Daily Archives: January 27, 2012


The English Civil War was a period of unparalleled brutality across the British Isles. The conflict pitted fathers against sons, tore families apart and divided many communities for generations. Against this violent backdrop, the story of Lady Bankes and the defence and ultimate capture of Corfe Castle is one of the more romantic and audacious tales. Corfe Castle was one of England’s first Norman castles and occupied […]

Apophyrical turncoats


Have you ever been seized with a mad desire to see thirteen British counties in a single day? No? Just me? In another vaguely interesting section on the BBC’s Great British Railway Journeys, Michael Portillo visited Broadway Tower. This is a curious, three sided folly on the top of Broadway Hill. Broadway Hill is the second highest point in the Cotswolds, rising to 312 metres above sea level. […]

Counting the counties