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2015 Salisbury Cathedral and Magna Carta 800th Anniverasy Celebrations

April 6, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

2015 – The 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta
The diversity of worldwide creativity to celebrate Magna Carta 800 is testament to it’s power and longevity. Thousands of events and activities are being organized for millions of people, all of whom have been touched by the events of 19th June, 2015. A Magna Carta Symphony will be performed, special exhibitions, lectures and conferences will be held. Magna Carta 800 is a global event to which the whole world is invited.

Magna CartaSalisbury Cathedral intends to re-display and re-present its Magna Carta in the newly-conserved Chapter House, safeguarding the document for the future and using the latest interpretation techniques to communicate Magna Carta’s historic background and modern significance to the many extra visitors it expects to welcome in 2015. It also hopes to conserve and repair the Cathedral’s medieval Cloisters where the Chapter House is located.

Brief background information on Magna Carta 1215
Magna Carta is one of the most celebrated documents in English history, regarded as the cornerstone of English liberty, law and democracy, and its legacy has been its enduring worldwide influence. It was written in Latin, the language of all official documents of the period, on a single skin of vellum (calfskin). It consists of 63 clauses written on 76 tightly packed lines, written with the standard medieval time and space-saving abbreviations. It is one of the most celebrated documents in English history whose importance cannot be exaggerated. It is often claimed to be the cornerstone of English liberty, law and democracy and its legacy has been its enduring and worldwide influence. The critical importance of the charter is that it imposed for the first time detailed written constraints on royal authority in the fields of taxation, feudal rights and justice, and limited unjust and arbitrary behaviour by the king. Magna Carta has become an icon for freedom and democracy throughout the world. The other surviving copies are held by the British Library and Lincoln Cathedral.

Stay updated. Preparations are underway for some truly memorable celebrations from a national bank holiday and a new bridge over the Thames to local street parties and tours

Salisbury Cathedral: http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/
Salisbury Museum: http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk/
The events leading up to Magna Carta: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/magna_01.shtml

Follow us on Twitter for updates leading up to the anniversary: https://twitter.com/HisT0URies

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Posted in 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta, Chapter House, English history, Guided Tours, king john, magna carta, Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire Heritage | Leave a Comment »

One roof section is finished

April 6, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

neolithichouses's avatarStonehenge Neolithic Houses

We have finished the first section of one of our buildings today!

After an amazing effort our volunteers completed the thatch on one of the experimental sections on building 547. This will now allow us to start daubing the wall sections under this part of the roof.

Having also finished tidying up the ridge section on building 851 we have moved on to cutting off the top of the wall stakes that project above the roof line. This will allow the thatch to sit properly as it covers the eaves of the building.

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History Live! 2013

March 29, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

Prepare to immerse yourself in the story of England at History Live! – an action-packed blockbuster and Europe’s biggest historical event.

History AliveOver 2,000 re-enactors and performers bring two millennia of history to life through stunning combat displays, thrilling battle re-enactments and a host of interactive experiences.

Gladiators, redcoats, and the Roman Imperial Army will be among the returning favourites at the event, which will also feature breathtaking displays of skill and valour from clashing knights on horseback in the Grand Medieval Joust and of bravery from Allied soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy.

New for this year will be a re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings, the battle that changed the course of the nation, as well as a demonstration of the impressive artillery used before gunpowder was even invented.

Away from the arena and parade ground, visitors can also step into living history encampments, discover fun activities and enjoy expert talks. With plenty to keep the whole family entertained, this is a weekend you will not want to miss.

 

Image courtesy of Point and Shoot Medieval Photography.

  • Date: Sat 20 & Sun 21 July 2013
  • Property:
    Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire
  • Time: 9.30am-6.00pm

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  • Booking :

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  • Suitable for: Everyone

Purchase your tickets today by calling our dedicated Ticket Sales Team on 0870 333 1183 (Mon – Fri 8.30am – 5.30 Sat 9am – 5pm) or online below. Tickets will also be available to purchase at the event site on the day.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/history-live-kelmarsh-20-jul/

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14th-Century Plague Pit Found During Crossrail Dig

March 16, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

Engineers digging the Crossrail tunnels have uncovered a plague pit believed to date from the Black Death in the 14th century. Here’s the BBC’s video of the site.

Photo courtesy of Crossrail.

Photo courtesy of Crossrail.

Over the past two weeks 13 skeletons have been discovered at a shaft in Charterhouse Square, just outside the boundaries of the  City of London, with more being unearthed every day. Experts believe they date from the Black Death, which killed tens of millions during the medieval period, wiping out up to 60% of the continent’s population.

A burial site was understood to be in the Farringdon area, but until now its precise location was uncertain. The Smithfield area is proving a fecund ground for archaeologists: in 2011 researchers were able to reconstruct the plague’s genetic code, using skeletons discovered in the 1980s.

This is the second major archaeological discovery in London of recent weeks, after the remains of a Roman settlement were uncovered in February. A pit of ‘lunatic’ skeletons was also discovered by Crossrail workers in 2011.

Source link: http://londonist.com/2013/03/14th-century-plague-pit-found-during-crossrail-dig.php

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Stonehenge & Avebury: the saving of Avebury

March 16, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

heritageaction's avatarThe Heritage Journal

Postcards to friends of the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site

King

In October 1871 the vicar of Avebury, Bryan King, demonstrated the value of local engagement by writing to Sir John Lubbock:

“When you were here – I think that you remarked that you would not object to purchase the two meadows in this village containing the stones & part of the Dyke. Since then the farm of which they formed part has been bought by a land & building society and one of the meadows in question – though not the one containing most stones – is now on sale. I have just seen the agent who informs me that they are all ready to sell it … Now this meadow with its proportion of Dyke contains about 6 acres … I do not know whether you would care to buy this or to make an offer for it…

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Secret behind the building of Stonehenge

March 9, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

THE workforce that built Stonehenge 4,500 years ago came in their thousands from the length and breadth of Britain, a study shows.

Visit Stonehenge

Settlers are said to have travelled from as far away as the Scottish highlands

The massive stone circle was erected over a decade by people attending the equivalent of “Glastonbury festival and a motorway building scheme at the same time”, says Professor Mike Parker Pearson, from University College London.

Analysis of a nearby Wiltshire settlement suggests 4,000 people at once would have gathered at the site when Britain’s then population was only tens of thousands.

Cattle and pig teeth show people travelled from as far away as the Scottish Highlands.

Prof Parker Pearson said construction of the monument was “not all fun, there’s work too”.

Secrets of the Stonehenge Skeletons is on Channel 4 tomorrow at 8pm

Full story in the Express: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/382949/Secret-behind-the-building-of-Stonehenge

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Heritage! The Battle for Britain’s Past

March 7, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

It feels as if we’ve always cherished the ruins of our stately homes, great abbeys, castles and ancient monuments. Yet our love affair with historic buildings is relatively recent. It’s been a revolution that flew in the face of industrial change and has been inspired both by acts of personal bravado and government intervention.

Main Image: BBC/English Heritage

Main Image: BBC/English Heritag

A new series on BBC Four this month called “Heritage! The Battle for Britain’s Past” looks at those pioneers of the past who fought to save the physical remains of the nation’s history. Some like William Morris, Octavia Hill and John Betjeman are familiar names, others – the “men from the ministry” /who worked quietly behind the scenes – are unsung heroes.

 
The first episode charts the birth of the heritage movement and the battle to save Britain’s great sites from destruction. The second episode looks at the interwar years, the rise of the day out to a historic site, and the struggle for the future of the English country house. And the final episode examines how in the second half of the 20th century, the definition of what did and did not constitute “heritage” changed.heritage-bbcfour

Made in partnership with English Heritage, the series features contributions from many of EH’s experts and draws upon its research into the early acts of heritage legislation – including the landmark Ancient Monuments Act of 1913.

A timely reminder to all of us about just how important these buildings remain, how we so nearly lost so many and the lessons we mustn’t forget.

Heritage! The Battle for Britain’s Past starts tomorrow at 21.00 on BBC Four
Links source: http://www.primeresi.com/heritage-the-battle-for-britains-past/12094/

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Ancient ceremonial landscape of great archaeological and wildlife interest

March 1, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

Within the Stonehenge World Heritage Site, the National Trust manages 827 hectares (2,100 acres) of downland surrounding the famous stone circle.

Walking across the grassland, visitors can discover other prehistoric monuments, including the Avenue and King Barrow Ridge with its Bronze Age burial mounds.

Bronze Age burial mounds rise among beech trees at King Barrow Ridge

Bronze Age burial mounds rise among beech trees at King Barrow Ridge

Nearby, Winterbourne Stoke Barrows is another fascinating example of a prehistoric cemetery. While Durrington Walls hides the remains of a Neolithic village.

The best approach to the famous stone circle is across Normanton Down, a round barrow cemetery dates from around 2600 to 1600BC.

stonehenge@nationaltrust.org.uk

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stonehenge-landscape/
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/

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Google doodles for Mary Leakey’s 100th birthday

February 6, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

Google, today, commemorates Mary Leakey’s 100th birthday anniversary with an attractive doodle. Leakey, a renowned British archaeologist and anthropologist, was born on February 6, 1913 in London, England and is well known for her significant discoveries and exploring the fossils of the ancient hominines. She collaborated with her husband Louis Leakey through a large part of her career and her three sons also entered the same field. She died on December 9, 1996 at the age of 83.

mary_leakeys_100th_birthday-1026006-hpLeakey’s discoveries included the fossilised Proconsul skull, an extinct ape that is believed to be ancestor to humans. Another discovery was that of the Zinjanthropus skull, an early hominin, at Olduvai Gorge. She is also credited with developing a system to classify stone tools found at Olduvai as well as discovering Laetoli footprints. Over the course of her career, Leakey wrote four books.

Her passion towards unearthing the fossils was somewhat influenced by John Frere, an antiquarian, and Sheppard Frere, an archaeologist. Moreover, she had a chance to accompany Elie Peyrony during an excavation at Les Eyzies, where she came across collection scrapers and other tools from the dump. It is believed that at this phase her interest in prehistory gradually sparked.

Google’s doodle to mark the 100th birth anniversary of Mary Leakey with an image of a female archaeologist working at an excavation site marked with footprints. She is surrounded by archaeological tools like brush, leaf-and-square and trowel, while two dogs play around the site.

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The Chalke Valley History Festival 2013

February 1, 2013 by HisTOURies U.K Tours

The Chalke Valley History Festival is unique, with a literary history festival, living history through the ages, and a new schools programme.  Attracting some 13,000 in only its second year in 2012, 2013 promises to be even better…

The Chalke Valley History Festival has been created to further the enjoyment and understanding of our rich and varied history. All proceeds go to the Chalke Valley History Trust, created to help further the education of history in our schools. We look forward to seeing you there…

chalk-valleyLiving History.

The Festival will become a giant encampment of living history through the ages, from Romans to the Second World War, and displayed by some of the very best re-enactors and historical interpreters in the UK.  With an air show featuring Spitfires and other warbirds, with Sword School, Have-a-Go Archery, an interactive First World War trench experience, and a battle re-enactment of the Battle of Vitoria, there will be much to see for all the family.

Literary Festival

Throughout the week, the Festival plays host to many of our most popular, passionate and leading historians, from Max Hastings and Neil Oliver, to Michael Morpurgo and Dan Snow, and from Horrible Histories through to Boris Johnson and Tom Stoppard. Covering a wide variety of subjects from Ancient Rome to the Iron Curtain and with debates, discussions, lectures, seminars and events for all the family, this is Britain’s premier History Literary Festival.

Schools Programme

Two days of history featuring a wide range of curriculum-based subjects delivered by leading and best-selling historians, including Tom Holland, Michael Burleigh and Laurence Rees. From 1066, through the Tudors and the First World War, and the rise of the Nazis to the Second World War, the programme will offer a series of lectures, seminars, living history and inter-active demonstrations to bring history alive, excite and inspire Year 10 and 12 students.

http://www.cvhf.org.uk/

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