Author: James

Swanage is a town in the English county of Dorset. It is located at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck.

Facts About Swanage

• The town of Swanage is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. It is described as being the site of a naval victory by King Alfred the Great over the invading Danish forces. A monument to this event was constructed in 1862 by John Mowlem at the south end of the seafront.
• There is evidence that the Romans quarried Purbeck marble during the Roman occupation of Britain. When the Romans left, quarrying stopped for a while, until demand for Purbeck marble grew again in the 12th century.
• Purbeck marble is often used for decorative interior features, and Purbeck limestone is often used for exterior features, such as paving and walls.
• During London’s reconstruction following the Great Fire of London in 1666, Purbeck limestone was loaded onto ships at Swanage and transported to the capital.
• In the early 19th century, William Morton Pitt converted a Swanage mansion into a luxury hotel. It was visited by Princess Victoria in 1833 (before she was crowned Queen Victoria), and the hotel was later renamed the Royal Victoria Hotel.
• John Mowlem was a Swanage resident who became a very successful builder in London. Along with his nephew George Burt, John Mowlem is responsible for building many of Swanage’s key historical buildings, including the Mowlem Institute, the town’s first pier, and the Prince Albert Memorial of 1862.
• Swanage Lighthouse was built in 1880, and it is located on the top of the cliffs at Anvil Point.
• In the late 19th century, and up until the beginning of World War 2, Swanage was a very popular seaside tourist resort. Today, many tourists still visit the town, but it isn’t as popular as it was more than one hundred years ago.

• Swanage was home to surrealist artists and photographers Paul Nash and Eileen Agar.
• The John Cleese character Basil Fawlty from the TV series Fawlty Towers comes from Swanage.
• Swanage is mentioned often in EM Forster’s Howard’s End novel.
• The Mowlem Theatre was opened in 1967. With a capacity of nearly 400, it operates as both a cinema and a theatre.
• The Swanage Carnival Week takes place annually in the last week of July, and it includes firework displays, live music, parades, and dance performances.
• The novelist Thomas Hardy stayed in Swanage in the winter of 1875. The town appears in The Hand of Ethelberta, but it is named Knollsea.
• The Swanage Railway consists of six miles of track, and it operates between Swanage and Norden.
• Swanage is close to Corfe Castle, and many visitors to Swanage will also have visited the Corfe Castle site.
• Swanage’s football team is called Swanage Town and Herston FC.
• Swanage has a population of nearly 10,000. This figure swells during the summer months as holidaymakers visit the town.
• Godlingston Manor in Swanage is said to be haunted by a ghostly lady, and guests at Swanage’s The Royal Oak have apparently been disturbed by doors closing by themselves, and have been awoken by a ghostly figure sitting at foot of their beds.
• Artist Lucy Tidbury has a studio in Swanage. She is best known for her paintings of cows in her Moo Selfie series.

Located in Upton-by-Chester in Cheshire, Chester Zoo has been open since 1931, and it is the UK’s largest zoo by area, covering 130 acres.

Facts About Chester Zoo

• George Mottershead, a keen collector of reptiles and insects, was inspired by a childhood trip to Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester to open a zoo of his own. He purchased Oakfield Manor in Upton-by-Chester in 1930, and Chester Zoo opened on 10 June 1931.
• Chester Zoo expanded after the end of World War 2, but because building materials and resources were still in short supply, creative solutions had to be sought. For example, the 1950 polar bear exhibit was created from recycled pillboxes and concrete roadblocks.
• Goerge Mottershead did not want Chester Zoo to resemble a traditional Victorian zoo with obvious bars and enclosures. Instead, he was influenced by Carl Hagenbeck who pioneered modern zoo enclosure design, incorporating moats and ditches in order to reduce the need for bars.
• George Mottershead died in 1978 at the age of 84.
• A fire broke out at the zoo in 2018. It was caused by an electrical fault, and the ensuing blaze was attended by 15 fire crews. One visitor was treated for smoke inhalation, and several fish, insects, and birds lost their lives.
• The Chester Zoo monorail transported visitors around the park from 1991 to 2019. It was closed because it was no longer reliable, and its route covered less than half of the modern-day zoo.
• Chester Zoo is home to more than 20,000 individual living creatures, and more than 700 different species of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates.
• Chester Zoo was the first zoo outside of New Zealand to breed a tuatara (a type of lizard only found in New Zealand).
• The Zoo Days documentary TV series was filmed at Chester Zoo in 2007. It was narrated by Jane Horrocks. Our Zoo, a six-part documentary series, told the story of George Mottershead and the founding of Chester Zoo. It was broadcast in 2014 and was watched by more than 5 million people.
• Some of the animals housed at Chester Zoo include black rhinos, capybara, chimpanzees, cheetahs, giraffes, lions, red pandas, antelope, sun bears, tigers, warthogs, and ring-tailed lemurs, to name just a few.
• More than 2 million people visited the zoo in 2019.
• Chester Zoo is divided into different areas and regions, including the House of Sumatra, Monsoon Forest, Madagascar, Spirit of the Jaguar, Latin American Wetland Aviary, Realm of the Red Ape, Fruit Bat Forest, Tropical Realm, the Islands, the Nature Reserve.
• In 1937 Chester’s Dawn the mandrill was the first mandrill to be born in captivity in the UK. In 1939, the UK’s first griffin vulture chick was born at Chester Zoo.

Weymouth is a town located in the English county of Dorset.

Facts About Weymouth

• The town is located on a bay at the mouth of the River Wey.
• In 2018, Weymouth’s population was just over 53,000.
• It is Dorset’s third-largest settlement. Only Bournemouth and Poole are bigger.
• Modern-day Weymouth is actually a combination of two historical settlements – Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, located on opposite sides of Weymouth Harbour.
• Weymouth can trace its history back to the 10th century, and Melcombe Regis is believed to be the first port at which the Black Death came to England in the mid-14th century.
• Melcombe Regis and Weymouth were combined in 1571 by Queen Elizabeth I.
• In 1635, emigrants from Weymouth boarded the ship Charity, sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, and founded Weymouth, Massachusetts, US. There is another Weymouth in Nova Scotia.
• King George III holidayed in Weymouth more than ten times between 1789 and 1805. A painted statue of King George III (called the King’s Statue) was erected in 1810 to celebrate the King’s patronage of the town.
• During the 19th century, Weymouth became a popular holiday destination.

• Weymouth’s first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1869.
• During World War 1, more than 100,000 injured soldiers from Australia and New Zealand (many wounded at Gallipoli) were sent to Weymouth to begin their recovery.
• Weymouth was targeted by German bombers in World War 2. More than 1000 buildings were destroyed, and more than 70 people were killed.
• Many thousands of Allied troops departed England for the beaches of Normandy via Weymouth as part of the D-Day operation. It is estimated that, by the end of World War 2, more than half a million troops had passed through Weymouth.
• Weymouth football team, Weymouth FC, is known as the Terras.
• Weymouth has been used as a location in numerous movies and TV shows, including Far from the Madding Crowd (1967), The Damned (1963), and Dunkirk (2017).
• Before he became a published writer, Thomas Hardy worked for an architect firm based in Weymouth. He wrote part of his novel Under the Greenwood in the town.
• The famous architect Christopher Wren was MP for Weymouth in 1702.
• The comedian Alan Carr was born in Weymouth, as was the comedian Andy Parsons, the long-distance swimmer Mervyn Sharp, and the rock-climber Brian Pinder Kellett.
• Weymouth’s Jubilee Clock was gifted to the town by Sir Henry Edwards to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.
• Popular tourist attractions in and around Weymouth include Nothe Fort (a 19th-century fort housing a museum), Weymouth Harbour, Weymouth Beach, Chesil Beach, Sandworld (a seasonal exhibition of sand art and sand sculpture), the Sea Life Adventure Park, St Alban Street (packed with boutique shops and artisanal stores), and Durdle Door.
• The International Kite Festival is held at Weymouth every May, and the town hosts many other events during the year, including volleyball tournaments, motorcycle rallies, and an annual carnival in August.

The town of Aldeburgh is located in the county of Suffolk on England’s east coast. It is a popular holiday destination, and it has a population of between 2000 and 2500.

Aldeburgh Facts

• The name Aldebugh means old fortification in Old English, but any trace of an Anglo-Saxon settlement has been lost to the North Sea.
• Aldebugh was granted borough status in 1529 during the reign of Henry VIII. Most of Aldeburgh’s Tudor buildings have been lost to the sea, but the Moot Hall still survives. The timber-framed building (now home to Aldeburgh Museum) was built in around 1520, and is one of the best-preserved Tudor public buildings in England. It is still used for Town Council meetings.
• In the 16th century and early 17th century, Aldeburgh was a key port and a centre of shipbuilding. The Sea Venture (the flagship of the Virginia Company) was probably built at Aldeburgh (around 1608), along with Francis Drake’s ships, the Greyhound and the Golden Hind.
• Over time, the River Alde began to silt up. Because large ships were no longer able to berth there, Aldebugh’s importance as a port declined.
• Fishing was the primary source of employment and revenue for the people of Aldeburgh until the arrival of Victorian tourists in the 19th century.
• Aldeburgh has two churches – St Peter and St Paul (an Anglican parish church with its 14th-century tower), and the Church of Our Lady and St Peter (a Roman Catholic church located at the top of the Town Steps).
• Aldeburgh was a parliamentary borough from 1571 to 1832.
• Aldeburgh became the first British town to elect a female mayor. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was appointed to the role in 1908.
• Sam Wright became Aldeburgh’s town crier in 2006 at the age of 15, making him the youngest town crier in the world.

Aldeburgh Beach

Can you swim at Aldeburgh?

Aldeburgh beach is often safe for swimming, but it is always a good idea to observe the sea before you decide whether or not to go in. Sometimes the sea can be very rough and it will not be safe for swimming.

Many Aldeburgh residents and holiday-makers take a dip in the sea every morning, even during the winter months.

Every New Year’s Day there is an organised sea swim at Aldeburgh, with races for adults and children.

Can you BBQ on Aldeburgh beach?

BBQs are allowed on the beach at Aldeburgh, and there isn’t a specific zone for BBQ use. All of the normal precautions must be adhered to, and the BBQ and any litter it generates must be disposed of safely.

Can you take dogs on Aldeburgh beach?

From 1st May to 30th Septemeber, dogs are not permitted on the beach at Aldeburgh. During the other months of the year, dogs can be taken onto the beach.

Is Aldeburgh beach sandy?

Aldeburgh is primarliy a pebble beach. During the year, patches of sand sometimes appear along the seashore, but these are few and far between, and typically do not remain for very long.

Other Aldeburgh Information

Who lived in Aldeburgh?

• George Crabbe, the famous poet, was born in Aldeburgh. The town is featured in his poems The Village and The Borough. The Benjamin Britten opera Peter Grimes is based on The Borough.
• Elizabeth Garrett Anderson became Britain’s first female mayor when she was made Mayor of Aldeburgh. She was also the first woman to qualify as a physician and surgeon.
• M. R. James set the story A Warning to the Curious in a fictional version of Aldeburgh named Seaburgh. The Martello Tower and the White Lion Hotel appear in the story.
• Composer Benjamin Britten moved to Aldeburgh in 1942. along with Peter Pears and Eric Crozier, he founded the Aldeburgh Festival. He is buried alongside Peter Pears in the graveyard of the Aldeburgh parish church.
• Ruth Rendell, the author of the Chief Inspector Wexford crime thrillers, was an Aldeburgh resident.
• During his tenure as Ipswich Town manager, Roy Keane lived in Aldeburgh.
• Actress Miranda Raison has a holiday residence in Aldeburgh. She is also a member of the Aldeburgh Golf Club.
• Isabella Summers (founding member of Florence and the Machine) comes from Aldeburgh.
• Actor Bill Nighy has a house in Aldeburgh.

How do you pronounce Aldeburgh?

Although it looks as if Aldeburgh should be pronounced auld-ee-burg, it is actullay pronounced auld-buh-ruh (or alld-bruh)

What is there to do in Aldeburgh?

Does Aldeburgh have a pier?

Construction of a pier at Aldeburgh took place opposite the Moot Hall between 1876 and 1878. It was intended to be more then 170 metres long, although construction was stopped before it could be completed. A Norweigan barque (a three-mast sailing ship) collided with it, causing significant damage. The pier fell into disrepair, and its remains were removed in the early 1900s.

There is currently no pier at Aldeburgh.

Are there arcades at Aldeburgh?

There are not any arcades or amusements at Aldeburgh. There is, however, a cinema.

Is Aldeburgh close to Southwold?

Southwold is located to the north of Aldeburgh with the villages of Thorpeness, Sizewell, Dunwich, and Walberswick between them. It is possible to walk along the coast from Aldeburgh to Southwold. The route is approximately 18 miles long.

You cannot take the same route by car. Instead, you must journey via Leiston and Westleton in order to reach Southwold by road. It takes about 30 minutes to get from Aldeburgh to Southwold by car.

How long does it take to walk from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness?

It takes just over 40 minutes to walk from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness.

The Tollund Man is the name given to the naturally mummified remains of a 5th-century BC man who lived in pre-Roman Iron Age Scandinavia.

Facts About the Tollund Man

• The Tollund Man was discovered in 1950 in the Bjældskovdal peat bog, close to Silkeborg in Denmark. The men who found the preserved body, two peat cutters called Viggo and Emil Hojgaard, initially thought they’d found the body of a recent murder victim.
• Danish archaeologist Peter Vilhelm Glob was the first archaeologist to view the Tollund Man, and he is probably responsible for the Tollund Man name.
• The Tollund Man was discovered about 2.5 metres under the surface.
• His body was naked apart from a pointed cap made from sheepskin and wool, a smooth leather belt around his waist, and an animal hide noose pulled tightly around his neck.
• It was estimated that the Tollund Man was around 40 years old when he died, and his final meal was made up of porridge and fish.
• According to radiocarbon dating, the Tollund Man died somewhere between 405 BC and 380 BC.
• The Tollund Man would have been 5′ 3″.
• In 1976, the Danish police took fingerprints from the Tollund Man, making his the oldest fingerprints on record.
• The remains of the Tollund Man are displayed at the Silkeborg Museum in Denmark. Only the head is original. The rest of his body could not be saved in the 1950s, and a replica was made in 1987.
• The remains of more than 500 Iron Age people have been discovered in peat bogs in Denmark over the years.
• The Tollund Man was the subject of Seamus Heaney’s The Tollund Man poem.
• A character in Margaret Drabble’s novel A Natural Curiosity is obsessed with the Tollund Man.
• The UK band The Darkness wrote a song called Curse of the Tollund Man, and the US band The Mountain Goats wrote a song called Tollund Man.
• Most historians and archaeologists who have studied the Tollund Man believe that he was the victim of human sacrifice or ritual killing. He was killed by hanging, and the rope left visible grooves on his chin and neck.
• Researchers discovered that the Tollund Man was infected with three types of parasites, indicating that he was regularly drinking contaminated water or eating undercooked meat.
• Attempts to extract DNA samples from the Tollund Man have so far been unsuccessful. The acid in the peat bog causes DNA to disintegrate.