LITERARY PUBS: YE OLDE CHESHIRE CHEESE, LONDON

There are a number of pubs in London with Charles Dickens associations, but the one all Dickens fans should visit is Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese at 145 Fleet Street.  Not only did Dickens frequent this quaint and atompheric boozer during his time working in the city, but it had a role to play in one of his classics, ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, set before and after the French Revolution.  There is a scene in the novel in which two of the main characters, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, head to a tavern to dine.  Although the tavern is not named, its location on Fleet Street and access ‘up a covered way’ have led to universal acceptance that Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is the inn in question.  The fare on offer is described as “a good plain dinner and good wine”.  I can back this up, based on a visit some years ago, when as far as I can recall I had a perfectly nice Ploughmans at a surprisingly reasonable price for London. 

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Holborn, London. Photo by Adam Bruderer, via Wikimedia Commons.

Charles Dickens is not the only well-known literary figure to have frequented Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.  Others include G. K. Chesterton, Mark Twain, Samuel Johnson, W. B. Yeats and Arthur Conan Doyle.  In 1927 another eminent writer, P. G. Wodehouse, told a friend that he had looked in at the Garrick (presumably either the theatre or the Garrick Arms) at lunchtime, “took one glance of loathing at the mob, and went off to lunch by myself at the Cheshire Cheese”.   

Cheshire Cheese Basement (15815848118). Photo by It's No Game, via Wikimedia Commons.

The original tavern was opened in 1538 on a site which formed part of a 13^th century Carmelite monastery.  Like many of the capital’s inns of the time, it was destroyed by fire during the Great Fire of London in 1666, but was rebuilt the following year.  The authentic atmosphere inside the pub is enhanced by the sawdust on the floor, which is changed twice daily.  As well as the decent pub food, the bar dispenses beers and other drinks bearing the Samuel Smith label.

Map of the area.

LOCATIONS FIT FOR A QUEEN-TO-BE: THE CROWN/SOMERLEY HOUSE, HAMPSHIRE AND YORK MINSTER

 

The long-awaited resumption of The Crown on Netflix is upon us, and the reaction to the latest instalments has been fairly negative for various reasons.  However, I am still enjoying it for the standard of the production, not least some of the sumptuous locations featured in the series.  Camilla is starting to come to the fore now, and there are two key events with her at centre stage: the 50^th birthday party at Highgrove and the wedding of Charles and Camilla, which in real life took place in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

For the birthday party scenes, Somerley House in Hampshire stands in for Highgrove, continuing on from earlier appearances in the series.  The festivities themselves take place in a large outdoor marquee, but there are lovely views of the exterior of the property.  Later in the series, when Charles and Camilla finally tie the knot, York Minster is used for the wedding scenes at St George’s Chapel, which could not be used for the filming.  The Minster was closed for five days in April this year, and crowds gathered outside hoping to spot some of the stars, although nobody knew at the time what event was being filmed.

Somerley-House. Photo by Somerley Ent., via Wikimedia Commons.

 

Somerley House is a short distance to the northwest of Ringwood on the western edge of the New Forest National Park.  The house, located in an elevated position with lovely views of the surrounding parkland, is a Grade II listed Georgian building, though the original property, home to the Okden family, dated from 1653.  The house was destroyed by fire and a new one was built in its place.  The house and estate are not open to the public but hosts weddings, corporate events and festivals.

York Minster - geograph.org.uk - 2407484. Photo by Michael Fox, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

York Minster was founded in 627 and today operates as an Anglican cathedral.  Like Somerley, it fell victim to a fire, much more recently in 1984, with the South Transept suffering the bulk of the damage.  However, the damaged was repaired and restoration work carried out at a cost of £2.25 million.  The cathedral is open to visitors at a charge of £16.00 for adults, but is well worth the money.  It is one of numerous attractions in the city of York, along with the Jorvik Viking Centre, York Castle Museum and many other points of interest.  Aside from these, there are boat trips along the River Ouse and York is famous for its evening ghost tours.

Map of Somerley Estate and surrounding area.

Map of York.

A LADY ADRIFT IN LINCOLNSHIRE: KATHERINE BY ANYA SETON

 Katherine by the late American author Anya Seton tells the true story of a young woman born in France as Katherine de Roet whose gradual ascent up the ranks of society leads to her marriage to John of Gaunt, by which she becomes the Duchess of Lancaster.  The first half of the book covers her first reluctant marriage to the knight Sir Hugh Swynford, who has a manor in Lincolnshire.  Swynford takes Katherine off to live at the manor, which is in the tiny hamlet of Kettlethorpe, to the north-west of Lincoln.  Katherine struggles to come to terms with her new life in these rather austere surroundings, but while Sir Hugh is away fighting, her depressing existence is briefly alleviated when she is invited to spend Christmas at Bolingbroke Castle at the invitation of Blanche of Lancaster (John of Gaunt’s first wife) , for whom she develops a deep affection.  Unfortunately, things at Bolingbroke later take a tragic turn for the worse when the black death reaches the area.

Bolingbroke village and castle site, aerial 2014 - geograph.org.uk - 4058087. Photo by Chris, via Wikimedia Commons.

There is a none too flattering description of Kettlethorpe in the early part of the book, describing its geographical location and the fact that it owed feudal dues to the Bishop of Lincoln.  It is described as not very productive, with the soil only suitable for “the growth of hay, flax and hemp and such-like” and “most of the land being in virgin forest for the pleasure of its lords.”  By contrast, Bolingbroke is described as “a small fair castle set in meadowlands and encircled by the protecting wolds”, with “a gay and welcoming look”.  In Chapter XII Katherine rides into Lincoln with her faithful servant Hawise, who declares “Folk here must be goats!” – this undoubtedly being a reference to the aptly named Steep Hill, which leads to the upper part of the city.  The bustle of the city occasioned by the fact that it is market day meets with Hawise’s approval, and she describes it as “a deal better than those dreary fens”. 

Lincoln Steep Hill Cropped. Photo by Russell J Smith, via Wikimedia Commons.

A glance at the present-day Kettlethorpe on the map reveals that there is precious little there other than the Church of St Peter and St Paul and the Village Hall.  Kettlethorpe Hall is a Georgian property, but it stands on the site of the Swynford manor.  There is little left of Boliingbroke Castle, which is now managed by English Heritage and lies about 15 miles inland from Skegness, but the original outline can be clearly seen from the shape of the remaining foundations, and there is still water in the surrounding moat, a fact which English Heritage is at pains to warn visitors.  Entry to the castle is free.  Lincoln is one of England’s classic cathedral cities.  The cathedral and the nearby castle are both in the upper part of the city, making for an impressive sight from afar.  The city is known for its Christmas market.  Down below, boat trips are available on the city’s Roman canal, the Fossdyke.

Gateway at Kettlethorpe Hall - geograph.org.uk - 2577084. Photo by Jonathan Thacker, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of Lincolnshire.

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

 A story about a curse on a family involving a giant man-killing hound seems a perfect subject for a Halloween special.  The story is by Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes.  The family in question are the Baskervilles, and the curse dates from the days of the English Civil War, when Sir Hugo Baskerville kidnapped a farmer’s daughter.  Sir Hugo is killed by a spectral hound, a fate which befalls a number of subsequent Baskervilles. 

The story has been turned into film a number of times over the years, firstly in 1939, which was mostly studio-based, then in 1959, in a film starring horror stalwarts Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, with filming taking place in Surrey, at Frensham Ponds and Chobham Common.  More recently, a TV movie in 1988 starring Jeremy Brett as Holmes, was filmed in a number of locations in the Midlands and North (although the original story was based in Dartmoor).

In the 1988 film, The Heath House in Tean, Staffordshire doubled as Baskerville Hall, while Mobberley Old Hall near Knutsford, Cheshire, provided some of the interior shots.  Croxteth Hall on Merseyside leant one of its rooms to be used as a hotel room.  The hotel in the film was called The Northumberland Hotel.  The railway scenes were filmed at Pickering railway station, one of the terminii of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.  Just outside Harrogate lie Brimham Rocks.  This is the area used as the moors around Baskerville Hall, where Watson shoots the hound. 

The Heath House-geograph-4049368. Photo by Dennis Thorley, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

The Heath House is a Gothic Revival building, which in 2021 was featured in Country Life magazine, being up for sale for 6 and a quarter million pounds.  The estate was described as a ‘farm’, but the magazine commented that it was more Downton Abbey than dirty wellies.  Tean lies just off the A50, to the south-east of Cheadle.  Mobberley Old Hall dates from the 17^th century, and lies in the village of Mobberley in Cheshire, a short distance from Knutsford.  Croxteth Hall is just outside Liverpool and offers a function room and parkland open to visitors.  It was formerly the ancestral home of the Molyneux family, the Earls of Sefton.  Pickering railway station is the terminus of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, a magnificent line which wends its way down to the coast at Whitby.  Brimham Rocks, run by the National Trust, is a beauty spot to the north-west of Harrogate and south-west of Ripon featuring dramatic rock formations.

Brimham Rocks turtle and eagle. Photo by Geertivp, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is currently available to view on ITVX.

LITERARY PUBS: THE OXFORD BAR, EDINBURGH

The Scottish writer Ian Rankin is best known for his detective novels featuring Inspector John Rebus.  The series of novels, numbering 22 in all and which spawned a television series starring Ken Stott as Rebus, is set in Edinburgh.  The favourite watering hole of Rebus is the Oxford Bar, apparently chosen by Rankin because a lot of police drink there.  The bar is also a favourite of Rankin himself, who can often be found there enjoying a pint of Deuchars IPA.  Sean Connery has also visited, as has another detective novel supremo Colin Dexter, author of the Inspector Morse books.

The Oxford Bar can be found in Young Street, which is in the part of the city known as the New Town, something of a misnomer since the architecture is largely Georgian, and construction started in 1767.  The bar, which is a short walk north from Princes Street, has received many favourable reviews from visiting fans, being described as no frills, with prices to match.  The many pictures on the wall include photographs of Rankin and of Stott.

The Oxford Bar, Young Street - geograph.org.uk - 3150895. Photo by kim traynor, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of Edinburgh New Town.

SOMETHING FISHY: MORTIMER AND WHITEHOUSE IN DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY

 

National treasures Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are achingly funny guys in their own right.  Put them together on a fishing trip and sit back and listen to the banter, and they become positively hilarious, especially when joined by the funny-looking but endearing Ted the Dog.  The duo are currently on season 6 of their popular Gone Fishing series on BBC.  Each episode features a river in a gorgeous part of the country, and a variety of fabulous accommodation offerings.  Episode 2 of series 6 features two striking properties in Dumfries and Galloway, where the pair head in search  of pike, this time without Ted in tow.

Their first overnight stay, following a fishing session in a secluded pike lake in which they fail to find any pike, is in a haunted castle, Spedlins Castle (aka Spedlins Tower).  The castle, a typical Scottish tower house dating from 1450, overlooks the River Annan, north-east of Dumfries and just off the A74(M).   The castle is available as holiday accommodation and sleeps 14, so heaven only knows how much it would have cost Bob and Paul for a 1-night stay.  As for the ghost, the story goes that a local miller called James Porteous, nickname ‘Dunty’, was left locked in the dungeon with no food or water when the castle’s 17^th-century owner Alexander Jardine had to leave for Edinburgh.  The Jardine family were so traumatised by the antics of Dunty’s ghost that they moved away from the castle to escape him.

Spedlins Tower 2011. Photo by Beshoffs, via Wikimedia Commons.

 The second property featured in the episode is Kinmount House, where Bob and Paul head to for their second day’s fishing.  This 19^th century country house 3 ½ miles west of Annan was designed by Sir Robert Smirke for the 6^th Marquess of Queensberry on land which was granted to the Carlyle family in the 13^th century.  Its extensive grounds include the lake used by Bob and Paul for their fishing, where they finally catch their elusive pike.  Kinmount House is today used as a luxury wedding venue.

Kinmount House. Photo by Barry Dale, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of Spedlins Castle and surrounding area.

Map of Kinmount House and surrounding area.

 

VIRGINIA SEES THE LIGHT: TO THE LIGHTHOUSE/GODREVY, CORNWALL

 The writer Virginia Woolf was born in London, the daughter of Leslie and Julia Stephens.  Although the family lived in London, during the 1880s and 1890s, for three months of every year, they would decamp to St Ives, staying at Talland House.  Anyone who has been to St Ives will be well aware of the magnificent views along the coastline.  One notable feature on the horizon is Godrevy Lighthouse, just offshore a few miles up the coast from St Ives at the eastern end of St Ives Bay.  The lighthouse was clearly visible from the family’s holiday home, which sat above Porthminster Beach.

Talland House, St Ives, Cornwall - May 2022. Photo by Mutney, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

The lighthouse formed the inspiration for the story Virginia considered her best, ‘To The Lighthouse’, which was actually set on Skye in a location visited by the Ramsay family, for whom the lighthouse was an ever-present draw.  Virginia describes the lighthouse as ‘hoary’ and ‘austere’, and she refers to the ‘green sand dunes with the wild flowing grasses on them’.  This is a good description of the coast surrounding Godrevy Lighthouse, which is dominated by the sand dunes of Gwithian, and which is managed by the National Trust..

Talland House is on Albert Road, above the railway station which forms the terminus of a delightful short branch line from St Erth.  The house is not open to visitors, but there is a  blue plaque commemorating its association with Woolf and her family.

Godrevy Lighthouse has an octagonal tower 26 metres high, designed by architect James Walker and opened on 1^st March 1859.  It was built on Godrevy Island,which lies 300 metres off Godrevy Head.  The lighthouse is well placed for protecting shipping from the hazardous Stones Reef.  The light was deactivated in 2012 and replaced with an LED light mounted on the rocks on a platform, but the lighthouse tower is still retained by Trinity House as a daymark.  There are boat trips out to the lighthouse from St Ives.

Map of St Ives.

Godrevy Lighthouse by Barbara Ashley.