Nigel's Photo Blog

  View of Solway Firth from England with Scotland in distance Today, was exceptional with key driver being the brilliant sunshine which was better than predicted. My base was an Inn in Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria, NW England. View of Solway Firth looking east from Bowness. Yesterday, my key theme was the Roman period as Bowness occupies the site of a 2 nd century AD Roman fort at the western end of Hadrian’s Wall.  On setting out I noticed a replica of a Roman era altar embedded in a wall in Bowness. The original has been transferred to a local museum. The altar dates from AD 251-3 and is dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus and reads "To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, for the welfare of our Lords Gallus and Vollusianus, both Augusti Sulpicius Secundianus, tribune of the cohort." Today, I hiked 10.6 miles along a route which more-or-less followed the line of Hadrian’s Wall although my emphasis was on pursuing the excellent bird life and landscape photography opportunities...

The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Bampton This evening, I am posting information on an Anglican church in Oxfordshire, England which in recent times has experienced a big uplift in visitors due to the church featuring in scenes, including weddings, of the T.V. series Downton Abbey . Bampton is located about forty miles north of Highclere Castle , aka Downton Abbey. Bampton is an Old English name which translates as 'farmstead made of beams or by a tree'. This church welcomes visitors and is normally open during daylight hours throughout the year.   Norman-era chevron carvings around arch. A brief history of the Church (as sourced from the Church's website). Lies at the centre of an ancient parish within an Anglo-Saxon royal estate and on the site of a late Anglo-Saxon Minster from 950 or earlier. The parish was the largest in Oxfordshire and incorporated some 11,238 acres as late as 1877. Evidence suggests that there was a church on the site much before the Norman Conqu...

 INTRODUCTION This site covers the period  from around BC 400 to AD 100. Experts have undertaken extensive reconstruction and interpretation based on archaeology and other research.   Roundhouses at Castell Henllys EARLY YEARS The early founders were focused on constructing a defensive site on a prominent position which sent a subliminal message of power and substance. Basic roundhouses were built and surrounded by a defensive palisade. The entrance comprised a double gateway with a heavy main gate  hung on two massive timbers. In those days there were hostile animals such as bears and wolves to contend with as well as potential people enemies.  Entrance Gate    Guide in period costume welcoming visitors to the chief's house. LATER After about 25-40 years from founding of the initial settlement the defences were strengthened by constructing earth banks and ditches to replace the palisade, IRON ARRIVES Iron objects began to proliferate from around ...

INTRODUCTION Earlier today my wife and I visited a very ancient and fascinating church at Wroxter, in NW England. This follows from yesterday's visit to Roman Wroxeter with which the church is physically connected.   KEY FACTS AND INFORMATION The site has hosted a Christian place of worship dating back well into the first millennium. The form of worship may originally been that of the Celtic Church followed by Roman Catholic (until around 1540) then Anglican (Episcopalian). However, regular services finished in 1980. The church remains well cared for, in good condition and is open to the public seemingly 24/7. Much of the building stone for the church was recycled from the ruins of Roman Wroxeter. In particular note the gate posts of the main entrance gate and also the font which are all of Roman origin.   Gateposts made from Roman columns Font made from a Roman column From the Anglo-Saxon period there are two carvings embedded in the exterior wall, viz: Fragments of a limest...

 INTRODUCTION This afternoon, I visited the site of Roman Wroxeter in NW England. This has been extensively excavated and is now under the care of English Heritage, a government agency.  Surviving 20 ft high basilica wall BACKGROUND Wroxter (Virconium Cornoviorum) was situated in the tribal territory of the Cornovii who seem to have submitted to the Roman occupation at an early stage. (The modern 'Wroxeter' may be derived from an ancient Celtic name (possibly 'town of Virico') combined with the old English caester.) The first Roman military presence was probably represented by a cohort of Thracians (from the Balkans). Around AD60  a fortress was constructed for the 14th Legion and later the 20th Legion, which replaced the 14th. The legionary fortress was abandoned in the 90s following which civilian control was established via a constitution of the civitas Cornoviorum and the foundation of it's capital at Wroxeter.   DEVELOPMENT POST DEPARTURE OF THE MILITARY  B...

 My wife and I are warming to the Newport area of South Wales. The town itself, although small, is smart and well kept with a good number of independent shops selling such items as craftware, books, antiques, healthcare, meat and greengrocery. Like many parts of Wales, Newport is bilingual (Welsh and English) which adds an additional dimension to the local culture.  Advertisement for Welsh lamb at local butcher Combined butcher and greengrocer at Newport Sitting somewhat incongruously in an estate of residential houses (in Newport) is a circa 5500 year old dolmen tomb from the Neolithic period.   Carreg Coetan Arthur After a short walk around the town we moved on to a viewpoint with views of the eastuary of the River Nevern. Not surprisingly, this was popular with bird watchers. In addition to the usual contingent of water birds we noticed a lone heron which provided a good photo oppoertunity. Estuary view with Heron Next, we moved on to Newport Beach which, i...