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.
Saturday, 24 September 2016
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.
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