Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Rottingdean
Q2. Rudyard Kipling
The initial clues seem to place us at the village of Rottingdean, in the county of Sussex and it was here c 1896, that a marvellously potty inventor, named Magnus Volk (born c 1851), built the Brighton & Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway. It ran from a pier at Rottingdean to Kemp Town in Brighton and consisted of a car, which some sources say measured forty five feet by twenty two feet (nine hundred and ninety square feet) that rode on four twenty three foot high stilts and which was propelled electrically along an underwater track, which lay just off the shore line. This of course reminds the Eastender of the laid back president Ulysses S Grant's quote from the Will Smith film, Wild Wild West, who when confronted by the steampunk mechanical arachnid of the evil genius Dr Loveless, quipped "That's a fine looking spider you've got there". Mixing water with electricity seems like a bad idea but Volk's 'Daddy Longlegs', as the contraption was known locally, ran from 1896 to 1901, when it was finally closed, due to the local council building a groyne in its path, with Volk not having the funds to re-route his railway.
Sir Stafford Crips, who was appointed Chancellor c 1947 attended a preparatory school at Rottingdean and a sealord appointed c 1916, called Sir John Jellicoe was educated at Field House School, in the village. A novelist called Enid Algernine Bagnold, lived at North End House, Rottingdean and published a work called 'The Last Joke' c 1960. Another famous writer who lived in the settlement, was Rudyard Kipling. Kipling published a work called the 'Just So Stories' (c 1902) and it is in one of these, that he explains how the camel got his hump
The hotel mentioned in the clues is probably the (Grand) Ocean Hotel, at Saltdean Lido, which was built c1937 - 38, depending on which sources you check. Seems to have been opened for three years before the fire service took it over to train their personnel and was subsequently bought by Billy Butlin.
N.B. The Eastender has moved to moderated comments due to the number of people who normally write letters in green ink, posting on his page. Rest assured though, if you have a non abusive comment relating to solving the puzzle and possible solutions, he will publish it.
Saturday, 25 April 2015
Saturday, 18 April 2015
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Manorbier Castle
Q2. Lamphey Bishop's Palace
Very very tricky this week and thus also entertaining, lots of misdirection and red herrings to research and resolve. The Eastender initially thought that the clues were pointing to 'Top Castle' medieval mound, near the Pembrokeshire coast path, about a mile or so north east of Amroth castle but could not find any legends about miracles or injuries relating to this medieval period earthworks. After a lot more digging, he found a mound called 'Sentence Castle', at the village of Templeton (allegedly named after the medieval squaddies who ended up in charge of the world banking system, after rooting around in the mines under mount Moriah and finding something incredibly valuable there (although the 'mines of Moriah' story may of course, be a metaphor for some sort of esoteric initiation ceremony or trial), aka 'The Templars'). A battlefield is marked 1081 on the OS map, near the castle mound, in the middle of a disused airfield, though I could not find any lore relating to injuries or miracles for this grün haufen.
The battle of Mynydd Carn, if it was indeed fought here (and there is a lot of uncertainty about the location, which is where some of the author's clever misdirection comes in, as some sources claim it was fought north of St Davids, which also has a bishop's palace and a chapel by the sea) was between Trahaearn ap Caradog and Gruffud ap Cynan. Cynan's team apparently won this one, with Trahaearn getting killed, as they had some Norman arbalists on their side.
Driving nine miles south south west of Templeton, would bring us to the birthplace of Gerald de Barry, who according to some of the bios I checked, was born in Manorbier Castle c 1146. Gerald de Barry appears to have been the youngest son of William Fitzodo de Barry. Some of the aforementioned bios say he was appointed archdeacon of Brecon c 1174, after reporting bishop Brennan to the authorities, for having a mistress. He was also a writer and academic.
Three miles north east or so from Manorbier, lies the village of Penally and this is said to be the birthplace of St Teilo, c 6th century AD. St Teilo's feast day is February the 9th. Travelling six miles or so south west from Manorbier, would likely take us to St Govan's chapel, near St Govan's head. St Govan (feast day 26th March) was a hermit who legend has it, may also have been one of king Arthur's men (Sir Gawain) who retired there to get over his PTSD, after locking horns with the Green Knight. I did find a reference which stated that the number of steps counted on the way up, can be different from the number counted on the way down. St Govan lived in a fissure in the rocks, with the chapel being built later.
On the way to St Govan's chapel, the puzzle writer most likely passes close to Lamphey Bishop's palace, which was apparently some sort of Kublai Khan style pleasure dome, for stressed out high ranking clergy of the period, to chill out in. It was constructed by Henry de Gower, who was bishop of St Davids, c 1328 to 1347. It was of course no surprise, trashed by our old friend ' 'enry the Eighth'. The area around St Govan's chapel is used by modern day 'arbalists' to throw artillery shells around and is thus marked Danger Area, in red on the OS map.
N.B. The Eastender has moved to moderated comments due to the number of people who normally write letters in green ink, posting on his page. Rest assured though, if you have a non abusive comment relating to solving the puzzle and possible solutions, he will publish it.
Q1. Manorbier Castle
Q2. Lamphey Bishop's Palace
Very very tricky this week and thus also entertaining, lots of misdirection and red herrings to research and resolve. The Eastender initially thought that the clues were pointing to 'Top Castle' medieval mound, near the Pembrokeshire coast path, about a mile or so north east of Amroth castle but could not find any legends about miracles or injuries relating to this medieval period earthworks. After a lot more digging, he found a mound called 'Sentence Castle', at the village of Templeton (allegedly named after the medieval squaddies who ended up in charge of the world banking system, after rooting around in the mines under mount Moriah and finding something incredibly valuable there (although the 'mines of Moriah' story may of course, be a metaphor for some sort of esoteric initiation ceremony or trial), aka 'The Templars'). A battlefield is marked 1081 on the OS map, near the castle mound, in the middle of a disused airfield, though I could not find any lore relating to injuries or miracles for this grün haufen.
The battle of Mynydd Carn, if it was indeed fought here (and there is a lot of uncertainty about the location, which is where some of the author's clever misdirection comes in, as some sources claim it was fought north of St Davids, which also has a bishop's palace and a chapel by the sea) was between Trahaearn ap Caradog and Gruffud ap Cynan. Cynan's team apparently won this one, with Trahaearn getting killed, as they had some Norman arbalists on their side.
Driving nine miles south south west of Templeton, would bring us to the birthplace of Gerald de Barry, who according to some of the bios I checked, was born in Manorbier Castle c 1146. Gerald de Barry appears to have been the youngest son of William Fitzodo de Barry. Some of the aforementioned bios say he was appointed archdeacon of Brecon c 1174, after reporting bishop Brennan to the authorities, for having a mistress. He was also a writer and academic.
Three miles north east or so from Manorbier, lies the village of Penally and this is said to be the birthplace of St Teilo, c 6th century AD. St Teilo's feast day is February the 9th. Travelling six miles or so south west from Manorbier, would likely take us to St Govan's chapel, near St Govan's head. St Govan (feast day 26th March) was a hermit who legend has it, may also have been one of king Arthur's men (Sir Gawain) who retired there to get over his PTSD, after locking horns with the Green Knight. I did find a reference which stated that the number of steps counted on the way up, can be different from the number counted on the way down. St Govan lived in a fissure in the rocks, with the chapel being built later.
On the way to St Govan's chapel, the puzzle writer most likely passes close to Lamphey Bishop's palace, which was apparently some sort of Kublai Khan style pleasure dome, for stressed out high ranking clergy of the period, to chill out in. It was constructed by Henry de Gower, who was bishop of St Davids, c 1328 to 1347. It was of course no surprise, trashed by our old friend ' 'enry the Eighth'. The area around St Govan's chapel is used by modern day 'arbalists' to throw artillery shells around and is thus marked Danger Area, in red on the OS map.
N.B. The Eastender has moved to moderated comments due to the number of people who normally write letters in green ink, posting on his page. Rest assured though, if you have a non abusive comment relating to solving the puzzle and possible solutions, he will publish it.
Saturday, 11 April 2015
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Bishop Eric Treacy
Q2. Dungeon Ghyll Force
внимание друзья! For question two, The word ghyll can also be spelled gill, but the waterfall is marked on some maps as Dungeon Ghyll Force and William Wordsworth also uses this spelling in his poem.
The initial clues seem to place us in a small dorp called Great Crosthwaite, to the north west of the town of Keswick, in Cumbria. The church there appears to be dedicated to Saint Kentigern (aka Saint Mungo) who, depending on which version of his bio you read died either in 612 AD or 614 AD, with some writers from the period claiming that he was one hundred and eighty five years old. A poet called Robert Southey (born c 1774) lies buried in the churchyard, as do the mortal remains of 'The Railway Bishop', Eric Treacy. The Bishop, like Joe Strummer, has a railway locomotive named after him.The Brazilian government appear to have renovated Southey's grave at one point during the nineteen sixties.
A prolific novelist called Sir Hugh Seymore Walpole, who wrote a work called 'Judith Paris', lies in the churchyard of St John's, in Keswick. Driving south from Keswick would take us past the (four to five acres according to the National Trust), St Herbert's island. St Herbert was a bit of a hipster who liked to get away from the noise in town, to hang out, chill, meditate and grow a bit of organic veg and sensimilla, on that peaceful insel. It is also reputed to be the model for Beatrix Potter's 'Owl Island', in her book 'The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin'.
The puzzle author then likely drives to the 'Cataract of Lodore' (name of the poem written about it by Southey, c 1820 from which the quote in the clues comes from) aka the Lodore Falls, at Borrowdale.The quote "James stopped with no good will", is from William Wordsworth's 'The Idle Shepherd Boys' (published c 1800), which as far as I can tell , took place partly in Dungeon Ghyll,with the waterfall there being called Dungeon Ghyll Force (Think ghyll is possibly a local word, with a similar meaning to 'gulley').From reading the poem, it looks like Wordsworth had to fish the lamb out of the pool in Dungeon Ghyll, after it went over the waterfall and give the idle shepherds some feedback in regards to the below par performance of their duties.
Driving south west from the cataract of Lodore, brings us to a fine example of what is known in the trade as 'a large glacial erratic', or a very big boulder that was carried here by a glacier, all the way from Scotland. This is known locally as the Bowder Stone (around thirty feet high and standing on a point) and they seem to have placed a ladder against it so that you can climb up and inspect it.They think it weighs around two thousand tons. Nearby, there is a small eminence known as 'King's How' and there is said to be a memorial plaque there, dedicated to King Edward VII, who died c 1910. The inscription on it reads:
"In Loving Memory of King Edward VII, Grange Fell is dedicated by his sister Louise as a sanctuary of rest and peace. Here may all beings gather strength, find in scenes of beautiful nature a cause for gratitude and love to God, giving them courage and vigour to carry on his will"
Here the writer gets a bit crafty and we need to add the height of where he stands at this point in the text, at four hundred and twenty three feet above sea level, with the remaining height to reach the summit of the feature he is describing ie two thousand seven hundred and eighty six feet, to give a total of three thousand two hundred and nine feet. Converting this to metres, gives nine hundred and seventy eight metres and looking on the OS map for a hill of this height, eight miles or so south south west of the Bowder Stone, brings us to Scafell Pike (978 m).
N.B. The Eastender has moved to moderated comments due to the number of people who normally write letters in green ink, posting on his page. Rest assured though, if you have a non abusive comment relating to solving the puzzle and possible solutions, he will publish it.
Q1. Bishop Eric Treacy
Q2. Dungeon Ghyll Force
внимание друзья! For question two, The word ghyll can also be spelled gill, but the waterfall is marked on some maps as Dungeon Ghyll Force and William Wordsworth also uses this spelling in his poem.
The initial clues seem to place us in a small dorp called Great Crosthwaite, to the north west of the town of Keswick, in Cumbria. The church there appears to be dedicated to Saint Kentigern (aka Saint Mungo) who, depending on which version of his bio you read died either in 612 AD or 614 AD, with some writers from the period claiming that he was one hundred and eighty five years old. A poet called Robert Southey (born c 1774) lies buried in the churchyard, as do the mortal remains of 'The Railway Bishop', Eric Treacy. The Bishop, like Joe Strummer, has a railway locomotive named after him.The Brazilian government appear to have renovated Southey's grave at one point during the nineteen sixties.
A prolific novelist called Sir Hugh Seymore Walpole, who wrote a work called 'Judith Paris', lies in the churchyard of St John's, in Keswick. Driving south from Keswick would take us past the (four to five acres according to the National Trust), St Herbert's island. St Herbert was a bit of a hipster who liked to get away from the noise in town, to hang out, chill, meditate and grow a bit of organic veg and sensimilla, on that peaceful insel. It is also reputed to be the model for Beatrix Potter's 'Owl Island', in her book 'The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin'.
The puzzle author then likely drives to the 'Cataract of Lodore' (name of the poem written about it by Southey, c 1820 from which the quote in the clues comes from) aka the Lodore Falls, at Borrowdale.The quote "James stopped with no good will", is from William Wordsworth's 'The Idle Shepherd Boys' (published c 1800), which as far as I can tell , took place partly in Dungeon Ghyll,with the waterfall there being called Dungeon Ghyll Force (Think ghyll is possibly a local word, with a similar meaning to 'gulley').From reading the poem, it looks like Wordsworth had to fish the lamb out of the pool in Dungeon Ghyll, after it went over the waterfall and give the idle shepherds some feedback in regards to the below par performance of their duties.
Driving south west from the cataract of Lodore, brings us to a fine example of what is known in the trade as 'a large glacial erratic', or a very big boulder that was carried here by a glacier, all the way from Scotland. This is known locally as the Bowder Stone (around thirty feet high and standing on a point) and they seem to have placed a ladder against it so that you can climb up and inspect it.They think it weighs around two thousand tons. Nearby, there is a small eminence known as 'King's How' and there is said to be a memorial plaque there, dedicated to King Edward VII, who died c 1910. The inscription on it reads:
"In Loving Memory of King Edward VII, Grange Fell is dedicated by his sister Louise as a sanctuary of rest and peace. Here may all beings gather strength, find in scenes of beautiful nature a cause for gratitude and love to God, giving them courage and vigour to carry on his will"
Here the writer gets a bit crafty and we need to add the height of where he stands at this point in the text, at four hundred and twenty three feet above sea level, with the remaining height to reach the summit of the feature he is describing ie two thousand seven hundred and eighty six feet, to give a total of three thousand two hundred and nine feet. Converting this to metres, gives nine hundred and seventy eight metres and looking on the OS map for a hill of this height, eight miles or so south south west of the Bowder Stone, brings us to Scafell Pike (978 m).
N.B. The Eastender has moved to moderated comments due to the number of people who normally write letters in green ink, posting on his page. Rest assured though, if you have a non abusive comment relating to solving the puzzle and possible solutions, he will publish it.
Saturday, 4 April 2015
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Dorchester
Q2. Cecil Day-Lewis
внимание друзья! for question two, Cecil Day-Lewis didn't like to use the hyphen in his name and can also be known as Cecil Day Lewis.
The initial clues seem to place us in the Roman town of Durnovaria (aka Dorchester), in the county of Dorset. Travelling five miles of so south west brings us to Black Down Hill, near the settlement of Portesham and the site of a seventy two foot high monument, dedicated to Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy (born c 1769), who fought at the battle of Trafalgar. The author in question is also called Thomas Hardy but he was born c 1840 in the hamlet of Higher Brockhampton, which lies a mile or so north east of the town.
There appear (on the OS map at least) to be remains of a Roman temple to the south of Dorchester, next to an Iron age hill fort called Maiden Castle and the remains of a Roman aqueduct on the north western edge of the town. Travelling five miles or so north east from the aqueduct, takes us to the site of Thomas Hardy's (the author) birthplace, a cottage in Higher Brockhampton. The "long low cottage with the hipped roof of thatch" quote, comes from Hardy's 1872 novel, 'Under the Greenwood Tree'.
The Eastender, after watching 'Tess of the D'ubervilles' and 'Jude the Obscure', thought that Thomas Hardy must have been broke but he seems to have been quite well off and built an impressive town house called 'Max Gate', at Alington Avenue, in Dorchester c 1885. In the garden at Max Gate, lies the grave in which Hardy's fox terrier, 'Wessex' was buried. The inscription on it reads "Famous Dog WESSEX Aug 1913 - 27 Dec 1926 Faithfull Unflinching".
Thomas Hardy's heart, is apparently buried in the graveyard of St Michael's church in a small dorp called Stinsford, which is about a mile north east of Dorchester. Next to this is the site of the poet laureate (appointed c 1968), Cecil Day-Lewis's grave (died c 1972). Cecil Day-Lewis also wrote a novel (c 1935) called 'A Question of Proof', which featured a detective called Nigel Strangeways.
N.B. The Eastender has moved to moderated comments due to the number of people who normally write letters in green ink, posting on his page. Rest assured though, if you have a non abusive comment relating to solving the puzzle and possible solutions, he will publish it.
Q1. Dorchester
Q2. Cecil Day-Lewis
внимание друзья! for question two, Cecil Day-Lewis didn't like to use the hyphen in his name and can also be known as Cecil Day Lewis.
The initial clues seem to place us in the Roman town of Durnovaria (aka Dorchester), in the county of Dorset. Travelling five miles of so south west brings us to Black Down Hill, near the settlement of Portesham and the site of a seventy two foot high monument, dedicated to Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy (born c 1769), who fought at the battle of Trafalgar. The author in question is also called Thomas Hardy but he was born c 1840 in the hamlet of Higher Brockhampton, which lies a mile or so north east of the town.
There appear (on the OS map at least) to be remains of a Roman temple to the south of Dorchester, next to an Iron age hill fort called Maiden Castle and the remains of a Roman aqueduct on the north western edge of the town. Travelling five miles or so north east from the aqueduct, takes us to the site of Thomas Hardy's (the author) birthplace, a cottage in Higher Brockhampton. The "long low cottage with the hipped roof of thatch" quote, comes from Hardy's 1872 novel, 'Under the Greenwood Tree'.
The Eastender, after watching 'Tess of the D'ubervilles' and 'Jude the Obscure', thought that Thomas Hardy must have been broke but he seems to have been quite well off and built an impressive town house called 'Max Gate', at Alington Avenue, in Dorchester c 1885. In the garden at Max Gate, lies the grave in which Hardy's fox terrier, 'Wessex' was buried. The inscription on it reads "Famous Dog WESSEX Aug 1913 - 27 Dec 1926 Faithfull Unflinching".
Thomas Hardy's heart, is apparently buried in the graveyard of St Michael's church in a small dorp called Stinsford, which is about a mile north east of Dorchester. Next to this is the site of the poet laureate (appointed c 1968), Cecil Day-Lewis's grave (died c 1972). Cecil Day-Lewis also wrote a novel (c 1935) called 'A Question of Proof', which featured a detective called Nigel Strangeways.
N.B. The Eastender has moved to moderated comments due to the number of people who normally write letters in green ink, posting on his page. Rest assured though, if you have a non abusive comment relating to solving the puzzle and possible solutions, he will publish it.
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