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.
Saturday, 8 October 2016
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)