Another organised day out thanks to my old School – Selhurst Grammar School for Boys and The Old Croydonians’ Association. Today, it was a behind-the-scenes tour of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

We set off from home just before 10am, heading for Huntingdon Station. It’s become our ‘go to’ station-of-travel in recent years when heading for the capital due to better parking, cheaper rail ticket prices and generally much more ticket flexibility. OK, we first needed to drive there, but it’s only 30-or-so minutes and (touch wood) we’ve never had a bad run yet!

I wouldn’t say we’re ‘theatre luvvies’, but we’ve been to quite a few Theatres in the capital over the years – but never this one.

These OCA events are always worth looking forward to – not just because it’s an opportunity to meet up with old school chums but to ‘dig deeper’ into places that wouldn’t usually be on our radar. So far, thanks to the good work of the OCA looking after us old boys – and girls! – in recent years, we’ve enjoyed visits to:-

St Bride’s Church (February 2026)
Fulham Palace (September 2025)
Hidden Greenwich (September 2024)
Backstage at the National Theatre (February 2024) – we missed that one!
Behind the Scenes at the Royal Opera House (October 2023)

We’re now building up quite a list! , and as usual at these events, there’s always time for pre-meet over an informal meal beforehand. Today was no exception as we took the short walk from Covent Garden Tube to the nearby Prince of Wales Pub in Drury Lane.

Prince of Wales

We arrived just before 12.15 where OCAer John Wade introduced himself and set the scene for this special day.

We’d been here before on the previous OCA trip to the Royal Opera House, and it was good to be back in a Pub that typifies ‘old London’.

The food punched well above its weight, and despite the hostelry’s size, there was plenty of seating. It was popular too for that time of day (but thankfully, not too popular!). For us, it was perfect! Meanwhile, elsewhere, because of the expected numbers and differing food tastes, there was also a second gathering of ex-pupils at nearby La Ballerina in Bow Lane. As always, it was good to see some very familiar faces – Cortland, Valerie, Roger, John, John, Caroline, and many other faces from previous events and my school days – can it be 50 years since I left? (err, yes, ‘fraid so! )

After the perfect antidote to WeightWatchers (yes, we did have a pud too!) and the opportunity to have a longer natter with those assembled, we decided to stretch our legs in the vain attempt to burn off the meal (really!?!?)

Twenty minutes later, and now at least an ounce lighter than when we left the Prince of Wales, we arrived at the Theatre. Just from the outside, it looked impressive, but the very best was yet to come – the interior.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

First, the shortest of history lessons: The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane was opened in 1812, and is the most recent of four theatres that have stood at the location since 1663, making it the oldest theatre site in London still in use. It recently underwent a massive refurbishment at a personal cost to the owner of £60m.

And as we were about to discover, this was no ordinary London Theatre

In total, there were around 20 of us eager to learn about the inner workings of this famous establishment. Sensibly, we were split into two roughly equal-sized groups, where Ann and I were put in the ‘first’ group, meaning we finish sooner, making it easier for our train connections. In many respects, getting in and out of London these days by train is a breeze compared with when I worked in the capital, but timing is everything!

Alan introduced himself as our Tour Guide. He turned out to be the perfect host, and we sensed an actor fighting to get out (or get in!).

In fact, his delivery, for us, was so engaging, I was caught up in the drama of it all instead of taking photographs. So, the photo stock may have come up short for today’s outing, but our appreciation of this wonderful building more than made up for it!

Here are some of the takeaways for us:-

Recently refurbished in 2021 WITHOUT the need for any grants or loans
Thank you, Lord Webber for the £60m! (the owner)
The restoration returned the Theatre to its 19th-century look
Immaculate from top to bottom, it looked like it opened yesterday!
Luxurious Ladies Loos (no, I didn’t check personally!)
A very haunted Theatre and a place full of ghosts
The Stage that was a technological marvel – and very large!
Proper legroom for the audience

If the interior that the public usually sees was jaw-droppingly gorgeous, there was more to enjoy – behind (and under) the scenes. Alan first took us into the Theatre seating and explained the layout changes during the refurb: first, seats with proper legroom, next, no ‘restricted view’ seats and best of all, the upper seating had been moved closer to the stage. The result? The Theatre now offers just under 2000 (1981?) ‘proper’ seats!

Then it was down, down and down further as we headed beneath the stage and into the oldest parts of the building. Complete with a slightly spooky flickering overhead light to set the mood, we learned more about the resident ghosts! . The Theatre is generally considered to be the most haunted theatre in the UK, and whether that’s all part of the clever branding or a genuine part of its 350-year history, it made for an (even more) engaging experience! . I’ll spare you the spooky details here, but the Theatre has more than its fair share of occasional apparitions, including: Dan Leno (Panto Dame) and the ‘Man in Grey’. Oh! and the smell of Lavender. Even our Guide mentioned he’d seen one of the spooky residents!

On the slightly more surreal side, we got to see a very special chair – a gift to the Theatre – that belonged to Adolph Hitler taken from the Reichstag! How very strange! . We also took a look inside a restored Dressing Room with the helpful advice from Alan about NOT leaving your makeup out overnight (yes, one of the resident ghosts again! )

Typically, as with all enjoyable events, the 90 minutes passed in a flash. As we said our goodbyes to the group, we reflected on today’s experience. The OCA events have always been well-organised and interesting (thanks Bob, I’m sure you’re looking down on us, with an approving smile ), but today was probably the best so far, for us. We were impressed with the Theatre from start to finish – and Alan had really brought the building alive (except for the ghosts, of course! ).

Thanks to everyone at the OCA who made today possible – and to Alan who entertained and educated us in equal measure. We won’t forget this Theatre in a hurry, and we’re even tempted to get onto their mailing list for future productions.

Now all we needed to do was to hope that all our train connections worked! They did, and we arrived home just before 6pm. Here’s to the next one! (Note to self: Take more photos!!!).

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post OCA – Theatre Royal appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We haven’t been to Audley End House & Gardens for quite a few years, and today, we’re taking Nicki and joining Jo, Janet and Carol there. Given the gap between today and our previous visit, I was hoping to find a previous reference here in my Blog, but nothing… nada..! So that means we must have last been here BEFORE I first began blogging – that’s pre-May 2004! .

If the weather forecast is to be trusted, we had a fine day ahead with 15℃ predicted. As we were spending a lot of our time inside the House, a scorching hot day wasn’t that important, but it was good to know the weather was on our side.

10.05am: As Nicki, Ann and I left home just after 10, quite by coincidence, Jo, Janet and Carol appeared just behind us – what are the chances, ehh?!?!?

11.10am: About an hour (ish) later, after a trouble-free journey, we arrived at our destination. Finding the parking area was pretty straightforward, though at first it was a tad confusing since the main public car park was (much) farther up the road – not right by the entrance on our left. On the other hand, disabled parking was way more convenient, located via the main entrance. Temporarily, we went our separate ways!

After parking the car, the three of us took the short walk down the gentle slope towards the House and we were soon through the entrance and looking for our friends.

Our first task was to track down Jo, Janet and Carol who were now slightly ahead of us. ‘If in doubt, I thought, ‘try the Tearoom’ and sure enough, they had secured a table in the corner. The Café was already quite busy as we joined the queue for some initial sustenance but we were served quickly and were soon catching up with everyone’s news over a cuppa and some light nibbles.

Time for a group selfie, testing out my (usually appalling) selfie-taking skills!

Although I’m not bad with a phone camera, selfies have always turned out poor by comparison. Thankfully, after what seems like 30 years or so, I’m finally getting the hang of it (helped along by a tech-tip from Nicki of engaging a countdown timer in order to frame the shot in good time. Every day a school day, ehh?! . Cheers, Nicki!

Midday: There is lots to see here – it’s not just the House. The Estate included the 1880’s Service Wing, the Stable Yard, the Coach House, the Temple of Concord, the Polish War Memorial, the Organic Kitchen Garden, the Pond Garden, the Vine House and yet another garden – ‘The Elysian’.

Twenty minutes later, with beaming smiles captured, we were ready to explore the House… and Audley End is a big one!

First impressions? From the outside, the House already looked fantastic and was in excellent condition – and once inside, it continued to impress.

Clearly, a lot of time and money had been spent on restoring everything here so it looked like new. It’s one of EH’s most popular properties, so it’s money well spent!

Case in point: The massive Tudor Screen had been restored to its original appearance — having been painted white at some point in the past!

Helpfully, one of the Volunteers carried out a short history lesson about the House and the families who lived there. Another sign of (very) visible wealth? Oh yes! In fact, as every schoolboy knows: a Library in a house was always the sign of wealth – and Audley End House has TWO!

In spite of all of this money, the irony was that in the 1940s, the House (now occupied by just one person) was eventually handed over to the Government. In 1983, it became the responsibility of English Heritage.

12.50pm: Another fascination of the time was collecting stuffed dead things. It’s not to everyone’s taste – I’m more used to just stuffed peppers – and the above photos capture just a small proportion of the collection on display here.

1.05pm: One of the many great things about this House was that very little of the House seemed to be off limits. With the ground floor explored, we now headed upstairs, where even the Attic (that included ‘The Coal Gallery’) was put to good use. Another ‘first’ in that it’s the only country pile that I’ve been to where they used ‘upstairs’ as a store for piles of coal! A great idea when you think about it, but certainly very unusual!

Upstairs also housed the Nursery for their growing collection of kids – eight in total. Looking at the beds and the general decor, they certainly wanted for nothing.

1.15pm: An opportunity of silliness followed (and why not!) where the sight of period costumes (including hats) were ‘wasting away’ just sitting in the corner of the room. Yes, it would have been rude not to, so we slipped into something more elegant (well, the girls did!). Me? I’m not sure what I ‘came as’, but it looked – and felt – very disturbing!

Next stop was all the way back downstairs to the Kitchens.

1.25pm: With the kitchens now conquered, we dropped into the nearby Laundry Room. Tucked away in the corner was this…

None of us had a clue what it was. It looked like it was something to do with a door… maybe some form of repair tool. After a lot of head-scratching we deduced it was maybe something to do with pressing laundry. Maybe?

And it was – as the diagram above shows. Another first, as I’ve never seen one before.

1.40pm: Lunch was now calling – quite loudly! We headed back to where we’d met when we arrived. Boy, was it busy!! Whilst the girls queued, I secured us a table (as they were being taken in double-quick time).

Whilst the House may have been on the grand side, you couldn’t say the same for the food selection! It was all delicious, but the range was very limited. It therefore didn’t take us long to empty our plates, and we were soon on the final stretch, looking for the Gardens.

1.55pm: In spite of the six sharpest minds on the case AND with the map, finding the Gardens took us in some ‘interesting’ directions. On the way, the views were spectacular, and we eventually found the most direct route, but not before taking a short diversion to the Stables.

For those who have watched me ride a horse, I know some of you are still having therapy! Whilst others still haven’t stopped laughing! . So, for me, today, a much safer option was on offer…

3.00pm: Eventually, we discovered the Kitchen Garden.

In truth, there wasn’t an awful lot to see, but what was obvious, just looking around, was that this was a BIG space! It would have therefore needed quite a lot of labour to keep on top of all the gardening tasks. What DID make a lasting memory was the Gardeners’ Bothy (a refuge for the hard-working staff). It was also large, full of tools – and included an office too! It was also clear that it was the domain of a VERY tidy person (I could easily have moved in tomorrow!)

3.20pm: We finished our day near the Polish War Memorial then slowly headed around the back of the House.

Phew! . According to my walking monitor, it told me I’d covered just over 48 miles today. It certainly felt like a LONG walk around the Estate, but it clearly wasn’t that far! Then I realised that somehow my sedate driving style (yeah, right!) on the way there had confused the software and it thought I had walked – from Northamptonshire to North Essex!

3.35pm: We said our goodbyes and headed back in slightly different directions to our cars. It had been a FANTASTIC day, where we realised that this was our first day out together, and ALL of us are now retired! . The weather had delivered a beautifully warm day that was at least 2-3 degrees warmer than the forecast had suggested – perfect! .

5.02pm: We had a trouble-free journey home and indoors, sipping a cuppa just after 5.

More days like this, please!!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Audley End House and Gardens appeared first on Steve's Blog.

…Knot! (read on)…

We couldn’t decide whether to go to this event today (Sunday) or tomorrow. A quick check of the Bank Holiday weather forecast helped us make up our! Dry today, raining tomorrow. So that was an easy decision. Ann sorted out all the ingredients for a picnic yesterday, and we woke to an accurate forecast (for once!)

We drove to to nearby Deene Park (the seat of the Brudenell family’s country manor about 5 miles north-east of Corby) to witness Deene Park Plundered! – a Civil War Re-Enactment Society by the well-known The Sealed Knot. The last time we were here to witness the Sealed Knot do what they do best was in May 2019 where we sat in the pouring rain, being typically British, and pretended we were enjoying the spectacle!

The Sealed Knot is the oldest re-enactment society in the UK, a registered educational charity, and the single biggest re-enactment society in Europe. They bring history to life by staging events throughout the country all year round, offering a chance to experience at first hand, the horrors of a nation at war with itself, as well as providing a glimpse of everyday life in those days.

As we arrived, we could see that the car-park was already busy, so surely that was a good sign, even if the weather was now cooling down. Would it rain like the last time we were here? . With our hands duly stamped by a young and enthusiastic ‘knotter’, we passed through the entrance and found the perfect spot for a great view of the main arena.

The Sealed Knot take these events very seriously, and you can’t knock their pursuit of perfection in everything they do. From the accuracy of their clothing to carefully choreographed battle scenes, ‘winging it’ is just NOT an option. Safety is paramount, obviously, as no-one wants a sprog hit by a cannonball, ehh?! .

In spite of the number of cars in the car-park, it didn’t seem to equate with the number of people actually at the event itself. And as the weather got cooler (but still dry!), the members of the Sealed Knot tried their hardest to keep us all engaged with first, their Drum Display followed by the Cavalry, who drilled, charged and sliced vegetables using their swords whilst on horseback.

Some were more successful than others, and it became immediately obvious that slicing a melon whilst riding a horse takes a bit more skill than mowing the lawn on a Sunday afternoon! . Some of their horses appeared to have been given Red Bull before the show and were proving to be more than a handful in their riders’ experienced hands. Some missed the veg completely, whilst others were frighteningly accurate. One horse in particular (and clearly a vegetarian) took the opportunity to scare its rider by going from a canter to a full-on gallop in about two seconds – where rider and horse were last seen landing in Leicestershire! .

Overall, it was all very professional and well put together, but the lack of visitor numbers and an increasingly cool day robbed the event of its ‘buzz’. After a quick look around and watching the fashion show, after a couple of hours or so, we retreated.

Today therefore, wasn’t one of our best decisions – but at least it didn’t rain! We’ve come to the conclusion that for us, at least, the weather has to be a scorcher to make this worthwhile, and we’ll think even more carefully, next time the Sealed Knot come to Deene Park.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Sealed with a… appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Today, we’re off to meet Dennis & Sandra at Hardwick Hall (south of Bolsover, east of Matlock). The eagle-eyed amongst you will spot that we four have done this before!

And you’re correct – back in August 2020. This time, however, we’re heading inside the Hall itself (last time we only explored the grounds due to Covid restrictions).

We set off just before 9.15am planning to meet up at 11am. It was a smooth and straightforward journey covering the near-90 mile journey, where again, we’d forgotten how busy the roads can get during a weekday. Still, it moved at pace but it was not a great surprise to see that some drivers still relied on telepathy alone to let others know their intentions when changing lanes! (‘BMW for sale with indicator stalk in perfect un-used condition’ ). We arrived around 10.45 with Dennis and Sandra just a few minutes behind us – a perfect start to the day.

Considering the Hall didn’t open until 11am, we were amazed at how busy the car-park was. It’s a sizeable parking area, but I reckon it was 90% full already! . Surely Hardwick Hall isn’t THAT popular???

11.25am: After the obligatory elevenses, we approached the Hall, it suddenly all felt quite familiar (although this time, Covid-free, there were a lot more people!). The crowds seemed to be mostly families (the sprogs are on holiday for Easter at the moment) with the younger members sporting rabbit ears where it seemed there was some sort of ‘Egg Hunt’ going on. Maybe that explained why the car-park was so busy?

It was good to be out in the fresh air, but my optimism in wearing my sunglasses was somewhat misplaced as there was a nip in the air. But we don’t let the weather get in the way of our adventures, this being our 20th cultural day out together with our friends since we started them back in February, 2017.

So far…

Lincoln Castle and Prison (October 2025)
Nottingham Castle (June 2025)
Wollaton Hall (October 2024)
Nottingham City (May 2024)
Doddington Hall (December 2023)
International Bomber Command (September 2023)
Southwell (March 2023)
Chatsworth House (November 2022)
Belvoir Castle (August 2022)
Kedlestone Hall (May 2021)
Hardwick Hall (August 2020)
Castle Howard (December 2019)
The Royal Armouries Museum (March 2019)
Bolsover Castle (October 2018)
Belton House (May 2018)
York (February 2018)
Burghley House (October 2017)
Hull (May 2017)
Leeds (February 2017)

Inside Hardwick Hall

The property was built towards the end of the 1590s and is an Elizabethan-era country house. The owner, Elizabeth Cavendish, later Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury, but better known as simply ‘Bess of Hardwick’ became one of the richest woman in the England at the time (second only to Queen Elizabeth) – where some reports suggest she was actually richer than the Queen!

Yes, Bess managed to work her way through FOUR Husbands – Robert Barlow (married 1543, d. 1544), Sir William Cavendish (m. 1547, d. 1557), Sir William St Loe (m. 1559, d. 1565), and George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury (m. 1568, d. 1590) – Phew!! . History records that her wealth was mainly down to these careful marriages, where she rose to the highest levels of English nobility.

And it showed! If windows were a sign of wealth (they were!), then this proved that Bess was loaded! The House is a window cleaner’s nightmare (or salvation!) and oozes ‘money no object’. Having seen off FOUR husbands, the Hall represented a conspicuous sign of wealth of the time. But wait, there’s more! More in the shape of ANOTHER Hardwick Hall, helpfully named ‘Hardwick Old Hall’ next door (more about that later!).

In the safe hands of the National Trust, the building has been tastefully conserved/restored without going overboard. The tapestries are faded, and there are plenty of layers of dust in places. It felt like it had been frozen in time, and the dimly lit rooms gave a real sense of ‘how it was’.

Best let the photos do the talking…

Yes, there was plenty to see here! Plenty of Volunteers on duty too!

All in all, then it was all very impressive, but as I mentioned earlier, we weren’t done yet – there was ‘old’ Hardwick Hall literally next door.

Hardwick Old Hall

A short walk away, the National Trust look after this one too, but unusually ‘on behalf’ of English Heritage. By comparison, the old Harwick Hall looked like the ‘poor relation’ to its much larger neighbour, looking somewhat unloved and forgotten. Thanks to Volunteer, Chris, we learned more…

Initially, we thought this building must have been the original Hall, but according to Chris, it was actually constructed around the same time. Hmm, why did it look like the poor relation? Apparently, the building just wasn’t impressive enough for the family and they ‘started again’, only bigger, better – and with more windows! . But what about the fact that it looked like a ruin? Was it simply neglect? Nothing so dramatic!! The answer was simply, practicalities – they needed the stonework for the other constructions. Who knew? Not me, for sure!

Good old NT and English Heritage! They weren’t going to let the larger next-door neighbour steal all the limelight and serious money is being spent on further conservation here. Sadly we couldn’t get up close, as the perimeter was roped off whilst a survey was in progress assessing the safety of the remaining stonework. Holy flying mammals, apparently, bats are resident here too, so there’s even MORE to be concerned about!

A suitable end to our visit here today, where we saw (and learned) much more than we imagined. Time for Lunch!

Lunch

1.35pm: A short walk away was The Hardwick Inn. It was easily spotted as it looked like most of Derbyshire was already ahead of us, judging by the number of cars outside. Surely a good sign, given it was ‘only’ a murky Wednesday? It’s a well-known destination for the locals (as we spotted!), dating back to the 15th century and built of locally quarried sandstone, situated on the south gate of Hardwick Park,

Inside, it soon became obvious that most of Derbyshire was here! It was packed! The eatery sprawled in all directions, and it was clear that it had been extended many times

It all felt very welcoming inside. The staff were friendly, and the menu was extensive. Steak & Guinness Pie for me, all helped along with a pint of Old Peculiar (surely one of the best ales around?). Yes, it was all very enjoyable and the perfect end to our get-together. Almost two hours later, we said our goodbyes and headed for the M1.

5.15pm: After dropping into Dunelm (domestic crisis – the ironing board had self-destructed just before we left this morning! ) and the Post Office (goodbye Three’s 5G Router – one of my better tech decisions back in 2022), we were now home.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Return to Hardwick Hall with Dennis and Sandra appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Another organised day out thanks to my old School – Selhurst Grammar School for Boys and The Old Croydonians’ Association. Today, it was a trip to London and St Bride’s Church in Fleet Street, London.

Actually, it was a full-on day even before the Church visit. By the time we headed for Fleet Street, we’d already had a meeting with our Investment Manager, Hilary, at Mercer, over at Tower Hill. This all meant leaving home before 9am this morning! Retirement, ehh?! – the busiest time of our lives!!

Back to today’s event. It was a sad day in some ways, as this outing was the last one organised by Committee Member, Bob Smith, before his passing in September last year. Bob joined the Committee during my time as Chair (2010-2016), and personally and professionally, he is very sadly missed

These OCA events are always worth looking forward to – not just because it’s an opportunity to meet up with old school chums – but to explore places that wouldn’t usually be on our radar. So far, thanks to the good work of the OCA looking after us Members, we’ve enjoyed visits to:-

Fulham Palace (September 2025)
Hidden Greenwich (September 2024)
Backstage at the National Theatre (February 2024) – missed that one!
Behind the Scenes at the Royal Opera House (October 2023)

…so we’re building quite a list!

Up until today, we weren’t really familiar with St Brides, but it has a proud history and goes back more than a thousand years! It’s also seen more than its fair share of damage.

According to their website: Fleet Street is a warm and welcoming Christian community, and our Church is one of the most famous and fascinating historic buildings in London. A place of Christian worship for 1500 years, we continue to proclaim God’s love in the heart of the city. We are a thriving and inclusive parish church, renowned for our outstanding music and unique ministry to all who work in the media.

Today, was a special tour conducted by none other than the Head Verger, Robin Turner and was scheduled to last 90 minutes.

2.15pm: Let the Tour begin!

Well, not quite yet! Initially, it was all a little confusing. It turned out that earlier in the day, the Church had welcomed a VIP. And not just any VIP – it had been the Queen herself!!!

The morning Piano Recital had therefore been moved to the afternoon, overlapping with OUR Tour. Thoughtfully, the Church recognised we would get in each other’s way, and around 20-or-so of us Old Croydonians were relegated to The Crypt!

We’ve probably all got an idea of what a Crypt looks and feels like, but this was no dark, cold and dusty environment! Instead, we discovered a brightly lit, scrupulously clean, almost sterile area – and as we were about to find out – uncomfortably warm too!

Robin quickly got into his stride!

And what a stride! We learned that Queen Camilla had officially opened the newly refurbished area earlier today as part of the 650th celebrations. The Crypt now sported a lengthy information board/Timeline explaining the Church’s history.

Robin gave a thorough explanation of the display (perhaps TOO thorough?) and, combined with the warmth generated by the over-enthusiastic floor heating system, meant that after 30 minutes or so, some of us were beginning to wilt.

If you like your Church visits to have a fascinating history, St Brides certainly deserves to be on the list. Robin’s extensive history lesson certainly covered a lot of ground – and a lot of years. So much so that an hour later, we were only just coming to the end. And we hadn’t been upstairs yet.

But wait, there’s more!

Robin then split us into two groups and took us into the storage area adjacent to the information boards. Inside, bones, bones and more bones were neatly boxed up, sharing shelf space with various other bits and bobs that you and I would keep in the loft.

The bones were actually the property of the Museum of London, and we were also lucky enough to see a partial skeleton laid out awaiting inspection. Next, MORE bones to enjoy, locked behind a door to the Church’s own Charnel House. Sadly, no photography was allowed of the bones.

Time was marching on and (as usual, we were ‘on the clock’)! It was now almost 3.45 – and we’re still ‘underground’. We snuck out, snapped a photo of the Altar and then took the short walk to City Thameslink Station.

It had been a fascinating visit, but we rushed it all to ensure all our train connections worked out. It had been good to walk in the footsteps of royalty (literally!), but it would be great to make a follow-up visit here to pick up where we left off.

Thanks, Bob! A worthy day out in your memory!

Our next OCA trip? A behind-the-scenes tour of Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post OCA – St Bride’s Church appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Sunday – 4 January

We woke to a freezing cold Kettering! It felt much colder than the forecast suggested. Well, at least it was dry!

But we weren’t at home for long, as we’re off to our favourite City – London – where it was a tad ‘warmer’.

We’re with friends, John & Trish and in celebration of Trish’s birthday on Monday, where we’re going to be tourists for a few days! It’s a packed programme!!

With the programme sorted for the next few days, we grabbed the 11.48 out of Kettering. Despite the weather, the train was initially on time, but in true tradition, ended up arriving slightly late into St Pancras International.

1.30pm: We’d booked the 2pm slot at Mail Rail, and because we were now slightly short on time, we decided to grab a cab (instead of taking the Tube/Bus) to drop off our suitcases at the Premier Inn, The Cut, Southwark. I thought I knew that area quite well, but the immediate surroundings seemed to have changed quite a bit, with our Hotel literally next door to the restaurant where we’d booked a table for tonight! It was clearly new to our seasoned Black Cab driver Larry too, who took a few turns to get us to where we needed to be.

1.40pm: With our suitcases safely stored at the Premier Inn, our next stop was Mail Rail at Mount Pleasant, courtesy of Larry and his Cab, ticking over outside.

London’s ‘Mail Rail’

1.58pm: We were on the 2pm timed-ticket and in an example of perfect timing, we arrived with just a few minutes to spare!

We were first here back in December 2023 as part of our Wedding Anniversary celebrations.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with ‘Mail Rail’, we’d totally recommend it. It’s the rail service that ran under the streets of London from 1920 until 2003. These days, it’s a tourist attraction where you can become ‘a letter for 60 minutes’ and experience part of that journey in a ‘converted carriage’. It was a bit cramped, and we recommend just ONE person in the two-seaters (unless it’s a first date! ). It was totally worth the slightly cramped accommodation though!

Part exhibition, part audio-visual presentation, from the comfort of a slightly ‘cramped carriage’, we learned the history of this unique, but valuable part of London’s mail sorting and delivery process. There was plenty to see from the glass-topped carriages – either looking at the well-lit tunnels or in areas where the ‘station’ walls had been repainted white to act as a screen. Great stuff!

It was all very well put together and gave an entertaining and informative account of the importance of this service that processed millions of letters a day at its height.

Want more? After leaving the Train, there was an Exhibition on-site showing a wide range of the mechanical marvels that made up the Mail Rail service. From trains to carriages – and pretty much everything in between!

We weren’t done yet! A quick 5 minute wander up the road, led to The Postal Museum – and a short break for coffee & hot chocolate! Well, HOT was a bit of a stretch for both, but it was wet and warm(ish). Entry to the Exhibition was free, covered by the price of the ticket to Mail Rail (£19ish each).

It wasn’t particularly a large space, but it packed a lot in! The Royal Mail Coach ‘No 105’ was stunning!

Checking in

3.58pm: A short taxi ride later, we were back at our Hotel. The check-in process took no time at all, and the Hotel itself looked like a fairly new development. We were soon grabbing our bags from storage, and taking the lift to the 1st floor. We we in room 144 with our friends, next door in 146.

Tas Restaurant – The Cut

5.20pm: With our table booked for 5.30pm, we braved the cold night air and wandered the 50 metres to the Restaurant!

Ann and I had eaten here before – but not for about 5 years. Prior to that, it had always been a popular destination in my working days. So, no pressure then, in taking a couple of good friends there – their first time! – for a pre-birthday treat, hoping it was as good as it used to be! .

We needn’t have worried! The service and the food especially, was a good as we remember it. Packed with flavour and lovingly presented.

A really great experience all round! I remember now why I ate here on so many occasions back in the noughties!

7.10pm: We were stuffed – and none of us had managed a Dessert either! . We all agreed that a walk in the cold night air would help us all ‘work off’ at least some of the food we’d just enjoyed.

The area around here has certainly changed. Gone was the very busy road that I recalled some 20 years ago! A closer inspection revealed that, as we headed towards Waterloo, the main drag, or at least part of it, had been made a no-car zone! It gave the area a more tranquil, relaxed (and quiet) feel – we liked it, we like it a lot! . We passed the Young Vic, The Old Vic, Waterloo Station and got almost as far as Blackfriars Bridge before turning around and heading back in the direction of the Hotel. The area was really buzzing!

8.02pm: Twenty minutes later, we were in striking distance of the Hotel, but it was still quite early! We headed for a nightcap opposite the Hotel – The Bar & Block Steakhouse. I’d not heard of the chain before, but inside looked very welcoming, even if it was a little quiet (it was Sunday evening!). Our breakfast, courtesy of Premier Inn, is here for the rest of our stay, so we’ll have a more rounded view of the venue in a few days.

Still, it would have been rude not to try it out for ‘research purposes’, where a few Gins and a Bailey’s later, our research had begun! .

We left Trish & John to continue the quality control whilst we headed for our room to unpack and grab an early night! It had been a great first day and tomorrow is an even busier one! We’ve a tour of the new Guinness Factory, a boat trip down the Thames, a look at the newly refurbished Battersea Power Station and finally a ‘birthday inspired’ Indian meal at Dishoom in Battersea. Phew!

10.05pm: Nighty night!

Monday – 5 January (Birthday Girl!)

6.05am: We woke to another chilly one! Luckily, the walk from our Hotel to breakfast required only about 5 seconds in the open air! . It was Trish’s Birthday today and a packed day followed, although we postponed our visit to the Transport Museum to give the day a more relaxed feel.

8.05am: Time for Breakfast! We thought we were quite early, but the Steakhouse was already busy when we arrived just after 8. You can’t beat a Premier Inn Breakfast for variety – and it’s even better when it’s rolled into the price of the stay! We ate healthily (for some of us, at least, initially) and that set us up perfectly for our walk to Covent Garden.

Guinness Brewery Tour (Covent Garden)

This new Guinness Brewery only opened late last year, and it was no ordinary opening! To be precise, on the 18th December 2025, His Majesty The King arrived to officially cut the ribbon on the £73m Guinness Open Gate Brewery London in the heart of Covent Garden.

10.15am: After a quick look around the Merchandise area (kerrching!!!), we headed for the entrance to the Brewery Tour. After being supplied with hi-viz jackets, we were ready, where Colm introduced himself as our Tour Guide.

We learned such a lot about the process of manufacturing the perfect Guinness. Ironic then, that NONE is made here. Yes, you read that correctly. Covent Garden Brewery is actually the innovation hub for the brand, where they look and develop NEW Guinness products! . Factoid of the Day? Every Guinness has 300,000,000 bubbles! (Nope, me neither!)

Next on the Tour was the opportunity to taste-test some of Covent Garden’s non-Guinness products. It was well run, where we had four different products to taste. They were ALL delicious, but the majority of us preferred the IPA (bottom row, in the middle).

After the tasting session, there was an opportunity to learn how to pull the perfect pint of Guinness! . We all did very well, and we spent the next hour-or-so, sampling our wares!

Four perfect pints pulled – and tasted! Next stop? Battersea Power Station. We could have used the Tube, but instead, we decided to take the Thames Clipper service from Westminster. It was a bit of a hike, and cold too, but we knew we were all the better for the 25-minute trot!

Battersea Power Station

1.15pm: It was only a fifteen-minute journey (and much more scenic than the Tube!)

1.30pm: We seemed to arrive in a flash, and after a short walk to the interior, we all agreed that a light snack would be in order . Paris Baguette was our choice!

Up the Chimney!

Suitably refreshed, it was then a short wander to the Chimney. Ann and I had been here before, back in July 2023 with David & Valerie, but it was good to have a second opportunity to see some unrivalled views across the capital.

3.05pm: After a thorough look around the exhibition that explained the history of Battersea Power Station, we were ready to ascend! Weather-wise, it was the perfect day for the spectacular view across and around London.

It didn’t disappoint! . We now had some time to kill before our Curry, so we looked for a Café nearby! That was easy! Just a few doors away from our Delhi destination – Tozi ticked all the boxes.

It worked perfectly! We got out of the cold for about an hour, and we were also close to our next stop!

Dishoom Restaurant

5.00pm: It was already busy when we arrived – surely a good sign!

Newbies beware! The main food menu isn’t laid out in a traditional sense and took some getting used to. It’s ‘all in there’, it was just a question of finding it!!

After last night’s outstanding meal, err, ANOTHER outstanding meal! They really did impress here tonight. The food was delicious, and the service was lightning fast without making us feel that we were hurried. By the time we left just before 6.30, the place was absolutely heaving, so we wondered what they’re like on a Thursday or Friday!

In a final flourish, they presented Trish with her ‘Happy Birthday’ Dessert!

6.30pm: We headed for the Clipper pier at Battersea, just a 10-minute walk away and were soon saying goodbye to a beautifully lit, almost silhouetted, Battersea Power Station – a great memory for Trish! . As we departed the Clipper at Blackfriars, we noticed something strange! It seemed like we had London all to ourselves. In fact, thinking back to the day as a whole, the capital had been very quiet – hardly any people and certainly a lack of traffic. Was it the weather? The time of year? Who knows?

7.45pm: We’d walked quite a few miles today, and so we said goodnight to Trish & John and headed back to our room. It’s a packed programme tomorrow that includes the Churchill War Rooms and the Globe Theatre.

Tuesday – 6 January

6.05am: Morning all! A quick look out of the window confirmed it’s another cold one!

After a hearty breakfast at the now familiar ‘Block & Stone’ Steakhouse opposite, we made our way, by Tube, to the Churchill War Rooms.

Churchill War Rooms

9.55am: Hidden beneath Westminster, the Churchill War Rooms was the secret underground HQ of the PM during the Second World War. Now augmented by a wide range of exhibits, it tells the story of the PM during this wartime period in the greatest of detail. It’s a popular place, and we had a timed ticket for 10am.

The experience is split into two distinct halves. First, there are various rooms where the Cabinet and support staff met (and often slept!). Second, the remaining space is the exhibition devoted to Churchill’s life. The whole process was helped by the optional commentary via personal headsets – these were a must, as there is a mind-boggling amount of information to absorb. I felt that it’s typically one of those exhibitions where a second or even third visit makes sense .

There was plenty to see here – more than we expected, and for Ann and me, it certainly felt like they’d added to the already comprehensive history of this iconic war leader since we were last here in 2017. Whatever your views of Winston, he certainly lived a full and colourful life and got the country through what is often called our ‘darkest hour’. I’m not sure there are many Politicians around now with that much mental (and physical) stamina! Given his larger-than-life persona, it was advised to allow more than 2 hours to take it all in – we could have done with even more time by the time we left at 11.45.

Next stop? The Globe Theatre. We’d originally planned to walk, but the weather had deteriorated, and we took the Tube instead!

It turned out to be one of our wiser decisions as down came the snow. Yes, snow in London! I can’t recall the last time I saw that!

Globe Theatre Tour

In spite of being slowed down by the appalling weather as we took the short walk from the Tube station and across the ‘wobbly (and now slippery) bridge’, we arrived in good time.

There were around a dozen of us in the group, and we were all looking forward to our ‘behind-the-scenes’ tour of The Globe.

Gerard introduced himself as our Tour Guide, and in the next hour, he impressed us all with his knowledge about the rise, fall, rise, fall and rise of this well-known building! We’d last been here with mates, Ralph & Karen, back in August, 2007 to see Othello. Since then, we noticed something about the Stage area had changed. Gerard confirmed that it had been ‘decorated’ based on further research some years ago.

What an amazing building… and the amazing story that led to its ‘resurrection’! Gerard certainly did a great job in keeping us engaged and it was clear that he was an actor ‘between projects’. We’ve certainly been blessed with excellent Guides during our time here in the Capital – thanks Gerard!

Tourists in need of Shelter!

1.55pm: As we exited The Globe, we all agreed it was now much colder than yesterday. Luckily The Swan, next door, was open and we took refuge in there for an hour-or-so (and based on yesterday’s visit to the Guinness Factory, assessed the Barman’s skills at pulling a pint!). Phew! We needed that!

A Wander…

2.30pm: With our circulation restored, we set off for a wander along the Thames Path, close to the seaworthy replica of The Golden Hinde and towards Borough Market.

Borough Market

2.45pm: As expected, the Market was heaving – and it was only Tuesday! Although it was good to look around, ideally, we were looking for somewhere to sit down and eat. There was plenty to eat, but seats? Not so much!!! Even the local Pubs didn’t tickle our tastebuds, especially as Trish had a fishy wish for Salmon .

Lunch

3.10pm: We backtracked from Borough Market and stumbled into The Old Thameside Inn (right next to the Golden Hinde).

It was virtually deserted inside, and the need to order via an App made it an experience where we almost got to the end of the meal without conversing with any of the staff! (and if that’s the future, I don’t like it, especially as the App asked if we wanted to add a tip!). What we DID like however, was the food! Trish got her Salmon, whilst we three tucked into their Pies – Steak for Ann and Beef Rib, Shin & Brisket for John and me. Good to see that my carrots were arranged to imitate the famous Chuchillian gesture!

Southwark Cathedral

4.15pm: I’m not sure where the day had gone, but it was now getting dark, and we finished off our day by visiting the nearby Southwark Cathedral. Dating back to 1106, it used to be called the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie. No wonder attendances at Church are dropping!!

Splendid architecture! Well worth visiting, although the smell of stagnant water/blocked drains as we entered was a bit of a turn off!

5.00pm: By the time we left, the weather outside had lost all traces of the mini-blizzard from earlier in the day. It was still colder though, and we quickened our step.

5.35pm: We walked back to the Premier Inn, passing the Tate Modern and my old watering hole The Founders Arms and the rather impressive Blackfriars Station, whose platforms now dominate the skyline. After dropping into the Tesco Express near the hotel for some essentials, we ended our day at the now-familiar Block & Stone opposite the Premier Inn, for a nightcap.

Wow! What a day! It had been a busy one – but in a good way. The snowy conditions as we approached The Globe surprised us (as well as the numerous joggers in t-shirts and shorts!), but it had all been totally worth it.

The Tower of London tomorrow!

Wednesday – 7 January

A change of plan this morning! Due to a situation at home, our friends now needed to get back to Kettering much earlier. We postponed the Tower of London and the rest of today’s itinerary until another time.

Bye-bye London!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post London Calling! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Fellow Doctor Who fan, Jo and I took a drive over to Peterborough today.

It was a rare opportunity to visit the City that’s hosting an unofficial Doctor Who Exhibition at their Museum & Art Gallery. It’s been running since May this year (ending on 2 November) and has turned out to be extremely popular. Some 14000 visitors so far, apparently!

I npicked Jo up at 7.30am and we arrived with plenty of time to spare. So, we wandered round to nearby Bewiched for a brew and a cheeky tea-cake. Suitably refreshed, we then took the short walk and arrived at 9.30 on the dot – and there was already a queue!

Once we were inside the Museum, it wasn’t the largest of spaces (just three rooms), but what was on display there, as we were soon to discover, was impressive!

Worth remembering that this was an UNofficial Exhibition and most of the exhibits were from amateur collectors.

Even if you’re not quite as obsessed as us two, you couldn’t fail to be impressed by the level of detail that had gone into the creation of what was on display

And in just under an hour, we were done! This had been a really impressive collection – hats off to the organisers.

Having spoken to a fellow ‘Who’ enthusiast who was checking admission tickets, we learned that the Exhibition is not ending when it closes here in November – it’s moving on to another town/city. That was great news as we both felt the Exhibition deserves a wider audience.

A brilliant event! . Thanks to everyone involved!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Two for Who! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We’re off to Prison with Dennis and Sandra – the Victorian Prison inside Lincoln Castle.

We set off just after 9am and enjoyed a strangely uneventful journey north – even the A1 was quiet!

This is our 19th cultural day out together with our friends since we started these back in February, 2017.

So far…

Nottingham Castle (June 2025)
Wollaton Hall (October 2024)
Nottingham City (May 2024)
Doddington Hall (December 2023)
International Bomber Command (September 2023)
Southwell (March 2023)
Chatsworth House (November 2022)
Belvoir Castle (August 2022)
Kedlestone Hall (May 2021)
Hardwick Hall (August 2020)
Castle Howard (December 2019)
The Royal Armouries Museum (March 2019)
Bolsover Castle (October 2018)
Belton House (May 2018)
York (February 2018)
Burghley House (October 2017)
Hull (May 2017)
Leeds (February 2017)

First Stop

10.55am: We all arrived around the same time and stopped off at the nearest coffee shop for a quick catch-up. A great cappuccino and a great craic!

The Prison

Let the culture-fest commence!

As part of Lincoln Castle (built in 1068 by William the Conqueror), the Prison was constructed in 1788, but it was the Victorians who made most use of it! It is therefore typical of that period, where having a strong moral compass was a given, if you weren’t to end up behind bars – or worse!

In its brutal way, men, women and children as young as eight were held here from 1848 to 1878 for crimes ranging from stealing a waistcoat and Bible, highway robbery and murder – and the heinous crime of ‘setting fire to a haystack’!

During this time, seven murderers were hanged at the Castle and their bodies buried in Lucy Tower where their graves can still be seen today. Apparently, their headstones are actually ‘feet’ stones as they were buried facing downwards, towards Hell. Those Victorians ehh!?

Time for the 12 noon tour!

12 Noon: Les was our Guide, and he gave a thorough grounding in the history of the Castle. He had a great style injected with the occasional humorous quip – Perfect!. Today’s learning point? Some of those destined for the gallows used to ‘swallow’ a lead pipe so that their neck wouldn’t break when hanged! Who knew?

The Tour lasted just over an hour and probably should – and could – have been longer as there was so much to take in. When we said our goodbyes to Les just after 1pm, it gave us just enough time to see the rest of the Castle. With lunch beckoning, we took a quick look at the Prison Chapel, the 1215 Magna Carta (a shame – no photography allowed) and finally, a scramble up the spiral staircase for me to see that unrivalled view of Lincoln Cathedral. Just my luck that the lift was broken! Today’s factoids: The Victorian Prison Chapel is the only one surviving IN THE WORLD, and the Magna Carta here is one of just FOUR in the UK!

Lunch

1.35pm: Sandra had helpfully pre-booked Olé Olé, a Spanish Tapas Restaurant right outside the Castle. It was already quite busy when we arrived, and we were soon to find out why!

Fab food followed! Super tasty, piping hot and reasonably priced!

The food and service was excellent, but the time passed all too quickly. We only had a few minutes to spare before our car park ticket ran out, and so we said our goodbyes and headed for the car and our 80-mile trip home. Our friends had a bit more time on their hands and stayed to explore more of Lincoln.

2.45pm: On the road, Ann took the wheel as the 6.5% beer I’d had with Lunch kicked in. All I wanted to do was sleep – so I did!

4.16pm: Home and awake!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Lincoln Castle and Prison with Dennis and Sandra appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We caught up with Gill today at nearby Rockingham Castle. For a more detailed description of the venue, read my Post from a few years ago (August 2022). Prices have gone up slightly since we were last here. We paid £17 (for the youngster) and £18 (for the elderly).

Well, it was perfect weather for it today, and unlike last time, the Café was open too!

‘Mike’ was our Guide (as last time) and did a great job keeping us informed and entertained.

The general order of things was the same as last time: Outside first, taking in views of the Castle, then the Gardens and finally back around to the entrance. We were then left to our own devices to wander around the INSIDE. Again, as before, no photography is allowed inside as this is still the home of the current family – the Saunders Watson clan. James Saunders Watson also happens to be the Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire.

It took us around an hour for the tour outside and 45-minutes for the interior. Word to the wise: If you are above average height, watch out for the three Chandeliers in the Long Gallery – two of them are very low!

All-in-all, a good day out! Great to catch up with Gill, stunning views, impressive rose garden (given the time of year) and some tasty treats in the Café!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Rockingham Castle with Gill appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Tonight, we headed off to the famous Brockleby’s Pies – where else but in Melton Mowbray!

Jo and Janet brought me a ‘Pie Making Experience’ voucher for my birthday in 2024, but it’s only now that I’ve got around to redeeming it. Luckily, Ann came along too, guaranteeing at least one masterpiece!

It was a slow journey there – just 40 miles – but it took over an hour! However, we were first to arrive and had the pick of the massive car-park adjacent to Brockleby’s HQ! By 6.25pm we joined the 14 other willing souls about to exercise their pie-making skills in the official Brockleby’s production kitchen. After a quick snackette of (what else!) a pork pie and a coffee, we were ready.

Nigel, our Pie-Maker-in-Chief, introduced himself and after a short, but thorough ‘housekeeping’ session, he began the session with a short history of Melton Mowbray’s most famous export. Then, it was eyes down and hands-on for the rest of the evening. We were all enthusiastic about adding to our skill set tonight where even the hammering of the heavy rain on the roof didn’t distract us .

We’d all brought our own aprons, but then something terrifying appeared – authentic Brockleby’s hair nets! They were necessary, but it wasn’t a good look!

Nigel then got into the detail of the evening, formally introducing the two-hour session. We’d be using raw ingredients from the off and inside the allotted time, we would finish with an authentic Melton Mowbray Pork Pie. He explained the process in digestible bite-sized chunks, but whether our pies would be the same, only time would tell.

The most important tool of the evening was the ‘dolly’. Looking like a early product from Ann Summers (oh, just me then!) it was to prove essential in the production process. Made from rare tulipwood (nope, me neither!) its surprisingly simple design helped us turn a lump of ‘hot water’ pastry into something that looked almost… beautiful!

Flour was our constant friend as we fashioned the pastry around the dolly.

Slowly, it all came together – from a lump of pastry to an immediately identifiable Pork Pie in just six stages!

The pastry, initially quite tough, became very pliable as we worked it into shape. As we progressed, not only were we scrutinising our own work, but we were also looking at our fellow pioneering efforts. Do you know what? They all looked good. Thanks, Nigel! With just flour, water, a spoon and of course, the dolly, we’d created something that we all felt exceeded our expectations.

As Nigel made his final inspection, and after placing our creation in the official Brockleby’s box, it looked good enough to eat (but only after we’ve baked them at home and added the jelly) .

By 8.35, it was all over. Nigel allowed us to ‘raid the freezer’ and purchase some ‘proper’ Pies at heavily discounted prices – we duly obliged and left with a Cocky Leeky , a Wild Deer and a slightly less annoyed Scrumper’s Pie (aka Apple & Blackberry). Yum yum!

The Sat-Nav kept things interesting going home by taking us on a different (but faster) route, and we were indoors just before 10pm.

Things we learned…
– How to make an authentic Melton Mowbray Pork Pie (obviously!)
– Brockleby’s is a small operation. Just 13 staff work there on pie production
– They don’t make pies for anyone else
– Their Pork Pies are all handmade – no machinery as such, apart from the dolly

What a great evening that was! I’m probably not going to give up my day job, but we both had a great time! Nigel presented the perfect blend of information, expertise, and entertainment!

Thanks to Nigel for his skills and patience, and Jo and Janet for the gift! .

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Pie Guy! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Great! Another organised day out courtesy of my old School – Selhurst Grammar School for Boys and The Old Croydonians’ Association. Today, it’s the iconic Fulham Palace – the historic home of the Bishops of London since 704AD.

Thanks to the OCA, we’re building up a nice portfolio of cultural visits so far:-

Hidden Greenwich (September 2024)
Backstage at the National Theatre (February 2024) – missed that one!
Behind the Scenes at the Royal Opera House (October 2023)

We had a straightforward journey there, but we temporarily thwarted by the planned walking route from Putney Bridge Tube leading to the Palace being closed. Thanks to a very friendly local, she accompanied us almost to the door via an alternative route! Ahh, the kindness of strangers!

The weather held (we were expecting rain!) and we were soon saying hello to our fellow Old Croydonians together with Valerie, John and Caroline from the Committee. Bob, as usual, had organised the event, but wasn’t with us today. A light nibble or two later, and we were ready for the off! There was around 20 of us, helpfully split into two groups. Theresa, our Guide, who possessed the two vital ingredients for someone in her role – enthusiastic and very knowledgeable! We learned that Bishop Stopford was the final Bishop of London to live here, leaving in 1973, and the Palace, in addition to its home for Bishops had also been a War Hospital in WW1.

In terms of what to see, there was more than we initially thought. Although the Garden (September!) was past its prime, there was plenty else to see and learn more about. There is also a Museum here (although we didn’t visit that today).

Some of it wasn’t accessible on the day, but what we did see was worth the trip. First, the Courtyard…

We learned that the mortar in the brickwork was originally black, and during the renovation work some 20 years ago, it was painstakingly replaced with a more traditional colour.

After seeing the Tudor Courtyard – the oldest part of the Palace – we were shown the Gate. It was impressive (and heavy!) and is still used today.

We headed outside in the almost warm weather (September!!!???) to see some sights we weren’t expecting. If you’re fascinated by wood carvings, you’ll be in for a treat here!

 The carvings (Bishops up a Tree) were created by Andrew Frost in 2007 and donated to the Palace by Dolores Moorhouse in memory of her husband, Peter. Sadly the tree wasn’t in the best of condition and the Bishops were ‘evicted’ to nearby.

As we headed for the Chapel, we were reminded of the mish-mash of architectural styles with each Bishop (all 133 of them!) putting his seal of approval by making changes to the building(s).

For us, the most interesting feature was the Chapel, but here’s the weirdest fact you’ll hear all year! In spite of the obvious religious connections of the Palace, you can hire out the space for Weddings, but you CANNOT have a C of E Wedding Service. Civil Ceremonies are fine, and your Wedding can be blessed, but no ‘traditional’ Service. How weird and what a missed commercial opportunity!

Next stop? The Great Hall. Very spacious and full of paintings of Kings and other nobility. We ended the Tour in the Library (quite modest in size – so modest, I forgot to take a photograph!). The Tour ended just over an hour after it had begun, and we all felt we’d learned a lot. We thanked Theresa and gave her a well-deserved round of applause.

We left around 3pm where our travel connections all fell into place. Actually, it was good to travel on a not-too-crowded Tube (where was everyone?) and the trip from St Pancras International to Huntingdon wasn’t too bad either. We arrived home just after 6pm. Could we have driven it less time? Maybe, but the stress of London traffic these days would have ruined the day.

Thanks, Bob- another successful event! .

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post OCA – Fulham Palace appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Today was a welcome return to ‘Bomber Command’ in Bourne, Lincolnshire. This time, with great mates John & Trish. Its full title is International Bomber Command Centre (the IBCC).

July 2019 – Denis’s 90th
September 2023 – with Dennis & Sandra

It wasn’t our first visit, but it’s such a well-laid-out and comprehensive record of that pivotal period of WWII, there’s always something here that’s new or worth a relook. We took Ann’s Dad there to celebrate his 90th birthday (Denis was ex-RAF) and made it one of our cultural days out with Dennis & Sandra – and it certainly impressed! For those who’ve not been, the IBCC is a record of the war department’s activities, primarily responsible for strategic bombing of Germany and occupied Europe. It played a crucial role in the Allied war effort, but also faced significant criticism for its high casualty rates too.

By the time we arrived just after 11.30, the car-park was almost full and so we parked in the overflow area and near a shady tree in preparation for our picnic later.

After getting our four tickets (three concessions and car parking, it totalled £48), we headed for their Café. That too, was unusually busy, and we settled down with a coffee to plan our visit.

Inside, across two floors, it was as informative as ever!

Outside though, was nothing short of stunning. In addition to the fixed exhibits, including the Spire Memorial and the Wall of Names (58000 of them!), there is usually an area here that changes over time, and today was no different. The ceramic poppies, first seen at the Tower of London, were proudly on display, (and it made for a stunning scene, fronting the traditional view across the city of Lincoln).

Yes, a great experience all around (even though we’ve now been here three times) – I’m sure we’ll be back!

Our promised picnic followed, where Ann and Trish had done a great job assembling the ingredients, leaving the boys to assemble the furniture! Well, you’ve got to play to your strengths, and before long, we were all (safely) seated, tucking in to the good food! The glorious weather (now about 28℃, but much cooler under the shade of the nearby tree!) made it a perfect day for it!

What a great day! The venue impressed, the food impressed, and so did the weather – what’s not to love? . If it wasn’t the insects taking a serious interest in our food and drink, we might have stayed longer, but after finishing pudding and a quick visit to the loos, we headed home.

It was a smooth journey home, and we were back on the drive by 4.30. A swift cuppa followed, with a brief natter about our next get-together. We then said our goodbyes, until the next time.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Bomber Command – Revisited appeared first on Steve's Blog.

It’s that time of year again – time to catch up with our recently discovered cousins and nephews. In fact, these get-togethers are turning into a regular (and very enjoyable) ‘gathering of the clans’.

Gathering of the Clans!

2024 – Windsor
2023 – Hatfield House
2022 – Hampton Court
2021- Kew Gardens
2021 – Shuttleworth Collection

This year, it was the iconic Knebworth House with the added bonus of back to Roger and Jane’s afterwards for a light nibble.

These days, the House is probably best known as a venue for mega-musical performances, but for those wanting a less noisy backstory, there’s a good (and short) history lesson HERE on their website.

We all met up there just after 11.30. This year, Chris and Kate couldn’t make it (Chris was working!) Whilst nephew Oli was in University-land, leaving the clan more of a ‘clanette’ today, starring Ali, Alison, Jake, Zidane, Sami, Roger, Jane and us two.

The weather couldn’t make up its mind – one minute, sunny and the next minute, chucking it down (the first significant rainfall for a good few weeks!). After a lengthy chat in the refuge of Knebworth’s Café, we were ready for the culture! £20 each for admission (with a small discount for us ‘oldies’) and cheap to book online ahead of your visit – their website is HERE.

Ann and I reckon it’s been 30 years or more since we were last here, and although it’s not unusual for me to remember none of the details of our days out – nor could Ann! . So, everything today felt like a new experience!

The House felt lived in (it is!) and there were plenty of Guides on hand to answer our questions – and based on just MY questions and queries, they certainly knew their stuff!

Good to see a place in such good condition inside, with a wide variety of ‘stuff’…

…even a first edition of A A Milne’s ‘Winnie the Pooh’ signed by the author (a long-time family friend, apparently) and his son, Christopher Robin.

Good to see they have a Preservation Trust too!

With our tour inside over (it took around an hour) we headed outside for the ‘Watchman Tower’. The tower was originally used by the night watchman, but had been out of use since the 1950s. It was re-opened in 2020 following extensive restoration. Visitors can climb the staircase (so we did!), which is made from oak from the Knebworth Estate, in order to reach the top viewing platform where you can enjoy stunning views of the local area.

The experience had been great so far (and the weather remained ‘kind’!). So, it was just the Gardens to look around? No, not quite! We almost missed it, but there was a further treat in store! It was a small exhibition – On Location – documenting Knebworth House and its extensive use across the film industry. And there was more! How about memorabilia of the many (many) pop concerts from here?

That was impressive and deserved more space! Now it was time for the Gardens…

In truth, the flowers were probably past their best, but it didn’t prevent us from enjoying a very relaxed Sunday stroll around a quaint English garden! Then it began to rain!! How English!

We probably stayed longer than we imagined we would, but it had been really worth it – even with the ‘variable’ weather. It was then back to Roger & Jane’s for a whopping great Afternoon Tea. Great food followed – and so did the rain, forcing us all indoors to finish our feast. The gifts of Baklava went down a treat too! (Thanks, Ali and Alison!)

As our early evening came to an end, thoughts turned to our next clan collective! After much debate and discussion, we shortlisted: ‘Tower of London’, ‘Greenwich’ and a few other London-centric locations.

A longer-than-usual journey home followed, due the Black cat roundabout remodelling (‘Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements’ to give it its full title), meaning the A1 was shut northbound – cue a much longer journey north involving the A10!

Thanks everyone! Great to catch up – see you on the next one!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Cousins Catchup 2025 – Knebworth House appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Postponed from 2nd April, today was another of our cultural days out with mates, Dennis and Sandra. This time it was Nottingham Castle and then lunch at the famous Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Pub, nearby!

We let the train take the strain and grabbed the 9.28 out of Kettering that got us to Nottingham Station around 40 minutes later.

The four of us are building up quite a portfolio – and this is our 18th day out together!

Previously…

Wollaton Hall (October 2024)
Nottingham City (May 2024)
Doddington Hall (December 2023)
International Bomber Command (September 2023)
Southwell (March 2023)
Chatsworth House (November 2022)
Belvoir Castle (August 2022)
Kedlestone Hall (May 2021)
Hardwick Hall (August 2020)
Castle Howard (December 2019)
The Royal Armouries Museum (March 2019)
Bolsover Castle (October 2018)
Belton House (May 2018)
York (February 2018)
Burghley House (October 2017)
Hull (May 2017)
Leeds (February 2017)

The Castle

A short taxi ride got us to the castle in around 10 minutes.

Well, it was certainly a nice day for it, but if you’re looking for a ‘castle castle’, then Nottingham Castle isn’t the one! It’s actually a Ducal Mansion (Duke’s mansion) on the site of the original Castle that was built in 1068. The castle has had its ups and downs through history, but today, in 2025, it was in fine condition.

In recent years, a serious amount of money has been spent on revamping the entrance area with a combined Admissions/Gift Shop before you get as far as the actual building.

Admission was £15 each (no concessions at all, but if you trade them your email address, you can return for up to a year for free!). Trading over, we decided the first stop would be their nearby Café (there’s another, inside the Mansion).

Given that it was only 10.40 (and the Castle hadn’t opened until 10) everywhere was pretty much empty. Still, having a Castle to yourself, is no bad thing! .

Suitably refreshed, and after a thorough catch-up of each other’s news, we headed up towards the summit and the direction of the castle-that’s-not-a-castle. Given the supposed connection between Nottingham and Robin Hood, there was a distinct lack of arrows (not the killing kind, but the directional sort), and where this was to become a ‘thing’ in a short while. However, the lack of direction was more than made up for by the stunning views across the surrounding land.

Yes, some very stunning views across the countryside, but we were here for the views on the INSIDE.

Those expecting to see typical ruins of a Castle inside will be disappointed, maybe even confused (but I’ll get to that in a minute!). Entering through the glass doors, we were all unclear as to which way to turn – left or right? OK, we had a 50/50 chance, so what could possibly go wrong? Again, it was the distinct lack of directional arrows, leaving it all to chance.

We turned right and stumbled into a Gallery of some sort, complete with a stained glass window and a bank of personal LED screens.

It was all fascinating to look at, but none of us were getting the ‘castle-vibe’ at all.

We found ourselves in an exhibition about the ‘Major Oak‘ – located in Sherwood Forest. Still no sign of anything relating to Robin Hood though!

It soon became clear that much of the Castle’s interior was in fact an Art Gallery/Exhibition space – nothing wrong with that, per se, but we were expecting something else. And so, with our ‘Art Gallery/Exhibition’ heads now firmly screwed on, we saw the Castle’s interior in a different light.

Once we’d accepted that there were no turrets/cannons/arrow slits and cold stone walls, it was all very enjoyable. There were plenty of exhibits and a wide range of pictures, painted in various styles.

Lots to see here and if you like Lace and the best was yet to come…

It was a this point, we realised that we seemed to be doing everything BACKWARDS. It didn’t make an awful lot of difference, but we’d viewed the lace dresses above from the NEWER to the OLDER rather than how the exhibitors had intended – the other way around.

Next stop? A visit to the Basement to look at the ‘Rebellion Gallery‘. Obviously, we knew we had to head down, but to do that, we needed either stairs or a lift. Neither of which were obvious! (Signage! ). A friendly member of staff spotted our confusion and helped us out, pointing us in the right direction. It was still a voyage of discovery, with one arrow pointing to a locked door! We eventually arrived!

The Rebellion Gallery looked at the riotous moments in Nottingham’s history and it did a good job using a mix of technologies to bring it alive. It was the first time I’ve seen LED TVs used ‘portrait’ fashion to tell some of the stories – and it was very effective. Our ‘doing everything backwards’ strategy continued to confuse, as we realised once more that we had entered the Gallery via the exit. Rebellious that’s us!

Our final stop was the Lower Basement where, at last, there were some Robin Hood-related exhibits. Many of them were interactive, including archery practice and using a wooden staff to herd geese (yes, really!) – an essential life-skill! . Dennis and I resisted the temptation to show-off, leaving Class 3B to embarrass themselves!

No trip to Nottingham would be complete without the obligatory photograph of ‘Robin Hood’ – success!

All-in-all, it was an enjoyable visit, once we’d reoriented ourselves away from ‘castles as castles’ towards ‘art/history/culture’. What let it down for this visitor was the poor/lack of signage. For a City known for its excess of arrows, they were singularly lacking here at Nottingham Castle!

At just before 1pm, we headed for Lunch about a five-minute walk away.

The Pub

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem – Weird name and very old Pub! Opened in 1189, makes it England’s oldest surviving Inn, and there were plenty of reminders, some more obvious than others .

Apparently, the Pub was frequented by none other than the famous Richard the Lionheart before heading off to the Crusades (hope he settled his tab!)

Inside was lovely! A typical (very) old Pub. Narrow staircases, lots of nooks and crannies and a resident family of ghosts! Oh, and a great range of ales!!!

The menu didn’t disappoint, and after we ordered, we spent the next 10 minutes or so discussing where we’ll go on our cultural day-trip next time in September. No firm decisions yet, but we’ve narrowed it down!

We were soon tucking in, reflecting on our trip around the Castle.

We finished lunch just after 2pm and wandered back down the hill towards the Station. Dennis and Sandra headed off towards John Lewis, whilst we saw that our train was cancelled, meaning the next one wasn’t until just after 3pm, meaning we arrived home just before 4.30. It had been another great day out – here’s to the next one in September!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Nottingham Castle with Dennis and Sandra appeared first on Steve's Blog.

It’s official! I’m a computer nerd! (who knew?). Actually, probably most people!!!

Why so? I drove over to meet Chris today in Northampton, and we took the short drive to the National Museum of Computing in Bletchley, having been there with Ann as part of our Valentine’s Break earlier this year – how’s that for nerdiness!? a romantic gesture

Nerdiness aside, there is so much here to take in (in spite of its compact size) that it deserved a return visit just to see what I didn’t see last time!

Having arrived just after opening time at 10.30, we managed to sandwich ourselves between a private corporate party and ‘Class 3B’ out on a school trip. That meant there were a LOT of Volunteers on duty, all eager to answer our questions and share their knowledge! . Entry was £12.50 each (concession).

Just like last time, there was plenty to see covering pretty-much the ‘A to Z’ of computing – from mainframes to computer games and everything in between, all well laid out with plenty of space to get up close and personal!

I even saw a mint ‘Psion Series 5‘ that had been my trusty companion from launch in 1997 (replacing my ‘Psion 3a‘ from 1993).

Best of all? (and to tie-in with ‘AI’ in everything, these days), there was a short presentation by Tommy Flowers, the English Engineer working for the General Post Office, who designed and built Colossus! Worth going, just to see ‘him’ speak! So realistic!

I still think a third visit might be in order, as there is so much detail here! What a great visit!

By 12.40, we were all ‘nerded out’ and headed for The Navigator Inn – a Pub/Restaurant in Cosgrove, about twenty-five minutes away.

A first visit for me, where the service was very friendly and speedy, the menu was extensive, and where you can watch them cooking their homemade Pizzas!

A quick ‘main course only’ plus a chance to reflect on our visit was the order of the day, plus some thoughts about our next get-together followed. I then dropped Chris home, and I was back indoors by 3.45.

Good to catch up today, Chris, and thanks for suggesting the Museum (and the Pub!)

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Computer Nerds appeared first on Steve's Blog.

D’you know, I’ve never been as busy as I’ve been lately – and I’m retired! So, today, was a special treat!

I took the short drive over to techy-mate Chris and we motored on to Gtechnic’s HQ in Upper Heyford, The reason? A half-day ‘hands-on’ Car Detailing Workshop organised by Alex, one of their experienced Detailers.

Tom was our Guide, explaining the art (and science) of looking after a car’s bodywork – and he did a thorough job! There was about 20 of us there, and we all had one thing in common – how could we spend LESS time on making our cars look the best? There was plenty of advice to be shared by Tom!

It began with a classroom presentation of Gtechniq’s products, where it was good to NOT be on the receiving end of a hard sell! In fact, it was all VERY educational, but the best was yet to come – the practical side of things.

Moving from the classroom to the outside revealed a rather mucky Golf GTi – but not for long. Tom initially demonstrated some of their wash products before letting us loose with the more specialist stuff. For me, the show-stopper was the Bug Remover that literally dissolved insects before our eyes and the Ceramic Sealant that certainly brought out the best in the paintwork. Also the hydrophobic effect of their Glass Cleaner was amazing!

A brilliant morning! We finished the session helping ourselves to the free samples and purchasing some of their products!

Thanks Alex and thanks Tom, for enlightening us! Chris and I left around 12.30 and I was home by 1.35, just in time to watch Doctor Who ahead of tonight’s episode.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Boys’ Day Out appeared first on Steve's Blog.

14th February

Well actually, a TWO-day celebration, this year, as we headed for Buckingham and the White Hart Hotel for a romantic day and sleepover. . It’s 10.30 and we’re off!

But before all that, an opportunity to explore the town of Buckingham. We arrived just before 11.45 and although the town seemed quite quiet, the main (300-space) town car-park was almost full!

Adjacent to Waitrose and just 70p for 3 hours was a bargain – but for cash lovers, you’ll need to find somewhere else as it was ‘card-only’! . What is it with the weather at the moment? It’s absolutely freezing today here in Buckingham (just the same as back home) so it was a good idea we packed gloves!

The Chantry Chapel

11.45am: Our first stop?A short walk to The Chantry Chapel in the town, looked after by the National Trust.

Parking for this location would be challenging, with only a small car-park immediately outside ‘featuring’ a very rough surface.

Outside, it was very pretty, nestled in amongst the more modern retail units surrounding it on most sides. Inside, it was quite small and there wasn’t that much to see. When we arrived, the Chapel was visitor-less, but the three Volunteers on duty made us feel very welcome, and we virtually got the whole of the Chapel’s long history delivered to JUST us – and the coffee was excellent too! Perfect!

The Chapel had enjoyed a varied past! It had been a school (1552 to 1907) and a hospital and was restored by the iconic Gilbert Scott in the 1870s (who was also responsible for Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras Station, the Albert Memorial, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London – amongst many other places). These days the Chapel is sadly, a shadow of its former self where its main attraction is the second-hand book collection. A shame really, as it was all very well conserved and based on our experience, a very welcoming place.

We had a thorough look around, enjoyed our beverages just as the place began to fill up (but they turned out to be the next NT Shift reporting for duty!)

Buckingham Gaol

12.16pm: I do love it when they spell ‘Gaol’ with a G! It used to be the way all us Brits wrote it, but in recent years, the ‘J’ has become the norm! Bloomin’ Americanisms!!! – and don’t get started on ‘autopsy’? It’s ‘post-mortem’ (shall we say my office at 2?’) – that one’s for Endeavour fans only!

What a fantastic-looking building! Very baronial! I would imagine that any ‘crim’ would enjoy being in here! (err, no!!)

It immediately felt like it was worth the £8 as there was so much to take in

Once inside, having parted with our OAP £8 each fee, it all became somewhat tardis-like and seemed to go on for miles! (no bad thing as far as we were concerned!).

Rumour has it Hereward the Wake was imprisoned here, whilst on the other side of the cell door Lord Cobham of Stowe provided most of the funds to realise the town’s ‘dream’ of a ‘proper gaol’! Again, Gilbert Scott was involved when the semi-circular front was added to the design for the new incoming Superintendent – talk about ‘living above the shop!’

In later years, with the felons now housed elsewhere, what did they do with the gaol? Top marks for variety through the years… it became a parking place for fire engines, an ammunition store, a public toilet, a café and an antiques shop. Phew! Quite a track record!! The local Council eventually decided to sell it, but the natives were restless and set up a Trust and took over the running of the place. That was in 1993 and it seems to be going strong today although when we made a donation, we were told that it was the first one she had ever received! . In happier news, in 1997, the District Council supported an enhanced Tourist Information Centre on-site and added a glass roof over the exercise yard in 2000.

Oh, and a final note… anyone heard of currency called an ‘Angel’ and ‘Half Angel’? Well, we hadn’t!!

Yes, it was all new news to us (best I could recall was a farthing!). Apparently in mediaeval times coins were minted when needed and gold and silver were often melted down and made into new coins. The one above is one of only seven known to exist and the ONLY one on public display anywhere. Who knew? More information HERE.

Our final stop in the Gaol was the Prison Exercise Yard and in what seemed like a concession to the snowflake generation now had a glass roof over it! . In truth, it was all very commercial and the space could now be hired out for various meetings/events.

All-in-all, a very interesting visit with far more to see than we thought. It wasn’t all ‘prison-related’ and included some significant information about archaeological finds in-and-around the area. Off for a walk around the town next…

There isn’t a large number of shops here, but at least only a FEW were boarded up! In fact, those that were trading all seemed to be busy and that contrasted directly with back home where ‘tumbleweed’ is becoming the dominant presence in our town . The absence of a McDonalds and other fast-food (ahem) ‘staples’ of many, many towns these days suggested this may have been deliberate, giving the town a strong feel of a bygone age. If they’d filmed BBC’s ‘Larkrise to Candleford‘ here, they probably wouldn’t have needed to change very much (and that sounds like a good thing!) No surprise then, that the author – Flora Thompson – lived in the area! Every day a school day, ehh?!?!

Buckingham Parish Church

1.05pm: Our next stop involved a short walk to Buckingham Parish Church in the town. Very church-like from the outside, but once inside…

…with all the seating removed (we’re not sure why, but there was a lot of equipment around the perimeter – maybe a standing-only concert???) it looked completely different and offered a great sense of wide open spaces.

As we wandered towards the altar, it all became much more ‘church-like’.

Lunch!

1.45pm: With the promise of ‘generous portions’ (according to most online reviews) for tonight’s celebratory meal we chose to eat light.

We stumbled across the imaginatively titled ‘Cornwall Place Kitchen’ in err, Cornwall Place, near where parked and close to the town’s Waitrose. What it lacked in creative company names it more than made up for with its food offer. Very friendly service was accompanied by the simplest of menus where our chosen nibbles tasted amazing!

How could a simple toasted sandwich taste so good!? . Thanks folks, that was an excellent light-lunch.

The White Hart Hotel

2.50pm: Time to check in! Here we are at the White Hart Hotel and our bed for the night.

Again, car-parking was challenging, with just a single space left in their adjacent car-park. Luckily (given that it was controlled by a third-party) the Hotel has an arrangement and a simple recording of your reg number at Reception relieves you of any parking fees.

Checking-in was super-easy and after a very warm welcome, we were heading for room 12! Sadly, no oxygen nor ropes were supplied for our ascent, as we tackled an almost vertical staircase that led to our room. Once we got our breath back, we were soon unpacking in our very well-appointed room.

Yes, we’re very pleased with choice. Online reviews had commented that some of the rooms were ‘very dated’ but ‘refurbishment was taking place’ – ours felt and looked like it had been!

Turkish Restaurant

6.45pm: Off for the short walk to ‘Mey‘ one of the many Turkish Restaurants here in the town.

6.45pm: Well, first impressions were good! It was packed!

We were given a large table by the window with plenty of room. They’d put petals on the table and the service was prompt and polite! What could possibly go wrong?

Sadly, it was all downhill from there, and I’m simply going to put our experience down to ‘bad luck’. The restaurant itself was massive, and it was packed! The food certainly LOOKED the part – the plate was attractively presented, and the portions were massive and probably could have fed most of Kettering. An impressive menu was matched with sensible prices too! The staff were lovely – courteous and attentive – and full of smiles on this the most romantic of nights. However, no-one could have possibly tasted our food before it was plated-up, because it tasted so bland – and Turkish food is never usually short on flavour, is it? . Even the Chips were disappointing!

And then on came the live singer! Great tunes, ruined by the obsession with the volume being on 11, and making it impossible to have any sort of conversation – including the opportunity to give the Chef some feedback! More fundamentally, the entertainer wasn’t very good, and was regularly off-key (to our ears, anyway) . We skipped Dessert for fear that the windows might shatter at any moment. Oh God… Music too loud… bland food… I AM really getting old! Shoot me now!!

7.45pm: Surely then, it wasn’t a good sign that we were in and out in less than 45 minutes! But, as I previously commented – it was busy! No-one else seemed to be having a problem with the food and the singer was going down well with the audience! Yep, it’s obviously US!

To end on a positive note, it WAS a Valentine’s Day that we’ll remember, and that’s perhaps, just how it should be! We wandered back to the Hotel, reflecting on the experience!

It’s Valentine’s Night and a threesome is planned! X-rated too!

Ann, me and an episode of Endeavour! (Series 2, Ep 1) – thanks heavens for ITVX!

10.05pm: Nighty Night!

15th February

Good morning all!

10.00am: After a great breakfast at the Pub here in Buckingham, we headed for Bletchley – but not Bletchley Park – instead, the nearby National Museum of Computing. It was to be our first visit there. Luckily, we were inside as the weather was rubbish (again!) – think it’s rained for the past 9003 days!

National Museum of Computing

10.35am: Here we are at the National Museum of Computing. It was only a short 20-minute journey here and we were soon parked and ready to enjoy what the Museum had to offer.

“We’re the independent Charity housing the world’s largest collection
of functional historic computers”

Unless you know that the best route in ‘the final mile’ is to head for the Bletchley Park entrance (why would you?) then the differing post-codes online, at the time of writing, will make it an interesting journey. We finally found the place but we assumed that the deception was deliberate to make it harder for the Nazis if we were invaded!

10.50am: It’s £10 to get in or £7.50 if you’re an old ‘un! There’s no ‘life’ on the tickets as there is next door at Bletchley Park – once you’ve used them today, they can’t used again. That was a shame, but I guess they need the money! I got the impression that even though they are very close to all the attractions at Bletchley Park, they operate as a separate entity.

That aside, it was definitely a good day to be inside as it was chucking it down outside to the promised and lived up to the threatened 3℃! We didn’t plan to cover every room here today, as I’m sure we’ll be back again as there’s so much to take in!

In fact, one Volunteer commented to me:

“If you don’t leave with a headache, you haven’t really seen enough!”

So, just an overview today with a few photos from what’s on offer…

If computers aren’t really your thing, then there are plenty more bits of tech on offer guaranteed to help you reflect on bygone days. Sliderules, Calculators, Personal Organisers are all proudly displayed nestled amongst the larger exhibits. I certainly felt a warm glow seeing all those Nokia phones from a time when they were at the top of mobile phone development.

It soon became obvious that the earlier comment from the Volunteer about ‘headaches’ was a reality – there’s so much detail on offer, it’s impossible to take it all in during a single trip.

From smaller applications such as the above “Rubik’s Cube Solver built from Lego’ to the rather larger (and probably better known) ‘Colossus’ computer, it was all a heady reminder of the ingenuity and cleverness of mankind.

Within the hour, we both felt the promised headache coming on – and we took that as a good sign! I’m definitely coming back to look at it all again in more detail. Outside it was still raining and that slowed the journey home, but by midday we were indoors, unpacking

And so…

What a great weekend! Even though the weather literally put a dampener on things, I think we made the most of it. Discovering Buckingham was a joy! (and I can’t think why it’s taken us so long to ‘find it’). It may not ‘have all the shops in all the sizes’ but it was fun exploring the central retail area of the town. From the cultural perspective, both the Chapel and the Gaol ticked a lot of boxes for us, whilst the accommodation and the friendly service at the White Hart Hotel added to our positive impressions of this small market Town. The only disappointment was the Turkish restaurant last night, but let’s be generous and put it down to a ‘blip’.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Valentine’s Day (2025) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Here we are again – another of our cultural days out with Dennis & Sandra! Today, it’s Wollaton Hall in Nottingham.

9.02am: We left home just after 9am and for once, the traffic on the M1 behaved itself and we were there in good time. Well, apart from me initially putting the wrong post-code into the Sat-Nav placing us about two miles short of our destination!

We’re building up quite a back catalogue with Dennis and Sandra, having started doing these together in 2017…

Nottingham City (May 2024)
Doddington Hall (December 2023)
International Bomber Command (September 2023)
Southwell (March 2023)
Chatsworth House (November 2022)
Belvoir Castle (August 2022)
Kedlestone Hall (May 2021)
Hardwick Hall (August 2020)
Castle Howard (December 2019)
The Royal Armouries Museum (March 2019)
Bolsover Castle (October 2018)
Belton House (May 2018)
York (February 2018)
Burghley House (October 2017)
Hull (May 2017)
Leeds (February 2017)

So, today was our 17th outing, where we headed for Wollaton Hall, (a Grade I Elizabethan mansion set in 500 acres of parkland) and their popular ‘Hidden History’ tour. These days, the Hall is managed by Nottingham City Council welcoming around 450,000 visitors per year.

Before we get into the Tour, if you think you’ve seen Wollaton Hall before… maybe on the TV… or even the cinema… you’d be RIGHT! Warner Bros chose the Hall to double up as ‘Wayne Manor’ in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of the most recent Batman movies.

Who knew?

10.45am: Dennis and Sandra arrived not long after us and we were soon queuing outside the rather imposing front-door, awaiting the official welcome at 11am. For would-be followers, don’t forget that you’ll need the RingGo app for parking – as far as we could see, they don’t take cash here! (£5.20 all day, at the time of writing).

Once inside, we were welcomed by our Guide and soon learning about the history of the Hall. The building of the Hall was a sad tale of the perils of attempting to ‘keep up’ with polite society.

The Hall was built in the 1580s for Sir Francis Willoughby by the Elizabethan architect, Robert Smythson (also famous also for designing Longleat and Hardwick Hall). The venture eventually bankrupted Sir Francis, but it remained in the family until the late 1880s when the family moved out because it was ‘too near the smoke of a manufacturing town’. It continued on a ‘downward trajectory’ until it was bought by Nottingham City Council in 1925 and opened as a Museum in 1926.

Spread across four floors, style-wise, the House is a bit of a mish-mash of decoration! But for me, it all ‘worked’ as an example of an owner who was driven to leave a lasting impression by attempting to design-in the best of everything – from everywhere – it seems!

Our first stop on the tour was upstairs, looking down on the main Hall where we continued to learn more about the rise and ultimate fall of the House of Willoughby!

Next was a short walk via the stairs out on the roof, boasting stunning views across the Nottinghamshire countryside.

It was good to be able to enjoy the unrivalled view where even the weather also played nicely today for us!

From the roof, surprisingly, we were invited to go even higher…

We weren’t expecting that! After a precarious climb up a very spirally spiral staircase, we squeezed through a narrow door to reveal…. a large spacious square room – The Prospect Room. Showing off? Surely not!

Then it was down… down… and down some more, into the Kitchen. Smaller than I imagined it would be, given the Hall employed around 60 staff, it had all the features of the typical kitchen of the time – large open fire, multiple ovens and of course, no refrigeration. Oh, and lots of fake food!

And finally, it was down even further, literally UNDERNEATH the Hall where through large swathes of complete darkness (phone torches at the ready!), we were shown how the sewage was ‘routed’ through the house!

It was all very fascinating and our Guide had done a great job in keeping us informed and entertained. The hour’s tour passed in a flash and after giving our thanks, we were now free to wander around the rest of the Hall at our leisure. Actually, there was still a lot more to see – a Taxidermy (the ‘Taxidermist’s Tale’), ‘Living Planet’, ‘Changing Planet’ the ‘Fish Room, the ‘Bird Room’ and a temporary exhibition called ‘Miniature Masterpieces’ (more about these later!)

The Taxidermists Tale

I’ve always found something quite creepy about stuffed animals – I think I must have been stared at by one as a child! And here, there were plenty of staring eyes! On a slightly less creepy note, there was a stack of information here about the stuffing process itself – and a few interactive displays to explain the gruesome process in (incredible) detail. I’m sure the kids would love it!!

The Hall has amassed quite a collection over the years and where, for taller members of the family, there was even a fully stuffed adult giraffe who has apparently been there since it opened in 1926! All was not as it seemed and there are stories of it being ‘made’ mostly of papier-mâché – but let’s not spoil the illusion, as it looked mighty impressive from all angles (and at least it wasn’t staring at me!)

The Bird Room
No prizes for guessing what was on display here…

We never did find the advertised Fish Room! And anyway… how do you stuff a fish?

Miniature Masterpieces
This was a real ‘jaw dropper’ courtesy of Dr Willard Wigan who is based in Birmingham.

The essential ingredients? Plenty of microscopes, good eyesight and the ability to paint using an eyebrow hair (yes, really)

Sadly, it was impossible to take a photograph of the exhibits through the microscope lens, but what we saw was unforgettable. The artist has created 20 separate miniatures ON THE INSIDE OF THE EYE OF A NEEDLE! on the theme of ‘Disappearing World’. Thoughts of ‘how’ (and possibly even ‘why’) sprang to mind, but this was one heck of a skill set! Read more about it all HERE (no microscope required!)

Living Planet/Changing Planet
Plenty to see here about how our planet is changing, including the spectacular display of natural minerals.

Proceedings were interrupted briefly by a herd of unruly school children screaming their heads off and ignoring the Teachers’ even louder requests to ‘behave’. We quickened our pace to get ahead of them and that seemed to work a treat. If there had been a customer comment opportunity, I had an idea for the next exhibition of stuffed creatures! Noisy sods!!!!

We had a quick bite to eat in the Café (light bites only here, at the time of writing) and it was all delicious – even my halloumi baguette! (what was I thinking?) all washed down with a can of Punk IPA. We were stuffed With full tummies and the Hall now covered, we headed for the onsite Industrial Museum.

Silk and Lace Museum
This was a really interesting range of exhibits. It charted the evolution of lace and silk manufacturing using various machines of the time, and how they competed with handmade equivalents.

Some fantastic displays with some actually working. Next stop, the display of bikes…

The Bike Displays by Raleigh
Here was an impressive range of bikes from ‘Choppers’ to a good ol’ ‘Rudge’. Everything was in great condition and there were a lot of two-wheeled examples to see (with some three and four-wheelers too!

The Engine Hall
We finished our day in the Engine Hall. Even if ‘steam’ isn’t your thing, you couldn’t fail to be impressed by the sheer quantity of exhibits on display. The Museum even devotes certain days to some of the machinery actually being demonstrated to the public!

We finished our day taking a short walk around the Park. To make a change, it was actually warm and generally very pleasant – not bad for October! . Stunning view of the back of the Hall too!

3.20pm: We all agreed it had been a fantastic day! – A really interesting House with plenty to see (plus a few surprises). The Museum (and the Engine Hall) was an extra treat. We said our goodbyes, agreeing to meet up again in January, 2025 and headed home.

4.55pm: Crikey! A trouble-free journey home too!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Wollaton Hall with Dennis and Sandra appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Today, Chris A and I took the train from Northampton and headed for the Excel International Exhibition & Convention Centre in the Docklands for the F1 Exhibition. Actually, this was the very first time I’ve visited Excel! Getting there was easy by taking the Elizabeth Line and getting off at Customs House and then taking the short walk to Excel.

We arrived just after 11am after a crushing journey by train due to the lack of carriages! Having given up the 9 to 5 in 2012, I thought I’d said goodbye to all that, but today was a vivid reminder of ‘how it used to be’!

OK, back to the Exhibition… According to the Exhibition’s marketing materials…

“Hosted across six purpose-built rooms designed in collaboration with award-winning curators and film-makers,
this is an immersive adventure through the past, present and future of Formula 1 – making it a must-visit experience for F1 and motorsport fans”

Suits me!

There was plenty to see here for the F1 enthusiast, and even casual fans of motor racing would have found something to interest them. It really was the A-Z of this global sport.

Given it was only a TUESDAY, it was certainly busy, but because the exhibition space was very large, there was plenty of room for exhibits and visitors without it ever feeling claustrophobic.

Featuring a mix of static displays, film, video, and a personal audio track to accompany some of the exhibits, it certainly kept us interested for the duration of our visit.

I can’t think of anything that wasn’t covered here, and it made for a very comprehensive experience. All-in-all, we spent around two hours looking around.

The experience finished with a multimedia presentation (multiple TVs/cinema-type screens and about 20 speakers) featuring the history of F1 including all the iconic drivers – Hill, Surtees, Schumacher, Hamilton etc. Some rare footage too made it an impressive end-piece, and although it was short, it sure was memorable!

What a great day! Probably the best Exhibition I’ve been to in many years.Read all about the Exhibition HERE. It’s not a permanent Exhibition, so don’t leave it too late!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post EXCELlent! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We travelled down to Greenwich today for our annual cultural day out, courtesy of The Old Croydonians’ Association – the ex-pupil association of my old School. Last year, in October, the OCA organised a behind the scenes at the Royal Opera House, and it was great day out. This time, we’re looking ‘beyond the obvious’ in Greenwich.!

As usual, Bob, from the Committee had put the event together where for once, the weather worked to our advantage – a gorgeous day – perfect for just ‘wandering about’.

We arrived in good time. In fact. we even had time for a slice of cake at a nearby café – The Green Café – in Greenwich High Road. It certainly lived up to its green credentials, where there was even a ‘Betroot Latte’ on the menu. Err, no thanks! We went ‘old school’ and ordered two good ol’ fashioned full-fat cappuccinos before we headed for the official meeting point – The Mitre Pub.

Into the Pub

By the time we arrived at the Pub, further along Greenwich High Road, there were already plenty of Old Croydonians filling the Orangery. In fact, it was a great turnout of just under 30 ‘old boys’ (and girls). It was also pleasing to see the familiar faces of Cortland (Chair), Valerie (Committee), John (Treasurer) and Caroline (Membership) too. We were soon settled on one of the Pub’s bright and rather plush orange couches chatting with Steve, Alan and Chris(tine) – none of whom we’d met before. Over a relaxing lunch of haddock goujon sandwiches we had an extended opportunity to exchange views of our individual school experiences, and it was all very pleasant and where the time passed rather too quickly.

At just before 2pm. Bob gave a short briefing, introducing us to our Tour Guides – Wendy and Isabel. Like all good school trips, we were split into smaller groups. Whether we could remember which groups we’d been assigned to, was another of today’s challenges, but we coped and headed outside!

Into the Church

The first part of our tour, the Church was right next to the Pub – St Alfrege – According to our Guide, there been a church here for over a thousand years, dedicated to the memory of Alfrege, the Archbishop of Canterbury who was martyred on this site in 1012. St Alfege Church was the first London church designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor. Many key historical figures in Greenwich’s royal, maritime and scientific history have close links with the site, including Henry Vlll, Composer, Thomas Tallis, General James Wolfe and Astronomer, John Flamsteed.

Split into our two groups, Wendy began to give us an overview of the Church plus Greenwich in general. She certainly knew her stuff and was passionate, humorous and very engaging. Perfect! All the qualities of a perfect Guide!

If you like your Churches light, airy and spacious – then this is a must-see. Much of the interior had been rebuilt after the war and consequently, it all felt very contemporary.

Into the Catacombs

Part of our special arrangement with the Church for today was a visit to the catacombs. The most famous burial there as General Wolfe, victor of Quebec and Thomas Tallis Best of all, it was beautifully cool down there, if a little cramped with quite a few opportunities to play ‘head-meets-roof’!

Into the Town

After the coolness of the catacombs, we returned to the living and headed into the back roads of Greenwich.

There was certainly plenty to absorb about the history of the area. We saw Benjamin Waugh‘s house (or thought we did). He set up the NSPCC, but what made it even more interesting, was that the person who put the plaque on the house, got the address wrong! . Elsewhere, we saw where the old railway passed through the town, the Fan Museum, a row of House specially built with an additional annual cost of a few pounds per year to support the local schools and even a ‘darker’ part of the area where press-ganging was rife. All very interesting and Wendy continued to do a great job of keeping us informed entertained.

Into the Park

Next stop was the famous Greenwich Park. We didn’t dwell much on the history here as these were sights most of us were already familiar with.

The statue of King William IV, sculpted by Samuel Nixon, had originally been erected in London (King William Street, where else!!!) but was moved to Greenwich Park in 1936.

and finally…

…two tales and a tail!

We concluded our tour at the Cutty Sark, but not before Wendy left us with a couple of rarely known facts. What looked like a large feather being held by in the Clipper’s figurehead – Nannie – is in fact part of a horse’s tail and it’s all linked to the poem Tam O’Shanter, by Robert Burns involving witches, Tam and his soon-to-be tail-free nag – spooky stuff! Wendy’s second and final story was somewhat more recent. Near the Cutty Sark is a locked gate that leads down to the River. Apparently, when they were filming Pirates of the Caribbean here with Johnny Depp, he was so concerned about being mobbed by fans after a day of filming. he paid for the old gate to be fully restored – and locked – so HE alone could use it to ‘escape’! Ahh, the price of stardom!! . Ironically, it’s said that he NEVER used it!

Well, the afternoon seemed to pass in a flash. Wendy said her goodbye and whilst a few stayed behind for a natter and a final cuppa, we called it a day. We said goodbye to our school chums around 4.15pm and headed back to Greenwich Station.

All our connections worked well and our recently purchased ‘Two Together’ Card pretty much paid for itself today just from today’s ticket savings. We were indoors just after 6.55pm, so it beat trying to do it all by car!

Bob – thanks for getting today organised, we had a really good time!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Greenwich and Beyond! appeared first on Steve's Blog.