I loved your piece on Chippenham! The historical richness you uncovered about the town is absolutely fascinating, especially the details about its Saxon past and the evolution of Yelde Hall. It was a wonderfully written piece.
A very interesting read about nearby Cepen (so that's why it's called Cepen Park!). I enjoyed your thoughts on how our sceptered isle could have evolved had the Alfred not been so Great. It was also great to catch up in Aquae Sulis.
Thanks Andrew and yes, it is entertaining to muse on how different the world might be if Alfred had been captured. I'm sure there's more than one PhD thesis been produced on that topic. Interestingly Bath would probably be 'Bad' and I suspect still something of a tourist attraction....
Thanks Harry, I lived in Corsham for a while in the late seventies and early eighties and very much enjoyed living there, close to Bath and Bristol, as well as Chippenham, which had an open air swimming pool then. A few years later I went back and spent a quiet afternoon in the library (I think, although it might have been the record office) researching Chippenham's history. The story I loved was that Roland Brotherhood had eleven sons who could form a cricket team. When the great Italian of the Risorgimento, Guiseppe Garibaldi came to Britain, he travelled by train through Chippenham Station. The boys had arranged to fire a celebratory cannon salute as the train slowed and passed by. But they rather overdid it and blew all the windows out of the station canopy. Not many people know that.
I loved your piece on Chippenham! The historical richness you uncovered about the town is absolutely fascinating, especially the details about its Saxon past and the evolution of Yelde Hall. It was a wonderfully written piece.
Thank you Jon, much appreciate the kind words.
Very interesting deep dive into this little town. The museum work you did sounds really rewarding. Thanks, Harry!
Thank you Jenn
A very interesting read about nearby Cepen (so that's why it's called Cepen Park!). I enjoyed your thoughts on how our sceptered isle could have evolved had the Alfred not been so Great. It was also great to catch up in Aquae Sulis.
Thanks Andrew and yes, it is entertaining to muse on how different the world might be if Alfred had been captured. I'm sure there's more than one PhD thesis been produced on that topic. Interestingly Bath would probably be 'Bad' and I suspect still something of a tourist attraction....
I believe that I have said this before - If you're not a teacher, you should be. Or a tour guide.
And as ever Daniel, thank you. Bit too old to be the former but I was the latter for three years...
I get a vibe from certain people, even over the Net. Damn, I'm good..... I should open my own " Psychic Hotline ". $ 6. 30 a minute.
😊👍🔮
Thanks Harry, I lived in Corsham for a while in the late seventies and early eighties and very much enjoyed living there, close to Bath and Bristol, as well as Chippenham, which had an open air swimming pool then. A few years later I went back and spent a quiet afternoon in the library (I think, although it might have been the record office) researching Chippenham's history. The story I loved was that Roland Brotherhood had eleven sons who could form a cricket team. When the great Italian of the Risorgimento, Guiseppe Garibaldi came to Britain, he travelled by train through Chippenham Station. The boys had arranged to fire a celebratory cannon salute as the train slowed and passed by. But they rather overdid it and blew all the windows out of the station canopy. Not many people know that.
Thank you Maureen or if things had turned out differently for Alfred ... Tak skal du have 😉