So Grand...So Sophisticated...So Downton Abbey

I have loved watching Masterpiece Theater on PBS stations since I was a little girl.  The dramas are usually out of literature or history and the acting, scripts and cinematography are always of the highest quality.  They are probably Bob's and my favorite shows on TV.   This past fall a new series began called Downton Abbey.  It is set in the early 1900's and the story lines revolve around the upper crust family that lives in the mansion (Downton Abbey) and the servants that live downstairs and run the mansion.  You have drama, intrigue and romance in this series and along the way you learn a lot about history and the class structure of England during that time period and even the hierarchical structure found within each class.  The series was such a success that they have already filmed a second season and will be showing it here this fall and in the US beginning around Christmas.

Highclere Castle

Before I left California, my friend Wendy and I talked about how fun it would be to find a tour that would take me to see the home, Highclere Castle, where the series is filmed.  With her prompting, I did just that.  The first stop in our tour was at an adorable village called Bampton.  Bampton is one of the oldest villages in England dating back to the Romans.  All the village, church and street scenes are filmed in this cute village.

Bampton-all modern traces need to be removed or covered before filming begins.

Building used as the hospital in Downton Abbey.

another village scene

outside of the church

The Crawley's home.

Inside the church.  It will be seen in the 2nd season.

another cute home

From Bampton we drove further into the countryside to Highclere Castle.

Denise, ready for wardrobe and makeup.

Highclere Castle sits on a 5000 acre estate and has between 50 and 80 bedrooms.  The present Earl, who is the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, is the Queen's godson.  The 5th Earl is known for his discovery of King Tut's Tomb and for falling to King Tut's curse.  Shortly after he discovered the tomb, he was bitten by a mosquito and died.  The present castle was designed by Sir Charles Barton who also designed the Houses of Parliament.  I was not allowed to take pictures inside the Castle so you will just have to watch the series to see what many of the rooms look like.  Trust me, they are incredible!

After touring the Castle, I sat under one of the broad, centuries old trees and enjoyed doing what the English do best.  I relaxed with a cup of tea and a scone.

Refreshed, I set out to explore the rest of the grounds around Highclere Castle.

 Close up of the Castle's detailed  architectural work.

Sheep grazing in the fields.

The door knocker on the front door.

The Monk's Garden

Entrance to The Secret Garden.

Thanks Wendy for encouraging me to find the real Downton Abbey!

The Tower Of London

Last week, we took Bob's legal ethics class to see the Tower of London.  It was built by William the Conquerer.  That makes it about 1000 years old.  It served as the royal palace for 500 years and has been a prison and home for troops as well.  It now houses the royal jewels, armor, etc.  The jewels are amazing--perfect diamonds and other jewels the size of  golf balls, including the crowns of the kings and Queens of England.  They have several sets of Henry VIII's armor, a mere 500 years old.  He was imposing.  Our guide for the general tour was one of the Beef-eaters, who have guarded the castle since the beginning.  No one knows why they have that name.  All of them have been in the military for at least 18 years.  I think they are chosen because they are such characters.  Our guide was very entertaining. 

The reason we took Bob's legal ethics class to The Tower was that he began his class with a look at Saint (and Sir) Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor of England (like our Attorney General) during Henry VIII's reign.  You will recall More from "A Man for All Seasons" (if you have not seen it, see the original--1966 Academy Award for Best Picture).  More shows a lot of conviction and courage, standing up to Henry when Henry wants to divorce his wife and get rid of the Catholic Church.  More is imprisoned in the "Bloody Tower" for over a year and then beheaded.  Bob learned from a friend that we could get special permission to take the class into Thomas More's cell and crypt which is not normally open to the public. 

Our Beefeater

Traitors Gate - The entrance for  prisoners to the prison.

The White Tower-The original castle section of The Tower.

Gargoyles 

Some of Bob's students with us in Thomas More's cell.

One of the small windows in Thomas More's cell.

The Queen's House-Built by Henry VIII for Anne Boleyn.

In Search Of Jane

 I admit it, I love Jane Austen's novels.  In part, it is the romance between her characters such as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, or Emma and her Mr. Knightley.  Partially, it is the exchanges between family members such as the Bennets or Dashwoods  and Jane Austen's odd characters like Mr. Collins or Lady Catherine de bourgh.  I love learning about the different social classes and the societal rules of interaction between those classes and genders of the day. I also love the settings of her novels, London, Bath and quaint english villages.  So when Bob and I wanted to get out of the city and enjoy some english countryside, we decided to go looking for Jane Austen's last home in a quaint village called Chawton.
 To get to Chawton we took the Tube (subway) to Waterloo Station and grabbed a train to Winchester.  Winchester is an english jewel in itself.  Part of the Roman wall that once surrounded the city can still be seen and several of the medieval gates still stand proud. Old tudor buildings now house modern shops on the street level and the old Roman road in front of them is the scene of street markets on weekends.  Winchester Cathedral, of Beatles fame, is just off the center of the old town.

Beautiful hanging baskets everywhere.

15th century city cross and tudor building behind.

The Bishops home is very grand, but I hear it is also very drafty.

Cathedral Gate is still closed every night.

Old tudor homes by Cathedral Gate.

Denise & Bob enjoying Winchester.

Winchester is an adorable town!  Look at those buildings!

Winchester Cathedral ...do, do, do, do, do....

After exploring Winchester for a few hours, we took a bus further into the country to Chawton and walked into the village to Jane Austen's home.  One of Jane's older brothers was adopted by a wealthy 4th cousin.  Eventually he inherited the large manor house outside of Chawton. He gave the "comfortable cottage"to his mother, Jane and Cassandra to live in.  This home in Chawton was the last one she lived in before her death and the home where she revised her manuscripts for Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.  It was in this home that she wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion.  Her home is now a museum filled with items from the Austen family and information about Jane and her family and friends.  I can now begin to understand where some of the ideas for her characters and their struggles originated.

Quilt that Jane made with her sister and mother from scraps from their dresses.

Sheep grazing near the manor house and church.

Lovely old graveyard at the church by the manor house.

Jane's brother's manor house and church that the Austen's attended.

Jane Austen's comfortable cottage.

Parliament

The brochure on Parliament begins, "900 years of history."  
How do you wrap your mind around that much history when we come from a country that is so much younger?  The buildings that we know as Parliament have at times been a palace, been partially destroyed by fires and bombs, witnessed debates, trials, pomp & circumstance, royalty and commoners and house a branch of government very similar to our own.  Henry VIII played tennis in Westminister Hall, the oldest section of these buildings, and President Obama addressed dignitaries in that same hall not long ago.  The saying, "toe the line" may have originated in the House Of Commons where two lines run parallel  in front of the seats of the opposing political parties.  The lines are two sword lengths apart and when debate got heated and swords were being drawn the speaker would shout,
"Gentlemen, toe the line!"

Denise, Bob and Big Ben

The details and craftsmanship in the buildings, iron and glassworks are stunning.

A Proper English Meal

To celebrate the end of the first week of classes, the law students and professors and wife were treated to a "Traditional English Meal" at a local fine hotel. The first course, or appetizer, was smoked salmon served on a plate with little triangles of buttered bread, onions, cream cheese and capers.  Mustard and a horseradish sauce were served on the side.

The main course was a proper british roast, roasted potatoes, yorkshire pudding (like a popover) and boiled vegetables.

Our dessert course, or "pudding" portion of the meal as it is referred to here, was 

Sticky Toffee Pudding.  It was a cake covered with a creamy, yummy, warm sauce.

The final treat was chocolate served with our tea or coffee.

The whole meal was absolutely delicious!!! 

Cruisin'

A unique, new, and wonderful aspect of London is what are officially called Barclay Bikes (after the bank that underwrote the project), but are commonly called Boris Bikes (after the wild-haired London mayor who initiated the project a year or two ago).  All over the city, there are bike racks that contain very practical, traditional-style bikes--very similar to what we call beach-cruisers in California.  For one pound (apx. $1.60), you can have access to bikes for 24 hours.  There is no additional fee, so long as you deposit your bike in a rack (anywhere in the city) within half an hour of picking it up.  You can have as many half-hour turns as you want in your 24 hours.  It is a fantastic way to commute or to just go for a ride (or a series of rides) around Hyde Park or other interesting sections of London. 
 We may actually stay in shape!

A rack of bikes waiting to be "borrowed".

Bob, correctly biking on the left hand side of the bike path.

There is even a spot to put your bag.  Those clever Brits!