Tips for an English village experience

“Village is a place where you can find peace, unity, strength, inspiration and most importantly a natural and beautiful life”

                                                                                                                      Minahil urfan

Whether it’s leafy laneways; squirrels on the village green; the local pub; or meandering Bridleways through country estates, British villages have a lot going for them.

We love these quintessential villages, which have long been idealised in word, song and image – and are always a throwback to a less rushed and gentle age.

Obviously, the charms of village life are certainly not unique to Britain.

We’ve had the privilege of visiting villages and small towns in counties such as Italy, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Slovenia and Switzerland – and found that each has its distinct personality and heartbeat.

But, as the land of our ancestors, Britain naturally holds a special place in our hearts – and we’ve developed a particular fondness for its village life.

Based on our experience, here are some tips for having your very own village experience in England, Scotland or Wales.

Don’t rush it

This is a different type of travel.

The key attraction is the way of life around you – and you can’t truly absorb that if you arrive by coach or car, take a selfie or two, and then rush on to the next stop.

Stay for several days and unwind.

Enjoy the simple things

Waking to the bubbling sound of brooks and streams; enjoying lazy, hazy days; long country walks at sunset; marvelling at the cottages often with thatched roof and wisteria above the door; and discussing life with local residents while raising a glass or two.

This is a priceless lifestyle that is, unfortunately, all too rare in today’s hectic world.

A village experience provides the opportunity of rediscovering these small joys. For the sake of your soul, lap it up.

Do the ‘full English’

This is a traditional breakfast that typically includes bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes and a beverage such as coffee or tea.

Depending on your location, it will be called either a ‘fry up’; ‘full English’; ‘full Scottish’ or ‘full Welsh’.

The ‘full English’ is so popular that many pubs offer the meal at any time of day as an ‘all-day breakfast’.

Picnic in the countryside

Village life lends itself to the traditional picnic, rather than barbeques and fast food.

Hotels and cafes will usually help you gather the ingredients for a picnic of sandwiches and wine beneath a spreading tree or even on the village green.

Explore the village headstones

Village graveyards are a fascinating source of social history.

Most adjoin the parish church.

And, in many cases, you need to enter through a wooden archway structure known as a lych or lich gate – the name of which apparently originates from the old English word for corpse.

Village graveyards are often the site of old stone crosses – or their remains – sometimes used as preaching areas by roving churchmen or local officials down the years.

While exploring the old graveyard at Rye in East Sussex, we came across a small plague bearing these astonishing words:

How good is that …..1289!

Another landmark common to most village graveyards is the evergreen yew tree – a symbol of everlasting life.

Visit the church

In many villages, the parish church is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, surviving building.

The scene of a church steeple rising above the surrounding rustic cottages is one of the great iconic images of village England.

If you are particularly keen on local history, most of these churches have fascinating Birth and Funeral Records – and some bear the scars of history, including sword slashes in the stone from wars; historic monuments; and even graves of prominent citizens.

And, of course, the churches are usually a photographer’s dream, with a wide array of designs reflecting the passing parade of life and landscape through the centuries.

Soak up the atmosphere of the pub

“Few things are more pleasant than a village graced with a good church, a good priest and a good pub.”
John Hillaby quotes

Village pubs are wonderful.

We’ve had the pleasure of staying at historical pubs, haunted pubs, canal-side pubs; hotels with literary and sporting links; pubs that have been visited by famous people; and pubs in fantastically scenic, wild and remote locations.

The Brocket Arms, Ayot St Lawrence, Hertfordshire

Traditionally, pubs are marked on the outside by a painted sign bearing its name.

In days of old, illustrated signs were essential to identify pubs in an age when most people could not read.

No matter how you look at it, these inns are an historic kind of community centre, where people gather around the bar and tables – these days often accommpanied by their pet dogs.

We’ve seen it well described as a “heady mix of good ale, lager, wine, food and coffee, served with a gentle ebb and flow of conversation”.

Regardless of how you describe it, the pub seems to reflects accurately the spirit of a village. It is a spirit that never fails to make you feel at home.

We consider it an honor to join these people – and truly experience the local culture.

Explore the surrounding countryside

Beyond the charming cottages, past the church and down the road from the pub, English villages are often surrounded by nature’s finest – perhaps rolling hills, lush vales, woods and valleys, dotted with manicured gardens alive with songbirds.

It’s not much of a stretch of the imagination to say that parts of the English countryside are like one big, well-kept garden – especially in Summer.

Narrow laneways, sometimes known as Bridleways, often allow you to move through the rural land – and there may also be walking trails and even canals.

Of course, there are also manors, golf courses and beautiful country homes established over many, many years or owned by those lucky enough to escape the cities.

A village experience is all about discovering, albeit for a short time, the community atmosphere that, too often, has gone missing in today’s fast-paced lifestyle – yet sustains these warm and welcoming villages.

Because, as the pioneering Australian poet, Banjo Patterson, once said: “townsfolk have no time to grow – they have no time to waste”.

Watch for our upcoming article on ‘How to Arrange an English Village Experience’.

 

A pilgrimage down leafy English laneways

The English country road curves at Shaw’s corner, a location that warrants no more than a small dot on the map of rural Hertfordshire.

And, the house that stands there – among well-maintained gardens – gives no indication that it’s considered a British treasure.

This house was one of the reasons why we found our way off the motorways to the English village of Ayot St Lawrence, a tiny community in picturesque surroundings well away from the tourist trail.

The story of Shaw’s Corner had caught our attention, as part of our series of reviews on traditional villages.

Built as a Church of England rectory in 1902, this house was designed in the Arts and Crafts style, with stained glass windows and hearts cut into the banisters.

But, today, it resembles a time capsule – with some particularly intriguing aspects.

Take, for example, the replica Nobel Prize in Literature and Academy Award that stand side-by-side on the mantlepiece, alongside photographs of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin.

Or the small garden shed that was once able to rotate in time with the English sunlight.

These are the relics of remarkable people: artefacts of fascinating lives.

The man at Shaw’s Corner

Photo courtesy National Trust

The man at Shaw’s Corner was influential Irish playwright, novelist and political activist, George Bernard Shaw, regularly rated as second only to Sharkespeare among British dramatists.

He wrote about 60 plays, over 250,000 letters, many novels and untold numbers of articles and pamphlets – many of them penned during more than 40 years at Shaw’s Corner.

Along with his Anglo-Irish wife, Charlotte, he started renting the Ayot St Lawrence house in 1906.

They bought Shaw’s Corner in 1920 and lived there until it was handed to the National Trust after Charlotte’s death in 1944.

Shaw died in the dining room of the house on November 2 in 1950.

My Fair Lady

During his prolific career, Shaw produced major works such as ‘Man and Superman’, ‘Pygmalion’ (he later wrote the screenplay when it was made into the movie, My Fair Lady), and ‘Saint Joan’.

Ranging from history to contemporary satire, Shaw became the leading dramatist of his generation – and in 1925 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. As of now, Shaw and legendary musician, Bob Dylan, are the only people to have won both a Nobel Prize and an Academy Award.

But, entering the stately brick home is definitely unnerving.

Just popped out

Shaw’s well-polished boots sit by the hearth and his manual typewriter stands at the ready, as if the owner is expected back at any minute.

And Shaw’s fingerprints are everywhere, from photographs by close friend, TE Lawrence of Arabia, to the William Morris fabrics and a striking bust of Shaw sculpted by another colleague, Auguste Rodin.

During our visit, the National Trust was staging an exhibition to mark the centenary of Rodin’s death.

For the first time Rodin’s bust of Shaw was displayed shown alongside the rarely seen plaster original, created in Rodin’s studio in 1906.

The display featured striking images documenting Shaw’s creative relationship with Rodin.

Elsewhere in Shaw’s Corner, the library contains a rich and varied collection that ranges from the Bible to H.G.Wells, socialism and Eastern religions.

There are some 4,000 books.

Shaw’s presence extends to the colourful and ivy-entangled gardens which, fittingly, are often the scene of open-air productions.

Rotating while writing

His writing hut stands in a bottom end of Shaw’s Corner, equipped with bed, typewriter and rotating mechanism for turning to catch the sunlight.

Although humble in its interior facilities, Shaw’s Corner is one of the many imposing houses that line the roads and laneways of beautiful and historic Ayot St Lawrence.

See our separate report on stunning Ayot St Lawrence.

According to local knowledge, Shaw was hardly impressed by the isolated rural atmosphere on arrival, but later embraced the area.

This would seem to be supported by this later verse:

“No dwelling place can rival Ayot
So there I labor at my job
And boil the kettle on the hob
Seemingly I have the best of reasons
For staying there through all the seasons”.

Shaw’s Corner can be found at Ayot St Lawrence, near Welwyn, Hertfordshire, UK. Unfortunately, there is no public transport to Ayot St Lawrence.

The nearest bus stops are in Wheathampstead and Blackmore End, both of which are at least two miles away.

Nearest big centres

By road, the closest bigger centres are Welwyn Garden City, which is about 15 minutes away and St Albans which is about 20-25 minutes away.

The nearest railway stations at Welwyn North four-and-a-half miles; Welwyn Garden City six miles; and Harpenden, which is about five miles.

For detailed directions, see the National Trust website.

We used a local courier called Point to Point Car Services, from nearby Codicote.

And we stayed for a few delightful days at the historic Brocket Arms inn at Ayot St Lawrence.

See the review of The Brocket Arms on this site.

Note; The writer flew to Europe courtesy of Scoot Airlines.

A village experience with an added history lesson

What do leafy country lanes, the musical ‘My Fair Lady’ and England’s King Henry VIII have in common with a charming 14th Century pub, Lawrence of Arabia and a man who hated his local church?

The answer to that riddle lies in a romantic vale nestling in the southern English county of Hertfordshire

We discovered Ayot St Lawrence, as part of our review series on traditional village life.

Do I hear a chorus of “where”?

Nestled among quintessentially English estates, narrow roads bounded by tall hedges and a maze of walking footpaths, Ayot St Lawrence is about 25 miles from central London.

However, it is  a world away in reality – an area of jaw-dropping beauty and stately houses.

All the over-worked but time-honoured phrases like ‘quaint, picture-postcard village’, ‘chocolate box scenery’ and ‘frozen in time’ certainly apply to this area.

But, there’s a lot more to Ayot St Lawrence than just the vision of the sunshine seeping through the undergrowth along its roadsides – as beautiful as that is.

Atmosphere plus at the Brocket Arms.

Take, for example, the Brocket Arms – a wonderful country inn that dates to 1378 and was originally the monastic quarters for the Norman church. Legend has it that a priest was hanged there and that it has been haunted ever since.

With low ceilings, oak beams and a 17th Century fireplace that features a priest’s hiding hole, the Brocket Arms provides high standard accommodation in a rustic inn that is literally the centre of the community.

Friendly locals – often accompanied by numerous dogs – mingle easily with travellers like us; wonderful hotel staff; and day-trippers up from London to soak up the atmosphere.

Watch for our upcoming review specifically about the Brocket Arms.

As well as the pub, Ayot St Lawrence boasts ancient and well preserved homes, including an old Rectory that dates to 1291 and is now divided into three.

There’s also the Tudor ‘Manor House, that was owned, at one stage, by Sir Richard Parr,     whose daughter, Catherine, was the sixth wife of Henry VIII.

According to local folklore, Henry courted Catherine at the manor

Shaw’s Corner

Another reason for our visit to Ayot St Lawrence was the George Bernard Shaw factor.

The famous writer and dramatist, who won an Oscar for Pygmalion (or My Fair Lady) lived in the village for more than 40 years from 1906.

‘Shaw’s Corner’, the Edwardian villa he shared with his wife, Charlotte is now a National Trust property and is open for inspection from mid-March to November.

The house features sweeping lawns and a small, rotating writing hut, where Shaw created many plays.

It is preserved like a time capsule – with hats, walking sticks, toothbrush, photographs, books, typewriter, Oscar, Nobel Prize – giving the impression that George has just stepped out for a while.

When Lawrence visited George

Shaw had many VIP visitors to the area and locals still like to tell a story about Lawrence of Arabia roaring around Ayot St Lawrence on his motorcycle.

The old St Lawrence church

 

Ayot St Lawrence is also known as a photographer’s dream, largely because of the partially demolished Old Lawrence Church.

Dating back to the 12th century, the church met an awkward fate, because Sir Lyonel Lyle, the Lord of the local manor took a dislike to the building in the late 1700’s.

Claiming that the stone church blocked the view from his house, Lord Lyle decided to pull down the building and erect another resembling a Greek Theatre.

The new church

 

Today, the old church is a much-sought backdrop – and the new one has two separate pavilions – one containing Sir Lyonel’s tomb and the other for his wife.

According to local folklore, the Lord of the manor declared that the church made him live with his wife when he was alive – but it sure wasn’t going to make him stay with her after death!

True or not, he certainly made his mark on the district – and the ruined church has a starkness and beauty that it may not have achieved if left intact.

Ayot St Lawrence, with its striking buildings and fabulous Brocket Arms inn is yet another gem of a village – with an intriguing story or two.

We loved our time mingling with the locals and, for a few days, becoming part of their community. Once again we were able to join in village life, not just observe.

Not the sheep!

Within hours of arriving, we were invited to a special surprise birthday party for Kelly, the charming owner of the Brocket Arms. The pub’s staff took us under their wing and we had a wonderful time at the party / although neither of us tried our hand at riding the mechanical bucking sheep

Ayot St Lawrence has village history in spades; beautiful scenery; wonderful, warm people and probably the most comfortable and friendly village pub we have encountered.

It is ideal for a village experience – but the real secret is that Ayot St Lawrence is only about 40 minutes drive from Heathrow Airport.

We used a local cab company called Point to Point Car Services, from nearby Codicote. The owner, Nick Payne, treated us well.

Note; The writer flew to Europe courtesy of Scoot. Why not take Scoot to Athens and then journey from there into other parts of Europe and the UK.

English villages: the pub

There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere of a genuine English village pub.

Many of them are so steeped in tradition that people actually talk to each other around the bar, instead of tapping away at smartphones.

However, a lot of these wonderful old pubs are finding the going tough, as essential services continue to shrink in the villages around them.

As part of our series on English villages, we thought it was about time we celebrated these traditional pubs by showing some of the best that we’ve been fortunate to visit.

George Inn, Lacock, Wiltshire

This medieval inn dates to 1361 and is a highlight of a picturesque village brimming with charm. See our review of Lacock.

The King Arthur, Reynoldston, Gower, Wales

There’s more than a touch of magic to this inn on the beautiful Gower. Good food, great ale and a fabulous atmosphere.  See our review of Gower 

Porch House, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire

Situated in one of our favourite villages in the gorgeous Cotswolds, parts of this building are said to date to 947 AD. This is another contender for the label of England’s oldest pub.

Pant-yr-Ochain, Gresford, Wales

Another Welsh gem, this pub is known for the high quality of its meals – and we can only agree. There has been a structure on the site since the 13th Century. The building as it now stands dates from the 1530’s, but was enlarged in 1785.

The George, Stamford, Lincolnshire

Situated on the famous Great North Road, this inn is part of one of England’s finest stone towns. The structure is believed to date to 947 AD.  See our review of Stamford.

The Eagle, Cambridge

While not exactly in a village, this 17th Century coaching inn, in the charming city of Cambridge, is notable for its RAF ceiling.  See the details.

The Bingley Arms, Bardsley, Leeds

Set in a tranquil position away from busy roads and near a trickling stream, this wonderful old pub, in the picturesque village of Bardsley, is said to date to 953 AD.

Wellington Hotel, Boscastle, North Cornwall.

One of Cornwall’s oldest former coaching inns, this striking hotel dates to the 16th Century and is situated in the lovely coastal village of Boscastle. See our review of the hotel.

Old Ferry Boat Hotel, Hollywell, St Ives,

With its thatched roof and white stone walls, this pub looks right at home in the hamlet of Holywell in rural Cambridgeshire. Overlooking the Great Ouse River, a building is thought to have been on this site since 560 AD.

The Green Man, Denham, Buckinghamshire

With its attractive frontage, great food and fine ales, the Green Man catches the eye in the picture postcard village of Denham. It’s believed that the inn dates to about 1895.

The Fighting Cocks, Horncastle, Lincolnshire

We visited Horncastle largely for its array of antique shops, but this old pub, which has been operating since 1720, also caught the eye.

The Brocket Arms, Ayot St Lawrence, Hertfordshire

Another gem in a stunning and historic little village, the Brocket Arms oozes charm. It was built in the 14th Century.

Watch for a detailed review of this hotel later in the year.

 Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham.

Not far from Sherwood Forest, this pub is another with claims to the title of England’s oldest, possibly dating to 1189 AD.

 

English village series: the stone crosses

We’d never heard of preaching crosses until we came face to face with one in England.

Since then, we’ve kept and eye open for these unusual medieval landmarks – many of which are fast weathering away.

Cross in the Nadder Valley

Driving on the A30 motorway in Southern Wiltshire, we crossed the River Nadder and entered the picturesque village of Barford St Martin.

Sitting between the provincial centres of Salisbury and Shaftsbury, this dot on the map was known to us only for the 16th Century Barford Inn, which once brewed its own high quality beer.

After checking out the inn, we set off for Shaftesbury – and then encountered the village’s preaching cross.

It was obviously taller and much different to the market crosses which can be found in many English villages and rural towns.

High crosses

After photographing the structure out of curiosity, we wandered into the adjoining Church of St Martin and were told that the stone cross dated to early medieval times.

Courtesy Wikimedia and Pauline Eccles

It was one of many so-called ‘high crosses’ built across England, Scotland and Ireland for travelling priests to preach where there wasn’t a church. At Barford St Martin, for example, we were told that a church wasn’t erected until the 13th Century.

Historians say that Cornwall was probably the first county in England to have stone crosses, as long ago as the 4th century.

Market crosses

On the other hand, smaller market crosses – like this one at Sturminster Newton in Dorset – designed a market place, although they were also sometimes used as a rallying point for important news.

Political crosses?

In another twist to the story of the stone crosses, we came across a plaque in the East Sussex town of Rye that marked the site of another cross – this time for the election of the local mayor  between 1289 and 1602.

Perhaps an example of mixing politics and religion?

 

Main photo courtesy Wikimedia and Pauline Eccles

English village series: Rye’s colourful past

History, some say,  isn’t what it used to be.

Take the case of Rye, in beautiful East Sussex, England, where the town’s rich past included smuggling; gangs; ghosts; secret escape tunnels; a disappearing harbour; and a mass evacuation of sheep.

One of the best preserved medieval towns we’ve visited, Rye draws  big crowds of visitors eager for a taste of its colourful past.

The town’s Mermaid Inn – parts of which date to 1156 – offers a peek into the days when the bloody Hawkhurst smuggling gang met in the bar and often left by a secret passageway.

Today, the inn continues to be well known as the site of repeated ghost sightings.

Photo courtesy Mermaid Inn

 

Smuggling is known to have existed in the Rye area since the 13th Century, when King Edward I introduced the Customs system.

Taxation on wool exports made the rewards from illegal wool export well worth the risk of capture.

Rye fronted the English channel and locals knew the shifting  and dangerous sands well. Smugglers were able to evade customs officials with relative ease before moving  contraband across the misty Romney Marsh that adjoins Rye and covers over 100 square miles.

Rye’s narrow cobbled streets and closely built houses interconnected by attics and cellars, made it an ideal landing place for smuggled cargoes. As import taxes were later imposed on luxury items, the emphasis switched to bringing in tea, spirits, and tobacco.

The murderous Hawkhurst gang – at one stage about 600 strong – was a force to be reckoned with until it was finally crushed in 1747 and many of its members executed. For a time,  the gang was so bold that it transported goods in broad daylight in convoys of hundreds of heavily armed men, known as ‘Owlers’.

Coastal defences too

With its channel frontage, Rye was also at the forefront of England’s coastal defences against attack from Europe.

Eventually, the coast shifted, leaving Rye with a dry sea port but three local rivers.

Today, visitors can stand on Ypres Tower – built in 1249 to defend the town – and gaze across the old port area.

The tower has served as a fort, private dwelling, prison, court hall and now finally as a museum. Visit the tower to read a lot about the area’s smuggling past.

Rye’s charm

With enchanting streets, the 900 year old medieval Church of St Mary’s, restaurants, shops and pubs, and well preserved historic houses from medieval, Tudor and Georgian times, Rye is a ‘must-see’ for travellers in southern England.

Again, we soaked up the town’s history by checking out  the Landgate, which built in 1329 and is another remnant of Rye’s earliest fortifications.

And we rambled  through the original town and smiled at the quaintly named houses such as ‘The House with two front Doors’ or ‘The House Opposite’.

At the Rye Heritage Centre, there is a sound and light show that brings to life seven hundred years of the area’s history.

World War II

Rye’s dramatic history certainly didn’t end with the smugglers.

In World War II – expecting an invasion by Germany – a radar station was set up near the town, beaches were mined and the Rye area was fortified with wire and concrete pill boxes designed to hold machine guns.

Many of Rye’s residents were evacuated – including tens of thousands of  local sheep.

Medieval gem

Overall, Rye is fascinating with a capital ‘F’.

The town thoroughly deserves its international reputation for architectual treasures, medieval ‘feel’, specialist shops, art and photography galleries, stunning nature reserves and long beaches.

Getting there

Rye is in East Sussex, about 75 miles or just over one-and-a-half hours by road from London.

The town is situated on the A259 between Hastings to the west and Folkestone to the east – and on the A268 from the north.

By train, the trip takes a little more than one hour. High speed trains run from London’s St Pancras station to Ashford International, where you change into a train for Rye.

Across Romney Marsh

Accommodation

The visitor can choose from a range of hotels, including the Mermaid Inn and  The George Hotel, which is one of the south coast’s most luxurious accommodation options.

Rye also boasts guests houses, B&B’s and self-catering accommodation.

Main photo courtesy Rye Museum

English villages: mystery and history at Painswick

Sharp-eyed travellers can find an historical gem when visiting the village of Painswick, in the Cotswolds Hills of west-central England.

In 1644, Painswick was occupied by Parliamentarian forces during the English civil war.

It was later recaptured by Royalists, but the fighting was so severe that bullet and cannon shot marks remain to this day on the tower of the parish church of Saint Mary.

The marks are one of the highlights of the historic Gloucestershire village, which is built mainly of mellow, honey-coloured Cotswold stone and features quaint, narrow streets.

Photo courtesy http://www.geograph.org.uk and Lyn Haigh

We visited Painswick to see friends who live nearby, but couldn’t pass up the chance to first spend time in the beautiful village that is promoted as the ‘Queen of the Cotswolds’.

Sitting quietly in the Cotswolds Hills and surrounded by lovely Gloucestershire countryside, Painswick is about two-and-a-quarter hours from London via the M4 motorway or two hours by train from Paddington Station.

Our first stop was the church, which is known world-wide for the yew trees planted in its grounds and an unusual ceremony held each September.

The church yard is famous because it boasts 99 yew trees. According to local folklore, many attempts to grow the 100th tree have never succeeded.

While no one seems willing to swear that the 100th tree story is correct, it certainly gets plenty of publicity and draws large numbers of visitors to the village.

Each September, the church is also the scene of a ‘Clypping’ ceremony that apparently comes from the old Saxon word ‘ycleping’ that means embracing. It involves local children carrying ‘nosegays’ or a small bunch of flowers, joining hands around the church to form an unbroken chain.

The children sing the Clypping Hymn as part of a re-dedication of the church. The custom is apparently thought to date to 1321.

While checking out the yew trees, we were impressed by the collection of chest tombs and monuments standing in the church yard.

Dating from the early 17th century onwards, the tombs were apparently carved in local stone by local craftsmen.

Church officials told us that the oldest tomb is dated 1623.

Behind the church, near the Painswick courthouse, are a set of 17th Century stocks and we wandered to the Falcon Hotel, said to have the oldest bowling green in England.

After a quick look at Painswick’s former post office, which is the only example of exposed timber framing in the village and the striking Georgian frontage of a building known as Beacon House, we took to the road to visit our friends.

Like most of the Cotswolds settlements, Painswick is a picture-postcard example of a traditional English village.

However the area’s historic gems like the civil war reminders, yew trees and the Clypping ceremony make this slice of heaven stand out from the crowd.

We wholeheartedly recommend a visit.

 

Mingling with the ghosts of highwaymen

It’s amazing to walk in the footsteps of the famous highwayman, Dick Turpin; Roman legions; fearsome Vikings; and Crusaders in flowing robes.

But, that’s exactly what happens when you journey down the ancient Great North Road, the legendary route that once connected northern and southern England.

Through the centuries, this famous highway – linking London and Edinburgh, Scotland – has been used by daring highwaymen, armies of many colours; mail coaches; and everyday travellers simply going about their business.

Each of these has left its marks, woven into the complex tapestry of English history, folklore and legend.

For example, there’s the well known story of Ben Turpin’s dash from London to York – a distance of 200 miles – in less than 15 hours on his faithful mares Black Bess

Various inns that still stand along the original route  claim that Turpin ate his lunch there that night, or stopped off to briefly rest his horse.

One particular part of that ancient road – as it passes  through the East Midlands –  especially grabbed our attention.

In Lincolnshire, about 14 miles from the cathedral city of Peterborough, the Great North Road crosses the River Welland.

The site is marked by the delightful centre of Stamford, which claims the title of ‘England’s finest Stone Town’.

And Stamford boasts The George, one of England’s great historic coaching inns, well known for a much-photographed gallows erected across the road outside – partially to warn off highwaymen.

A rest house has stood on the site of The George for about 1,000 years. We were told that the actual age of the building is unclear, but it could have been built about 947AD.

At one stage, the site housed a hospital, where pilgrims and Knights were entertained on their way to Jerusalum.

Today, The George has a garden and a plaque where young Crusaders once mingled.

The George has also seen its share of royalty, hosting visits by Charles II in 1641 and William III in 1696.

In 1597, The George was rebuilt by Elizabethan statesman, William Cecil, the first Lord Burghley. This descendants, the Marquis of Exeter still live in stately Burghley House, near Stamford.

Of course, with such an old building, there are also many colourful stories surrounding The George of Stamford.

During our visit, we were told about a man called Milton who once rode from London Piccadilly to The George – a distance of more than 90 miles – within five hours using a team of 13 horses.

In the grand entrance hall of The George of Stamford there is a portrait of local, Daniel Lambert, undoubtedly the inn’s biggest customer.

Lambert was apparently a strong man in his youth, but by the time of his death, he weighed 52 stone 11 pounds.

Today, The George has both hotel and restaurant facilities and entering the splendid building is like taking a step back in history – fittingly along one of the world’s great ancient highways, unfortunately now largely bypassed by a motorway.

English village series: Arlington Row and Gold Hill

If you love the traditional villages of England as much as we do, then you’ve undoubtedly heard about Arlington Row and Gold Hill.

These stunning areas are among the most photographed scenery in the United Kingdom – and it’s easy to see why.

The picturesque cottages of Arlington Row are located in the acclaimed Cotswold village of Bibury, Gloucestershire.

Built in 1380 as a monastic wool store and converted into cottages for weavers in the 17th Century, the row attracts big crowds of visitors, especially in Spring and Summer.

The street is a notable architectural conservation  area that is shown on the inside cover of all United Kingdom passports.

When we wandered through the cottages, the beauty of the location was enhanced by the backdrop of the bubbling River Coln and Bibury’s stone bridge.

We were amazed at the low level of some of the cottage floors that were well below the height of the roadway outside. It’s a real case of ‘mind the gap’.

Bibury is about 83.4 miles – or one-hour-and-42 minutes -from London via the M40 and A40. The trip takes about three-and-a-half hours by bus from London’s Victoria Coach Station and about three-hours-and-50 minutes by train.

Gold Hill is a stunning cobbled street at Shaftesbury, Dorset – often described as “one of the most romantic sights in England.

The view down the Hill over Dorset’s Blackmoor Vale appears on the covers of many books and is a popular film and TV setting.

Shaftesbury is about two-hours by car from London and about two-hours-and-37 minutes by train.

Of course, everyone seems to have their favourite English villages and readers will know of our liking for Denham in Southern Buckinghamshire – and its wonderful 16th Century Falcon Inn – as well as the Gower villages in Wales, Lacock in Wiltshire, Painswick in Gloucestershire, Stamford in Lincolnshire and Port Isaac in Cornwall.

See our report on Denham and its location close to London – yet a world away.

But we will also touch on a few more of our preferred English villages in coming months – so Follow us to see if your favourites are mentioned.

 

 

 

 

 

English villages: what on earth is a pyghtle?

When you spend time in the countryside of England, you come across some amazing sights among the villages and towns.

From ancient burial cairns and standing stones to ruined castles and relics of the Vikings, Romans, Saxons, Normans – and even pirates.

The sights are many, varied – and just keep astonishing.

But, the ‘Pyghtle’ completely stumped us.

We first heard of the word while visiting one of our favourite ‘picture-postcard’ villages, Denham in Buckinghamshire.

Our curiosity was piqued by a sign on a wall adjoining the village green, so we asked villagers about the ‘pyghtle’.

It was, they told us, an old English term for a small section of land.

And they were correct. Google tells us that the word ‘Pyghtle’ – sometimes spelt ‘Pightle – is actually an Anglo Saxon term for a small ‘croft’ or enclosure of land.

Apparently a ‘Pyghtle’ can be a block of land on which there is a building; a vacant area; or even – as in the case at Denham – a public footpath.

Denham’s ‘Pyghtle’ is a well-used link between the village and the railway station – and is itself enclosed by high brick walls at one end.

Another equally endearing term that you regularly find in the English countryside is ‘bridle path’ or ‘bridleway’.

This is a path, trail or thoroughfare that can be used by people riding horses.

The way it was explained to us, these often meandering trails, in most cases, were originally created for horses, but have now been opened up to hikers and cyclists – but not motorised vehicles.

Bridleways are often quite narrow, but – as shown here – they often take you into bushland, wetlands, conservation and natural areas that might be missed otherwise.

Of course, they exist in many countries of the world – not only England – and are not only for leisure.

In many areas, they are important transport links.