The Past brought to Life
Beale’s 500 years old. Rents go up and its closing. Very sad.
Neal Street, Shaftesbury Avenue junction. Closing soon so if you want some Chandlery now’s the time to visit.
The Gentle Author has some great images of the shop.
https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021/05/19/the-departure-of-arthur-beale/
Thursday 13th May April 2021 6.30pm
An exploration of what happened at the end of the Roman Period, and how the City became first deserted, and then a Saxon, German speaking English City.
The first British Brexit? The Roman Britons kicked out the Romans in 407AD, and, soon, asked them to come back after a catastrophic collapse. Faced with plaque, civil war, invasion, mass immigration, industrial decline, reversion to barter; the authorities struggled against anarchy and descent into a Dark Age.
But was that how it was? Wasn’t it a rather a transition into the Late Antique period in which life for most people went on much as before except paying taxes to local rulers rather than distant Romans? This virtual walk explores why the Roman system in London broke down, and what really was the impact of the end of the Roman system in London?
What is the evidence? and can we trust it? Or can we really do nothing much more than guess?
We tramp the virtual streets of London in search of light to shine on the Dark Ages in London.
This is a London Walks event by Kevin Flude, ex Museum of London Archaeology and Museum Curator
To Book:
Introductory podcast (note the walk is on Thursday 6.30 13th Mary 2021)
This is a 15th Century French collection of bawdy tales. The illustrated version in the Hunterian, Glasgow has some marvellous illustrations.
To read the stories follow this link to the Project Gutenberg.
In researching my Prehistoric Virtual Walk (Sunday 25/04/21 Details) I came across many great sites of interest. Here are a few
Barn Elms – London’s Oppidum?
This is a lecture by Alex Barnes – only 15 minutes, long and about a site in South West London that just might be an important Iron Age centre of power, which might explain all that great metalwork found in the River Thames over the centuries.
The Early River Thames – the Iron Age and Before
This is a lecture by Jon Cotton in the Gresham College Series.
Gives interesting insights.
Horton Neolithic Houses
I don’t know how I missed this site, as it was reported in archaeological magazines I read, but it is an amazing multi-period site in the Thames Valley. Excavations before gravel extraction have shown a particularly amazing sequence of Neolithic and Bronze Age discoveries.
They found 4 or 5 early Neolithic Houses, about 15% of those that have been found in the entire UK, and an amazing placed deposit, which contained a collection of objects dating back thousands of years. In effect, a ‘museum’ collection.
I’ll let you read it from the horse’s mouth. To read click here.
THE REBIRTH OF SAXON LONDON ARCHAEOLOGY VIRTUAL WALK
Sunday 4th July 2021 6.30pm
An exploration of what happened following the Roman Period. How did a Celtic speaking Latin educated Roman City become, first deserted, then recovered to become the leading City in a Germanic speaking Kingdom?
To book
THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON ANNIVERSARY VIRTUAL WALK
Virtual Zoom Walk on Sunday Sept 5th 6.30pm
On the Anniversary of the Great Fire of London we retrace the route of the fire of 1666 from Pudding Lane to Smithfield.
To book
RING IN THE EQUINOX VIRTUAL WALK
Tuesday 21st September 2021 7.30pm
On this walk we look at London at the Equinox, its calendars, folklore and events associated with the beginning of Autumn
To book
MYTHS, LEGENDS, & HALLOWEEN VIRTUAL WALK
SUNDAY 31st October 2021 6.30pm
The walk tells the story of London’s myths and legends and the celtic origins of Halloween. .
To book
ZEPPELIN NIGHTS – A VIRTUAL WALK FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
Sunday 14 November 2021 6.30pm
We follow the route of a Zeppelin Raid through London. On the way we discover London in World War 1
To book
Saturday 20 February 2021 7.00pm
A Virtual Walk around Medieval London following in the footsteps of its resident medieval poet – Geoffrey Chaucer
One of the spectators at the Peasants Revolt was Geoffrey Chaucer, born in the Vintry area of London, who rose to be a diplomat, a Courtier and London’s Customs Officer. He lived with his wife in the Chamber above the Gate in the City Wall at Aldgate. His poetry shows a rugged, joyous medieval England including many scenes reflecting life in London. His stories document the ending of the feudal system, growing dissatisfaction with the corruption in the Church, and shows the robust independence with which the English led their lives.
His work helped change the fashion from poetry in French or Latin to acceptance of the English language as suitable literary language. This was helped by the growth of literacy in London as its Merchants and Guildsmen became increasingly successful. In 1422, for example, the Brewers decided to keep their records in English ‘as there are many of our craft who have the knowledge of reading and writing in the English idiom.’
Chaucer and other poets such as Langland give a vivid portrait of Medieval London which was dynamic, successful but also torn by crisis such as the Lollard challenge to Catholic hegemony, and the Peasants who revolted against oppression as the ruling classes struggled to resist the increased independence of the working people following the Black Death.
A walk which explores London in the Middle Ages, We begin at Aldgate, and follow Chaucer from his home to his place of work at the Customs House, and then to St Thomas Chapel on London Bridge, and through London to Poultry, Bucklersbury and Cheapside before visiting the Guildhall and St Pauls. We will walk in the muddy City Streets, exploring the unhealthy conditions and poverty amidst great riches and pageantry.
This is a London Walks event by Kevin Flude
To Book:
I have recorded a short podcast as an introduction to my Chaucer’s London Virtual Walk for London Walks which is this Saturday at 7pm on 20 February 2021
To listen to the podcast press play
On Sunday at 6,30pm I am doing my Wolf Hall Virtual Boat Trip and Walk for London Walks.
This is the podcast.
The Walk explores the Palaces along the Thames and then takes a walk around the City charting the life and deaths of Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell, which are so vividly depicted in Hilary Mantel’s books in the Wolf Hall series.
I used to think that asking compensation for past wrongs was not a good idea, after all where would we draw the lines? Currently, we seem to draw that line in 1933.
Then I heard about the
Legacies of British Slave-ownership project – UCL
What this revealed was that the British Government borrowed money (from Rothschild which they only paid back recently) some £20m if I remember correctly.
We have the list of the beneficiaries of compensation for their loss of OWNERSHIP of human beings. So we, the people, funded compensation of exploiters of human misery.
£20m is perhaps £16 billion in today’s money.
So what would be so terrible about, we, the people, setting up a charitable fund with £16billion capital to fund, say, the removal of barriers to equal opportunity in Britain, the West Indies and Africa.
Funded by Government borrowing.
As to Statues. Case by Case examination of the issues, by citizens panel guided by expert opinions.
Options to include:
1. Removal to a museum display where contextual information can be clearly displayed.
2. Erection of new plinth with appropriate information
3. Creation of a new statue nearby to make a suitable display representing the issues
4. Resiting of statue with an explanatory panel.
5. Leaving in place with an explanatory panel.
6 Leaving as is
KEVIN FLUDE’S LONDON WALKS APRIL 2021 VIRTUAL WALKS SEASON
To Book follow this eventbrite link which gives access to all Kevin Flude’s Virtual tours.
ROMAN LONDON – ARCHAEOLOGY VIRTUAL TOUR
Sunday 11th April 2021 6.30pm
The virtual walk looks at the amazing archaeological discoveries of Roman Londinium
To book
THE DECLINE AND FALL OF ROMAN LONDON ARCHAEOLOGY VIRTUAL WALK
Sunday 18th April 2021 6.30pm
An exploration of what happened at the end of the Roman Period, and how the City became first deserted, and then a Saxon, German speaking English City.
To book
LONDON BEFORE LONDON – PREHISTORIC LONDON VIRTUAL COACH TOUR
Sunday 25th April 2021 6.30pm
An exploration of London before the foundation of Londinium
To book