who wished to connect with their personal ancestry dating back to the 16th century. We visited churches at Sheering, Writtle and Brocking finishing the day at Colchester, an ancient own with Roman origins and an impressive castle. The Colchester hotel boats two prison cells dating from the 19th century when it was used as a transit stop for prisoners en-route to London. The tour featured a preponderance of churches because they date back around 1000 years, were community centres as well as places of worship and tend to be the only enduring link with days past.  It should also be born in mind that Essex is an abbreviation of 'East Saxons' a term which dates from around the 6th century when the countryside was settled by immigrants from northern Germany who brought their l

 This afternoon I am reporting on Brougham Castle in N.W. England. Actual location is two miles S.E. of Penrith, Cumbria.which is a market town just outside the boundary of the popular Lake District National Park. This castle is an interesting-but not unique-example of military recycling. The Normans (French) built the castle on the site of a 1000 year old (approx.) Roman fort called Brocavum and re-used the Roman masonry. At time of writing I cannot find the precise date of the Roman build but I do note that another Roman fort, Hardknott , is located forty-two miles to the S.W. and dates from the 2nd century when Hadrian's Wall was constructed. The fact that the site appealed to both Romans and Normans despite the interregnum of a thousand years reflects the reality that the countryside was not fully pacified over that time and both armies used similar tactics and weapons. From a strategic perspective the site is located near the confluence of the rivers Eamont and Lowt

Today I am reporting on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway which operates in Cumbria, N.W. England. This is a quasi -volunteer operated narrow gauge railway originally established to transport iron ore in the 19th century. This little railway chugs happily through some stunning scenery in the Eskdale region. Eskdale is a glacial valley in the western Lake District National Park. Video clip of railway Eskdale landscape Eskdale landscape Eskdale landscape Tourists in rail car

This evening, I am reporting on a topical and unusual development here in Glasgow, Scotland. Location is Park Circus in the city's west end, a high end residential area which is characterised by elevated property prices. The tall structure in the left of the image below is known as Trinity Tower. This tower dates from 1856 when it was built for the Free Church of Scotland (Presbyterian). In 1930 it became part of a building known as Trinity College, a theological school which vacated the site in 1976. Following renovation the building was reopened as flats in 1986. So far so good. However,in recent times a turn for the worse has occurred, A recent survey identified structural weakness and then in January of this year a fierce storm activated motion sensors consequent on which Glasgow City Council forced 100 local residents to vacate their properties at short notice on safety grounds, in case the tower collapsed. Unfortunately, there is now a stand-off between the council, which has

This evening, I am posting some images of a couple of interesting Roman sites in the English Lake District . The first (still) image is of Hardknott Roman Fort or Mediobocdum. This large fort was built during the time of Hadrian (Emperor from AD117 to 138) by a Cohort of troops from Croatia. The walls were 12 feet thick. Other features include a double towered gateway, granaries, a bathhouse and commandant's quarters. Elevation is 800 feet and in winter this would have proved a hardship posting for the troops. Here is a video clip of Alauna, at Maryport. This Roman fort is believed to have been closely linked to Hadrian's Wall j ust to the north. It was built by Vexillations of the Second Augustan Legion and the Twentieth Legion. Unfortunately, access to the actual site is restricted but adjacent is a museum full of Roman era artifacts and statues from the locality. To me the earthworks are redolent of Ardoch in Perthshire, Scotland In the video can be seen a r

   Steam Yacht 'Gondola' on Coniston Water This evening, I am posting information and images concerning Coniston Water in the English Lake District . This lake, which is some five miles long and half a mile wide, has associations with: Arthur Ransome, author of Swallows and Amazons; and Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell, a father and son duo who between them set a series of speed records on the lake with Donald killed in a record attempt in 1967. Clouds over Coniston Water   Landscape view  Landscape view Landscape view Steam Yacht 'Gondola'   which offers the grace and luxury of a bygone age.

Visitors on a photo shoot This afternoon, I am providing information on a day tour of northern England which encompasses castles, a ruined abbey, longhorn cattle, a prehistoric stone circle plus the stunning scenery of the Lake District.  Barnard Castle Egglestone Abbey Egglestone Abbey Castlerigg Stone Circle    Longhorn cow Raby Castle Gardens at Raby Castle

    Shambles, York, England This evening, I am posting information on The Shambles in York, England. This is now a very a very popular shopping venue which was voted Britain's Most Picturesque Street in 2010. However, today's trendy shoppers and smart tourists would be aghast to travel back in time when the street was an open slaughterhouse and centre for butchery from whence the name 'Shambles' is derived. In fact, the name is an indicator of York's long period of occupation as it has Saxon origins. The image of the Shambles today is that of  a quaint and colourful street populated with a wide range of shops, mainly catering for tourists. Some of the overhanging buildings date from the 14th century. The Shambles is   well positioned, in the centre of the old, medieval town roughly equidistant between the Minster (Cathedral) and Jorvik (Viking Museum).   Shambles, York, England   Shambles, York, England     Shambles, York, England

  Greenbank House Earlier today my wife and myself undertook a short trip to the heritage site of Greenbank House near Glasgow, Scotland. Key object was to avail of the Spring sunshine and hopefully view some emerging snowdrops and crocuses. Greenbank House is now owned by Scotland's National Trust but has origins as the mansion of an 18th century tobacco merchant whose wealth was created by importing American grown tobacco prior to that country declaring independence. There was nothing unusual in tobacco dealing in the early 18th century as the business created huge wealth for many local businessmen and 'kick-started' Glasgow's development as a commercial centre. However, the tobacco business was dependent on slavery which,through today's eyes, is viewed with opprobium. In fact, many of Britain's palaces and grand houses were ultimately financed by slavery, mainly in the West Indies.   Greenbank boasts an excellent and well maintained garden but it was not open

The image below does not represent some form of torture, but an experience for which visitors willingly climb up many steps to the roof and Blarney Castle in County Cork and pay for the privilege of lying backwards over the roof of the castle. This is known as "kissing the Blarney Stone", a ritual which generates the castle substantial funds in revenue. Location is 265km SW of Dublin , Ireland's capital. Visitors go through this ritual because kissing the stone is a long standing tradition, intended to confer a magical eloquence on the individual concerned. The stone is set in the wall, below the castle battlements. Kissing the stone entails the visitor being grasped by the feet and suspended backwards under the parapet.  Blarney Stone Blarney Castle