Did anyone else notice the person dressed as a giant strawberry during Serena Williams’ Round of 16 match on Monday? I had to pause the match just to make sure I saw it correctly. This blog post was inspired by this strawberry-loving fan, whose presence at the match initiated an educational discussion with my boyfriend. As I explained the strawberry-Wimbledon tradition, I realized that my knowledge, gleaned from a visit to the Wimbledon Museum and years of watching the tournament, should be shared with our dear blog readers.
Here I am overlooking the Wimbledon courts – awestruck by all the tennis history.
Summer is tennis season and the 2016 Wimbledon Championship Tournament finals are already in play this weekend. As a lifelong tennis player, it was a huge treat to tour the Wimbledon grounds in 2009 during my Oxford semester. Wimbledon and its many traditions are a quintessentially British treat that is best enjoyed when you know a little bit about its history and the great sport of tennis. Check out this article to get a brief overview of the rules and etiquette of the sport of tennis.
Wimbledon is really old
The famous tournament began in 1877 and has been played at the All England Club in Wimbledon ever since. This was back when tennis racquets were made of wood (a tradition that lasted well into the 1970s). Located outside of London, you have to take a train to get out to the grounds. Wimbledon is part of the four major Grand Slam tennis tournaments and is usually held mid-summer (end of June/beginning of July).
The courts are made of grass
You’ll notice a crane in the background – they were putting the finishing touches on a retractable roof over centre court. It is coming in handy with this rainy 2016 tournament.
You heard me right. Grass. If you’ve ever stepped foot on a tennis court in the U.S., you’ve generally found a hard court made out of asphalt or concrete. The Wimbledon courts are made of carefully manicured grass, cut extremely short to allow for optimal ball bounce. You’ll notice when watching Wimbledon that the ball speed is much slower than on a hard court or clay court due to the grass. They take their grass very seriously and will definitely not let you touch the grass during the tour. Don’t worry, I asked a few times just to be sure.
At Wimbledon, we wear white.
Imagine this title said in the voice of a Mean Girls character. You’ll notice the monochromatic theme when you compare Wimbledon with other Grand Slam tournaments, as the players are required to wear traditional white tennis uniforms. However, stars like Serena Williams get creative with their white color palate and there have certainly been some couture takes on the traditional tennis dress.
We enjoyed this homemade “American” version at a Memorial Day BBQ. A few blueberries were added for a red, white, and blue effect.
Strawberries and cream are kind of a big deal.
No one seems to know exactly why strawberries and cream became synonymous with Wimbledon, but it has been an enduring tradition since the tournament began. Fresh summer strawberries are topped with sweet, rich cream and are sold throughout the grounds.
You don’t need to be a tennis pro or to be dressed as a giant strawberry to enjoy this weekend’s Wimbledon Championships. Grab a bowl of strawberries, put on your favorite white outfit, and get ready for a weekend of phenomenal tennis.
The Bodleian Library was my first stop when I moved to Oxford for the semester and, as I do with all new cities I call home, quickly obtained my library card. While researching amongst its stacks, its English gothic architecture made it feel too romantic and mysterious to be real. It was like reading on a glamorous film set (a few Harry Potter scenes were actually filmed there, so technically it is both real and a film set). Whenever I reflect back on my time at Oxford, the Bodleian Library is home to some of my favorite memories.
It is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and second largest in England. First opened in 1602, it has grown from a small collection of chained books to over 11 million items that are stored deep under the cobblestones of Oxford, known as underground bookstacks.
The Happiest of Birthdays to you, Bodleian Libraries! I can’t wait to see what the next 413 years bring for this Oxford treasure.
Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Today is November 5th, the day we are urged to remember, remember! Widely celebrated throughout the U.K., Guy Fawkes Day, also known as Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night, commemorates Guy Fawkes’s failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605. Though Guy Fawkes has gained some international recognition through use of his persona in pop culture, Bonfire Night is still predominately commemorated in the U.K., and Fawkes rarely appears for more than a page in American history textbooks. So why is it important for us to remember? We are going to explore the story of Guy Fawkes a little deeper , giving you the historical context for the Gunpowder Plot and Bonfire Night, as well as the legacy left by Fawkes.
The History
Guy Fawkes was born in York in 1570. As many of you faithful blog followers know, I (Rae) spent a glorious semester living in York and stumbled upon many historical sites related to Guy Fawkes. The home where Fawkes was born is now an inn where you can stop for a drink or even stay overnight! Fawkes was also baptized at the church I attended while living in York, St. Michael le Belfrey, which sits just opposite the majestic York Minster and is pictured here with yours truly. Though Fawkes had been baptized in an Anglican church, he converted to Catholicism after his mother remarried a Catholic. Religion was the issue at the heart of the Gunpowder Plot and to understand that, we need to delve a little deeper into English religious history (now engaging historian nerd powers!). Before our favorite egotistical monarch Henry VIII came to power, England was aligned with the Catholic church. As the story goes, Henry was upset that the Catholic church would not annul his marriage with first wife Catherine of Aragon and, as any normal person would do, broke ties with Rome, incited the English Reformation, and declared himself Supreme Head of the Church of England through the Act of Supremacy in 1534. Anti-Catholism remained a strong sentiment in the 16th century, with Protestants fearing that Rome would attempt to gain full power over England. Catholics were not treated well in this period, with punishments ranging from fines to corporal punishment to death. This leads us back to Guy Fawkes. Fawkes was a devout Catholic and his staunch beliefs and feeling of persecution led him to become involved with a group of men who were planing to assassinate King James I and replace him with his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, who would serve as their “puppet queen.” It was decided that the group would blow up the House of Lords of the State Opening of Parliament, where the King would be in attendance. Fawkes was placed in charge of the explosives. The conspirators gained access to a house belonging to the Keeper of the King’s Wardrobe, and from there were able to lease a space called the undercroft beneath the House of Lords, where they stored 36 barrels of gunpowder. On October 26, an anonymous letter was sent to Lord Monteagle, a member of the House of Lords, warning him to stay away from Parliament. The letter was shown to the King, who noticed the phrase “they shall receive a terrible blow,” which perhaps hinted at an explosive. Parliament was searched in the early hours of November 5, and Fawkes was found and arrested in the cellar. Fawkes was interrogated and tortured at the Tower of London but remained staunch in his beliefs. Fawkes was sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, but instead jumped from the scaffold and broke his neck. As anti-Catholicism still reigned supreme, Londoners burned effigies of Fawkes in the street and were encouraged to light bonfires each November 5. Though I didn’t burn any effigies on Bonfire Night, I did spend the evening watching fireworks with friends and remembering, remembering Guy Fawkes.
The Legacy
Guy Fawkes’ legacy has lived on through a number of radio, theatre, and television performances chronicaling his plot and ultimate downfall. However, there have been a few more recent connections to Guy Fawkes that you may have missed. Luckily, I (Shan) am always watching out for historical references in pop culture:
When I first read the Harry Potter series, I never questioned why Dumbledore’s phoenix was named “Fawkes.” The phoenix is destined to burn and burn again, dying and then rising from the ashes. “Fawkes” is indeed named after the famous Brit and was written as a joke by J.K. Rowling, as Fawkes the phoenix is known for frequently blowing himself up into a ball of flame.
You also caught a glimpse of the Guy Fawkes Night festivities on the BBC TV series, Sherlock, in season three episode one, “The Empty Hearse.” John is kidnapped, drugged, and buried inside of a pile of wood. Only semi-conscious, he is unable to tell the crowd that he is inside and they set fire to the wood just as Sherlock and Mary arrive to pull him out. Ironically, it is November 5 when the episode’s culprit plots to blow up the House of Parliament from the abandoned tube tracks below, just as representatives are holding a late night meeting on an anti-terrorism bill.
One of the most famous recent adaptations is the British graphic novel and movie adaptation, V for Vendetta. This retelling of the story of Guy Fawkes is set in a dystopian England, where a neo-facist government is under attack by the freedom fighter, V, who wears a Guy Fawkes mask while plotting his ultimate revenge. It is a dark movie, but well acted by Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, a young British girl who finds herself in the middle of V’s plot.
From the past to the pop culture future, Guy Fawkes may have failed in his gunpowder plot but succeeded in being charred into British memory for generations.
So we’re a little bit late on our October Museum of the Month post but hey, who doesn’t want to extend the spookiness of Halloween for a few days? Today, we’re featuring one of the most iconic sites in all of the U.K.: The Tower of London. The Tower has been in existence since 1066, the end of the Norman Conquest, and has a long, bloodied history. There are ghost stories aplenty at the Tower, and it has set the scene for many major events in British history. Join us as we detail a brief history of the Tower and how to stay connected online!
The Tower of London has served many different purposes throughout its long history: a
fortress, a weaponry, a prison, a residence, a home to the Crown Jewels, and finally, a museum. Early in its history, the Tower was a fortress; however, it has always carried a foreboding appearance, with the White Tower built in 1078 by William the Conquerer, a sign of oppression against the common people. Henry III was the first to make the Tower his home in 1240, and Richard II began the processional march from the Tower to Westminster Abbey in 1377, a tradition that lasted until 1660. Though used as a prison from 1100 – 1952, the Tower fully took on this role in the 16th century and came to represent death for all those placed within its walls.
Let’s discuss some of the most notable residents in the Tower of London’s history, shall we? One of the most famous tales is the story of The Princes in the Tower. The Princes were 12-year-old Edward V and his 9-year-old brother Richard, the only sons of King Edward IV. When King Edward died, his brother Richard (later Richard III) “lodged” the boys in the Tower, supposedly to prepare Prince Edward for his coronation. Instead, the brothers disappeared and Richard took the throne. It is assumed that the boys were murdered, but no one really knows for sure. Two skeletons of children, perhaps the Princes (but perhaps not!) were later found in a wooden box buried beneath the Tower. King Henry VIII, carrying on with his traditional style of murdering people who did not agree with him, imprisoned many people in the Tower. These included the political Sir Thomas More, beheaded for not accepting Henry as head of the new Church of England, and his wife Anne Boleyn, beheaded for “having an affair” (aka not producing a male heir), despite the fact that Henry had an affair with her while still married to his first wife. Many of Henry’s prisoners were brought to the Tower through a water entrance, which came to be known as “Traitors Gate.” Guy Fawkes was also imprisoned in the Tower after his failed Gunpowder Plot in 1605. He was kept in a cell known as the “Little Ease,” a room so small that prisoners could not stand up straight or fully lie down. He was sentenced to the brutal punishment of being hanged, drawn and quartered, but jumped off the gallows himself. Among the last people to be kept prisoners at the Tower were the Kray twins, notorious London gangsters who were transferred from the Tower to another prison in 1952. This fall, Tom Hardy will be depicting both of the Kray brothers on screen in the film Legend, out on November 20.
Today, the Tower is no longer a fortress, residence, or prison. It’s a museum managed by Historic Royal Palaces, an independent organization that watches over six historic sites including the Tower, Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, and Hillsborough Castle. I have taken two tours through the Tower: one at age 8 and and one at 20. To be honest with you, we had to leave the tour early when I was 8 because the stories were just too gruesome for me. But at 20, I found it absolutely fascinating. The guides know so much about history, and have some fun facts and interesting tales to tell. For example, there is an old legend that if the Tower has any less than 6 ravens, the monarchy will fall. To combat this potential problem, the ravens living in the tower have had their wings clipped! Another incredible aspect of visiting the Tower is the opportunity to see the Crown Jewels. You actually ride a moving walkway (think airport) past the Crown Jewels. You may recognize the Crown Jewels from a certain fabulous BBC show called Sherlock:
While I encourage all of you to visit the Tower and feel the incredible sense of a thousand years worth of history beneath your feet, I know that’s not always entirely possible. Here a few ways you can stay connected with the Tower online!
1. The Tower of London and Historic Royal Palaces on Twitter
The Tower of London Twitter and the Historic Royal Palaces Twitter accounts are both excellent places to stay up to date with the latest information. The Tower of London Twitter page provides fascinating facts from #OnThisDay in history, as well as links to info about new exhibits and events taking place at the Tower. The Historic Royal Palaces Twitter keeps you connected to all 6 historic sites managed by the organization, offering up stories, videos, and fun facts about each place. They did an awesome job with providing lots of spooky tales during Halloween – make sure you go back a few days and check out their haunted tweets!
2. Historic Royal Palaces on Instagram
Looking for a little history in your Instagram feed? Follow Historic Royal Palaces! Their Instagram is full of gorgeous photos of their sites (they even repost photos taken by visitors, so make sure to tag them if you’re in the U.K.!) along with historical facts and information about upcoming events.
3. Historic Royal Palaces on YouTube
Historic Royal Palaces has a really great YouTube channel featuring videos from several different areas, including conservation, learning and engagements, historic cookery (!!), and more. They also have special videos for major events or important landmarks, including Hampton Court 500, celebrating the 500 year anniversary of Hampton Court Palace, and a special selection of videos about poppies at the Tower of London for Remembrance Day. A great place to start for more information about the Tower is with this video called “The Tower of London: An Introduction.”
4. The Tower of London on Periscope
If you’re not familiar with Periscope, it’s a new social networking tool that lets users post and watch video broadcasts in real time. The Tower of London has a Periscope account where they broadcast events that are happening to viewers around the world – for example, their most recent Periscope followed a Yeoman telling ghost stories at the Tower. Periscope is a great way to feel like you’re right in the action! You can get a Periscope account on your mobile device from the App Store or Google Play store. Also make sure to follow the Tower on Twitter to find out about their next Periscope!
We hope you enjoy “visiting” the Tower of London online!
While studying abroad at Oxford, I spent the long Easter holiday weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland where I hiked Arthur’s seat, found a fantastic Mexican restaurant, and went on a fabulous (and inexpensive) haunted Edinburgh ghost tour. The whole city of Edinburgh feels ancient and most definitely haunted with graying stone walls and walkways, a cool mist coming off of the ocean, and the drizzle of rain.
While there are a lot of tours to choose from, we found a cheap tour that included a mini-flashlight and met right in the center of town (it also ended at a haunted pub, which was a bonus!). Here are a few of the spooky spots I visited on our nighttime tour:
Old Calton Burial Ground
I actually stumbled upon this haunted location before taking the tour, as the gorgeous gothic graveyard is home to philosopher, David Hume’s tomb and has a lovely view of the city. This site looks like a scene out of a ghost film. Even the rain stains on the crumbling gravestones are ominous (see the horrifying face that appeared over time – pointed out to us by our friendly haunted guide in this photo).
Calton Hill
In the seventeenth century, locals claimed that Calton Hill hid a major faerie settlement buried deep underground. Scottish faeries are not your friendly Tinker Bell types. Folklore often warns of their trickster nature and surprising power. For a full set of rules when interacting with faeries, check out this great blog post at the Official Scotland Website. Even if you don’t happen to run into a faerie, Calton Hill contains historic monuments and a beautiful view high above the city.
Greyfriars Kirkyard
Historically, Greyfriars Kirkyard was a peaceful cemetery. This all changed in 1998 when a homeless man broke into Sir George Mackenzie’s grave looking for a dry place to sleep. What he allegedly released is a poltergiest, a vicious spirit who has physically attacked visitors since. One famous story tells the tale of an exorcist who visited the cemetery in hopes of returning the violent spirit back into its grave. Instead, the exorcist found the evil spirits were too strong and feared they would kill him. Unfortunately, they did. Only two months later he died suddenly of a heart attack. This area is closed off (for good reason), but a peek through the iron gates was enough for this ghost hunter.
Edinburgh Vaults
The Vaults that run inside of the great Edinburgh South Bridge have had many uses since they were built in 1788. From storage to refuge from the plague, eventually the Vaults became home to Edinburgh’s underbelly and saw its share of deaths including a number of murders. Today, the Vaults are one of the most haunted locations in Edinburgh and have been featured on a number of ghost hunting TV shows including the U.K.’s Most Haunted and my personal favorite, Ghost Adventures. The Vaults are refuge for the aggressive “Mr. Boots” ghost who follows tours and often attacks female visitors, as well as the playful, Jack, a child spirit who tries to hold visitor’s hands.
The White Hart Inn
After a long walk through haunted Edinburgh on a cold April night, we were happy to warm up and wrap up our tour in a pub (albeit, a pretty haunted one), The White Hart Inn. As one of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs with some rooms dating back to 1516, the pub is haunted by a large black mass, often spotted on its way into the cellar where it has been rumored to move barrels and frighten staff.
If you’ve actively been reading this blog, you probably know that I spent a glorious semester living in York, England, which is pretty much the best city in the world. Another interesting fact about York is that it’s supposedly the most haunted city in all of Europe (seriously, you guys – the International Ghost Research Foundation did a study on it in 2002 and found 504 hauntings. 504!!!). One reason for the many ghostly sightings is the fact that York has existed for a long time. It was founded in 71 AD by the Romans and has been involved in almost every conquest of England (the Romans, the Vikings, the Normans). There have been battles and bloodshed through York’s extensive history, which have perhaps led to many restless souls. York totally capitalizes on this and offers many opportunities to take ghost walks through the city. I was fortunate enough to participate in 2 ghost walks while living there (pictured above is a photo op with our creepy Victorian guide) and have some excellent stories to share with you all! Grab a blanket and a piping hot mug of tea, and maybe leave the lights on for this ghostly tour of York…
1. The College Street House
Way back in the 14th century, the Black Death was running rampant across Europe. It was tradition to mark the houses of those infected with a red “X” across the door, saving others from entering. Our first haunted location, the College Street House, takes place in the context of the bubonic plague. The College Street House was occupied by a normal family: a mother, a father, and a child. The mother and father both became ill and succumbed to the disease, while the 6-year-old girl, thought also to have the plague, was locked in the home with the dead bodies of her parents. The authorities were wrong, however, and the girl was not sick. Instead, she was boarded up in the house and slowly died of starvation. To this day, ghost tour guides claim to hear crying coming from the home, and sometimes see a shadow of a young girl in the upstairs bedroom window.
2. The Treasurers House
The tale of the Treasurers House is one of the most famous ghost stories in all of York. To give you a little background: the Treasurers House that stands today was built in 1562, home to the descendants of Thomas Young, Archbishop of York. The house had several private owners before being acquired by the National Trust. The story goes that a Roman road had been discovered in the cellar of the home. A teenage apprentice named Harry Martindale was repairing a pipe in the cellar when he began to hear the music of a trumpet. This sound grew louder and louder until a legion of Roman soldiers marched through the wall. They were only visible from the knees up, as the road would have been lower when the Romans were living in York. It was determined the Martindale’s descriptions of the Roman clothing matched those of the Roman soldiers living in York in the 5th century. The Treasurers House was also featured on the first episode of Discovery Channel’s Ghosthunters.
3.The Golden Fleece
The Golden Fleece is one of the oldest inns and pubs in York, dating back to 1503. It’s located just opposite a famous street called The Shambles (fun fact: Diagon Alley was based on The Shambles for the Harry Potter films!). The Golden Fleece also claims to be the most haunted public public in all of York. Naturally, my friends and I went there for drinks on Halloween. We didn’t experience anything spooky ourselves, but did hear some interesting stories. The ghost most commonly reported by visitors is Lady Alice Peckett, wife of the former owner Lord Mayor John Peckett. Witnesses have also reported seeing the ghost of a World War II pilot. Though his cause of death is uncertain, he is believed to have either committed suicide or fell from a second floor window. Another sighting is known as One Eyed Jack, a man who wears a 16th/17th century red coat and carries a pistol. There’s also the sad tale of a young Victorian boy who was trampled by horses. This boy was a pickpocket, and guests often report feeling tugging on their jackets or finding that money or possessions have gone missing. There are many stories across the internet of ghostly encounters people have had at The Golden Fleece, and it was even filmed for the show Most Haunted. Next time you’re in York, book a room and stay there if you dare…
If you ever find yourself in York, I highly suggest taking a Ghost Walk. They are fun, informative, and just creepy enough. Have a happy and spooky Halloween, blog readers!
It used to be fairly easy to find online sources of British candies and chocolates that could be shipped to the States. However, just this last February, Hershey filed a lawsuit claiming that one of the biggest importers of British chocolate, Let’s Buy British Imports, was violating trademark laws since many of the brands they were selling had American versions already sold in the States. While we try to share U.K. goods that can be found in the States, due to this recent lawsuit, it is now difficult to find many of these items on this side of the pond. Let this list be your shopping guide during your next trip overseas.
Shan’s U.K. Trick-Or-Treat picks:
Maltesers
I have to admit that after trying just one malteser, I was helplessly addicted. The inside is like a light, crispy wafer/rice crispy hybrid coated in a thin layer of chocolate. It simply melts in your mouth. Many compare it to a Whopper, but it is much more delicate and buttery.
Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolates
While Cadbury does have a version of this chocolate bar in the States, it is a vastly inferior recipe to that sold in the U.K. They use more fat and less preservatives, making the texture less sugary and more thick and rich. Dairy Milk brand chocolates are the perfect example of this. Don’t let the name fool you, they don’t taste like milk, but are especially creamy and melty chocolate bars.
Rae’s U.K. Trick-Or-Treat picks:
Mars Bar
The first chocolate bar I ate upon my arrival in England was a Mars Bar and it’s been one of my favorite candies ever since. The Mars Bar has a delicious caramel and nougat center and is covered in dense, delicious chocolate. It’s similar to a Milky Way but SO much better.
Mint Aero Bar
Aero Bars are delicious. They are light and crunchy but still oh so satisfying! My favorite flavor is mint. It’s such a fun candy because it’s so light and crunchy but also very smooth, with an intense mint flavor. Pro tip: try Mint Aero hot chocolate. You’ll never look back.
Yorkie Bar
I studied abroad in York, so you know that the Yorkie Bar had to make my list! The slogan (“it’s not for girls!”) is slightly offensive, but hey, it makes me want to break gender stereotypes and eat it even more! It’s a very hearty chocolate bar and comes in a variety of flavors but honestly, the original version is my absolute favorite.
Jelly Babies
Jelly Babies are similar to fruit snacks or fruit chews, but, like most other U.K. candy, way better. They’re shaped like babies, which is kind of weird, but bonus points for being mentioned regularly on Doctor Who!
We hope you get to experience these delicious treats for yourself! We are drooling just thinking about them.
Lots of sugary love from your favorite Anglophile bloggers!
As I mentioned in our “Spooky Reads by U.K. Authors” post, I am a big fan of the Halloween season and loved every second of my master’s thesis-writing process because I chose a topic I really enjoyed: rhetorically analyzing the wild ghost hunting tactics of the boys on Ghost Adventures. Needless to say, I watched a lot of Ghost Adventures episodes in the name of research and found that some of my favorites were indeed set in the U.K.
Since I can’t make it abroad this fall to go on my own ghost hunt, I’ve compiled a list of Ghost Adventures episodes that take us across the pond to explore some of the most haunted locations in the U.K. These episodes are all available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video, so you can bring these haunted U.K. locations home with you. All of these locations feature amazing historical places with unique supernatural folklore: everything I love all in one series. Add yelling aggressively at ghosts and you have a recipe for reality TV success.
This was the first episode I ever watched and it just happened to premiere a few weeks after I returned from my semester abroad in Oxford. I had spent the Easter holiday weekend in Edinburgh and had even gone on a ghost tour after dark. While we didn’t go into the Edinburgh Vaults, I was excited to see Zak and his crew explore a few of the graveyards we’d visited. The vaults were home to the seedy Edinburgh underworld and sheltered the poor during times of war and disease. Of course this dark, eerie location is haunted.
“Ancient Ram Inn”
Location: Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England (2009)
This episode provided a lot of great examples that I used in my thesis to show how gender is navigated in ghost belief. The Ancient Ram Inn has some old, demonic spirits stirring and Zak’s team performs a traditional pagan ritual to encourage the spirits to make their presence known. Their pagan guide? A woman named Lady Snake. How can this not be one of my favorite episodes? There are rumors that the Ancient Ram Inn is haunted by a witch, its caretaker is a frightening, stereotypically spooky tour guide, and there is something called a “succubus” spirit lurking in the basement. Perfection.
“Fort Horsted”
Location: Gillingham, Kent, England (2012)
This old WWII fort has its own set of underground tunnels with a space known as the “Demon Area” – sounds promising! The fort saw the horrors of war and was built atop a Saxon burial ground, which makes this a truly haunted location.
“Hellfire Caves”
Location: West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England (2012)
Our friend Lady Snake returns to host a pagan ritual to help the Ghost Adventures crew connect with British royalty and the pagan spirits that haunt the hellfire caves. In the back of the cave is a river, named the river styx after the famous Greek river leading to Hades, which is said to be a conduit for spirits returning to earth. Aaron wears a cape and the claustrophobic underground setting makes this an especially spooky episode.
Ireland is the perfect place to set this Halloween special, as it is home to the origins of our Halloween traditions. This episode features a house haunted by a demonic cat, a locale that hosted the Hellfire club (rumored to have been the breeding ground of some of the U.K.’s most famous historical figures who enjoyed a bit of devil worship), and a haunted house where it is said the devil himself stayed overnight. I’d prefer a shady European hostel, thank you very much…
New episodes of Ghost Adventures premiere on the Travel Channel every Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET. Fingers crossed that this year’s Halloween special takes us back to the haunted U.K.!
For our second Museum of the Month feature, I want to introduce you to one of the most unique and interesting museums I’ve visited: Titanic Belfast. Titanic Belfast technically calls itself an “attraction” rather than a museum, but it’s full of history about the construction and voyage of the RMS Titanic. To give you a little background: the Titanic was built in Belfast Harbour, with construction beginning in 1909. The Titanic launched from Belfast on May 31, 1911, with over 100,000 people watching. The ship was docked in Southampton, where it began its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912 with 2,224 passengers and crew members. The Titanic struck an iceberg in the late hours of April 14 and sunk, with an estimated 705 survivors.
Titanic Belfast is located on the former Harland & Wolff Shipyard, where the RMS Titanic was constructed. One of my favorite features of the museum is actually located behind the site. There are poles lining the dockyard that represent the length of the Titanic where visitors can walk, giving them a visual representation of the sheer size of the ship. Titanic Belfast does an excellent job of fully immersing visitors into the world of the Titanic, and the marvel and grandeur that it it encompassed. The Titanic Belfast building itself is also an important feature of the museum. It was intended to resemble a ship in order to reflect Belfast’s prominent history in shipmaking, especially focusing on the legacy of Harland & Wolff. The height – 126 feet – is not an arbitrary number, either; this was the same height as the RMS Titanic. To many people (yours truly included), the building also resembles an iceberg, and has been nicknamed “The Iceberg” by locals.
Titanic Belfast is very modern on the outside, and the theme of modernity continues throughout its galleries and exhibits. I’m a huge advocate for the use of digital media in museums and galleries, and Titanic Belfast incorporates film, audio, digital archives, and even a ride (yes, I said RIDE!) seamlessly into traditional galleries. You begin your visit in a gallery about industrialization and shipbuilding in Belfast, next making your way to the Shipyard Ride, which is a huge favorite of many visitors. During the Shipyard Ride, you sit in a car hanging from a suspended track that weaves you through a life-size model of the RMS Titanic construction site, offering a unique perspective into the world of shipbuilding. Your journey continues through the launch and the maiden voyage, where you are treated to a room that creatively uses film to capture the elegance of the ship’s interior, making you feel as though you are aboard. You experience the sinking of the ship and its aftermath, finally ending in a cinema-style room with a screen on the floor, allowing you a bird’s eye view of wreckage in the ocean. Titanic Belfast is different from other museums or traveling exhibits about the RMS Titanic in that they do not have any artifacts recovered from the sunken ship displayed in the museum. There’s an interesting debate in the museum world about whether artifacts recovered from shipwrecks should be used in museums. Titanic Belfast subscribes to the idea that the shipwreck is akin to a graveyard, and artifacts should not be removed.
While visiting Titanic Belfast is an absolutely incredible experience and I highly recommend that you all go, it’s not always possible to drop everything and fly across the ocean. Here are some ways you can engage with the museum online:
1.Titanic Belfast website
The website offers a great section on some of the artifacts found at the Titanic Belfast museum, including a launch notebook and printed menu of the luncheon that was served on April 14, the day the Titanic hit the iceberg. They also have a great section about the museum itself, including a video explaining the design, a time-lapse of the construction, and descriptions and photos of each of the nine galleries in the museum.
2. Titanic Belfast on Social Media
Titanic Belfast has very active accounts on both Twitter and Instagram. Follow along on Twitter for information about upcoming events (so you can plan your trip accordingly!), photos from past events/ special exhibits, and links to informational pages about the museum and the RMS Titanic. On Instagram, get your daily dose of beauty with pictures of the site, the exhibits, and photos from the archives including the construction of the Titanic and the Harland & Wolff Shipyards in the early 20th century.
3.Titanic Belfast on YouTube
The next best thing to experiencing a place in real life is through video! Luckily for us, Titanic Belfast has an awesome YouTube channel! There are videos ranging from promotional ads to features on special events and exhibits to lectures at the museum to construction films from the building of the site. One of the must-see videos is a walk-through of Titanic Belfast.
Enjoy your digital journey through Titanic Belfast!
The famous tournament began in 1877 and has been played at the All England Club in Wimbledon ever since. This was back when tennis racquets were made of wood (a tradition that lasted well into the 1970s). Located outside of London, you have to take a train to get out to the grounds. Wimbledon is part of the four major Grand Slam tennis tournaments and is usually held mid-summer (end of June/beginning of July).
U.K. in the Everyday 