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. Dalbeattie
Q2. Southerness Lighthouse
Quite tricky this week, if you believe the clue about the lighthouse designer being born in 1854, then this places us at Helliar Holm, in Orkney which was according to some of the reference sources I checked, built by David Alan Stevenson c 1893. Helliar Holm however, does not fit in with the other clues in the puzzle and those seem to point to the location as being in Dumfries and Galloway and the thirty three acre 'Hestan Island' which has a solar powered lighthouse, with the originals being built c 1893 and c 1850. Couldn't find much information about an engineer born in 1854, who built the second one.
The Abbey is probably 'Dundrennan Abbey' which was built c 1142 by David I, who was a son of King Malcolm. It is thought that Mary Queen of Scots stopped here c 15th May 1568, on her way out of Scotland. A small town which lies to the north east of the abbey and which is famous for granite is likely to be 'Dalbeattie'. A king called 'John Balliol' (died c 1314) is thought in some quarters, to have been the owner of 'Buittle castle', which lies on the north western outskirts of Dalbeattie.
Driving south east from Dalbeattie, could bring us to Southerness and this dorpie has a disused lighthouse which was first constructed c 1748/49 and deactivated in the mid 1930s. Some of the reference sources I looked at claim that it is around thirty two feet high.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you gave a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 3 December 2016
Saturday, 19 November 2016
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. The Wiltshire and Berks Canal
Q2. Calne
Quite tricky this week, the initial clues possibly place us in or near Melksham, in Wiltshire, which looks to be around two miles or so from the southern end of what's left of the Wiltshire and Berks Canal. Some of the reference sources I checked, claim that the Stanley aqueduct, which carried the navigation over the river Marden, collapsed c 1901 and that the waterway had been further damaged by the army practicing with demolition charges.
The thirteenth century 'Lacock Abbey', founded by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, as a nunnery of the Augustinian order, looks to be around four miles north of Melksham and it was here that the great British genius, William Henry Fox Talbot, conducted his ground breaking experiments with photography, producing a negative c 1834 which showed one of the lattice windows in the abbey.
The canal forms a three way junction near to the village of Stanley and the short south eastern branch, used to terminate at a wharf, in the town of Calne. Bowood house lies around two miles south south east of the junction and at one time, this was the home of the Marquess of Landsdowne, whose family motto was 'Virtue Non Verbis', which can be translated as 'By Courage Not Words'. The polymath Joseph Priestley conducted his experiments with gases in a laboratory in Bowood House, discovering Oxygen there c 1774. Priestley was chased out of the UK by a bunch of torch and pitchfork wielding cretins who burned his house down and destroyed his laboratory and he eventually had to flee to America, although he was relatively lucky compared to what happened to one of his scientific contemporaries in oxygen experimentation, one Antoine Lavoisier, who had his head chopped off by the ignoratti. Another great scientist and medical practitioner who carried out experiments at Bowood house, was Jan Ingenhousz and he appears to have discovered photosynthesis in the very laboratory that Priestly used.
The causeway mentioned in the clues, is likely 'Maud Heath's Causeway' and some of the references sources I read on this, claim that it has sixty four brick arches and was the result of a legacy by a lady who made her fortune selling eggs at a nearby market. A stretch of the Wiltshire and Berks canal which still has water in it, lies north of RAF Lyneham, which closed for business c 2012.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured that if you have a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. The Wiltshire and Berks Canal
Q2. Calne
Quite tricky this week, the initial clues possibly place us in or near Melksham, in Wiltshire, which looks to be around two miles or so from the southern end of what's left of the Wiltshire and Berks Canal. Some of the reference sources I checked, claim that the Stanley aqueduct, which carried the navigation over the river Marden, collapsed c 1901 and that the waterway had been further damaged by the army practicing with demolition charges.
The thirteenth century 'Lacock Abbey', founded by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, as a nunnery of the Augustinian order, looks to be around four miles north of Melksham and it was here that the great British genius, William Henry Fox Talbot, conducted his ground breaking experiments with photography, producing a negative c 1834 which showed one of the lattice windows in the abbey.
The canal forms a three way junction near to the village of Stanley and the short south eastern branch, used to terminate at a wharf, in the town of Calne. Bowood house lies around two miles south south east of the junction and at one time, this was the home of the Marquess of Landsdowne, whose family motto was 'Virtue Non Verbis', which can be translated as 'By Courage Not Words'. The polymath Joseph Priestley conducted his experiments with gases in a laboratory in Bowood House, discovering Oxygen there c 1774. Priestley was chased out of the UK by a bunch of torch and pitchfork wielding cretins who burned his house down and destroyed his laboratory and he eventually had to flee to America, although he was relatively lucky compared to what happened to one of his scientific contemporaries in oxygen experimentation, one Antoine Lavoisier, who had his head chopped off by the ignoratti. Another great scientist and medical practitioner who carried out experiments at Bowood house, was Jan Ingenhousz and he appears to have discovered photosynthesis in the very laboratory that Priestly used.
The causeway mentioned in the clues, is likely 'Maud Heath's Causeway' and some of the references sources I read on this, claim that it has sixty four brick arches and was the result of a legacy by a lady who made her fortune selling eggs at a nearby market. A stretch of the Wiltshire and Berks canal which still has water in it, lies north of RAF Lyneham, which closed for business c 2012.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured that if you have a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 12 November 2016
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. Grantham
Q2. Saint Wulfram
The initial clues seem to place us north west of Bourne, in Lincolnshire, at 'Grimsthorpe Castle', which originates c 13th century and was remodelled for the owner, 'Robert Bertie' by the architect 'Sir John Vanbrugh' c 18th century. 'Lady Nancy Astor' died in the castle c 1964 and was the first woman MP to take up her seat in the house of commons c 1919, the first woman elected prior to that (Constance Markievicz) could not take up their seat, as they would not swear the oath of fealty. Nancy Astor was apparently a gifted practitioner in the art of banter and bandinage and one account of a verbal sparring session with Winston Churchill, made the Eastender laugh out loud when he read it...
Lady Nancy Astor : "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd poison your tea"
Churchill : "Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it..."
I digress, the seventeenth century house is probably 'Belton House', which lies on the North Eastern outskirts of the town of Grantham. Some of the reference sources I checked claim that this was built for Sir John Brownlow c 1680s and subsequently altered c 1770, by the architect 'James Wyatt' (born c 1746). A clairaudient medium born in Grantham c 1920, was probably 'Doris Stokes', her autobiography was titled 'Voices in My Ear'. The mathematician Isaac Newton (born c 1642) was according to some of his biographies, educated at the 'Free Grammar School of King Edward VI', in Grantham.
The hotel which later became a shopping centre is probably 'the George', which features in a Charles Dickens book called Nicholas Nickleby, published c 1838/39. A church with a two hundred and eighty two feet high spire in Grantham, is most likely 'St Wulfram's'. St Wulfram's feast day is in some reference sources, recorded as being on the 20th March. The puzzle author is 'Handbagged' probably as a veiled reference to Mrs Thatcher, who was born in Grantham.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Grantham
Q2. Saint Wulfram
The initial clues seem to place us north west of Bourne, in Lincolnshire, at 'Grimsthorpe Castle', which originates c 13th century and was remodelled for the owner, 'Robert Bertie' by the architect 'Sir John Vanbrugh' c 18th century. 'Lady Nancy Astor' died in the castle c 1964 and was the first woman MP to take up her seat in the house of commons c 1919, the first woman elected prior to that (Constance Markievicz) could not take up their seat, as they would not swear the oath of fealty. Nancy Astor was apparently a gifted practitioner in the art of banter and bandinage and one account of a verbal sparring session with Winston Churchill, made the Eastender laugh out loud when he read it...
Lady Nancy Astor : "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd poison your tea"
Churchill : "Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it..."
I digress, the seventeenth century house is probably 'Belton House', which lies on the North Eastern outskirts of the town of Grantham. Some of the reference sources I checked claim that this was built for Sir John Brownlow c 1680s and subsequently altered c 1770, by the architect 'James Wyatt' (born c 1746). A clairaudient medium born in Grantham c 1920, was probably 'Doris Stokes', her autobiography was titled 'Voices in My Ear'. The mathematician Isaac Newton (born c 1642) was according to some of his biographies, educated at the 'Free Grammar School of King Edward VI', in Grantham.
The hotel which later became a shopping centre is probably 'the George', which features in a Charles Dickens book called Nicholas Nickleby, published c 1838/39. A church with a two hundred and eighty two feet high spire in Grantham, is most likely 'St Wulfram's'. St Wulfram's feast day is in some reference sources, recorded as being on the 20th March. The puzzle author is 'Handbagged' probably as a veiled reference to Mrs Thatcher, who was born in Grantham.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 5 November 2016
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. The Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
Q2. General George S Patton
They may as well just pre populate the answer text boxes with the actual answers, the initial clues most likely place us at Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, which is home to the Lovell radio telescope, (named after Sir Bernard Lovell born c 1913), which was constructed c 1957. The site also features a thirty five acre arboretum, which contains a national collection of crab apple and rowan trees.
The national park ten miles to the east of Jodrell Bank is probably the Peak District National park and a country house built c 18th century, could be Capesthorne Hall. One of the architects involved in its construction was Anthony Salvin (born c 1799). Six miles to the south east of Lovell's marvellous radio telescope (and the guy was a genius who could track ionisation trails in the atmosphere caused by meteorites, with WWII army surplus radio equipment housed in a shed and on an old searchlight mounting, fitted with an array of Yagi antennas), lies the twenty six mile long Macclesfield canal, which according to some of the reference sources I checked, was opened for business, c 1831.
The 'Tote that barge' hint appears to originate from a song called 'Ol' Man River' from a Hammerstein musical called 'Show Boat' c 1927. Northwest of the discovery centre is 'Peover Hall' and this is where General George S Patton had a billet during WWII. Peover hall, according to some reference sources, was constructed c 16th century by Sir Randle Mainwaring. It seems that Patton was more frightened of the American forces than the Werhmacht, as his troops were shelled all the way from the Normandy beachhead by an innumerate US army artilleryman called 'Mulligan', who could not tell one shell from another and strafed and bombed to hell by their own air corps, when the weather permitted them to take off. "Always do more than is required of you" is one of the quotes attributed to Patton.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. The Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
Q2. General George S Patton
They may as well just pre populate the answer text boxes with the actual answers, the initial clues most likely place us at Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, which is home to the Lovell radio telescope, (named after Sir Bernard Lovell born c 1913), which was constructed c 1957. The site also features a thirty five acre arboretum, which contains a national collection of crab apple and rowan trees.
The national park ten miles to the east of Jodrell Bank is probably the Peak District National park and a country house built c 18th century, could be Capesthorne Hall. One of the architects involved in its construction was Anthony Salvin (born c 1799). Six miles to the south east of Lovell's marvellous radio telescope (and the guy was a genius who could track ionisation trails in the atmosphere caused by meteorites, with WWII army surplus radio equipment housed in a shed and on an old searchlight mounting, fitted with an array of Yagi antennas), lies the twenty six mile long Macclesfield canal, which according to some of the reference sources I checked, was opened for business, c 1831.
The 'Tote that barge' hint appears to originate from a song called 'Ol' Man River' from a Hammerstein musical called 'Show Boat' c 1927. Northwest of the discovery centre is 'Peover Hall' and this is where General George S Patton had a billet during WWII. Peover hall, according to some reference sources, was constructed c 16th century by Sir Randle Mainwaring. It seems that Patton was more frightened of the American forces than the Werhmacht, as his troops were shelled all the way from the Normandy beachhead by an innumerate US army artilleryman called 'Mulligan', who could not tell one shell from another and strafed and bombed to hell by their own air corps, when the weather permitted them to take off. "Always do more than is required of you" is one of the quotes attributed to Patton.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 29 October 2016
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. The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
Q2. Lynmouth Foreland Lighthouse
They might as well pre populate the text box for question one with the correct answer and have done with, as the huge giveaway clue "Perchance it is not dead, but sleepeth", immediately places us in North Devon, at the small section of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway (opened c 1898, closed c 1935, re-opened c 2004) which is still operational. Five miles or so, south west of the western terminus of the line, lies Arlington Court, which is described on the national trust website as an "Intriguing Regency house and horse drawn vehicles, set in picturesque gardens".
Travelling north east of the railway, would bring us to the towns of Lynton and Lynmouth, which are connected by a cliff railway. The OS map shows that there is also a 'Point Perilous' there. The puzzle author is not wrong when he says it has an ominous ring, for Lynton sits at the confluence of two rivers, which flow through steep sided and relatively narrow gorges and consequently when there is heavy rainfall, the place is at very grave risk of being destroyed by raging torrents and this appears to be what happened on the 15/16th August 1952, with a wall of water hitting the town and the boulders carried therein, which were propelled through by the water, destroyed many homes and the community suffered a shocking and appalling loss of life, with around thirty four people reported killed in the catastrophe. From watching some of the old newsreel footage of the event, it seems that the guy who owned the hotel, saved three people from being swept out to sea, by pulling them in through the window.
A good old rebel loose cannon Norman boy, called 'Percy Bysshe Shelley' stayed at Lynton c 1812 and one of his employees 'Daniel Isaac Eaton', was lifted by the bizzies, for handing out some of Shelley's pamphlets which contained extracts from Thomas Paine's 'Age of Reason'. Eaton's hermeneutics by way of defence at his trial were to no avail, as a biased religio-fascist judge and a dodgy jury, then convicted him on a trumped up charge of 'blasphemous libel' (The Eastender apologizes for inadvertently invoking the bewigged bampot from the Eilean Siar, and hopes he does not appear and start building walls) and the hapless pamphleteer was thrown into the chokey and pilloried once a month. Shelley wrote an essay c 1812 called 'A letter to Lord Ellenborough' (family motto "Law and Equity Combined") about the episode, which must have cheered Daniel Eaton up no end, while he was getting chamber pots, dead animals and rotten vegetables thrown at him by an angry mob.
The national trail is probably the 'South West Coast Path' and following it east and then north would bring us to the 'Lynmouth Foreland Lighthouse', which some of the reference sources I checked, claim is fifteen metres or forty nine feet in height. Also appears to have been constructed c 1900.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive quip or comment relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
Q2. Lynmouth Foreland Lighthouse
They might as well pre populate the text box for question one with the correct answer and have done with, as the huge giveaway clue "Perchance it is not dead, but sleepeth", immediately places us in North Devon, at the small section of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway (opened c 1898, closed c 1935, re-opened c 2004) which is still operational. Five miles or so, south west of the western terminus of the line, lies Arlington Court, which is described on the national trust website as an "Intriguing Regency house and horse drawn vehicles, set in picturesque gardens".
Travelling north east of the railway, would bring us to the towns of Lynton and Lynmouth, which are connected by a cliff railway. The OS map shows that there is also a 'Point Perilous' there. The puzzle author is not wrong when he says it has an ominous ring, for Lynton sits at the confluence of two rivers, which flow through steep sided and relatively narrow gorges and consequently when there is heavy rainfall, the place is at very grave risk of being destroyed by raging torrents and this appears to be what happened on the 15/16th August 1952, with a wall of water hitting the town and the boulders carried therein, which were propelled through by the water, destroyed many homes and the community suffered a shocking and appalling loss of life, with around thirty four people reported killed in the catastrophe. From watching some of the old newsreel footage of the event, it seems that the guy who owned the hotel, saved three people from being swept out to sea, by pulling them in through the window.
A good old rebel loose cannon Norman boy, called 'Percy Bysshe Shelley' stayed at Lynton c 1812 and one of his employees 'Daniel Isaac Eaton', was lifted by the bizzies, for handing out some of Shelley's pamphlets which contained extracts from Thomas Paine's 'Age of Reason'. Eaton's hermeneutics by way of defence at his trial were to no avail, as a biased religio-fascist judge and a dodgy jury, then convicted him on a trumped up charge of 'blasphemous libel' (The Eastender apologizes for inadvertently invoking the bewigged bampot from the Eilean Siar, and hopes he does not appear and start building walls) and the hapless pamphleteer was thrown into the chokey and pilloried once a month. Shelley wrote an essay c 1812 called 'A letter to Lord Ellenborough' (family motto "Law and Equity Combined") about the episode, which must have cheered Daniel Eaton up no end, while he was getting chamber pots, dead animals and rotten vegetables thrown at him by an angry mob.
The national trail is probably the 'South West Coast Path' and following it east and then north would bring us to the 'Lynmouth Foreland Lighthouse', which some of the reference sources I checked, claim is fifteen metres or forty nine feet in height. Also appears to have been constructed c 1900.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive quip or comment relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 22 October 2016
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. Cobham
Q2. Ashford
The initial clues appear to place us on the railway half a mile or so north of the village of Cobham, in Kent. The quote "I can discern a cross, and a 13, and then a T. This is important.”, seems to be from a work by Charles Dickens, called 'The Pickwick Papers', first published in serial form c 1836. Mr Pickwick unearths a stone with an inscription on it in a village and some reference sources claim that Dickens used Cobham as his model for the aforementioned dorpie. According to some of his biographies, the architect Sir Herbert Baker was born in a seventeenth century red brick house in Cobham, which was called 'Owletts'. Among his projects, Baker had a hand in the reconstruction of the bank of England c 1921 and Tyne Cot cemetery at Passchendale near Ypres in Belgium, which may be one of the biggest British war cemeteries in the world.
The railway line is carried across the river Medway by a viaduct, as is the M2 on adjacent motorway bridges. The airport is probably Rochester airport (the Eastender used to program flight computers at the works there, back in the day) and I found some references to Short Stirling bombers being built and tested at the site. After Rochester, the railway passes under the North Downs, via the North Downs or Blue Bell Hill tunnel, as it is also known and thence to Leeds Castle, who have a very beautiful web site, which the Eastender spent a fair bit of time perusing. It turns out that a queen born c 1366 called Anne of Bohemia, spent a Christmas there, with John of Gaunt and was later given the castle by Richard II, c 1382. The line then passes through Ashford, which did have a railway works that opened c 1847 and which according to some of his biographies, was where the conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent was born, c 1895. Malcolm Sargent became conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra c 1950.
Nine miles further down the track brings us to Folkstone racecourse which lies next to Westenhanger Castle and from viewing their web site, this also looks to have a very pleasant aspect.
N.B Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Cobham
Q2. Ashford
The initial clues appear to place us on the railway half a mile or so north of the village of Cobham, in Kent. The quote "I can discern a cross, and a 13, and then a T. This is important.”, seems to be from a work by Charles Dickens, called 'The Pickwick Papers', first published in serial form c 1836. Mr Pickwick unearths a stone with an inscription on it in a village and some reference sources claim that Dickens used Cobham as his model for the aforementioned dorpie. According to some of his biographies, the architect Sir Herbert Baker was born in a seventeenth century red brick house in Cobham, which was called 'Owletts'. Among his projects, Baker had a hand in the reconstruction of the bank of England c 1921 and Tyne Cot cemetery at Passchendale near Ypres in Belgium, which may be one of the biggest British war cemeteries in the world.
The railway line is carried across the river Medway by a viaduct, as is the M2 on adjacent motorway bridges. The airport is probably Rochester airport (the Eastender used to program flight computers at the works there, back in the day) and I found some references to Short Stirling bombers being built and tested at the site. After Rochester, the railway passes under the North Downs, via the North Downs or Blue Bell Hill tunnel, as it is also known and thence to Leeds Castle, who have a very beautiful web site, which the Eastender spent a fair bit of time perusing. It turns out that a queen born c 1366 called Anne of Bohemia, spent a Christmas there, with John of Gaunt and was later given the castle by Richard II, c 1382. The line then passes through Ashford, which did have a railway works that opened c 1847 and which according to some of his biographies, was where the conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent was born, c 1895. Malcolm Sargent became conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra c 1950.
Nine miles further down the track brings us to Folkstone racecourse which lies next to Westenhanger Castle and from viewing their web site, this also looks to have a very pleasant aspect.
N.B Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 15 October 2016
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. Tenby
Q2. Cymbeline
The initial clues would seem to place us near the village of Coedcanlas, which is where, according to some of his biographies, the author Dick Francis was born c 1920 and one of those biographies was called 'The Sport of Queens'. (They might as well just have published the answers in the paper with this huge giveaway hint). Coedcanlas lies within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and depending on which reference you check, this is though to be around 240 to 243 square miles in area.
Southeast from Coedcanlas, would bring is to the town of Tenby and it was here, between the years 1920 to 1936, according to some reference sources, that the author Roald Dahl spent his holidays, at a house known as 'The Cabin'. Dorelia McNeil may have been the common law wife of the painter Augustus John, who's bios claim was born at 50 Rope Walk Field, Tenby c 4th Jan 1878.
I found some references to a 'Royal Victoria Pier' in Tenby, which opened c 1899 and was demolished between 1946 and 1953. There does not appear to be much left of the castle in Tenby, which is thought to be of twelfth century origin. There is a watchtower marked on the OS map of the area, which can be found by following the one hundred and eighty six mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path, to the south west of the town. The island which lies one mile off shore, is probably Caldey Island.
The cave in question, could be 'The Cave of Belarius', who was a character in William Shakespeare's play 'Cymbeline', which was published c 1609 and is about a Roman caper around the Milford Haven region of Wales. Belarius used the alias of Morgan, while he hid out in the caves. There are some caves marked on the OS map, to the south west of the town (possibly Hoyle's Mouth Cave, according to some sources).
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Tenby
Q2. Cymbeline
The initial clues would seem to place us near the village of Coedcanlas, which is where, according to some of his biographies, the author Dick Francis was born c 1920 and one of those biographies was called 'The Sport of Queens'. (They might as well just have published the answers in the paper with this huge giveaway hint). Coedcanlas lies within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and depending on which reference you check, this is though to be around 240 to 243 square miles in area.
Southeast from Coedcanlas, would bring is to the town of Tenby and it was here, between the years 1920 to 1936, according to some reference sources, that the author Roald Dahl spent his holidays, at a house known as 'The Cabin'. Dorelia McNeil may have been the common law wife of the painter Augustus John, who's bios claim was born at 50 Rope Walk Field, Tenby c 4th Jan 1878.
I found some references to a 'Royal Victoria Pier' in Tenby, which opened c 1899 and was demolished between 1946 and 1953. There does not appear to be much left of the castle in Tenby, which is thought to be of twelfth century origin. There is a watchtower marked on the OS map of the area, which can be found by following the one hundred and eighty six mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path, to the south west of the town. The island which lies one mile off shore, is probably Caldey Island.
The cave in question, could be 'The Cave of Belarius', who was a character in William Shakespeare's play 'Cymbeline', which was published c 1609 and is about a Roman caper around the Milford Haven region of Wales. Belarius used the alias of Morgan, while he hid out in the caves. There are some caves marked on the OS map, to the south west of the town (possibly Hoyle's Mouth Cave, according to some sources).
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 8 October 2016
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. Hendon Central
Q2. Claude Grahame-White
The initial clues seem to place us in a part of the world the Eastender knows very well, having lived in north London for many years, ie possibly at Hendon Central tube station, which is three stops from the end of the Edgeware branch of the Northern Line. The tube station, according to some of his biographies, was designed by an architect called Stanley A Heaps (born c 1880).
The cricketer Denis Compton was according to some of his bios, born on the 23rd of May, c 1918 at 20 Alexandra Road, Hendon and this does not look to be too far from Hendon Central tube station (around three hundred metres or so, as the crow flies, on some maps). The Eastender does not understand cricket at all but found a reference that claims Compton scored seventeen centuries in test matches.
The entrepreneur who ran the Times, is probably Thomas Tilling and he was not an editor of the Times newspaper but rather someone who ran a horse drawn omnibus company, whose service was so punctual, that it gained the nickname 'The Times'. Some of Tilling's biographies claim that he was born at Gutter's Hedge Farm, in Hendon c 1825. The runner up in the 1963 Grand Prix was Graham Hill and some of his biographies claim that he was educated at Hendon Technical College.
Wandering north west out of Hendon, would bring us into the suburb of Collindale and this was where the British Library kept their newspaper archive until c 2013. It is also where Hendon Police College lies, which fits in with the puzzle author's direction of travel and the 'Lawful in a manner of speaking' clue.
Crossing Aerodrome Road and turning north east, would bring us onto Grahame Park Way and this is named after a famous aviator called 'Claude Grahame-White' (born c 1879). Some of Grahame-White's biographies state that he bought Hendon Aerodrome c 1911 and developed an aircraft there called 'The New Baby'. He also won an aviation trophy called 'The Gordon Bennet Aviation Cup', a joke name which upon hearing it, is guaranteed to provoke mirth and laughter in any indigenous inhabitant of the big British island. I found several references which claim that RAF squadrons 24, 600 and 604 were based at Hendon airfield, a dangerous place to be during world war two, as the locale was hit by several doodlebugs, which resulted in some fatalities. The RAF Museum is located off Grahame Park Way.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive quip or comment relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Hendon Central
Q2. Claude Grahame-White
The initial clues seem to place us in a part of the world the Eastender knows very well, having lived in north London for many years, ie possibly at Hendon Central tube station, which is three stops from the end of the Edgeware branch of the Northern Line. The tube station, according to some of his biographies, was designed by an architect called Stanley A Heaps (born c 1880).
The cricketer Denis Compton was according to some of his bios, born on the 23rd of May, c 1918 at 20 Alexandra Road, Hendon and this does not look to be too far from Hendon Central tube station (around three hundred metres or so, as the crow flies, on some maps). The Eastender does not understand cricket at all but found a reference that claims Compton scored seventeen centuries in test matches.
The entrepreneur who ran the Times, is probably Thomas Tilling and he was not an editor of the Times newspaper but rather someone who ran a horse drawn omnibus company, whose service was so punctual, that it gained the nickname 'The Times'. Some of Tilling's biographies claim that he was born at Gutter's Hedge Farm, in Hendon c 1825. The runner up in the 1963 Grand Prix was Graham Hill and some of his biographies claim that he was educated at Hendon Technical College.
Wandering north west out of Hendon, would bring us into the suburb of Collindale and this was where the British Library kept their newspaper archive until c 2013. It is also where Hendon Police College lies, which fits in with the puzzle author's direction of travel and the 'Lawful in a manner of speaking' clue.
Crossing Aerodrome Road and turning north east, would bring us onto Grahame Park Way and this is named after a famous aviator called 'Claude Grahame-White' (born c 1879). Some of Grahame-White's biographies state that he bought Hendon Aerodrome c 1911 and developed an aircraft there called 'The New Baby'. He also won an aviation trophy called 'The Gordon Bennet Aviation Cup', a joke name which upon hearing it, is guaranteed to provoke mirth and laughter in any indigenous inhabitant of the big British island. I found several references which claim that RAF squadrons 24, 600 and 604 were based at Hendon airfield, a dangerous place to be during world war two, as the locale was hit by several doodlebugs, which resulted in some fatalities. The RAF Museum is located off Grahame Park Way.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive quip or comment relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 1 October 2016
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. Sezincote
Q2. Hidcote Manor Garden
The initial clues seem to place us in a relatively unexplored part of the big British island called 'The Cotswolds ', specifically at a four thousand five hundred acre estate called 'Sezincote', around a mile and a bit south west of the town of Moreton-in-Marsh. The puzzle author is not joking about it having a palace, from the photographs on the Sezincote website, it looks absolutely beautiful, and is built in the style of the homes of the Mogul emperors in India, complete with onion domes and orangery. They appear to have a herd of muley cows there also. The gardener who liked to keep his designs in red books, is probably Humphrey Repton and he does get a mention on the website, as having helped design the landscape around the house. The poet laureate John Betjeman stayed at Sezincote in the 1920s with his friend John Dugdale, who's father owned the house at that time. A lord chancellor appointed c 1929, whose biographies claim was born in Moreton-in-Marsh c 1866, was John Sankey.
The second estate, which lies a mile or so north west of Moreton-in-Marsh, is most likely 'Batsford', their website claims that it is fifty six acres in area and has a large arboretum, with many exotic trees and shrubs. Batsford was at one time owned by David Bertram Ogilvy Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale. The Baron had six wild daughters and some of them liked to hang out with the potty Austrian gefreiter and the completely hatstand Oswald Mosley. The author, who has was as good at quips, banter and repartee as Oscar Wilde, is most likely Nancy Mitford (born c 1904), who published a work called 'The Pursuit of Love', which has a character called 'Uncle Matthew', c 1945.
The garden referred to in the hints is probably 'Hidcote Manor Garden', according to some of his biographies, this was designed as a series of outdoor 'rooms', by Lawrence Waterbury Johnston, who was born in Paris c 17th October, 1871. Hidcote Manor lies about three miles north north west of the town of Chipping Camden but I did not find much in the way of evidence that Nancy Mitford lived there. The quote "stranger than dreams and far, far more disordered" appears to be from one of Nancy Mitford's novels, 'Christmas Pudding', published c 1932.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Sezincote
Q2. Hidcote Manor Garden
The initial clues seem to place us in a relatively unexplored part of the big British island called 'The Cotswolds ', specifically at a four thousand five hundred acre estate called 'Sezincote', around a mile and a bit south west of the town of Moreton-in-Marsh. The puzzle author is not joking about it having a palace, from the photographs on the Sezincote website, it looks absolutely beautiful, and is built in the style of the homes of the Mogul emperors in India, complete with onion domes and orangery. They appear to have a herd of muley cows there also. The gardener who liked to keep his designs in red books, is probably Humphrey Repton and he does get a mention on the website, as having helped design the landscape around the house. The poet laureate John Betjeman stayed at Sezincote in the 1920s with his friend John Dugdale, who's father owned the house at that time. A lord chancellor appointed c 1929, whose biographies claim was born in Moreton-in-Marsh c 1866, was John Sankey.
The second estate, which lies a mile or so north west of Moreton-in-Marsh, is most likely 'Batsford', their website claims that it is fifty six acres in area and has a large arboretum, with many exotic trees and shrubs. Batsford was at one time owned by David Bertram Ogilvy Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale. The Baron had six wild daughters and some of them liked to hang out with the potty Austrian gefreiter and the completely hatstand Oswald Mosley. The author, who has was as good at quips, banter and repartee as Oscar Wilde, is most likely Nancy Mitford (born c 1904), who published a work called 'The Pursuit of Love', which has a character called 'Uncle Matthew', c 1945.
The garden referred to in the hints is probably 'Hidcote Manor Garden', according to some of his biographies, this was designed as a series of outdoor 'rooms', by Lawrence Waterbury Johnston, who was born in Paris c 17th October, 1871. Hidcote Manor lies about three miles north north west of the town of Chipping Camden but I did not find much in the way of evidence that Nancy Mitford lived there. The quote "stranger than dreams and far, far more disordered" appears to be from one of Nancy Mitford's novels, 'Christmas Pudding', published c 1932.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 24 September 2016
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. The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle
Q2. Lake Windermere
Not too difficult this week, the Eastender has seen the 2006 biopic of the writer 'Beatrix Potter' (played by Renee Zellweger). The one thousand four hundred and eighty foot high hill (four hundred and fifty one metres) next to the hamlet of 'Little Town', is most likely 'Cat Bells'. Cat Bells was the home of the hedgehog 'Mrs Tiggy-Winkle', who had a dwelling with a door set into the hill. Beatrix Potter published the book 'The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle' c 1905.
Six miles North East of Cat Bells, lies the three thousand and fifty four foot (nine hundred and thirty metre) eminence of 'Skiddaw'. East of the author's position would take bring us to Derwent water and it is here that a hippie space cadet who liked to do a bit of DMT and commune with bejewelled self dribbling basketball machine elf creatures (and possibly talking hedgehogs), had a kick back place. The island (St Herbert's Island), is named after him. Some of his biographies claim that his feast day is 20th March and that he died c 687.
Travelling thirteen miles or so south east from Derwent water would bring us to Lake Windermere and Wray Castle, where some of her biographies claim that the sixteen year old Beatrix Potter stayed while on holiday in the area. I couldn't find any information on the parish priest at Claife who founded a charity but the poet born 1770, is probably William Wordsworth and some of his bios claim that he was schooled at Hawkshead, which lies around two miles south west of Wray Castle.
Beatrix Potter's husband, a solicitor called 'William Heelis' had his offices in Hawkshead and the writer herself owned a property called 'Hill Top', around two miles to the south east.
The quote “Lily-white and clean, oh! With little frills between, oh!”, is from 'The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle'.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle
Q2. Lake Windermere
Not too difficult this week, the Eastender has seen the 2006 biopic of the writer 'Beatrix Potter' (played by Renee Zellweger). The one thousand four hundred and eighty foot high hill (four hundred and fifty one metres) next to the hamlet of 'Little Town', is most likely 'Cat Bells'. Cat Bells was the home of the hedgehog 'Mrs Tiggy-Winkle', who had a dwelling with a door set into the hill. Beatrix Potter published the book 'The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle' c 1905.
Six miles North East of Cat Bells, lies the three thousand and fifty four foot (nine hundred and thirty metre) eminence of 'Skiddaw'. East of the author's position would take bring us to Derwent water and it is here that a hippie space cadet who liked to do a bit of DMT and commune with bejewelled self dribbling basketball machine elf creatures (and possibly talking hedgehogs), had a kick back place. The island (St Herbert's Island), is named after him. Some of his biographies claim that his feast day is 20th March and that he died c 687.
Travelling thirteen miles or so south east from Derwent water would bring us to Lake Windermere and Wray Castle, where some of her biographies claim that the sixteen year old Beatrix Potter stayed while on holiday in the area. I couldn't find any information on the parish priest at Claife who founded a charity but the poet born 1770, is probably William Wordsworth and some of his bios claim that he was schooled at Hawkshead, which lies around two miles south west of Wray Castle.
Beatrix Potter's husband, a solicitor called 'William Heelis' had his offices in Hawkshead and the writer herself owned a property called 'Hill Top', around two miles to the south east.
The quote “Lily-white and clean, oh! With little frills between, oh!”, is from 'The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle'.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 17 September 2016
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. Senghenydd
Q2. Tommy Farr (aka Thomas George Farr)
The initial clues appear to place us in the town of Senghenydd, in Wales and this was the site of a mine explosion caused by firedamp gas and coal dust c 14/15 October 1913, which resulted in the deaths of some four hundred and thirty nine miners. The unfortunate bergarbeiters who did not perish in the explosion, likely succumbed to a toxic gas mixture called afterdamp. There seems to be a Welsh National Mining Memorial and Universal Colliery Memorial Garden in Senghenydd, (opened c 2013).
The NA & HR railway is probably the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway and some of the references I checked claim that there is a sixteen span viaduct associated with it, near the town of Hengoed.
Travelling seven crow miles from Hengoed, would bring us to the settlement of Mountain Ash and this was where, according to some of his biographies, the darts player Leighton Rees was born (c 1940) at Lady Aberdare Maternity Home.
North west of Mountain Ash lies the town of Aberdare and this is where an author called Nina May Bawden (born c 1925) was evacuated during World War Two. Nina Bawden lived in seven different houses in the area and incorporated those experiences into the novel 'Carrie's War', published c 1975 (or 1973, depending on which source you check).
Four miles south of Mountain Ash would put as in the town of Ferndale and this is where an actor called Stanley Baker was born, at 32 Albany Street (c 1928). Baker starred as 'Bennet', a first lieutenant in a film called 'The Cruel Sea' (c 1953). Jimmy Wilde, who gave up working in Ferndale pit no 8, later become a boxer known as 'The Mighty Atom'. Three miles south of Fernadale lies Tonypandy and this is where a boxer known as 'The Tonypandy Terror' had a house. His real name was Tommy Farr (aka Thomas George Farr). The Tonypandy Terror, according to some of his biographies, took part in a fight with the American boxer Joe Louis c 1937 and this was apparently the first sporting event to be broadcast after being relayed by transatlantic cable.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, The Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Senghenydd
Q2. Tommy Farr (aka Thomas George Farr)
The initial clues appear to place us in the town of Senghenydd, in Wales and this was the site of a mine explosion caused by firedamp gas and coal dust c 14/15 October 1913, which resulted in the deaths of some four hundred and thirty nine miners. The unfortunate bergarbeiters who did not perish in the explosion, likely succumbed to a toxic gas mixture called afterdamp. There seems to be a Welsh National Mining Memorial and Universal Colliery Memorial Garden in Senghenydd, (opened c 2013).
The NA & HR railway is probably the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway and some of the references I checked claim that there is a sixteen span viaduct associated with it, near the town of Hengoed.
Travelling seven crow miles from Hengoed, would bring us to the settlement of Mountain Ash and this was where, according to some of his biographies, the darts player Leighton Rees was born (c 1940) at Lady Aberdare Maternity Home.
North west of Mountain Ash lies the town of Aberdare and this is where an author called Nina May Bawden (born c 1925) was evacuated during World War Two. Nina Bawden lived in seven different houses in the area and incorporated those experiences into the novel 'Carrie's War', published c 1975 (or 1973, depending on which source you check).
Four miles south of Mountain Ash would put as in the town of Ferndale and this is where an actor called Stanley Baker was born, at 32 Albany Street (c 1928). Baker starred as 'Bennet', a first lieutenant in a film called 'The Cruel Sea' (c 1953). Jimmy Wilde, who gave up working in Ferndale pit no 8, later become a boxer known as 'The Mighty Atom'. Three miles south of Fernadale lies Tonypandy and this is where a boxer known as 'The Tonypandy Terror' had a house. His real name was Tommy Farr (aka Thomas George Farr). The Tonypandy Terror, according to some of his biographies, took part in a fight with the American boxer Joe Louis c 1937 and this was apparently the first sporting event to be broadcast after being relayed by transatlantic cable.
N.B. due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, The Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 10 September 2016
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. The Strathspey Railway (aka The Strathspey Preserved Railway)
Q2. Braeriach (aka Braigh Riabhach)
Very tricky indeed this week, the Eastender had to get a bit 'Operation Crossbow' and look for the shadows of viaduct arches on the satellite picture to find the spans mentioned in the puzzle text and was not aided in this task one bit by the Microsoft browser, which seems to use special fat electrons which cannot get down the cable as quickly as regular sub atomic particles and makes it all run a bit slow....but I digress, the initial clues appear to place us a tad north west of Loch Moy, on the Highland Mainline, at the wooden trestle bridge of Moy Aultnaslanach. It seems to be one of the few remaining wooden trestle bridges in existence in the UK, as the terrain there is apparently not suitable for the foundations of steel or masonry bridges. I found a few references that claim it was opened c 1897 by the Highland Railway.
Travelling south east down the line for about six miles or so would bring us to the village of Tomatin and this has two viaducts on its southern outskirts. These are the Tomatin viaduct and the Findhorn viaduct which were probably built by Murdoch Paterson (born c 1826), who was the chief engineer of the Highland Railway for a time. The Tomatin viaduct has nine stone arches and the Findhorn viaduct is a steel structure which sits atop some stone pillars. The river Findhorn is around sixty two miles in length, according to some of the sources I looked at. Carrying on further down the line brings us to the Slochd Summit, which is around four hundred metres or one thousand three hundred and fifteen feet above sea level and is where the Slochd viaduct is situated.
Fifteen minutes later into the journey would probably bring us to the town of Aviemore and this is one of the terminals of the nine and a half mile Strathspey preserved railway. The preserved railway lies entirely within the Cairngorm national park, an area not to be entered lightly by the unwary or inexperienced traveller. The peak referred to in the hints is most likely Braeriach as it is the right height and in the right location (1296 metres and about eight miles or so south east of Aviemore station). The Strathspey preserved Railway follows the river Spey for part of its route and this is listed as the second largest river in Scotland in some references.
The Strathspey preserved Railway terminates at Broomhill station and across the river from there lies the eleventh century Castle Roy. The seventy two mile Speyside Way hiking trail follows the trackbed of the old Strathspey railway, which closed c 1965.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. The Strathspey Railway (aka The Strathspey Preserved Railway)
Q2. Braeriach (aka Braigh Riabhach)
Very tricky indeed this week, the Eastender had to get a bit 'Operation Crossbow' and look for the shadows of viaduct arches on the satellite picture to find the spans mentioned in the puzzle text and was not aided in this task one bit by the Microsoft browser, which seems to use special fat electrons which cannot get down the cable as quickly as regular sub atomic particles and makes it all run a bit slow....but I digress, the initial clues appear to place us a tad north west of Loch Moy, on the Highland Mainline, at the wooden trestle bridge of Moy Aultnaslanach. It seems to be one of the few remaining wooden trestle bridges in existence in the UK, as the terrain there is apparently not suitable for the foundations of steel or masonry bridges. I found a few references that claim it was opened c 1897 by the Highland Railway.
Travelling south east down the line for about six miles or so would bring us to the village of Tomatin and this has two viaducts on its southern outskirts. These are the Tomatin viaduct and the Findhorn viaduct which were probably built by Murdoch Paterson (born c 1826), who was the chief engineer of the Highland Railway for a time. The Tomatin viaduct has nine stone arches and the Findhorn viaduct is a steel structure which sits atop some stone pillars. The river Findhorn is around sixty two miles in length, according to some of the sources I looked at. Carrying on further down the line brings us to the Slochd Summit, which is around four hundred metres or one thousand three hundred and fifteen feet above sea level and is where the Slochd viaduct is situated.
Fifteen minutes later into the journey would probably bring us to the town of Aviemore and this is one of the terminals of the nine and a half mile Strathspey preserved railway. The preserved railway lies entirely within the Cairngorm national park, an area not to be entered lightly by the unwary or inexperienced traveller. The peak referred to in the hints is most likely Braeriach as it is the right height and in the right location (1296 metres and about eight miles or so south east of Aviemore station). The Strathspey preserved Railway follows the river Spey for part of its route and this is listed as the second largest river in Scotland in some references.
The Strathspey preserved Railway terminates at Broomhill station and across the river from there lies the eleventh century Castle Roy. The seventy two mile Speyside Way hiking trail follows the trackbed of the old Strathspey railway, which closed c 1965.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 20 August 2016
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. Rugby
Q2. The Battle of Cropredy Bridge
The initial clues appear to place us at Coombe Abbey, Brinklow Road, Binley, Warwickshire CV3 2AB. The Abbey, which was founded c 1150 AD according to some of the sources I checked, now seems to be a very luxurious hotel and indeed has a room which was once occupied by princess Elizabeth Stuart (born c 1596), who was the daughter of James VI of Scotland. The princess lived at the abbey for a time under the care of Lord Harrington and his wife, later marrying Frederick V, 'count Palatine of the Rhine and elector of the Holy Roman Empire'. Princess Elizabeth was promoted to 'Queen of Bohemia' upon the wedding and was known as the 'Winter Queen', due to an insurgency cutting short her husband's tenure of employment in that region. The Eastender had to look up where Bohemia was, seems to have been east of Bavaria, in what is now the Czech republic, though still has no idea why beatniks and hippies are sometimes called 'Bohemians'....
Travelling south from Coombe Abbey would bring us to the twenty two acre organic gardens at Ryton, which seem to have been opened c 1980s . They also practice biodynamic organic gardening there, which is organic horticulture with a bit of Theosophic/Anthroposophic hocus pocus a la Rudolf Steiner, thrown in for good measure.
The village near the two hundred and fifty yard long canal tunnel which has two towpaths, is probably Newbold on Avon and the canal, the Oxford Canal. The first poet is most likely "Rupert Brooke". He wrote a poem called 'Heaven', which features some lines about unfading moths and immortal flies:
"Fat caterpillars drift around,
And Paradisal grubs are found;
Unfading moths, immortal flies,
And the worm that never dies.
And in that Heaven of all their wish,
There shall be no more land, say fish"
Q1. Rugby
Q2. The Battle of Cropredy Bridge
The initial clues appear to place us at Coombe Abbey, Brinklow Road, Binley, Warwickshire CV3 2AB. The Abbey, which was founded c 1150 AD according to some of the sources I checked, now seems to be a very luxurious hotel and indeed has a room which was once occupied by princess Elizabeth Stuart (born c 1596), who was the daughter of James VI of Scotland. The princess lived at the abbey for a time under the care of Lord Harrington and his wife, later marrying Frederick V, 'count Palatine of the Rhine and elector of the Holy Roman Empire'. Princess Elizabeth was promoted to 'Queen of Bohemia' upon the wedding and was known as the 'Winter Queen', due to an insurgency cutting short her husband's tenure of employment in that region. The Eastender had to look up where Bohemia was, seems to have been east of Bavaria, in what is now the Czech republic, though still has no idea why beatniks and hippies are sometimes called 'Bohemians'....
Travelling south from Coombe Abbey would bring us to the twenty two acre organic gardens at Ryton, which seem to have been opened c 1980s . They also practice biodynamic organic gardening there, which is organic horticulture with a bit of Theosophic/Anthroposophic hocus pocus a la Rudolf Steiner, thrown in for good measure.
The village near the two hundred and fifty yard long canal tunnel which has two towpaths, is probably Newbold on Avon and the canal, the Oxford Canal. The first poet is most likely "Rupert Brooke". He wrote a poem called 'Heaven', which features some lines about unfading moths and immortal flies:
According to some of his biographies, Rupert Brooke attended the school at Rugby, as did the second poet 'Walter Savage Landor', who published some stanzas called 'Maid's Lament'. The eleven arch railway viaduct is probably the 'Leicester Road Viaduct' in Rugby.
Eighteen miles south of Rugby. lies the site of the 'Battle of Cropredy Bridge'. This was a Donnybrook involving a Royalist army led by king Charles and the Parliamentarian army under the command of Sir William Waller. Both sides seemed to be fairly evenly matched, with about five thousand horse soldiers and four thousand infantry apiece and the encounter ended in a draw c 29th June 1644.
The second battle is most likely 'The Battle of Edgehill', again an encounter between Royalists and Parliamentarians c 23rd October 1642. There does appear to be an obelisk near the village of Edgehill but the reason that you would probably be lifted for visiting the actual battlefield site, is that there seems to be some sort of military installation there.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 13 August 2016
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. Wolverhampton
Q2. Pennocrucium
The initial clues seem to place us in the West Midlands, at the Wyrl[e]y and Essington Canal, this appears to be known locally, as 'The Curly Wyrley' due to its somewhat meandering course. A firebrand religious fundamentalist, who according to some of her biographies taught in the town of Wednesfield, through which the aforementioned canal passes, was most likely 'Mary Whitehouse' (born c 1910). Mrs Whitehouse published a book called 'Who Does She Think She Is?' c 1971 and appears to have become radicalised in the nineteen thirties when she started a popular front called the M.R.A. (Moral Re-Armament group) in an attempt to suppress ideas that her followers and supporters didn't like being broadcast on TV, radio and printed media.
She may of course have been correct to rail against what was for the period a quite subtle method of mass psychological control, whereby the citizenry are allowed to think that they are free because they can indulge their base desires and fantasies by watching them play out on TV or cinema (which of course very effectively distracts them from taking on the incumbent regime over things they are not happy about, a fact not lost on the Maya and the Romans, who let their people watch some very violent entertainment) but like Cnut trying to turn back the tides, was on a hiding to nothing with this approach, because the bread and circuses thing has worked since Roman times and probably before that. The good lady herself could of course have been controlled opposition employed to reinforce support by the masses for the broadcasting authorities or as is perhaps more likely, an unwitting victim of another just as ancient psychological control system and may well have failed to recognise that ego dystopic rage is how the people who run some of these religious sects manipulate their followers and motivate them to do some really terrible stuff .
I digress, the next hint takes us to [M]osley Old Hall, which was at one point an Elizabethan house, where Charles II holed up while on the run from the Bizzies after the Battle of Worcester c 1651. The Eastender thought that the house didn't look very Elizabethan but it turns out from reading the blurb on the National Trust web site, that it was covered over with more modern bricks in the nineteenth century.
The city where a lady W[u]lfr[u]n (or Wulfruna as she was also known) founded a 'religious community' c ad 994 is most likely Wolverhampto[n]. Wolverhampton Wanderers football club appear to have won the League [C]u[p] c 1974.
A forty six mile long canal which passes through the city of Wolverhampton is most likely the Staff[o]rdshire and Worcester canal, which was opened c 1771/72 depending on which reference you check and a house which was noted for arts and crafts in the vicinity of Wolverhampton could be Wight W[i][c]k Manor (constructed c 1887/88).
Assembling our clues and extracting the letters gives:
1. Wyrl[e]y and Essington Canal E
2. Ma[r]y Whitehouse / Wed[n]esfield R N
3. [M]oseley Old Hall M
4. Wolverhampto[n] N
5. W[u]lfr[u]n U U
6. League [c]u[p] C P
7. Staff[o]rdshire and Worcester Canal O
8. Wight W[i][c]k Manor I C
Travelling twelve miles of so North North West of the Wight Wick Manor, brings us to a dorp called Water Eaton, which sounds like a wet version of the public school Eton. Next to that hamlet lies the Romano-British settlement of PENNOCRUCIUM, the name of which contains the same letters as those extracted from the clue answers above.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Wolverhampton
Q2. Pennocrucium
The initial clues seem to place us in the West Midlands, at the Wyrl[e]y and Essington Canal, this appears to be known locally, as 'The Curly Wyrley' due to its somewhat meandering course. A firebrand religious fundamentalist, who according to some of her biographies taught in the town of Wednesfield, through which the aforementioned canal passes, was most likely 'Mary Whitehouse' (born c 1910). Mrs Whitehouse published a book called 'Who Does She Think She Is?' c 1971 and appears to have become radicalised in the nineteen thirties when she started a popular front called the M.R.A. (Moral Re-Armament group) in an attempt to suppress ideas that her followers and supporters didn't like being broadcast on TV, radio and printed media.
She may of course have been correct to rail against what was for the period a quite subtle method of mass psychological control, whereby the citizenry are allowed to think that they are free because they can indulge their base desires and fantasies by watching them play out on TV or cinema (which of course very effectively distracts them from taking on the incumbent regime over things they are not happy about, a fact not lost on the Maya and the Romans, who let their people watch some very violent entertainment) but like Cnut trying to turn back the tides, was on a hiding to nothing with this approach, because the bread and circuses thing has worked since Roman times and probably before that. The good lady herself could of course have been controlled opposition employed to reinforce support by the masses for the broadcasting authorities or as is perhaps more likely, an unwitting victim of another just as ancient psychological control system and may well have failed to recognise that ego dystopic rage is how the people who run some of these religious sects manipulate their followers and motivate them to do some really terrible stuff .
I digress, the next hint takes us to [M]osley Old Hall, which was at one point an Elizabethan house, where Charles II holed up while on the run from the Bizzies after the Battle of Worcester c 1651. The Eastender thought that the house didn't look very Elizabethan but it turns out from reading the blurb on the National Trust web site, that it was covered over with more modern bricks in the nineteenth century.
The city where a lady W[u]lfr[u]n (or Wulfruna as she was also known) founded a 'religious community' c ad 994 is most likely Wolverhampto[n]. Wolverhampton Wanderers football club appear to have won the League [C]u[p] c 1974.
A forty six mile long canal which passes through the city of Wolverhampton is most likely the Staff[o]rdshire and Worcester canal, which was opened c 1771/72 depending on which reference you check and a house which was noted for arts and crafts in the vicinity of Wolverhampton could be Wight W[i][c]k Manor (constructed c 1887/88).
Assembling our clues and extracting the letters gives:
1. Wyrl[e]y and Essington Canal E
2. Ma[r]y Whitehouse / Wed[n]esfield R N
3. [M]oseley Old Hall M
4. Wolverhampto[n] N
5. W[u]lfr[u]n U U
6. League [c]u[p] C P
7. Staff[o]rdshire and Worcester Canal O
8. Wight W[i][c]k Manor I C
Travelling twelve miles of so North North West of the Wight Wick Manor, brings us to a dorp called Water Eaton, which sounds like a wet version of the public school Eton. Next to that hamlet lies the Romano-British settlement of PENNOCRUCIUM, the name of which contains the same letters as those extracted from the clue answers above.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 6 August 2016
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. Kidderminster
Q2. Stanley Baldwin
N.B. for question 2, Stanley Baldwin was also known as 'First Earl Baldwin of Bewdley'
The initial clues seem to place us in the town of Kidderminster, in the county of Worcestershire, probably on the Severn Valley Railway, which according to some of the reference sources I checked, does appear to be sixteen miles long (originally forty) and was opened for business c 1862. A civil servant who invented the lickable adhesive postage stamp was according to some of his biographies, Rowland Hill. Rowland Hill was born on the 3rd of December c 1795, at 96 Blackwell Street, in Kidderminster. The Servern Valley Railway crosses the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal, which some sources claim, is forty six miles long.
A prime minister who observed that "a lot of hard-faced men appeared to have done well out of the war", is probably Stanley Baldwin. Some of his biographies claim that he was born at Lower Park House, Bewdley, on the 3rd of August c 1867. The heritage railway does pass this town but the Eastender questions why it would take fifteen minutes to get there from Kidderminster.
The Severn Valley Railway is carried across the river Severn by the Victoria Bridge, a cast iron structure which seems to have been built by Sir John Fowler (born c1817). The railway terminates in the town of Bridgnorth. I couldn't find any references to a house with an art collection east of there but did find a house about three miles north east, called Davenport Hall and this appears to have been designed by Francis Smith of Warwick (born c 1672). There is also a house called Farmcote Hall about the right distance to the east of Bridgnorth but again couldn't find anything about it having an art collection.The railway line passes close to a sewage work as it approaches Bridgnorth.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Kidderminster
Q2. Stanley Baldwin
N.B. for question 2, Stanley Baldwin was also known as 'First Earl Baldwin of Bewdley'
The initial clues seem to place us in the town of Kidderminster, in the county of Worcestershire, probably on the Severn Valley Railway, which according to some of the reference sources I checked, does appear to be sixteen miles long (originally forty) and was opened for business c 1862. A civil servant who invented the lickable adhesive postage stamp was according to some of his biographies, Rowland Hill. Rowland Hill was born on the 3rd of December c 1795, at 96 Blackwell Street, in Kidderminster. The Servern Valley Railway crosses the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal, which some sources claim, is forty six miles long.
A prime minister who observed that "a lot of hard-faced men appeared to have done well out of the war", is probably Stanley Baldwin. Some of his biographies claim that he was born at Lower Park House, Bewdley, on the 3rd of August c 1867. The heritage railway does pass this town but the Eastender questions why it would take fifteen minutes to get there from Kidderminster.
The Severn Valley Railway is carried across the river Severn by the Victoria Bridge, a cast iron structure which seems to have been built by Sir John Fowler (born c1817). The railway terminates in the town of Bridgnorth. I couldn't find any references to a house with an art collection east of there but did find a house about three miles north east, called Davenport Hall and this appears to have been designed by Francis Smith of Warwick (born c 1672). There is also a house called Farmcote Hall about the right distance to the east of Bridgnorth but again couldn't find anything about it having an art collection.The railway line passes close to a sewage work as it approaches Bridgnorth.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 30 July 2016
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. Queenborough
Q2. Elmley National Nature Reserve
The initial clues seem to place us on the Isle of Sheppey, in the beautiful county of Kent. The twenty first century bridge which delivers traffic to that insel's southern shore, is called the 'Sheppey Crossing' and according to some sources, this opened c 2006. The other bridge (Kingsferry Bridge) has a 'four poster' lift on it, which raise a section of the road so that shipping can navigate through the 'Ferry Reach' below.
Driving north from the bridges, would bring us to the town of Queenborough. This was formerly known as Bynne but king Edward III renamed it Queenborough after his wife Philippa of Hainault and constructed a fortress there c 1361 to 1377, which had concentric circular walls. A proto Florian Geyer style rebel, called Jack Cade tried to take over the place c 1450 but he may have been a tad overconfident as to the likelihood of success in this venture, as some of the sources I checked claim that this particular schloss was equipped with stone throwing machines, trebuchet and primitive black powder weapons as well as the usual archers and crossbowmen. The castle was retired c 1650 and subsequently demolished, shortly before a Dutch naval raid, which it would have been useful in repelling. From checking the OS map, the settlement does have a body of water/mud flat called 'The Creek' in it. Queenborough was also on a list of 'Rotten Boroughs' I found.
North of Queenborough takes us to the town of Sheerness, which appears to consist of 'Mile Town', 'Marine Town' and 'Blue Town' and is nearly an island itself due to the water filled defensive trench (excavated c 1863), called 'Queensborough Lines'. The reason for its construction seems to have been to defend the docks at Sheerness from a landside attack. I found a reference in the National Piers Society's web site indicating that there had been a pier at Sheerness which opened c 1835 but it did not provide much information on the dimensions and I couldn't find anything about a lido being there in 1939.
The secretary of the Admiralty who visited Sheerness c 1665, is probably Samuel Pepys and the national nature reserve on the southern shore is most likely 'Elmley National Nature Reserve'. Abel Magwitch was a convict in Charles Dickens 'Great Expectations' and some of the film adaptations of this were filmed on Sheppey.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Queenborough
Q2. Elmley National Nature Reserve
The initial clues seem to place us on the Isle of Sheppey, in the beautiful county of Kent. The twenty first century bridge which delivers traffic to that insel's southern shore, is called the 'Sheppey Crossing' and according to some sources, this opened c 2006. The other bridge (Kingsferry Bridge) has a 'four poster' lift on it, which raise a section of the road so that shipping can navigate through the 'Ferry Reach' below.
Driving north from the bridges, would bring us to the town of Queenborough. This was formerly known as Bynne but king Edward III renamed it Queenborough after his wife Philippa of Hainault and constructed a fortress there c 1361 to 1377, which had concentric circular walls. A proto Florian Geyer style rebel, called Jack Cade tried to take over the place c 1450 but he may have been a tad overconfident as to the likelihood of success in this venture, as some of the sources I checked claim that this particular schloss was equipped with stone throwing machines, trebuchet and primitive black powder weapons as well as the usual archers and crossbowmen. The castle was retired c 1650 and subsequently demolished, shortly before a Dutch naval raid, which it would have been useful in repelling. From checking the OS map, the settlement does have a body of water/mud flat called 'The Creek' in it. Queenborough was also on a list of 'Rotten Boroughs' I found.
North of Queenborough takes us to the town of Sheerness, which appears to consist of 'Mile Town', 'Marine Town' and 'Blue Town' and is nearly an island itself due to the water filled defensive trench (excavated c 1863), called 'Queensborough Lines'. The reason for its construction seems to have been to defend the docks at Sheerness from a landside attack. I found a reference in the National Piers Society's web site indicating that there had been a pier at Sheerness which opened c 1835 but it did not provide much information on the dimensions and I couldn't find anything about a lido being there in 1939.
The secretary of the Admiralty who visited Sheerness c 1665, is probably Samuel Pepys and the national nature reserve on the southern shore is most likely 'Elmley National Nature Reserve'. Abel Magwitch was a convict in Charles Dickens 'Great Expectations' and some of the film adaptations of this were filmed on Sheppey.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 23 July 2016
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:
1. Sanquhar
2. Keir Hardie (aka James Keir Hardie)
Very tricky indeed this week, the puzzle author has seriously upped his game, for the artist who painted 'The Vegetable Stall' (William York MacGregor), had a serious case of the wanderlust and lived all over the place, even in South Africa but the Eastender, from reading some of the painter's biographies, realised that he hung out with some of his milieu ('The Glasgow Boys') and one of them, James Paterson, had a kick back place in the village of Moniaive, in the county of Dumfries and Galloway. There appears to be a 'James Paterson' museum in the village and about three miles east or so, lies Maxwelton house which looks to be c 19th century in origin so not really a traditional medieval castle.
Again the writer ups his game and employs a crafty bit of misdirection by using the word 'neck' instead of 'nape' "her neck 'like the swan' ". If you carry out a search using 'neck like the swan', this leads you to a song called 'The Bonnie Bark':
The Bonnie Bark
O come, my bonnie bark!
O'er the waves let us go,
With thy neck like the swan,
And thy wings like the snow.
Spread thy plumes to the wind,
For a gentle one soon
Must welcome us home,
Ere the wane of the moon
This is not the one we seek but instead, it is a song called 'Annie Laurie', which appears to be associated with Maxwelton and this one uses the word 'nape' not 'neck':
Annie Laurie
Max Welton's braes are bonnie
Where early falls the dew
And 'twas there that Annie Laurie
Gave me her promise true.
That ne'er forgot shall be
And for Bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee
Her brow is like the snowdrift
Her nape is like the swan
And her face it is the fairest
And for Bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee.
To call 'The Admirable Crichton' (name of the 1902 play featuring a butler who was smarter than his employers) a soldier, is to somewhat underplay his achievements, for he was not only involved in military matters but was a sixteenth century polymath who could speak twelve languages and a rhetorician who could out debate and outsmart any of the professors in all of the universities he attended. He was unfortunately murdered at the young age of twenty two, for having an affair with the mistress of an Italian prince, called Vincenzo Gonzaga. James Crichton, according to some of his bios, appears to have been born c 1560 at Eliock, near the town of Sanquhar.
James Douglas, Duke of Queensbury seems to have been born at Sanquhar castle c 1662 and the family motto is not 'Forward' (again bit of nacht und nebel here ) but is in fact 'Jamais Arriere' (Never Behind). The Southern Upland Way (which is two hundred and ten or two hundred and twelve miles long, depending on which reference source you check), passes through the settlement.
Travelling fourteen miles north west of Sanquhar, probably on the A76, would bring us to the town of Cumnock and this is where James Keir Hardie (born c 1856) lived for a time. Keir Hardie was one of the founders of the Labour party. Surfaceman was the nom de plume of a poet called Alexander Anderson, who was born c 1845, in the village of Kirkconnel ( more shenanigans ;-) , there are two Kirkconnels in Dumfries and Galloway, the other one has an extra l on the end).
The 1791 poem was written by a whisky sampling wordsmith called Robert Burns and is titled
'Sweet Afton'. The Afton water flows into the town of New Cumnock, also on the A76 before you reach the old town of Cumnock.
Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.
The Eastender takes the view that the guy who wrote this was a genius and that the line "My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream", is up there with the works of some of the great Haiku writers like Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson and Kobayashi Issa.
N.B Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
1. Sanquhar
2. Keir Hardie (aka James Keir Hardie)
Very tricky indeed this week, the puzzle author has seriously upped his game, for the artist who painted 'The Vegetable Stall' (William York MacGregor), had a serious case of the wanderlust and lived all over the place, even in South Africa but the Eastender, from reading some of the painter's biographies, realised that he hung out with some of his milieu ('The Glasgow Boys') and one of them, James Paterson, had a kick back place in the village of Moniaive, in the county of Dumfries and Galloway. There appears to be a 'James Paterson' museum in the village and about three miles east or so, lies Maxwelton house which looks to be c 19th century in origin so not really a traditional medieval castle.
Again the writer ups his game and employs a crafty bit of misdirection by using the word 'neck' instead of 'nape' "her neck 'like the swan' ". If you carry out a search using 'neck like the swan', this leads you to a song called 'The Bonnie Bark':
The Bonnie Bark
O come, my bonnie bark!
O'er the waves let us go,
With thy neck like the swan,
And thy wings like the snow.
Spread thy plumes to the wind,
For a gentle one soon
Must welcome us home,
Ere the wane of the moon
This is not the one we seek but instead, it is a song called 'Annie Laurie', which appears to be associated with Maxwelton and this one uses the word 'nape' not 'neck':
Annie Laurie
Max Welton's braes are bonnie
Where early falls the dew
And 'twas there that Annie Laurie
Gave me her promise true.
That ne'er forgot shall be
And for Bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee
Her brow is like the snowdrift
Her nape is like the swan
And her face it is the fairest
And for Bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee.
To call 'The Admirable Crichton' (name of the 1902 play featuring a butler who was smarter than his employers) a soldier, is to somewhat underplay his achievements, for he was not only involved in military matters but was a sixteenth century polymath who could speak twelve languages and a rhetorician who could out debate and outsmart any of the professors in all of the universities he attended. He was unfortunately murdered at the young age of twenty two, for having an affair with the mistress of an Italian prince, called Vincenzo Gonzaga. James Crichton, according to some of his bios, appears to have been born c 1560 at Eliock, near the town of Sanquhar.
James Douglas, Duke of Queensbury seems to have been born at Sanquhar castle c 1662 and the family motto is not 'Forward' (again bit of nacht und nebel here ) but is in fact 'Jamais Arriere' (Never Behind). The Southern Upland Way (which is two hundred and ten or two hundred and twelve miles long, depending on which reference source you check), passes through the settlement.
Travelling fourteen miles north west of Sanquhar, probably on the A76, would bring us to the town of Cumnock and this is where James Keir Hardie (born c 1856) lived for a time. Keir Hardie was one of the founders of the Labour party. Surfaceman was the nom de plume of a poet called Alexander Anderson, who was born c 1845, in the village of Kirkconnel ( more shenanigans ;-) , there are two Kirkconnels in Dumfries and Galloway, the other one has an extra l on the end).
The 1791 poem was written by a whisky sampling wordsmith called Robert Burns and is titled
'Sweet Afton'. The Afton water flows into the town of New Cumnock, also on the A76 before you reach the old town of Cumnock.
Sweet Afton
Flow gently, sweet Afton! amang thy green braes,Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.
The Eastender takes the view that the guy who wrote this was a genius and that the line "My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream", is up there with the works of some of the great Haiku writers like Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson and Kobayashi Issa.
N.B Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 16 July 2016
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. Pocklington
Q2. Carlton Towers
The initial clues seem to place us in the town of P[o][c]klington, in one of the Eastender's favourite parts of the big British island, namely the East Riding of Yorkshire. An anti slavery campaigner, who was born c 1759, is probably William Wilberforce. According to some of his biographies, he was educated at Hull Grammar School, Mr Chalmer's school in Putney (London) and c 1771 to 1776, he was a boarder at Pocklington school. Pocklington canal, from some of the sources I checked, appears to have opened for business c 1818 and joins the river Derwent, to the south west of the settlement.
The garden with over one hundred varieties of Water Lily is known variously as 'Stewart's Burnby Hall Gardens & Museum' or 'Bu[r]nby Hall Gardens' and it looks like a good ol' Norman boy called Henry I was the king who was born in Se[l]by c 1068.
This is where things now become a little tricky, for the abbey at Selby has two 14th century windows and a twentieth century window with some glass that originates from the medieval period. The windows listed on the abbey's web page are: 'The Je[s]se [W]indow' (c 14th Century), 'The Washington Window' (14th century glass but thought to have been constructed c 15th century and is a depiction of the coat of arms of the family of the first president of the United States of America, George Washington) and the 'St Germain' window which was trashed by 'ooligans during the commonwealth period, when a temporary republic was declared by the Roundheads. This window contains some of the original glass from the medieval period but a lot of it is newer as it was rebuilt later (c 20th century) by a Miss Standering, so the one which is the best fit for the given clues, is the Jesse Window.
A two hundred and fifteen mile long path which passes through Selby, is probably the [T]rans Pennine Trail and a village (not a town) where a battle was fought c 1645 to the west of Selby is most likely 'Sh[e]rbur[n] in Elmet', which again looks like a fraicas involving both cavalry and infantry, which occurred during the English civil war, an encounter in which the Parliamentarians were only just victorious.
South South East from Sherburn In Elmet, would bring us to the town of 'Kn[o][t]tingly' (which fits with the tangle hint) where the Aire and Calder navigation seems also to be named the 'Knottingly & Goole canal'.
James Bond's enemy in this case is not Blofeld, Largo, Goldfinger or Scaramanga but the malevolent eugenecist Hugo Drax ( as played by Michael Lonsdale) in the film Moonraker (c 1979). The 'D[r][a]x' power station (opened c 1974) lies around six miles or so north east of where the canal has two names on the OS map. Now assembling the clues and trying to match them to a Gothic stately home which originates to c 1614, gives:
1. P[o][c]klington O C
2. Bu[r]nby Hall R
3. Se[l]by L
4. Je[s]se [W]indow S W
5. [T]rans Pennine Trail T
6. Sh[e]rbur[n] in Elmet E N
7. Kn[o][t]ingly O T
8. D[r][a]x R A
A stately home which lies around a mile or so south of the Drax power station and which fits the description of Gothic dating back to c 1614, is 'Carlton Towers' and the letters extracted from the clues, when re-arranged, fit with the name of this house.
N.B Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Pocklington
Q2. Carlton Towers
The initial clues seem to place us in the town of P[o][c]klington, in one of the Eastender's favourite parts of the big British island, namely the East Riding of Yorkshire. An anti slavery campaigner, who was born c 1759, is probably William Wilberforce. According to some of his biographies, he was educated at Hull Grammar School, Mr Chalmer's school in Putney (London) and c 1771 to 1776, he was a boarder at Pocklington school. Pocklington canal, from some of the sources I checked, appears to have opened for business c 1818 and joins the river Derwent, to the south west of the settlement.
The garden with over one hundred varieties of Water Lily is known variously as 'Stewart's Burnby Hall Gardens & Museum' or 'Bu[r]nby Hall Gardens' and it looks like a good ol' Norman boy called Henry I was the king who was born in Se[l]by c 1068.
This is where things now become a little tricky, for the abbey at Selby has two 14th century windows and a twentieth century window with some glass that originates from the medieval period. The windows listed on the abbey's web page are: 'The Je[s]se [W]indow' (c 14th Century), 'The Washington Window' (14th century glass but thought to have been constructed c 15th century and is a depiction of the coat of arms of the family of the first president of the United States of America, George Washington) and the 'St Germain' window which was trashed by 'ooligans during the commonwealth period, when a temporary republic was declared by the Roundheads. This window contains some of the original glass from the medieval period but a lot of it is newer as it was rebuilt later (c 20th century) by a Miss Standering, so the one which is the best fit for the given clues, is the Jesse Window.
A two hundred and fifteen mile long path which passes through Selby, is probably the [T]rans Pennine Trail and a village (not a town) where a battle was fought c 1645 to the west of Selby is most likely 'Sh[e]rbur[n] in Elmet', which again looks like a fraicas involving both cavalry and infantry, which occurred during the English civil war, an encounter in which the Parliamentarians were only just victorious.
South South East from Sherburn In Elmet, would bring us to the town of 'Kn[o][t]tingly' (which fits with the tangle hint) where the Aire and Calder navigation seems also to be named the 'Knottingly & Goole canal'.
James Bond's enemy in this case is not Blofeld, Largo, Goldfinger or Scaramanga but the malevolent eugenecist Hugo Drax ( as played by Michael Lonsdale) in the film Moonraker (c 1979). The 'D[r][a]x' power station (opened c 1974) lies around six miles or so north east of where the canal has two names on the OS map. Now assembling the clues and trying to match them to a Gothic stately home which originates to c 1614, gives:
1. P[o][c]klington O C
2. Bu[r]nby Hall R
3. Se[l]by L
4. Je[s]se [W]indow S W
5. [T]rans Pennine Trail T
6. Sh[e]rbur[n] in Elmet E N
7. Kn[o][t]ingly O T
8. D[r][a]x R A
A stately home which lies around a mile or so south of the Drax power station and which fits the description of Gothic dating back to c 1614, is 'Carlton Towers' and the letters extracted from the clues, when re-arranged, fit with the name of this house.
N.B Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 9 July 2016
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. The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
Q2. Sir Peter Scott
The initial clues seem to place us near the city of Gloucester, which is at the northern end of the sixteen mile long Gloucester and Sharpness canal. Some of the reference sources I checked claim that this was opened c 1827 and was once one of the broadest and deepest navigations in the world.
The architect born c 1780 who designed the Royal Mint (c 1809), is probably Sir Robert Smirke. Smirke designed Hardwicke Court, an elegant Georgian house near the village of Hardwicke, which was completed c 1816-17 and this looks to be a good fit direction and distance wise from Gloucester, for the hints given.
Travelling south from Hardwicke would bring us into proximity with the remains of the Stroudwater navigation (closed c 1954), which used to have a junction with the Gloucester and Sharpness canal, prior to joining the river Severn.
The wildfowl centre is most likely Slimbridge, which is in the correct location for the given clues and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust there, was founded by the son of the explorer Captain Scott of the Antarctic, Sir Peter Scott c 1946. The remains of the Severn railway bridge can be seen near Sharpness. This collapsed c 1960 after being hit by a barge.
The two hundred and twenty four mile path is probably the Severn way and the docks at Sharpness appear to have opened c 1874. The puzzle author is not joking about the tides there, some reference sources claim that a tsunami travelled up the river Severn c 1607, which was caused by a geological fault line lying off the southern coast of Ireland. Die flutwelle katastrophe reportedly killed around two thousand people living along the Severn and was exacerbated by the same narrowing of the river that produces the Severn bore. The fault is still active and there may not be any tsunami warning systems in place to alert the local residents, should the fault slip again..
Q1. The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
Q2. Sir Peter Scott
The initial clues seem to place us near the city of Gloucester, which is at the northern end of the sixteen mile long Gloucester and Sharpness canal. Some of the reference sources I checked claim that this was opened c 1827 and was once one of the broadest and deepest navigations in the world.
The architect born c 1780 who designed the Royal Mint (c 1809), is probably Sir Robert Smirke. Smirke designed Hardwicke Court, an elegant Georgian house near the village of Hardwicke, which was completed c 1816-17 and this looks to be a good fit direction and distance wise from Gloucester, for the hints given.
Travelling south from Hardwicke would bring us into proximity with the remains of the Stroudwater navigation (closed c 1954), which used to have a junction with the Gloucester and Sharpness canal, prior to joining the river Severn.
The wildfowl centre is most likely Slimbridge, which is in the correct location for the given clues and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust there, was founded by the son of the explorer Captain Scott of the Antarctic, Sir Peter Scott c 1946. The remains of the Severn railway bridge can be seen near Sharpness. This collapsed c 1960 after being hit by a barge.
The two hundred and twenty four mile path is probably the Severn way and the docks at Sharpness appear to have opened c 1874. The puzzle author is not joking about the tides there, some reference sources claim that a tsunami travelled up the river Severn c 1607, which was caused by a geological fault line lying off the southern coast of Ireland. Die flutwelle katastrophe reportedly killed around two thousand people living along the Severn and was exacerbated by the same narrowing of the river that produces the Severn bore. The fault is still active and there may not be any tsunami warning systems in place to alert the local residents, should the fault slip again..
Saturday, 2 July 2016
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. The River Wandle
Q2. Merton
The initial clues seem to place us at one of the sources of the eleven mile long river Wandle, possibly at Waddon ponds, Croydon, in the county of Surrey. I couldn't find any references to a king dying c 984 AD in the area but a bishop called Aethelwold, according to some of his biographies, died in the adjacent suburb of Beddington, c 984 AD. From looking at the OS map, the remains of a Roman villa and bath house lie near the sewage farm at Beddington . The villa and bath house survived mostly intact until c 1898 when it was accidentally vaporised by a shot away Martian fighting machine en route back to its base at Horsell Common, when the operator, being somewhat unused to Earth germs, sneezed and pulled the trigger on the craft's heat ray. Sir Francis Carew, according to some of his biographies, was one of the first people to grow oranges on his land at Beddington. He is thought to have been given the seeds by Sir Walter Raleigh.
The other main source of the Wandle, appears to be the Carshalton ponds and this is the area where an author called William Hale White (born c 1831) lived for a time. Hale White used the nom de plume 'Mark Rutherford' and published a work called 'Catharine Furze' c 1893.
Travelling three miles or so North North West of Carshalton, would bring us to the district of Merton. Merton seems to have had an Augustinian priory, which according to some sources was founded c 1114 by Gilbert Norman and was as usual, destroyed by Henry VIII. A parliament was held at Merton Priory c 1236 and this produced the 'First Statute of Merton'. The king who held his coronation ceremony at Merton Priory c 1437 was probably Henry VI. A writer born c 1873 at 5 Fair Lawn Villas, Merton, Surrey was Ford Madox Ford. Madox Ford published a tetralogy called 'Parade's End' c 1924 - 1928, which was about a suffragette called Valentine Wannop. Admiral Horatio Nelson appears to have shared a house in Merton with Emma Hamilton.
I found some reference sources which claim that there were around 100 mills operating on the Wandle at one time and an 'Edmund Littler' purchased Merton Abbey print works c 1875. A printer and socialist called William Morris also had a workshop there and both these outfits used to produce items for the store Liberty.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured if you have a comment or quip that related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. The River Wandle
Q2. Merton
The initial clues seem to place us at one of the sources of the eleven mile long river Wandle, possibly at Waddon ponds, Croydon, in the county of Surrey. I couldn't find any references to a king dying c 984 AD in the area but a bishop called Aethelwold, according to some of his biographies, died in the adjacent suburb of Beddington, c 984 AD. From looking at the OS map, the remains of a Roman villa and bath house lie near the sewage farm at Beddington . The villa and bath house survived mostly intact until c 1898 when it was accidentally vaporised by a shot away Martian fighting machine en route back to its base at Horsell Common, when the operator, being somewhat unused to Earth germs, sneezed and pulled the trigger on the craft's heat ray. Sir Francis Carew, according to some of his biographies, was one of the first people to grow oranges on his land at Beddington. He is thought to have been given the seeds by Sir Walter Raleigh.
The other main source of the Wandle, appears to be the Carshalton ponds and this is the area where an author called William Hale White (born c 1831) lived for a time. Hale White used the nom de plume 'Mark Rutherford' and published a work called 'Catharine Furze' c 1893.
Travelling three miles or so North North West of Carshalton, would bring us to the district of Merton. Merton seems to have had an Augustinian priory, which according to some sources was founded c 1114 by Gilbert Norman and was as usual, destroyed by Henry VIII. A parliament was held at Merton Priory c 1236 and this produced the 'First Statute of Merton'. The king who held his coronation ceremony at Merton Priory c 1437 was probably Henry VI. A writer born c 1873 at 5 Fair Lawn Villas, Merton, Surrey was Ford Madox Ford. Madox Ford published a tetralogy called 'Parade's End' c 1924 - 1928, which was about a suffragette called Valentine Wannop. Admiral Horatio Nelson appears to have shared a house in Merton with Emma Hamilton.
I found some reference sources which claim that there were around 100 mills operating on the Wandle at one time and an 'Edmund Littler' purchased Merton Abbey print works c 1875. A printer and socialist called William Morris also had a workshop there and both these outfits used to produce items for the store Liberty.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured if you have a comment or quip that related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 25 June 2016
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. Glenluce Abbey
Q2. Stranraer
The initial clues seem to place us in Wigtownshire, probably on the disused railway bridge which spans the Tarf Water (couldn't find a reference source which gave the length of this river but it looks to be around seventeen miles, on the maps I checked). The line used to be operated by the Portpatrick & Wigtownshire Joint Railway and appears to have closed c 1965.
Three miles south of the bridge brings us to Castle Loch and this seems to have an island with a ruined castle on it. Six miles west south west of the bridge lies the village of Glenluce and the Cistercian Abbey, which according to some of the reference sources I checked, was founded c 1192 by Roland, Earl of Galloway. The beach which is marked as a danger area, is probably 'Luce Sands', which is sometimes used by the scientists at QuineticiQ to test weapons and munitions. They took over RAF West Freugh airfield (opened c 1936/37) c 2001 and also have ranges on Torrs Warren.
It seems that on the fourth of April 1957, the multiple mobile radar units which had been deployed to assist with the testing at Luce Sands and fixed radars in several locations, detected a very large stationary object out over the Irish sea, initially at a height of fifty thousand feet which subsequently very rapidly moved to a height of seventy thousand feet. The unidentified aircraft was reportedly moving at speeds of several thousand miles per hour and performing manoeuvres which were not possible in the aircraft of the period. The story only got out because some of the operators at the civilian radar stations, talked to the press.
Travelling six miles north west of West Freugh airfield would take us to the town of Stranraer and the former home of the Arctic explorer, Sir John Ross (born c 1777). Ross lived for a time at the North West Castle, which is now a hotel. The ferries to Ireland now operate out of Cairnryan, a small dorp, four miles or so north of Stranraer, on the eastern shore of Loch Ryan and the OS map does show a lighthouse at that position.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has now moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.....
Q1. Glenluce Abbey
Q2. Stranraer
The initial clues seem to place us in Wigtownshire, probably on the disused railway bridge which spans the Tarf Water (couldn't find a reference source which gave the length of this river but it looks to be around seventeen miles, on the maps I checked). The line used to be operated by the Portpatrick & Wigtownshire Joint Railway and appears to have closed c 1965.
Three miles south of the bridge brings us to Castle Loch and this seems to have an island with a ruined castle on it. Six miles west south west of the bridge lies the village of Glenluce and the Cistercian Abbey, which according to some of the reference sources I checked, was founded c 1192 by Roland, Earl of Galloway. The beach which is marked as a danger area, is probably 'Luce Sands', which is sometimes used by the scientists at QuineticiQ to test weapons and munitions. They took over RAF West Freugh airfield (opened c 1936/37) c 2001 and also have ranges on Torrs Warren.
It seems that on the fourth of April 1957, the multiple mobile radar units which had been deployed to assist with the testing at Luce Sands and fixed radars in several locations, detected a very large stationary object out over the Irish sea, initially at a height of fifty thousand feet which subsequently very rapidly moved to a height of seventy thousand feet. The unidentified aircraft was reportedly moving at speeds of several thousand miles per hour and performing manoeuvres which were not possible in the aircraft of the period. The story only got out because some of the operators at the civilian radar stations, talked to the press.
Travelling six miles north west of West Freugh airfield would take us to the town of Stranraer and the former home of the Arctic explorer, Sir John Ross (born c 1777). Ross lived for a time at the North West Castle, which is now a hotel. The ferries to Ireland now operate out of Cairnryan, a small dorp, four miles or so north of Stranraer, on the eastern shore of Loch Ryan and the OS map does show a lighthouse at that position.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has now moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.....
Saturday, 18 June 2016
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. North Ronaldsay
Q2. Knap of Howar (aka Knap o' Howar, aka Barrow or Mound houses)
N.B. for question two, the name of the houses seems to be derived from the Norse word 'haugr' meaning 'mound' or 'barrow', so they could be looking for this as the answer but a trawl through some of the archaeological pages on the subject, didn't throw up any other specialised name for this type of house. They don't seem to be 'Brochs' (which are a type of double walled, complex Atlantic roundhouse, which are more like fortified towers than farmhouses).
The initial clues seem to place us on the island of North Ronaldsay, in the Orkney archipelago. The OS map shows a trig point there that is marked at twenty metres or around sixty six feet in old money. I found some reference sources which claim that Halfdan Longleg was the son of King Harald Fairhair and that he was involved in a bit of power struggle shenanigans with his brother Gudrod, which resulted in them burning alive sixty of the opposition and their leader Rognvald Eysteinsson, inside a building. King Harald got a bit upset at this and ordered Halfdan Longleg sacrificed to Odin by Rognvald's son, in a mysterious ritual called the 'Blood Eagle', on North Ronaldsay (no doubt involved smoking herbs, glugging whisky infused with fly agaric, drumming, chanting and incantations/casting of runes by a potty shaman and pulling the lungs of the hapless victim through the skin so that they appeared to have wings). These events appear to have been chronicled in a book called 'The Orkneyinga Saga' (c 13th century).
The map shows an 'Old Beacon' on the north east of the island. This seems to have been built by Thomas Smith (born c 1752) around 1787, with the new one hundred and thirty nine foot, red brick lighthouse being built by Alan Stevenson (born c 1807), to the north west of the old beacon.
Travelling west from North Ronaldsay would bring us to Papa Westray and this is where an Earl called Rognvald Brusason was buried c 1046. Rognvald was according to some of his biographies, the son of Brusi Sigurdsson. About half a click west of the airfield on Papa Westray, lie the 'barrow' or 'mound' houses of Knap of Hower. These puport to be the oldest stone houses in Europe, with some of the archaeological pages claiming they have been dated to c 3700 BC. I couldn't find a specialised archaeological name for this type of house and they do not fit the description for brochs, think they are just called the farmhouse at Knap of Hower. The flight from Papa Westray to Westray, according to some of the reference sources I checked, does appear to be about two minutes in duration.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a comment or quip related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. North Ronaldsay
Q2. Knap of Howar (aka Knap o' Howar, aka Barrow or Mound houses)
N.B. for question two, the name of the houses seems to be derived from the Norse word 'haugr' meaning 'mound' or 'barrow', so they could be looking for this as the answer but a trawl through some of the archaeological pages on the subject, didn't throw up any other specialised name for this type of house. They don't seem to be 'Brochs' (which are a type of double walled, complex Atlantic roundhouse, which are more like fortified towers than farmhouses).
The initial clues seem to place us on the island of North Ronaldsay, in the Orkney archipelago. The OS map shows a trig point there that is marked at twenty metres or around sixty six feet in old money. I found some reference sources which claim that Halfdan Longleg was the son of King Harald Fairhair and that he was involved in a bit of power struggle shenanigans with his brother Gudrod, which resulted in them burning alive sixty of the opposition and their leader Rognvald Eysteinsson, inside a building. King Harald got a bit upset at this and ordered Halfdan Longleg sacrificed to Odin by Rognvald's son, in a mysterious ritual called the 'Blood Eagle', on North Ronaldsay (no doubt involved smoking herbs, glugging whisky infused with fly agaric, drumming, chanting and incantations/casting of runes by a potty shaman and pulling the lungs of the hapless victim through the skin so that they appeared to have wings). These events appear to have been chronicled in a book called 'The Orkneyinga Saga' (c 13th century).
The map shows an 'Old Beacon' on the north east of the island. This seems to have been built by Thomas Smith (born c 1752) around 1787, with the new one hundred and thirty nine foot, red brick lighthouse being built by Alan Stevenson (born c 1807), to the north west of the old beacon.
Travelling west from North Ronaldsay would bring us to Papa Westray and this is where an Earl called Rognvald Brusason was buried c 1046. Rognvald was according to some of his biographies, the son of Brusi Sigurdsson. About half a click west of the airfield on Papa Westray, lie the 'barrow' or 'mound' houses of Knap of Hower. These puport to be the oldest stone houses in Europe, with some of the archaeological pages claiming they have been dated to c 3700 BC. I couldn't find a specialised archaeological name for this type of house and they do not fit the description for brochs, think they are just called the farmhouse at Knap of Hower. The flight from Papa Westray to Westray, according to some of the reference sources I checked, does appear to be about two minutes in duration.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a comment or quip related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 11 June 2016
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. Fowey
Q2. Arthur Quiller-Couch (aka Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch)
The initial clues appear to place us at the Iron age fort of 'Castle Dore', which is around a click or so to the south west of the thirty mile long 'Saints Way' hiking trail, in one of the most beautiful countries of the big British island, which is known as Cornwall. The fort was originally thought to have been constructed post Roman period but according to some references sources I checked, has now been dated to around 4th or 5th century B.C. and like many such fortifications, is associated with king Arthur. The Parliamentarians used it as a gun emplacement c 1644 but lost the position to the Royalists, when some of their men deserted.
The puzzle author is likely walking south on the west bank of the river Fowey, towards the small town of the same name. The railway there looks like it is still used to transport China clay to the docks and seems to have stopped carrying passengers c 1965. The line opened c 1869 and used to have a branch which passed through the one thousand, one hundred and seventy three yard long 'Pinnock Tunnel' and probably terminated at Par or the docks in Biscovery.
'Q', does not in this case, stand for 'Quartermaster' but is the nom de plume of Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch (born c 1863). A prolific writer and scholar, he seems to be most well known for a work called 'The Oxford Book of English Verse'. Q was friends with the author of one of the Eastender's favourite books ie 'The Wind in The Willows', which featured a proto-road rager called 'Toad of Toad Hall' (the 'Poop! Poop!' reference). Kenneth Grahame (born c 1859) was also secretary of the bank of England for a time and a disgruntled customer, according to some of his biographies, may have taken a pot shot at him with a revolver while he was working there one day. The titles and themes of some of his works, suggest that he may also have been a bit of a dabbler in the 'esoteric arts'. Grahame married Elspeth Thomson at St Fimbarrus's church in Fowey, c1899.
The third author referred to in the hints, is probably Daphne Du Maurier, who from some of the photographs I saw in her biographies, was a strikingly beautiful woman. Du Maurier lived in a house called 'Ferryside' at Bodinnick, on the east bank of the Fowey and her first novel appears to have been called 'The Loving Spirit' (published c 1931). She is also responsible for the story behind a marvellous old Hitchcock film called 'The Birds'.
The OS map shows a castle (St Catherine's) to the south west of Fowey and English Heritage claim that this was constructed by old 'Enry the Eighth oi am', c 1530s, to defend Fowey harbour. They installed some more guns there during the Crimean war and a triple A battery during world war II.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it....
Q1. Fowey
Q2. Arthur Quiller-Couch (aka Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch)
The initial clues appear to place us at the Iron age fort of 'Castle Dore', which is around a click or so to the south west of the thirty mile long 'Saints Way' hiking trail, in one of the most beautiful countries of the big British island, which is known as Cornwall. The fort was originally thought to have been constructed post Roman period but according to some references sources I checked, has now been dated to around 4th or 5th century B.C. and like many such fortifications, is associated with king Arthur. The Parliamentarians used it as a gun emplacement c 1644 but lost the position to the Royalists, when some of their men deserted.
The puzzle author is likely walking south on the west bank of the river Fowey, towards the small town of the same name. The railway there looks like it is still used to transport China clay to the docks and seems to have stopped carrying passengers c 1965. The line opened c 1869 and used to have a branch which passed through the one thousand, one hundred and seventy three yard long 'Pinnock Tunnel' and probably terminated at Par or the docks in Biscovery.
'Q', does not in this case, stand for 'Quartermaster' but is the nom de plume of Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch (born c 1863). A prolific writer and scholar, he seems to be most well known for a work called 'The Oxford Book of English Verse'. Q was friends with the author of one of the Eastender's favourite books ie 'The Wind in The Willows', which featured a proto-road rager called 'Toad of Toad Hall' (the 'Poop! Poop!' reference). Kenneth Grahame (born c 1859) was also secretary of the bank of England for a time and a disgruntled customer, according to some of his biographies, may have taken a pot shot at him with a revolver while he was working there one day. The titles and themes of some of his works, suggest that he may also have been a bit of a dabbler in the 'esoteric arts'. Grahame married Elspeth Thomson at St Fimbarrus's church in Fowey, c1899.
The third author referred to in the hints, is probably Daphne Du Maurier, who from some of the photographs I saw in her biographies, was a strikingly beautiful woman. Du Maurier lived in a house called 'Ferryside' at Bodinnick, on the east bank of the Fowey and her first novel appears to have been called 'The Loving Spirit' (published c 1931). She is also responsible for the story behind a marvellous old Hitchcock film called 'The Birds'.
The OS map shows a castle (St Catherine's) to the south west of Fowey and English Heritage claim that this was constructed by old 'Enry the Eighth oi am', c 1530s, to defend Fowey harbour. They installed some more guns there during the Crimean war and a triple A battery during world war II.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it....
Sunday, 5 June 2016
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competion
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. Kirkcudbright
Q2. E.A.Hornel (Edward Atkinson Hornel)
The initial clues seem to place us in the vicinity of Kirkcudbright, in the county of Dumfries and Galloway. The island mentioned in the hints, is probably Ross Island, as this sits just off the tip of the western side of Kirkcudbright bay. A lighthouse keeper (Robert Dickson) was convicted and hanged after being accused of the murder of one of his colleagues (Hugh Clark), c 1960.
The author who claimed that Kirkcudbright was "The sort of place where you either fish or paint", is most likely 'Dorothy L Sayers'. She published a novel (c 1931) called 'Five Red herrings', which featured an inspector MacPherson. An artist who was a member of a group called 'The Glasgow Boys' and who according to some of his biographies, had his home at Broughton house in Kirkcudbright, is probably E. A. Hornel (born c 1864). His painting titled 'Autumn' appears to be in the Tate gallery.
The castle in Kirkcudbright is not thought to be medieval but seems to gave been built c 1570, not long after the time Mary Queen of Scots was noising people up in Langside and losing. One of the town's art galleries is called 'Kirkcudbright Tolbooth and Tolbooth Art Centre' . Formerly a jail, it once housed the famous Admiral of the Russian and American fleets, John Paul Jones (born c 1747) aka 'Father of the American Navy', who was incarcerated there for killing a ship's carpenter. The jail may also have been the model for the prison in Sir Walter Scott's novel, 'Guy Mannering', published c 1815.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it....
Q1. Kirkcudbright
Q2. E.A.Hornel (Edward Atkinson Hornel)
The initial clues seem to place us in the vicinity of Kirkcudbright, in the county of Dumfries and Galloway. The island mentioned in the hints, is probably Ross Island, as this sits just off the tip of the western side of Kirkcudbright bay. A lighthouse keeper (Robert Dickson) was convicted and hanged after being accused of the murder of one of his colleagues (Hugh Clark), c 1960.
The author who claimed that Kirkcudbright was "The sort of place where you either fish or paint", is most likely 'Dorothy L Sayers'. She published a novel (c 1931) called 'Five Red herrings', which featured an inspector MacPherson. An artist who was a member of a group called 'The Glasgow Boys' and who according to some of his biographies, had his home at Broughton house in Kirkcudbright, is probably E. A. Hornel (born c 1864). His painting titled 'Autumn' appears to be in the Tate gallery.
The castle in Kirkcudbright is not thought to be medieval but seems to gave been built c 1570, not long after the time Mary Queen of Scots was noising people up in Langside and losing. One of the town's art galleries is called 'Kirkcudbright Tolbooth and Tolbooth Art Centre' . Formerly a jail, it once housed the famous Admiral of the Russian and American fleets, John Paul Jones (born c 1747) aka 'Father of the American Navy', who was incarcerated there for killing a ship's carpenter. The jail may also have been the model for the prison in Sir Walter Scott's novel, 'Guy Mannering', published c 1815.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it....
Saturday, 28 May 2016
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. Silverdale
Q2. Brief Encounter
The initial clues seem to place us at the Tewitfield Marina, at the northern end of the 'Lancaster Canal'. I found some references sources which claim that the canal has a 41 mile section with no locks. The gothic house is probably 'Leighton Hall', (originally c 13th century but rebuilt in the gothic style c 1763), which looks to be in the right location for the hints given. From the photographs I saw of it, it appears to be a most beautiful place and holds many fine treasures within its walls. The hall is associated with the Gillow family and Gillow & co were furniture manufacturers.
Travelling two miles to the west of Leighton Hall, would bring us to the settlement of Silverdale which is where, according to some of his biographies, a brewer called 'Henry Boddington' (born c 1813) retired. Cans of Boddy's draught have a picture of two bees on them. The author who holidayed in the village, is probably 'Elizabeth Gaskell' (born c 1810) and she published a gritty kitchen sink drama novel called 'Ruth' (c 1853), which featured characters called Thurston Benson, Henry Bellingham and Ruth.
Three miles south east of Silverdale would bring us to 'Warton Rectory', which was built c 14th century. The photograph on the English Heritage web site, shows only the ruins of the medieval hall are left standing there.
The film mentioned by the puzzle author is probably 'Brief Encounter' (c 1945) starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson and the great British director David Lean, directed this adaptation of the famous playwright, Noel Coward's play, 'Still Life'. The Eastender had to look up what a 'Bath Bun' was and it seems to be a type of bread roll which may have a whole sugar cube embedded in it, first appearing c 1763 (They didn't know much about nutrition back in those days and thought that it was ok to eat stuff like this, the author Jane Austen according to some sources, wrote about disordering her stomach with Bath Buns). Some of the railway platform scenes in the movie, were shot at Carnforth station.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Silverdale
Q2. Brief Encounter
The initial clues seem to place us at the Tewitfield Marina, at the northern end of the 'Lancaster Canal'. I found some references sources which claim that the canal has a 41 mile section with no locks. The gothic house is probably 'Leighton Hall', (originally c 13th century but rebuilt in the gothic style c 1763), which looks to be in the right location for the hints given. From the photographs I saw of it, it appears to be a most beautiful place and holds many fine treasures within its walls. The hall is associated with the Gillow family and Gillow & co were furniture manufacturers.
Travelling two miles to the west of Leighton Hall, would bring us to the settlement of Silverdale which is where, according to some of his biographies, a brewer called 'Henry Boddington' (born c 1813) retired. Cans of Boddy's draught have a picture of two bees on them. The author who holidayed in the village, is probably 'Elizabeth Gaskell' (born c 1810) and she published a gritty kitchen sink drama novel called 'Ruth' (c 1853), which featured characters called Thurston Benson, Henry Bellingham and Ruth.
Three miles south east of Silverdale would bring us to 'Warton Rectory', which was built c 14th century. The photograph on the English Heritage web site, shows only the ruins of the medieval hall are left standing there.
The film mentioned by the puzzle author is probably 'Brief Encounter' (c 1945) starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson and the great British director David Lean, directed this adaptation of the famous playwright, Noel Coward's play, 'Still Life'. The Eastender had to look up what a 'Bath Bun' was and it seems to be a type of bread roll which may have a whole sugar cube embedded in it, first appearing c 1763 (They didn't know much about nutrition back in those days and thought that it was ok to eat stuff like this, the author Jane Austen according to some sources, wrote about disordering her stomach with Bath Buns). Some of the railway platform scenes in the movie, were shot at Carnforth station.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Sunday, 22 May 2016
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. The Dam Busters
Q2. Woodhall Spa
(N.B. for question one, this film is also sometimes referred to as 'The Dambusters')
Quite tricky this week, two people in succession, were appointed as treasurer in 1433. The first was Ralph de Cromwell and the second was Ralph Boteler and both of these guys built castles. Ralph de Cromwell, according to some of the reference sources I checked built 'Tattershall Castle' near Conningsby, in Lincolnshire and Ralph Boteler built 'Sudeley Castle', in Gloucester. Of the two fortifications, the one which is a good fit for the puzzle author's description, is Tattershall castle as this has crenellations and is made of red bricks (seems a strange kind of material to construct a castle from, could be easily pulverised by rocks hurled from siege engines).
To further support the theory that 'Tattershall Castle' is the correct location, a quick check of the OS map shows that there is a viewing point next to Conningsby airfield and that the RAF motto for this station was 'Loyalty Binds Me'. The station sigil also includes an image of Tattershall Castle.
The indigenous inhabitants of the big British island are known to have three favourite squadrons and one favourite flight, these being 'The Red Arrows', the '617 'Dam Busters' squadron', the mythical '633 squadron' (which inspired George Lucas to produce the scene where Luke Skywalker flies down a canyon to destroy the Deathstar with a well placed photon torpedo) and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which is based at RAF Conningsby.
To go North from Conningsby aerodrome, the puzzle compiler would likely have to cross the eleven mile long 'Horncastle Canal' (opened c 1802) and drive up the B1192. I found some references to 617 squadron being based at RAF Woodhall Spa during world war II and there appears to be a memorial, in the shape of a broken dam, to the brave aviators who carried out this very daring and risky operation. A film about the exploits of 617 squadron, called 'The Dam Busters', was made c 1955. The airfield (which opened c 1942), is no longer there because it closed c 1964 and then became a quarry for sand and gravel.
Woodhall appears to have become a spa town when c 1811, a Mr John Parkinson, in an attempt to discover coal, instead discovered water, which was found to contain iodine and bromine and was thus declared valuable. A local dragon subsequently put up the money to build a spa, that he and the town could benefit from the tourist trade.
The abbey is most likely 'Kirkstead Abbey', which lies just short of the town. Seems to have been built c 1139 by Hugh Brito.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. The Dam Busters
Q2. Woodhall Spa
(N.B. for question one, this film is also sometimes referred to as 'The Dambusters')
Quite tricky this week, two people in succession, were appointed as treasurer in 1433. The first was Ralph de Cromwell and the second was Ralph Boteler and both of these guys built castles. Ralph de Cromwell, according to some of the reference sources I checked built 'Tattershall Castle' near Conningsby, in Lincolnshire and Ralph Boteler built 'Sudeley Castle', in Gloucester. Of the two fortifications, the one which is a good fit for the puzzle author's description, is Tattershall castle as this has crenellations and is made of red bricks (seems a strange kind of material to construct a castle from, could be easily pulverised by rocks hurled from siege engines).
To further support the theory that 'Tattershall Castle' is the correct location, a quick check of the OS map shows that there is a viewing point next to Conningsby airfield and that the RAF motto for this station was 'Loyalty Binds Me'. The station sigil also includes an image of Tattershall Castle.
The indigenous inhabitants of the big British island are known to have three favourite squadrons and one favourite flight, these being 'The Red Arrows', the '617 'Dam Busters' squadron', the mythical '633 squadron' (which inspired George Lucas to produce the scene where Luke Skywalker flies down a canyon to destroy the Deathstar with a well placed photon torpedo) and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which is based at RAF Conningsby.
To go North from Conningsby aerodrome, the puzzle compiler would likely have to cross the eleven mile long 'Horncastle Canal' (opened c 1802) and drive up the B1192. I found some references to 617 squadron being based at RAF Woodhall Spa during world war II and there appears to be a memorial, in the shape of a broken dam, to the brave aviators who carried out this very daring and risky operation. A film about the exploits of 617 squadron, called 'The Dam Busters', was made c 1955. The airfield (which opened c 1942), is no longer there because it closed c 1964 and then became a quarry for sand and gravel.
Woodhall appears to have become a spa town when c 1811, a Mr John Parkinson, in an attempt to discover coal, instead discovered water, which was found to contain iodine and bromine and was thus declared valuable. A local dragon subsequently put up the money to build a spa, that he and the town could benefit from the tourist trade.
The abbey is most likely 'Kirkstead Abbey', which lies just short of the town. Seems to have been built c 1139 by Hugh Brito.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 14 May 2016
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. William Shakespeare
Q2. The Boar's Head Tavern
Very tricky this week, the Eastender had the horrendous task of trying to translate some of Shakespeare's works into English, to find his way to the answers but I digress, the initial clues seem to place us on the south bank of the Thames, at what was once the site of Bankside power station, an edifice that according to some of the reference sources I checked, was constructed from around four point two million bricks. The building didn't operate as a power station for very long and was subsequently converted into the much more interesting 'Tate Modern'. The architect who designed the power station, according to some of his biographies, was most likely 'Sir Giles Gilbert Scott' (born c 1880).
East of 'Tate Modern', stands the modern Globe theatre and the original, which lay a bit to the south seems to have been constructed by Cuthbert Burbage (born c 1564/65) and his brother Richard.
To reach Candlewick Street (aka Eastcheap), the puzzle author would probably have crossed the Thames using London Bridge. A local version of Florian Geyer and his black host, called Jack Cade, lead a peasant revolt into London over this span (c 1450) and Shakespeare wrote about Cade's regime change operation in his play 'Henry IV' (some of the other puzzlers are of the opinion that it was Henry VI and after checking, I think they are correct). In the script, Mr Cade strikes his sword on the 'London Stone' (aka 'The Stone of Brutus', after the Roman (or Trojan, depending on which reference source you check) who put it there). Think you can still see the stone but it may be in a window next to a sports shop these days.
The hostelry mentioned in Henry IV, is probably the 'Boar's Head Tavern' and the landlady had a joke name which made the Eastender chuckle when he read it : 'Nell Quickly' or 'Mistress Quickly' (visions of Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Williams and Syd James saying it, induced this state of merriment). The Boar's Head Tavern may also have been mentioned in 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' and 'Henry V'. I found this quote in Henry VI (not Henry IV as first posted), which mentions a St Magnus corner:
Q1. William Shakespeare
Q2. The Boar's Head Tavern
Very tricky this week, the Eastender had the horrendous task of trying to translate some of Shakespeare's works into English, to find his way to the answers but I digress, the initial clues seem to place us on the south bank of the Thames, at what was once the site of Bankside power station, an edifice that according to some of the reference sources I checked, was constructed from around four point two million bricks. The building didn't operate as a power station for very long and was subsequently converted into the much more interesting 'Tate Modern'. The architect who designed the power station, according to some of his biographies, was most likely 'Sir Giles Gilbert Scott' (born c 1880).
East of 'Tate Modern', stands the modern Globe theatre and the original, which lay a bit to the south seems to have been constructed by Cuthbert Burbage (born c 1564/65) and his brother Richard.
To reach Candlewick Street (aka Eastcheap), the puzzle author would probably have crossed the Thames using London Bridge. A local version of Florian Geyer and his black host, called Jack Cade, lead a peasant revolt into London over this span (c 1450) and Shakespeare wrote about Cade's regime change operation in his play 'Henry IV' (some of the other puzzlers are of the opinion that it was Henry VI and after checking, I think they are correct). In the script, Mr Cade strikes his sword on the 'London Stone' (aka 'The Stone of Brutus', after the Roman (or Trojan, depending on which reference source you check) who put it there). Think you can still see the stone but it may be in a window next to a sports shop these days.
The hostelry mentioned in Henry IV, is probably the 'Boar's Head Tavern' and the landlady had a joke name which made the Eastender chuckle when he read it : 'Nell Quickly' or 'Mistress Quickly' (visions of Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Williams and Syd James saying it, induced this state of merriment). The Boar's Head Tavern may also have been mentioned in 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' and 'Henry V'. I found this quote in Henry VI (not Henry IV as first posted), which mentions a St Magnus corner:
CADE : Up Fish Street! Down St. Magnus’ Corner! Throw them into Thames!
There does seem to be a church of St Magnus the Martyr in the Eastcheap area, which was rebuilt after the great fire of London, by Christopher Wren. North west of London Bridge brings us to Smithfield and this was where Jack Cade and his Schwarzer Haufen, did battle with the royal team in Henry VI (they also seem to have been involved in a bit of a Donnybrook with the locals, on London bridge). Smithfield was according to some of his biographies, where the artist 'William Hogarth' was born (c 1697).
The third 'gem of a street' is most likely 'Hatton Garden', which is the jeweller's quarter in London. Some of the references I looked at, claim that the name 'Hatton Garden' is derived from the garden of the palace of the bishops of Ely, and that the area was once a large fruit orchard. Shakespeare makes reference to Hatton Garden in 'Richard the III' (again a very funny rhyming slang joke name ), the bard himself definitely had a sense of humour.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 7 May 2016
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. Castle Rising
Q2. Robert Walpole
The initial clues appear to place us in the village of Burnham Market, in North Norfolk. The village sits around two miles south of the sea and has a Carmelite priory (N.B. some reference sources claim that it is a friary), which seems to have been founded c 1241/42 by Sir William Calthorp and Sir Ralph Hemenhall. Only the gate house remains standing today. About one hundred metres or so west of the priory, stands the church of St Margaret, which from the photographs I saw of it, does indeed appear to have a Saxon round tower.
The first disused airfield is probably Sculthorpe Airfield, which lies about seven miles south south east of St Margaret's church. Some of the references I checked state that it was built c 1943 and that bombers operated from it. Travelling four miles south from Sculthorpe aerodrome, would bring us to RAF West Raynham, which was for a time home to 101 Squadron. RAF Raynham's sigil, is a severed horses head and a blade (Their motto 'Probitate et Labore' can be translated as 'by Honesty and Toil'). During world war two, 101 squadron lost a lot of skilled and very brave personnel on their dangerous electronic warfare missions, at one time they were operating Lancasters fitted with a system called 'Airborne Cigars', which was used to jam the Luftwaffe's night fighter command and control system. Because these aircraft were transmitting jamming signals, they were easy to track and many of them were shot down.
Eleven miles west of RAF West Raynham, lies the village of Castle Rising and it does have an impressive Norman castle which is surrounded by huge earthworks. The earthworks may have had a wall atop them at one time and anybody who managed to struggle up there while wearing armour, carrying weapons and shields, while the defenders hurled spears, rocks, verbal abuse, chamber pots and arrows at them, would have had to clamber over this and then cross open ground to reach the keep, where they would also have been very vulnerable to crossbow fire.
The castle appears to have been built c 12th century by William d'Albini and was at one time home to a fourteenth century regime change expert called 'The She Wolf of France', aka 'Queen Isabella' (born c 1295). She is said to have holed up in Castle Rising after deposing her husband, the nasty old fascist Edward II, so she can't have been all bad.
The MPs for the rotten borough of Castle Rising were probably Robert Walpole (born c 1676), who went on to become prime minister, the diarist Samuel Pepys (born c 1633) and Sir Charles Bagot (born c 1781), who was at one time governor in chief of British North America.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish them.
Q1. Castle Rising
Q2. Robert Walpole
The initial clues appear to place us in the village of Burnham Market, in North Norfolk. The village sits around two miles south of the sea and has a Carmelite priory (N.B. some reference sources claim that it is a friary), which seems to have been founded c 1241/42 by Sir William Calthorp and Sir Ralph Hemenhall. Only the gate house remains standing today. About one hundred metres or so west of the priory, stands the church of St Margaret, which from the photographs I saw of it, does indeed appear to have a Saxon round tower.
The first disused airfield is probably Sculthorpe Airfield, which lies about seven miles south south east of St Margaret's church. Some of the references I checked state that it was built c 1943 and that bombers operated from it. Travelling four miles south from Sculthorpe aerodrome, would bring us to RAF West Raynham, which was for a time home to 101 Squadron. RAF Raynham's sigil, is a severed horses head and a blade (Their motto 'Probitate et Labore' can be translated as 'by Honesty and Toil'). During world war two, 101 squadron lost a lot of skilled and very brave personnel on their dangerous electronic warfare missions, at one time they were operating Lancasters fitted with a system called 'Airborne Cigars', which was used to jam the Luftwaffe's night fighter command and control system. Because these aircraft were transmitting jamming signals, they were easy to track and many of them were shot down.
Eleven miles west of RAF West Raynham, lies the village of Castle Rising and it does have an impressive Norman castle which is surrounded by huge earthworks. The earthworks may have had a wall atop them at one time and anybody who managed to struggle up there while wearing armour, carrying weapons and shields, while the defenders hurled spears, rocks, verbal abuse, chamber pots and arrows at them, would have had to clamber over this and then cross open ground to reach the keep, where they would also have been very vulnerable to crossbow fire.
The castle appears to have been built c 12th century by William d'Albini and was at one time home to a fourteenth century regime change expert called 'The She Wolf of France', aka 'Queen Isabella' (born c 1295). She is said to have holed up in Castle Rising after deposing her husband, the nasty old fascist Edward II, so she can't have been all bad.
The MPs for the rotten borough of Castle Rising were probably Robert Walpole (born c 1676), who went on to become prime minister, the diarist Samuel Pepys (born c 1633) and Sir Charles Bagot (born c 1781), who was at one time governor in chief of British North America.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish them.
Sunday, 1 May 2016
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. Crichton Castle
Q2. Tweedbank
Very tricky today, Sunday Times seem to have moved the web page where the puzzle normally resides, Ordnance Survey have cunningly disguised the active Borders Railway as a 'Dismantled Railway', just to make things easier and the Eastender's tablet ran out of juice but I digress, the initial clues appear to place us on the aforementioned Borders Railway, which follows the old 'Waverley Route' (which was opened by the 'North British Railway' c 1849), for part of its course, from Newcraighall in Edinburgh, to Tweedbank via Galashiels. Dr Beeching closed the old Waverley Route c 1969 but the Scottish Parliament voted to re-open 31 miles of single track, as far as Tweedbank c 2006.
The country's largest mining settlement is most likely Newtongrange as the line passes through there, although it looks like the station is closed. The village sits next the river South Esk, which some of the reference sources I checked, claim rises in Blackhope Scar and then flows some nineteen miles through the Gladhouse and Rosebery reservoirs, passing through Newtongrange, before joining the North Esk to become the Esk proper.
The South Esk flows past Dalhousie castle, which was once the seat of William Ramsay (died c 1672), First Earl of Dalhousie. Clan Ramsay's motto was 'Pray and Labour'. The castle does seem to be a hotel now.
The railway turns east shortly after Gorebridge station and to the south lies Borthwick Castle, which was constructed c 1430, for Sir William Borthwick. I found a reference which claimed that it was used to store national treasures (like Frankie Howerd and Irene Handl) during the second world war. Cromwell was asked to leave c 1650, after one of his drummers got hammered and threw a TV out of the hotel window, he fired some cannon balls at the wall in retaliation but they still told him to hop it. The damage is still visible today. To the north of the track lies Crichton Castle and this is where William Crichton (First Lord Crichton), who was appointed master of the king's household c 1432, lived for a time.
The second town is most likely Galashiels, as the town's sigil is two foxes stretching to eat plums from a tree. There is a legend that the sour plums (soor plums) myth was created when some English soldiers picking said fruit in the locale, were slaughtered by the townsfolk.
The border railway ends at the village of Tweedbank which is next to the confluence of the river Tweed and the Gala Water. Sir Walter Scott (born c 1771) had a house called Abbotsford on the outskirts of the village.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment our quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it....
Q1. Crichton Castle
Q2. Tweedbank
Very tricky today, Sunday Times seem to have moved the web page where the puzzle normally resides, Ordnance Survey have cunningly disguised the active Borders Railway as a 'Dismantled Railway', just to make things easier and the Eastender's tablet ran out of juice but I digress, the initial clues appear to place us on the aforementioned Borders Railway, which follows the old 'Waverley Route' (which was opened by the 'North British Railway' c 1849), for part of its course, from Newcraighall in Edinburgh, to Tweedbank via Galashiels. Dr Beeching closed the old Waverley Route c 1969 but the Scottish Parliament voted to re-open 31 miles of single track, as far as Tweedbank c 2006.
The country's largest mining settlement is most likely Newtongrange as the line passes through there, although it looks like the station is closed. The village sits next the river South Esk, which some of the reference sources I checked, claim rises in Blackhope Scar and then flows some nineteen miles through the Gladhouse and Rosebery reservoirs, passing through Newtongrange, before joining the North Esk to become the Esk proper.
The South Esk flows past Dalhousie castle, which was once the seat of William Ramsay (died c 1672), First Earl of Dalhousie. Clan Ramsay's motto was 'Pray and Labour'. The castle does seem to be a hotel now.
The railway turns east shortly after Gorebridge station and to the south lies Borthwick Castle, which was constructed c 1430, for Sir William Borthwick. I found a reference which claimed that it was used to store national treasures (like Frankie Howerd and Irene Handl) during the second world war. Cromwell was asked to leave c 1650, after one of his drummers got hammered and threw a TV out of the hotel window, he fired some cannon balls at the wall in retaliation but they still told him to hop it. The damage is still visible today. To the north of the track lies Crichton Castle and this is where William Crichton (First Lord Crichton), who was appointed master of the king's household c 1432, lived for a time.
The second town is most likely Galashiels, as the town's sigil is two foxes stretching to eat plums from a tree. There is a legend that the sour plums (soor plums) myth was created when some English soldiers picking said fruit in the locale, were slaughtered by the townsfolk.
The border railway ends at the village of Tweedbank which is next to the confluence of the river Tweed and the Gala Water. Sir Walter Scott (born c 1771) had a house called Abbotsford on the outskirts of the village.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment our quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it....
Saturday, 23 April 2016
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. Gravesend
Q2. Heart of Darkness
The initial clues appear to place us in the town of Rochester, in the county of Kent, next to the river Medway and possibly at Strood station. The railway line here tracks north east before turning northwest and entering the two thousand three hundred and twenty nine yard 'Strood Tunnel', which some of the reference sources I checked, claim was opened c 1844/45. The Strood tunnel is separated from the one thousand five hundred and thirty one yard 'Higham tunnel', by a fifty yard gap known as 'The Bombhole', which was put in place to allow barges to pass each other, when the tunnels carried both canal and railway. The canal was eventually filled in, to allow a second track to be installed.
Two stops later would take us past Higham station and thence to Gravesend. The line runs parallel to the now disused Thames & Medway canal before entering the second town. A princess called Pocahontas (born c 1596 in the Algonquian nation in Virginia) was according to some of her biographies, buried in the chancel of St George's church, likely expiring from Tuberculosis or Pneumonia c 1617, after being put ashore from a ship bound for Virginia. I found a couple of sources which claim that Gravesend pier is two hundred and sixty feet in length, was opened c 1834 and that it is the oldest cast iron pier in the world.
The author is probably Joseph Conrad (born c 1857). His book 'Heart of Darkness' (published c 1902) starts off with a character called Marlow, aboard a ship called 'The Nellie', which was anchored near Gravesend, telling the story of his search for the mysterious colonel Kurtz, who had gone completely 'Troppo' in the Belgian Congo, due to the heat. By his account, the journey was more like a trip up the rivers Styx or Acheron, rather than a pleasure cruise.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Gravesend
Q2. Heart of Darkness
The initial clues appear to place us in the town of Rochester, in the county of Kent, next to the river Medway and possibly at Strood station. The railway line here tracks north east before turning northwest and entering the two thousand three hundred and twenty nine yard 'Strood Tunnel', which some of the reference sources I checked, claim was opened c 1844/45. The Strood tunnel is separated from the one thousand five hundred and thirty one yard 'Higham tunnel', by a fifty yard gap known as 'The Bombhole', which was put in place to allow barges to pass each other, when the tunnels carried both canal and railway. The canal was eventually filled in, to allow a second track to be installed.
Two stops later would take us past Higham station and thence to Gravesend. The line runs parallel to the now disused Thames & Medway canal before entering the second town. A princess called Pocahontas (born c 1596 in the Algonquian nation in Virginia) was according to some of her biographies, buried in the chancel of St George's church, likely expiring from Tuberculosis or Pneumonia c 1617, after being put ashore from a ship bound for Virginia. I found a couple of sources which claim that Gravesend pier is two hundred and sixty feet in length, was opened c 1834 and that it is the oldest cast iron pier in the world.
The author is probably Joseph Conrad (born c 1857). His book 'Heart of Darkness' (published c 1902) starts off with a character called Marlow, aboard a ship called 'The Nellie', which was anchored near Gravesend, telling the story of his search for the mysterious colonel Kurtz, who had gone completely 'Troppo' in the Belgian Congo, due to the heat. By his account, the journey was more like a trip up the rivers Styx or Acheron, rather than a pleasure cruise.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 9 April 2016
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. The Battle of Naseby
Q2. Sir Everard Digby
The initial clue of SK/TF/SP/TL seems to relate to the Ordnance Survey's 100km square grid designation system, with these particular ones relating to areas in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire respectively. The puzzle author is most likely at the site of the monument commemorating the battle of Naseby, which occurred during the first English Civil War c June 14th 1645. Travelling east north east from the monument, would probably take us across the two hundred and twenty five mile long Midshires Way walking trail (which some of the reference sources I checked claim starts at Bledlow, near Aylesbury and ends in Stockport) and thence to the 'Triangular Lodge', near Rushton. This seems to be have been built by Sir Thomas Tresham c 1593 - 1597. Tresham was the father of one of the gunpowder plot jihadists and the fact that the house is triangular, has trefoil windows with triangles in them and has three floors was said to be because Tresham was a staunch Catholic obsessed with the holy trinity, though it being a lodge covered with triangles may point to him being a member of a very different sect.To keep in with his 'three is a magic number' fixation, his wife called him 'Good Tres'.
North North East of Tresham's triangles, lies the Lyddington Bede House, which once belonged to the bishops of Lincoln and this seems to have come under the ownership of a courtier and squaddie called Sir Cecil Thomas, first earl of Exeter (born c 1542). Some of his biographies claim that he was Lord President of York,which is the same thing as President of the Council of the North. By all accounts, the lad was a bit of a rake during his gap year, when he went inter-railing round Europe but eventually calmed down and turned Lyddington Bede into an alms house.
About a mile west of Lyddington Bede, lies the one horse dorp of 'Stoke Dry' and this appears to be where one of the gunpowder plot conspirators, one Sir Everard Digby was born, c 1578. Prior to reading his biographies, the Eastender had formed the opinion that 'Everard' was a joke name made up by a seventies game show host, who used it as a running gag from his selection of catch phrases and double entendres. The unfortunate Digby had his request to be dispatched by the axe man refused and was subsequently hung drawn and quartered c 30th of January 1606.
The viaduct is likely to be the 'Welland Viaduct', which looks to be a good fit for the location given in the clues. Some of the sources I checked claim that it does have eighty two arches and was constructed c 1879. The village that the puzzle writer stops at, could be Duddington, for about a mile south east, in a forest, is where the corners of the four one hundred km national grid squares SK/TF/SP/TL meet. This point is also around three miles south west of RAF Wittering ( motto "Strength is Freedom") .
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. The Battle of Naseby
Q2. Sir Everard Digby
The initial clue of SK/TF/SP/TL seems to relate to the Ordnance Survey's 100km square grid designation system, with these particular ones relating to areas in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire respectively. The puzzle author is most likely at the site of the monument commemorating the battle of Naseby, which occurred during the first English Civil War c June 14th 1645. Travelling east north east from the monument, would probably take us across the two hundred and twenty five mile long Midshires Way walking trail (which some of the reference sources I checked claim starts at Bledlow, near Aylesbury and ends in Stockport) and thence to the 'Triangular Lodge', near Rushton. This seems to be have been built by Sir Thomas Tresham c 1593 - 1597. Tresham was the father of one of the gunpowder plot jihadists and the fact that the house is triangular, has trefoil windows with triangles in them and has three floors was said to be because Tresham was a staunch Catholic obsessed with the holy trinity, though it being a lodge covered with triangles may point to him being a member of a very different sect.To keep in with his 'three is a magic number' fixation, his wife called him 'Good Tres'.
North North East of Tresham's triangles, lies the Lyddington Bede House, which once belonged to the bishops of Lincoln and this seems to have come under the ownership of a courtier and squaddie called Sir Cecil Thomas, first earl of Exeter (born c 1542). Some of his biographies claim that he was Lord President of York,which is the same thing as President of the Council of the North. By all accounts, the lad was a bit of a rake during his gap year, when he went inter-railing round Europe but eventually calmed down and turned Lyddington Bede into an alms house.
About a mile west of Lyddington Bede, lies the one horse dorp of 'Stoke Dry' and this appears to be where one of the gunpowder plot conspirators, one Sir Everard Digby was born, c 1578. Prior to reading his biographies, the Eastender had formed the opinion that 'Everard' was a joke name made up by a seventies game show host, who used it as a running gag from his selection of catch phrases and double entendres. The unfortunate Digby had his request to be dispatched by the axe man refused and was subsequently hung drawn and quartered c 30th of January 1606.
The viaduct is likely to be the 'Welland Viaduct', which looks to be a good fit for the location given in the clues. Some of the sources I checked claim that it does have eighty two arches and was constructed c 1879. The village that the puzzle writer stops at, could be Duddington, for about a mile south east, in a forest, is where the corners of the four one hundred km national grid squares SK/TF/SP/TL meet. This point is also around three miles south west of RAF Wittering ( motto "Strength is Freedom") .
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 2 April 2016
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. York
Q2. W.H.Auden (aka Wystan Hugh Auden)
The initial clues appear to place us in Eboracum, 'The Place of Yews', which some of the sources I checked, claim is of Celtic origin and was appropriated by the Romans to designate the beautiful city of York. There seems to be a Saxon burial mound called 'Siwards How', just to the North of the university.
One of the airfields that 77 Squadron were based at, was Elvington Airfield and at this point in their history (c 1942), they were flying Handley Page Halifax bombers. I found several references to the last Luftwaffe aircraft to crash on British soil, which claim that it was a Junkers 88 night fighter, flown by a very sneaky pilot called Johann Dreher. The Junkers 88 night fighters were at this point in the war (c 3rd of March, 1945), being used to hit the allied bombers when they were at their most vulnerable, ie returning from a raid, on approach to their own airfields (operation Gisela). Hauptman Dreher had already shot down two bombers that night (they used to fly underneath them and fire their cannons into the bomb bays and fuel tanks) and was lined up nicely to take down a French Halifax (piloted by Capitaine Notelle) waiting to land at Elvington, when his plane was hit by ground fire from the guns of a bored British squaddie ( called Corporal George Wetherill) and three of his mates. The Junkers crashed into a farmhouse near Elvington, killing all four of the crew and three people in the house. The corporal later came to regret his actions that night, as he knew the people who lived in the farmhouse.
The footpath that the puzzle author claimed to be standing on, is probably the 'Wilberforce Way' (named after William Wilberforce, the politician and anti slavery campaigner ( born York c 1759), which seems to be around sixty miles long and runs from Hull to York. The other trails mentioned are most likely the 'Minster Way' (fifty miles long) and the 'Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail' (seventy six to seventy nine miles long, depending on which reference you check).
The old station in York, built by the York & North Midlands Railway, does appear to have been built c 1840.
The emperors who died in York c 211 ad and 306 ad, were probably 'Septimus Servus' and 'Constantius I' respectively. By all accounts, Septimus Servus was more like a gangster in the film 'Goodfellas', than a benign ruler. King Edwin seems to have been baptized in York c 627 ad and a nasty old fascist called Edward III, was married there c 1328. Saint Margaret was executed in York c 1586 and the people who carried out the murder were by any measure, vicious savages as they put sharp rock under the poor woman and then dropped weights on her, absolutely appalling behavior.
A poet born in York c 1907 and who wrote some verse for a documentary film about a nocturnal train, called 'Night Mail', is probably Wystan Hugh Auden (W.H.Auden).
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. York
Q2. W.H.Auden (aka Wystan Hugh Auden)
The initial clues appear to place us in Eboracum, 'The Place of Yews', which some of the sources I checked, claim is of Celtic origin and was appropriated by the Romans to designate the beautiful city of York. There seems to be a Saxon burial mound called 'Siwards How', just to the North of the university.
One of the airfields that 77 Squadron were based at, was Elvington Airfield and at this point in their history (c 1942), they were flying Handley Page Halifax bombers. I found several references to the last Luftwaffe aircraft to crash on British soil, which claim that it was a Junkers 88 night fighter, flown by a very sneaky pilot called Johann Dreher. The Junkers 88 night fighters were at this point in the war (c 3rd of March, 1945), being used to hit the allied bombers when they were at their most vulnerable, ie returning from a raid, on approach to their own airfields (operation Gisela). Hauptman Dreher had already shot down two bombers that night (they used to fly underneath them and fire their cannons into the bomb bays and fuel tanks) and was lined up nicely to take down a French Halifax (piloted by Capitaine Notelle) waiting to land at Elvington, when his plane was hit by ground fire from the guns of a bored British squaddie ( called Corporal George Wetherill) and three of his mates. The Junkers crashed into a farmhouse near Elvington, killing all four of the crew and three people in the house. The corporal later came to regret his actions that night, as he knew the people who lived in the farmhouse.
The footpath that the puzzle author claimed to be standing on, is probably the 'Wilberforce Way' (named after William Wilberforce, the politician and anti slavery campaigner ( born York c 1759), which seems to be around sixty miles long and runs from Hull to York. The other trails mentioned are most likely the 'Minster Way' (fifty miles long) and the 'Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail' (seventy six to seventy nine miles long, depending on which reference you check).
The old station in York, built by the York & North Midlands Railway, does appear to have been built c 1840.
The emperors who died in York c 211 ad and 306 ad, were probably 'Septimus Servus' and 'Constantius I' respectively. By all accounts, Septimus Servus was more like a gangster in the film 'Goodfellas', than a benign ruler. King Edwin seems to have been baptized in York c 627 ad and a nasty old fascist called Edward III, was married there c 1328. Saint Margaret was executed in York c 1586 and the people who carried out the murder were by any measure, vicious savages as they put sharp rock under the poor woman and then dropped weights on her, absolutely appalling behavior.
A poet born in York c 1907 and who wrote some verse for a documentary film about a nocturnal train, called 'Night Mail', is probably Wystan Hugh Auden (W.H.Auden).
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
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