A post that’s slightly off the usual genealogical flavour today – but still within the historical sphere and inspired by some thoughts I’ve had during my recent “staycation”, when I enjoyed some of the local jewels of our great British heritage, culture and countryside.
Politics and economics aside, I believe that we have much to celebrate and enjoy in this country – and I actually include the weather in that! I’m writing this on a day of rain, wind and low temperatures, so I am not seeing things through rose-tinted glasses – they wouldn’t do me much good today anyway! But I do get tired of those who continually complain about this country, whether it’s the weather, politicians or prices. I believe we should feel privileged to live in a place that has such a wealth of history, culture and beautiful scenery.
To start with, let’s be thankful for our climate. I know it’s difficult on a day like today – but if it wasn’t for our high rainfall, there would be no such thing as the English country garden, and we would not be able to enjoy our green fields and variety of trees. And would we really feel so great when the sun shines, if it shone every day and became commonplace?
What always astounds me about this relatively small country, is its infinite variety – of countryside, of history, of culture, of people. I know that I don’t have to travel very far to enjoy mountains, green valleys, sandy beaches, craggy cliffs, forests, rolling hills, panoramic vistas, great rivers, babbling brooks, lakes, glades, glens and greenery of all kinds. I know that if I drive north, within 2 hours I could be in the stunningly beautiful Peak District; west, and I could be in the mountains or valleys of Wales. For romantic coves and craggy rocks we have the south-west coast from Somerset to Cornwall. For waterways and sandy beaches we have East Anglia. For wide open spaces we have the national parklands of Exmoor, Dartmoor and the Yorkshire Dales. For isolated beauty we have the Scottish Highlands. And of course, for all these things and green, green, green, we have Ireland. And let’s not forget my own birthplace, The Isle of Man, for its unique mix of mountains, shady glens and spectacular coastline.
And all of these places are studded with history. Whereever you go in Britain, you will find castles, stately homes, gardens, architecture, museums, bridges, towers, follies, churches, pubs, villages, towns and cities – each with its own unique story to tell – and someone who is willing to tell that story.
And if that wasn’t enough, we have an extraordinary heritage of great writers, poets, artists, architects, musicians, scientists, engineers and philosophers, most of whom have their own special places in Britain where the visitor can learn more about their history and character. If we wish to we can visit the homes and work places of Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen, Thomas, Joyce, Chaucer, Wordsworth, Keats, Tennyson, Burns, Byron, Blake, Spencer, Turner, Constable, Adam, Brown, Nash, Britten, Tallis, Lennon, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Newton, Darwin, Priestley, Kingdom Brunel, Stevenson, Hobbes, Hume, Bentham, Stuart Mill, Russell….. to name but a VERY few.
We are, in fact, a very rich country. Forget economics – what’s really important is the richness of our culture and the diversity of ideas and artifacts that we have contributed to the world.
I could never live anywhere else, and I wouldn’t want to. I love holidaying here and I am always happy to visit somewhere in the UK where I can visit a castle, garden or historic house, enjoy the local scenery or just relax by a riverside or in the beer garden of that most English of hostelries, the country pub!
I have been thinking about all this so much in the past week, that I am inspired to set up a website/blog that would celebrate the great British heritage – our culture, history and countryside. It would be a mix of articles (guest posts would be welcome), quotations, biographies, pictures and reviews of historical sites.
Those of you who read this post – I would love to have your views on this. Please leave a comment below, or on my Facebook page.
