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O, To Be In England...

Kondoru said:
Maybe bustards.

But the size would be unmistakeable.

They certainly are shy around people. (But horses and vehicles dont bother them).
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I thought game birds, but apart from pheasants I'm terrible at identifying them.
 
Cochise said:
A friend of mine had what looked like a 1930's detached house (by about a foot from the house next door ) but which had been built around an older house that must have dated back to the 1600s and included most of the original interior features including a gallery - the sort that is upstairs, rectangular, and had an open space making the original downstairs room 'double height'. And a cellar, original fireplace, etc. etc.

Oh, and a ghost, which I never saw - but I did see doors pulled shut unexpectedly.
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I find that fascinating, the Brighton Pavilion is similar and still has the original farmhouse enclosed in the grander building, I believe.
 
Sogna said:
I find that fascinating, the Brighton Pavilion is similar and still has the original farmhouse enclosed in the grander building, I believe.
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I've been there a number of times, but do not recall that.
 
maximus otter said:
If this was built in the 1600s, my cock's a kipper:

article-2034378-0DBC7EEF00000578-778_468x241.jpg
...
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Although the main house is much older, and listed - in the report made for a planning application in regard to the building in question (separate from the main) in 2011 the local conservation officer is stated as having, 'No objections to the loss of the existing building, a much altered probably 19th century brick barn'. Any heritage concerns seem to be associated with the demesne wall to which the building is attached at the side away from the driveway.

(link to pdf. See 3.4 for Representation from Conservation Officer.)

So, yes - the Daily Mail has yet again proved its absolute dedication to journalistic thoroughness and perspicuity.

And, no - any fish related 'down there' problems you may have will probably not be related to this issue.
 
Steven said:
"Ah! Now we see the violence inherent in the system!"
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Is someone repressing you, Steven?
Mythopoeika said:
Is that actually true?
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Echoing this. Surely there should be records, somewhere! Even back then you couldn't just murder with impunity, especially an impunity which left you free to wander the grounds repenting. A flight to another country might be called for.
 
SimonBurchell said:
Who knows? Elizabeth Stanhope apparently married Lionel Tollemache in 1612, so Jane Stanhope would have lived in the 16th century, or earlier.

Edit: Having said that, I just found this:

Did you know, our very own Falls Farm is notoriously haunted by a restless, once murderous-now guilt ridden lady of the manor, locally known as the White Lady of Harrington?

Jane Stanhope, Countess of Harrington (1755-1824) was a society hostess & heiress who served as a lady of the bedchamber of the British Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III.

The eldest of five children, the death of her father in 1763 left her and her sisters co-heiresses to an enormous fortune of £100,000.

Although she became a gambler like many of her class, Lady Harrington was 'blessed with domestic happiness' & surrounded by aristocracy of generally loose morals, she was considered the epitome of virtue...However, legend has it she killed her gardener with a spade for planting something somewhere he shouldn't...(!) And her ghost now walks the falls, & the sight of her is said to be the premonition of your death...

However, I think the writer just fixed upon the first Jane Stanhope he/she could find, because this Jane Stanhope was born 10 years after the house was demolished!
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I think I may have found a more likely candidate over a hundred years earlier from:

History of the Stanhope Family
Futureproofed - the same at Waybackmachine

The relevant bit is item 89:
89. ‘In 1614, George Lord Berkeley, obit.1658, son of Thomas de Berkeley and Elizabeth Carey and grandson and heir of Henry Lord Berkeley, married Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir Michael Stanhope of Sudbourne (Suff.), who died in 1621. Although he seems to have sold most of the lands of her inheritance, a few charters remain in Berkeley Castle. Most are concerned with the manor of Culpho, with its appurtenances in Tuddenham, Grundisburgh and Playford, which was the inheritance of the Wachesham family in the 13th and 14th centuries but which Stanhope had acquired by 1609; the rest are concerned with other lands which he acquired in Suffolk and with lands in Middlesex. Sir Michael was a younger son of Sir Michael Stanhope of Shelford (beheaded in 1552), and the younger brother of John, first Lord Stanhope of Harrington (d. 1621). Jane Stanhope, sister of John and Michael, had married Henry Lord Berkeley as his second wife; it was in the year following Henry’s death that his grandson and heir married Elizabeth Stanhope’ (GEC ii. 138-90). ‘George’s mother, Elizabeth Carey, had brought manors in Suffolk to the Berkeleys in 1603, but they passed to her daughter, Theophila Berkeley, and her husband, Sir Robert Coke, and Elizabeth Stanhope’s son George, the first earl, sold the Stanhope lands in Suffolk in 1669’ (Copinger, Suffolk, ii. 39, 105). ‘Sir Michael Stanhope acquired much other land in the south-east corner of Suffolk, between Culpho and the coast. A survey of his lands in the area was made by John Norden in 1609: it included lands in the parishes of Staverton, Eyke, Bromeswell, Wantisden, Chillesford, Sudbourne, Orford and Dunningworth; he also had the manor of Blythford In Middlesex, the manor of Heston had come to Sir Michael with his wife Anne, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Read, and was divided between their three daughters, while the manor of East Bedfont was granted to Sir Michael by Queen Elizabeth and passed to Elizabeth Berkeley’ (VCH Middx. iii. 109). ‘All three portions of Heston were sold to Sir William Waller in 1655. Sir Michael’s wife is also described as Anne daughter and heir of Sir William Reade of Osterley, Middx.’ (GEC ii. 139).

This may possibly be the same Jane Stanhope mentioned throughout the following early 17th century will, but to be honest my eyes glazed over trying to make sense of the family connections:
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES PROB 11/137/516
Futureproofed - the same at Waybackmachine
 
For all you foreigner types reading ..

Ever fancied travelling to England but can't afford it? (we can't either), or simply can't be bothered? .. just switch your washing machine on at a slow cycle, sit on top of it with a store bought triangle shaped sandwich and an over priced 500ml bottle of water, close your eyes then listen to this:


Print yourself one of these off as well then get a family member to walk past you after about 5 minutes into the spin cycle saying "TICKET'S PLEASE" with an empty stapler so they can click your ticket.

Welcome to England.

atrainticket001.jpg
 
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Swifty said:
For all you foreigner types reading ..

Ever fancied travelling to England but can't afford it? (we can't either), or simply can't be bothered? .. just switch your washing machine on at a slow cycle, sit on top of it with a store bought triangle shaped sandwich and an over priced 500ml bottle of water, close your eyes then listen to this:


Print yourself one of these off as well then get a family member to walk past you after about 5 minutes into the spin cycle saying "TICKET'S PLEASE" with an empty stapler so they can click your ticket.

Welcome to England.

View attachment 75119
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I dated a girl who used to be station announcer at Peterborough.
(That sounds like the plot of an entire French film)
 
Herr Cloaca said:
I dated a girl who used to be station announcer at Peterborough.
(That sounds like the plot of an entire French film)
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Did she have a posh English voice?. The last time I was an inpatient at the Norfolk & Norwich hospital, I was so doped up on their meds I used to walk out of the ward in the middle of the night and ramble over to a certain elevator and use it only because the female announcer in that one had a proper Birmingham accent which reminded me of my childhood. So I'd go up and down in it a couple of times then shuffle off somewhere else.
 
Swifty said:
For all you foreigner types reading ..

Ever fancied travelling to England but can't afford it? (we can't either), or simply can't be bothered? .. just switch your washing machine on at a slow cycle, sit on top of it with a store bought triangle shaped sandwich and an over priced 500ml bottle of water, close your eyes then listen to this...
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I used to love the odd spontaneous announcements you sometimes got from tube train drivers.

At Holborn station one rush hour, the platform absolutely heaving and the train already full:

Click. Pause.

'Who are all these people? Where did they all come from? Where are they all going?

And another, somewhere on the Central Line:

'I can't close the doors. Someone's blocking the doors.

Oi, chap with the yellow trousers - your backside is the wrong side of the door.

Oh, right - sorry madam.

Try breathing in.

...

You're not trying. I can still see you.

Your trousers are yellow. Yellow!

They are yellow trousers madam. That's a massive clue!

Or have you forgotten you're wearing them?'
 
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My commute on the Northern Line tube was often made bearable by the driver's random announcements, such as ...
"I'm Dave, the captain of the train you are now journeying in. We're cruising at an altitude of 1 meter and we shall be landing at Golders Green in approximately ... now."
 
During a set of delays at Charing Cross the announcers were trying to help by giving locations of the delayed trains, such as:

"The train that will form the 17.40 to Hastings from platform 4 is delayed and currently at Waterloo East."

Then came: "The train that will form the 17.50 Dover Priory service from platform 6 is currently....long pause.....Somewhere between here and Ashford."

There was a shout from assembled crowd on the station of "They've fucking lost it."
 
I recall (with a shudder) being stuck on a train from Kent coast to London in really heavy snow. Thanks to delays caused, we stopped about a mile from Gillingham for so long that the train was frozen to the rail.
The announcements ran thusly:
1) We're frozen to the track and the points are jammed. (Groans)
2) They are bringing out a special track maintenance train to unfreeze us and the points. (Cheers)
3) Unfortunately the special train is behind us and they are figuring out how to detour around us to get to the points. (Groans)
4) The special train ... was stuck in the snow. They'll be delayed while they unstick themselves. (Disbelieving laughter)
5) The special is now free and going all around the place to get in front of us. (Cheers).
6) Points are now cleared and so are we. (General cheers and celebrations).
Pulled into Gillingham and a special coach service to get us to London.
 
I once had to ge to town for a 10.30 meeting so went to get a "fast" 9.20 from Sevenoaks. I got to the platform at 9.15 when a London train arrived, now sometimes they are early and leave before the departure time (Which countsd as on time for their stats btw) so I got on it. It was packed. At London Bridge there was an announcement about the 5.50 from Hastings apologising for delays. I must have looked puzzled because a suited chap sitting on his briefcase looked at me resignedly and said: "Yes, this is the 5.50 from Hastings."
 
I used to work on the railways and making train announcements was part of the job but for some reason I had a spate of not being able to say Gatwick Airport properly. (Gatwick being on the mainline between Brighton and London). I never had a problem with the other station names on the route just that one place.

I'd end up saying either Gatport Airpit or Gatpit Airport. Before announcing where the train was going I have the right words in my mind but it would still come out as Gatport Airpit or Gatpit Airport. Usually after several attempts I'd then announce it as 'the place where the plane take off and land'.

I cured myself of it by having a bit of paper in front of me with Gatwick Airport written it.
 
gojiramonkey said:
Oh to be in England, now that England's here, I stand upright in my wheelbarrow, and pretend I'm Bodiciea (hi ho !!)
Yea I loved growing up in rural Shropshire
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Oh, to be in England now that April’s there ~ either here or 'there,' I think we're all that little bit happier that April is around us, somewhere!"
 
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