Sat 2.30 pm Green Park underground station, London (north exit, on the corner)
on the following dates in 2023: 2 April. 11 June. 9 September. 12 November.
And a Special Christmas version on 23 December 2023
An exploration of Mayfair, the centre of the London section of Sense & Sensibility and where Jane came to visit her brother
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Jane Austen devotee in possession of the good fortune of a couple of free hours today must be in want of this walk.”
People associate Jane Austen and her characters with a rural setting. But London is central to both Jane Austen’s real life and her literary life. So, this tour will explore Jane’s connections with London and give the background to Sense and Sensibility, a good part of which is based in this very area. We begin with the place Jane’s coach would arrive from Hampshire, and then walk the streets haunted by Willougby; past shops visited by the Palmers, the Ferrars; visit the location of Jane Austen’s brother’s bank and see the publisher of Jane’s Books. The area around Old Bond Street was the home of the Regency elite and many buildings and a surprising number of the shops remain as they were in Jane Austen’s day.
This is a London Walk Guided Walk lead by Kevin Flude
We look at how Jane Austen spent Christmas and at Georgian Christmas traditions and amusements.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Jane Austen devotee in possession of the good fortune of a couple of free hours must be in want of this virtual walk.”
This is a special walk, which looks at the traditions of Christmas during the Regency period and how Jane Austen might have celebrated it. It will give some background to Jane Austen’s life and her knowledge of London. We used her novels and her letters to find out what she might have done at Christmas, but also at how Christmas was kept in this period, and the range of ‘Curiosities, Amusements, Exhibitions, Public Establishments, and Remarkable Objects in and near London available to enjoy.
This is a London Walks Guided Walk by Kevin Flude, Museum Curator and Lecturer.
Review: ‘Thanks, again, Kevin. These talks are magnificent!’
I lived and worked in Oxford for three years, working at Keble College as a Research Assistant in an archaeological science Laboratory. I lived first in a farmhouse in the Oxfordshire countryside and then right in the centre of Oxford in a room formerly lived in by Benazir Bhutto. The flat was in St Michael’s Street just by the Anglo-Saxon Church of St Michael’s Church. This where the North Gate used to be and where Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was imprisoned before being burnt at the stake. My room overlooked the Oxford Union where so many politicians have cut their teeth in debate.
St Michael’s Church, Cornmarket, Oxford
Now, from time to time I moor my narrow boat in Oxford either on the Thames or on the Oxford Canal; and take occasional groups of Road Scholars around the City of Dreaming Spires. Sometimes, people ask me for a booklist. So, this is my shortlist of books.
And it must begin with Evelyn Waugh’s ‘Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred & Profane Memories Of Captain Charles Ryder ‘ published in 1945, it is a beautifully written book, and, so, a pleasure to read. But it also gives a vivid insight into the English ruling classes attending Oxford University. The narrator, Charles Ryder is at Trinity College while the beautiful Sebastian Flyte is at Christ Church. It has, of course, been filmed in several versions but perhaps most notably is the 11-part mini-series by Granada Television in1981.
Once you understand a little about the Oxford experience and the English class system you might begin to have an insight into Boris Johnson. So it is time to dive straight into Simon Kuper’s ‘Chums: How A Tiny Caste Of Oxford Tories Took Over The UK’‘ 2022. As you consider the power of the English public schools, and Oxbridge to propel a talentless privileged elite to run(down) this once great country (if you will forgive a personal opinion), you might like to remember Prime Minister Asquith’s belief that his Oxford education gave him the ‘consciousness of effortless superiority’. For a more balanced view of this great University you might like to read Lawrence Brockliss’ ‘University Of Oxford: A Brief History, ‘ 2018
But its time to get off my high horse and wallow in the joys of a good read. So if you really enjoy the murder mystery, my suggestion is that you spend your time in Oxford with Dorothy L. Sayers and ‘Gaudy Night’ 1935 which is set in one of the early Colleges for female students. Harriet Vane has invited Lord Peter Wimsey’s to investigate strange goings on in Harriet’s alma mater, the all-female Shrewsbury College, Oxford (based on Sayers’ own Somerville College). The events centre around the annual Gaudy celebrations which is the Oxford name for a College festivity.
This brings us to Inspector Morse. My best advice is to stick to the ground-breaking TV series staring the sublime John Thaw, or one of the post-Thaw TV series. Because, frankly, I have been reading Colin Dexter for the first time for this reading list, and am surprised how one-dimensional and dated the novels are. Having said that, Dexter does have the skill to put together a murder mystery which is enjoyable to escape into and reminds us that the writer’s art is not about all about beautiful writing but is grounded in the ability to keep the reader’s nose in a book while lost in an engaging story.
So, you can safely ignore my disdain and enjoy a guilty read of: ‘The Daughters Of Cain‘ 1994, where Morse investigates the death of a College academic. Its a good one to choose as it gives an introduction to 1990s life in an Oxford College with most of the action in the centre of Oxford. Although, surely, even Dexter must think its not a good idea for the investigating Detective to have a (reciprocated) crush on one of the suspects?
As a lover of the Canal system, my second choice is ‘The Wench Is Dead‘ 1990 where Morse is in hospital (where all the nurses, the Sister, and a young female visitor inexplicably fall for the unhealthy, sick and close to retirement Detective). Morse amuses himself by solving an historic case where a woman is found murdered on the Victorian Oxford Canal, and the climax comes on a trip where he can both solve the crime and enjoy a one-night stand with the Sister. She is one of those characters who shakes her hair loose, takes off her metaphorical glasses and is transformed from a harridan into a beautiful woman.
Better written are my next two choices: Max Beerbohm’s ‘Zuleika Dobson: Or, An Oxford Love Story’ 1911 where the devastatingly attractive Zuleika leads an Edwardian satire of Oxford University life in the early 20th Century. A good example of an Oxford mystery is Iain Pears delightful ‘An Instance Of The Fingerpost‘ 1998 based in post Civil War Oxford.
A real treat is to read Philip Pullman’s books ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy and ‘The Book of Dust’ trilogy. At the centre of the alternative universes is a curious steam punk Oxford, where a dictatorial Church oppresses the people. Perhaps the best to read for Oxford content are ‘Northern Lights‘ 1995 (retitled The Golden Compass in the US) where we are first introduced to Lara from Jordan College (based on Exeter College which Pullman attended) and ‘La Belle Sauvage’ (2017) where the baby Lara is rescued by Malcolm who lives at the Trout (a real pub on the river Thames, mentioned in Brideshead, frequented by Morse and Lewis and outside which I love to moor by boat).
The Trout, River Thames. Oxford
Finally, for a birthday treat buy or to borrow from your library Alan Crossley’s sumptuous volume of maps illustrating the history of Oxford., ‘British Historic Towns Atlas Volume VII: Oxford [hardback] ‘ Historic Towns Trust : 2021
Front Cover, British Historic Towns Atlas Volume VII
I have began to prepare my next set of tours both virtual and real. But here are the first two virtual tours, both with a seasonal theme.
The London Winter Solstice Virtual Tour
Wed, 21 Dec 2022 19:30
The Sun & the Solar System
We explore London’s History through its celebrations, festivals, calendars and almanacs of the Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice festivals have been a time of review, renewal and anticipation of the future from time immemorial. The Ancient Britons saw the Solstice as a symbol of a promise of renewal as the world entered bleak mid winter. The Roman season was presided over by Janus, a two headed God who looked both backwards and forwards, and Dickens based his second great Christmas Book on the renewal that the New Year encouraged.
We look at London’s past to see where and how the Solstice might be celebrated. We also explore the different Calendars – the Pagan year, the Christian year, the Roman year, the Jewish year, the Financial year, the Academic year and we reveal how these began. We look at folk traditions, Medieval Christmas Festivals, Boy Bishops, Distaff Sunday and Plough Monday, and other London winter traditions and folklore.
At the end we use ancient methods to divine what is in store for us in 2022.
By William Holland 1803From ‘Old Christmas’ by Washington Irvingby Tjana Drndarski-via unsplash
Friday 23 December 2022 7.30pm
We look at how Jane Austen spent Christmas and at Georgian Christmas traditions and amusements.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Jane Austen devotee in possession of the good fortune of a couple of free hours must be in want of this virtual walk.”
This is a special walk, which looks at the traditions of Christmas during the Regency period and how Jane Austen might have celebrated it. It will give some background to Jane Austen’s life and her knowledge of London. We used her novels and her letters to find out what she might have done at Christmas, but also at how Christmas was kept in this period, and the range of ‘Curiosities, Amusements, Exhibitions, Public Establishments, and Remarkable Objects in and near London available to enjoy.
This is a London Walks Guided Walk by Kevin Flude, Museum Curator and Lecturer.
Review: ‘Thanks, again, Kevin. These talks are magnificent!’
It’s not a ‘new’ portrait as it has been known about for many years, but it is in the news as it is about to be sold. Evidence for it being our main man, include:
In 1608 Shakespeare was 44 (as inscribed on the top of the painting)
He is balding
He has a long nose
He has a fold of the skin to the left of his left eye
The two had convincing connections (people and places) in common
The Peake family printed the Droeshout Portrait used in the First Folio
Testing shows it is not a forgery
However, it doesn’t really look like the two Shakespeare portraits we can trust to be him (the Droeshout and the bust on his memorial in Holy Trinity Stratford where he was buried). But if someone pays £10m maybe we will change our minds?
Robert Peake Portrait of a Man aged 44 in 1608William Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout from the 1st FolioWilliam Shakespeare’s Memorial Stratford-upon-AvonLeft to right, Peake, Droeshout, Memorial
Is the question that Terry Cook asked me, and this is my answer.
Image of the Cutty Sark (from Facebook)
So the Cutty Sark is twice famous.
Her name comes from Tam O’Shanter, one of Robert Burns’ greatest poems. written in 1791. And everyone knows of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. Burns night has become world famous for anyone interested in Scotland.
Figureheads on the prow of ships are very often of a semi naked women with her torso breasting the water. The sexy young witch, Nannie Dee, in Tam O’Shanter is identified as the one who is very ‘Vauntie’ and with a short shift that she wore as a child and so is now short and revealing. The poem names this garment as her ‘Cutty Sark. Sark is her shift. Cutty is dialect for short. The Cutty Sark’s figurehead shows Nannie in her shift holding the tail of Tam’s horse.
Her cutty sark, o’ Paisley harn, That while a lassie she had worn, In longitude tho’ sorely scanty, It was her best, and she was vauntie.— Ah! little kend thy reverend grannie, That sark she coft for her wee Nannie, Wi’ twa pund Scots, (’twas a’ her riches), Wad ever grac’d a dance of witches!
The story is that the drunken Tam on his steady horse Maggie is travelling home when he seems a devilish dance taking place in a graveyard, presided over by the devil himself. Tam is so excited when he sees the young beautiful witch that he bellows his approval and all of a sudden the merriment ends, and in deadly silence the witches turn on Tam and race to catch him.
Tam tint his reason a’ thegither, And roars out, ‘Weel done, Cutty-sark!’ And in an instant all was dark: And scarcely had he Maggie rallied. When out the hellish legion sallied.
As bees bizz out wi’ angry fyke, When plundering herds assail their byke; As open pussie’s mortal foes, When, pop! she starts before their nose; As eager runs the market-crowd, When ‘Catch the thief!’ resounds aloud; So Maggie runs, the witches follow, Wi’ mony an eldritch skreech and hollow.
They have to get across a brook before the witches because the witches cannot cross the water. The witches must get him before the brook or face burning at the stake. All depends on Maggie (Meg). The young witch in the Cutty Sark is catching up as they approach the brook. Maggie makes a magnificent leap, the witch makes a despairing grab and only can reach Maggie’s tail but Tam and his horse make it to safety leaving the witch the tail.
Cutty Sark Figurehead
Ah, Tam! Ah, Tam! thou’ll get thy fairin! In hell they’ll roast thee like a herrin! In vain thy Kate awaits thy comin! Kate soon will be a woefu’ woman! Now, do thy speedy utmost, Meg, And win the key-stane of the brig; There at them thou thy tail may toss, A running stream they dare na cross. But ere the key-stane she could make, The fient a tail she had to shake! For Nannie, far before the rest, Hard upon noble Maggie prest, And flew at Tam wi’ furious ettle; But little wist she Maggie’s mettle— Ae spring brought off her master hale, But left behind her ain gray tail: The carlin claught her by the rump, And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.
Now, follow the link below and read the whole poem but read it out loud, standing up and with gusto. Don’t worry about the pronunciation just enjoy it.
Skimmity Ride. Montecute House . Early 17th Century Plaster decoration
I wrote about the custom of Wife-Selling which appears as the main plot driver in Thomas Hardy’s 1886 masterpiece ‘the Mayor of Casterbridge’. Later in the book another folk custom brings the erstwhile Mayor to the brink of suicide. This was the Skimmity Ride, or Skimmington Ride.
The ride, which has deep roots in history, was designed to humiliate a member of the community and it consisted of a procession through the streets of the community with music or at least percussion instruments. Those being mocked, or an effigy of them or a local dressed up to look like them rode a horse or donkey or sat on a pole.
The illustration above is from the early 17th Century. It is in Montecute House, in Somerset above one end of the Great Hall of Sir Edward Phelips, who rose to the top of the legal profession becoming Master of the Rolls. And yet he choose to have a representation of popular justice in this prestigious part of his house. ( more information here)
The ‘offence’ is seen on the left – a neighbour sees the wife hit her husband over his head with a clog while he is trying to get a drink of beer at the same time as holding the swaddled baby. They live in a simple thatched cottage.
The normal interpretation is that she is ruling the roost and taking over the man’s role. It is he who is being punished for losing control to his wife and he is seen ‘riding the stang’, or pole either in person, or in effigy, or played by a stand-in. It would be nicer to think he is being punished for being drunk in charge of a child. The Skimmity Ride is heading from the couple’s home to the Church, and thus shown as involving the entire community.
Detail of the Skimmity Ride
In the fictional ‘Mayor of Casterbridge’ skimmity ride effigies of the ex-Mayor and his lover, Lucetta Le Sueur, are tied back to back on a donkey and paraded through Casterbridge. She has just married the Mayor’s rival and on seeing the skimmity ride has a seizure which kills her. Henchard, full of remorse, decides to kill himself in the local river, but as he looks down into Ten Hatches Hole he sees an image of himself which stops him jumping in. It turns out to be his Skimmity effigy but he, none-the-less, sees it as divine intervention.
William Hogarth also portrays a Skimmington Ride in his illustration for Samuel Butler’s ‘Hudibras’. It illustrates the cacophonous nature of the Skimmington with horns and percussion the main forms of ‘music’.
William Hogarth. ‘Hudibras_Encounters the Skimmington’
You might also like Cunning Men in Thomas Hardy’s fiction.
This is the Podcast for the Virtual Tour of Edinburgh
To find out or book for the Edinburgh walk and other walks this week end click here
A Virtual Tour Through The Whole Island Of Great Britain. No.5 Edinburgh
Monday 2 May 2022 7 pm
A Virtual Walk Through the Athens of the North
Borrowing my title from Daniel Defoe’s early chorography, my first Circuit is from Chester to Edinburgh. Now on the last stop on this first circuit we are taking a virtual tour of the most extraordinary City – Edinburgh.
Edinburgh is a very unusual City as it was built on the saddle of a hill so its main street runs down the ridge of a hill and the City falls away on either side. This lack of flat land and restricted space led to the City growing upwards. This gave the City an extraordinary density and an unique atmosphere that we will be exploring.
In the Georgian period the City was extended with the addition of a new town quarter which was rationally planned and made a marked contrast on the old Town. Together it gives the Capital of Scotland, a combination of atmospheric and claustrophobic town planning with the elegance of a City that was one of the great Cities of the Enlightenment.
We will begin the virtual walk in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat at the shiny new Scottish Parliament and walk up the Royal Mile from Holyrood to Tollboth, to the Netherbow and onto the Castle at the pinnacle of the City
Painting of the Roman Forum of London from the air
So on Saturday the 30th I am doing 2 guided walks and one Virtual Walk.
ROMAN LONDON – A LITERARY & ARCHAEOLOGICAL WALK
Saturday 30 April 20/22 11.30 am Monument Underground Station
This is a walking tour features the amazing archaeological discoveries of Roman London, and looks at life in the provincial Roman capital of Londinium.
We disembark at the Roman Waterfront by the Roman Bridge, and then explore the lives of the citizens as we walk up to the site of the Roman Town Hall, and discuss Roman politics. We proceed through the streets of Roman London, with its vivid and cosmopolitan street life via the Temple of Mithras to finish with Bread and Circus at the Roman Amphitheatre.
Publius Ovidius Naso and Marcus Valerius Martialis will be helped by Kevin Flude, former Museum of London Archaeologist, Museum Curator and Lecturer.
The walk tells the story of London’s myths and legends and the Celtic Festival of Beltane.
The walk begins with the tale of London’s legendary origins in the Bronze Age by an exiled Trojan called Brutus. Stories of Bladud, Bellinus, Bran and Arthur will be interspersed with how they fit in with archaeological discoveries. As we explore the City we also look at evidence for ‘Celtic’ origins of London and how Imbolc may have been celebrated in early London.
The virtual route starts at Tower Hill, then down to the River Thames at Billingsgate, to London Bridge and Southwark Cathedral, to the Roman Forum at the top of Cornhill, into the valley of the River Walbrook, passed the Temple of Mithras, along Cheapside to the Roman Amphitheatre, and finishing up in the shadow of St Pauls
This is a London Walks Virtual Walk. Look at their web site for a list of other of their amazing walks.
