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Staying in hotel chains may be easy, but there is no joy to be had from staying in a soulless room with bland decoration, views over concrete and car parks, eating the same food you can eat in every other hotel, and getting woken up by the loud family in the room next door. Far better to drift off the beaten path to stay somewhere locally owned with a personality and where you can find all sorts of unexpected surprises. This Premier Inn sits on the busiest road in Salisbury, and is right next to a huge Macdonalds, a Tesco superstore and a Park & Ride car park. It has replaced a field where horses used to graze under the trees. The UKs largest hotel chain, Premier Inn, is owned by Whitbread, who also own several major UK restaurants. They have more than 1000 hotels with over 72,000 rooms, serving 5 million guest a year. Each one of these rooms is exactly the same colour (purple), with exactly the same bedding, the same generic wall prints, and the same restaurants (owned by their parent company), where you can eat the same food they offer around the rest of the country. Usually in large, purpose built square blocks, with rows of small windows and surrounded by low maintenance planting that wildlife hates as much as the rest of us, these hotels often resemble prison blocks. They do have their uses, normally if you need to stay near an airport or train station for an early departure, but otherwise they should be avoided like the plague. Whitbread makes an absolute fortune, recently selling Costa Coffee to Coca-Cola for nearly £4 billion, their property portfolio alone is worth £6 billion. This is not a company that needs any extra money. Far better to search the locally owned hotels, B&B's, holiday lets or glamping sites. Every building, every room, every aspect will be unlike any other accommodation you will stay in. Often located in areas away from high traffic and high footfall, you may find they are a lot more peaceful than city centre chains. There are often gardens to explore, local dishes on the menu, interesting landlords to chat to and quirky surroundings to investigate. What is even better though, is that your money is being spent in the local community where you are staying, not being sent off to a head office miles away. Avoid the crowds, the noise, the billionaire owners, the dreary blandness; stay local and enrich your holiday. Look on our Slow Travel Resources page to find alternative options to the hotel chains.

Chain restaurants are ubiquitous - they infest every town centre with their generic cuisine, whether its pizzas and pastas, burgers or a slightly soggy risotto. With menus the same across the country, food shipped in from a single source many miles away, themed décor and often irritating muzak, eating at chain restaurants may not be a terrible experience, but it is rarely a great one. The world's largest restaurant, McDonalds, has nearly 40,000 restaurants across 120 countries, and they serve 69 million people a day, with the golden arches logo recognisable across the world. It was in fact a McDonalds being built at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome which started the whole Slow Food Movement in 1986. 25 years later, the movement has over 150,000 members across 150 countries, with the emphasis on locally produced, good quality food. The same applies to coffee shops such as Costa or Starbucks - they have filled high streets, petrol stations, canteens, popular beauty spots; they are everywhere. Starbucks has over 30,000 shops in 70 countries, Costa has nearly 4,000 across 3 continents. People used to dream of running their own little coffee shop, but few bother now when the competition is this fierce. Peaceful and quirky little tea rooms are now becoming a thing of the past, instead we only get to chose between the large chains. Reasons to avoid chain restaurants 1. The food is often sourced from a single supplier and shipped many miles across country to get to the individual restaurants, usually by polluting trucks, planes and container ships. 2. Local food producers, who don't supply in high volume and can't afford to slash their profits, get priced out of the market. 3. Local specialties are usually ignored for menus which can be used across the whole chain, meaning that not only do customers not get to try new things, but that local specialty producers get ignored. 4. Food is often heavily packed with chemicals to extend its shelf life for both transportation purposes and to cut wastage. Flavour enhancers are used to disguise the lower quality produce. 5. Food prepared in chain restaurants is often highly calorific, with large portions and increased chemicals meaning a higher level of bad food groups. 6. The prevalence of chains means that local entrepreneurs get priced out of the market, unable to afford business rental rates. 7. Food is often part-cooked at the chains supply depot, rather than in the restaurant, so you often end up eating food which was cooked months ago, frozen and then heated in a microwave just before being served to you. Nutrients are severely diminished, as is the taste. 8. The ambience of the restaurant is the same as in every other in the chain - you get the same themed décor, same muzak, same uniformed staff. It is bland, generic, uninspiring and boring. 9. Chain restaurants don't care so much about reviews, so they put less effort into customer service or good cooking. 10. Your money goes off to head office, often in a different country, and doesn't get spent in the local community. Reasons to Eat Local 1. Locally owned restaurants can be far more selective about where their food comes from, with no compulsion to buy from a supplier many miles away. This means that you are far more likely to eat food which has no food miles on it, maintaining its nutritional qualities and meaning that the owner can shop around for the best flavours for their dishes. 2. You are far more likely to be able to try local specialties and local dishes, and the menu may well have more unusual options that you just couldn't find elsewhere. 3. The restaurant or café will be unique in its style, décor and layout. 4. Owners and staff are more likely to chat to customers, seeing the benefits of taking the time to get to know their customers and develop a rapport. 5. Menus are more likely to change on a weekly or even daily basis. 6. Staff care a lot more about reviews, as a bad review can break a small business, so you will probably get much better levels of customer service. 7. With food prepared on site, you are able to ask for alterations to a dish. 8. Smaller, locally owned restaurants are less likely to generate so much food waste as they are more conscious of their overheads.

There are plenty of alternatives to the high-polluting methods of transport such as planes, cars and cruise ships, and although they may take longer, the journey itself can become part of the adventure. Which is the most polluting way to travel? Planes, cars and large cruise ships are the most polluting methods of transport available. Planes are said to cause about 10,000 deaths a year from air pollution, and that number is only set to increase, with an estimated 50,000 planes in service by 2040 (its currently around 20,000). It is possible to 'offset' the damage done by buying carbon footprint offsets, but it would be far better to just not fly in the first place. Cruise ships are horrendous polluters and reek huge damage everywhere they go. Just one cruise ship provider, Carnival, emitted ten times more sulphur oxide around the ports of Europe than every single car in Europe generated in the same year in 2017. While people focus on the damage caused by planes and cars, cruise ships who burn the filthiest fuel of them all, seem to get a free pass. Noxious chemicals aside, they also cause huge damage to aquatic life, generate tonnes of waste, and can cause mayhem in the cities they visit. They may move slowly, but they are the total antithesis of what slow travel represents. Cars are well known for their polluting qualities, although some advancement is finally being made with clean fuels and electric cars. They cause direct pollution at ground level when they sit in queues with exhausts pumping out fumes over the pedestrians and cyclists just feet away, they clog up towns, cause huge swathes of countryside to be concreted over and are an eyesore littering any place of beauty. What are alternative ways to travel? Obviously the best way to travel with zero impact on the environment, is walking. However, this is not always practical, and doesn't help when you need to travel long distances. Cycling is a good alternative, but in countries such as the UK which don't have very good cycle lanes, it is not always practical. Trains are one of the best ways to get around over long distances. Most countries already have excellent train networks, and with an increase in night trains on offer, you can travel great distances while you sleep in comfort, or watching the silent world go by as you speed through the night. It saves on needing to book accommodation for a night and becomes part of the adventure itself. If you book your tickets early enough, you can travel by train very cheaply. Coaches and buses are often the cheapest way to travel, and although the journey may be long and rather uncomfortable if you are travelling some distance, the fact that you are travelling with a lot of other people reduces the environmental impact you are inflicting on the roads. Ferries are sometimes a good option. They may not be environmentally perfect, but the industry is starting to clean up its act, and they are still far better than flying; their emissions aren't at a high altitude, which magnifies the devastating impact on the environment. Cars really should be the last option for people, especially if they are only carrying a single person. There are some ways round this, such as using lift sharing and car pooling services, which can give you the easy directness of a car on a journey that someone else would be doing anyway. Its not perfect, but every little helps. See our Slow Travel Resources page for the best way to travel with minimal impact - from cross country travel to local, there are plenty of alternatives out there.

Overtourism has led to some of the most beautiful places in the world being overrun with people, buildings, pollution and rubbish. Locals get priced out of their home towns, fast food restaurants move in, hotel blocks get built with increasing speed, the natural areas once filled with wildlife get concreted over. Tourism is no longer the benign money-spinner it was once considered to be, it has become increasingly hazardous for all involved. So how do you still travel and see the world, without making the problem worse? What is Overtourism? Overtourism is simply when there are too many visitors for a particular place. One hundred extra visitors in a city would not have any real impact, but in a small beauty spot, it could be devastating. When narrow streets are filled with traffic, when the locals are forced to move to the outskirts as every other home is an Airbnb, when public transport is stuffed with people, when local amenities can't cope with the volume of people and rubbish, when local wildlife is forced out to make way for new concrete buildings which go up without any thought to capacity; that is all overtourism. Queuing for the summit of Mount Snowdon in Wales (photograph © Peri Vaughan Jones), where fights have actually broken out over queue jumping, and the crowds around the Trevi Fountain in Rome. What are the causes of overtourism? There are countless causes, but essentially the tourism industry has been allowed to grow unchecked, with no-one considering the negative impact until it was too late. Cheap flights, cheap accommodation, cruise ships, travel being seen as a necessity instead of a luxury, the growth of bucket list travel, the rise of the Instagram posers; all of these combine to create a perfect storm of destruction to some of the most beautiful places on the planet. The impact of overtourism Photograph © Fund for Education Abroad Photograph © The Watchdog Locals are starting to fight back against the invasion of their cities, beaches and countryside. Places such as Barcelona and Venice are introducing new measures to curb the drastic increase in visitors, such as a certain amount of permits per day, or banning cruise ships from certain places. It is not happening fast enough however, and the time will come when there are increasing amounts of stand-offs between locals and visitors. Tourists have to tackle this themselves on an individual level, and try to become part of the solution, rather than the problem. "We take our holidays in other peoples homes" This powerful film from the people at Responsible Travel is a fascinating and concerning documentary on the damage that overtourism is causing around the world. Just 23 minutes long, it is well worth a watch. How to avoid contributing to overtourism Choose your timing Think about the timing of your visit. If you avoid peak season, then you will be putting less of a burden on your destination. The shoulder seasons, or even the off season, will show you a side to the place that only the locals usually get to see. You may well get beaches to yourself, no crowds at the most popular tourist spots, empty public transport and locals who welcome you with open arms. Avoid the tourist traps There is no need to go to the most popular destinations just because everyone else goes to them. Many tourist traps are completely overrated anyway, having been ruined by catering to so many people. Areas are fenced off, views are ruined by excessive signage, crowds prevent you seeing anything, or leave you queuing for eternity; everything is overpriced and generally unsatisfactory. It is far better to explore places away from the crowds, head inland to the countryside, the places where the locals live and work; find their favourite places and you will discover far more about your destination that you ever will following the masses. Travel Independently Avoid packaged holidays where you are herded around en masse, such as large cruise ships, or where everyone is put in the same hotel. Cruises can be devastating for places - hordes of people descend on a town for a day, fill the streets, the public transport, the main sites, and then flock back to their ship for food and entertainment, meaning very little money is spent with the locals. Add that to their shocking environmental impact, and cruises are very bad news for everywhere they visit. Tourist destinations which suffer the most from overtourism: Research beforehand Do your research before you go. Check to see if the area you are going to has a problem with overtourism, and change your destination if you need to; no-one wants to go where they are not welcome. Once you have settled on your location, research the bus stops, the bicycle hire places, the local markets and shops; everything you will need during your stay to help you avoid the large retailers and to keep your money local. Keep a secret If you find somewhere amazing, a beautiful location that could easily fall victim to over crowding, think twice before plastering it all over Instagram or geotagging it. Some environments are really fragile, and are best kept as secrets. Don't travel under the social influence. This video by New Zealand's tourist board may be light hearted, but it has a serious message behind it. Expectation vs. Reality The Blue Lagoon on the island of Comino near Malta is world renowned for its incredibly beautiful blue water and all of the photos you will see of it show it as a mostly empty idyllic spot. The truth however, is something else. To get there you have to walk past several makeshift cafes in steel containers, all with generators whirring at full volume and all pumping out loud music. Vendors serve cocktails in pineapples, none of which are eaten, and wasted pineapples litter the beach. Beach umbrellas are everywhere. The queues for food and loos are horrendous and there are people in every direction you look. It is impossible to find a peaceful place to even just sit, and the views are ruined by people posing for their endless selfies and the boats which fill the bay. Far better to go to the next beach along, or inland, and have the place to yourself.

Vistors to a region can often leave a trail of destruction in their wake, from casually strewn litter to wildfires. Even straying off a footpath in an environmentally sensitive area can cause the destruction of plant life and habitats. It isn't always about what we may leave behind though, as tourists have been known to help themselves to 'souvenirs' from places of importance to the locals. How to ensure you 'leave no trace' 1. The most obvious of guidelines is to take all of your rubbish away from a site with you and dispose of it properly, preferably in local recycling facilities. People on holiday often don't worry too much about recycling and will just put everything in the bin, thereby generating an increase of landfill. If you are not sure of local recycling facilities in an area you are going to, research it before you go so you don't waste time doing it on holiday. Also research things like water bottle refill stations before you go, so you don't have to use any single use plastic. 2. Never, ever start camp fires unless you have triple checked that you are allowed to do so. We are all aware of the devastation that wildfires can cause in places like Australia and the USA, but it happens everywhere. Just last year, 223 hectares of Wareham Forest were destroyed after burning for 3 weeks, because some idiot decided to use a portable BBQ there. 3. Never help yourself to any plantlife from an area, or stones from an historic site. It might be great to have a piece of Hadrian's Wall at home, but sites of great importance are vanishing because of this awful habit. 4. Stay on trails and paths when you are out in nature or on historical sites. You may think you are just taking a short cut, but over the years new footpaths emerge from sustained use by impatient walkers, leading to soil erosion and destroying the wildlife or archaeological record beneath them. 5. Avoid building cairns and piles of stones. They may look pretty to some people, but they can be very destructive to the environment they are in. Wildlife lives under these stones in the nooks and crannies, so you are destroying their homes, and removing their natural hiding places when threatened by predators. Piling up stones can also increase soil erosion, exposing it to the elements. There is also the issue that people travel into nature to see the natural world, not piles of man-made creations dominating the landscape. We don't have to leave evidence of our presence everywhere we go. It is no different to graffiti and leaving 'Kilroy was here' scrawled across the place. 6. Be conscious of noise you are making. Travelling to a remote area in the wilderness for a knees up may seem like a good idea, but there are always going to be other people around who don't want to hear your sound system, yelling or loud hysterical cackling. 7. On a similar note, research the cultural traditions of a place before you go there. There seems to be a recent trend of travellers completely ignoring what is acceptable, and skinny dipping in sacred waters or whipping their clothes off at the top of sacred mountains. Not only is it really disrespectful to the locals, you can end up in prison or with massive fines. It will certainly leave the locals with a dislike of you and your arrogance, meaning future tourists will not be made as welcome. The Seven 'Leave No Trace' Principles used in the National Parks of the USA are relevant for any trip into nature - Plan ahead and prepare. Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Dispose of waste properly. Leave what you find. Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire). Respect wildlife. Be considerate of other visitors

The ordination of Boy Bishops was a medieval tradition in which a choir boy would become Bishop from St. Nicholas Day (6th December) until Holy Innocents Day (28th December), wearing the Bishop's vestments, leading prayers and preaching the sermon, in a complete role reversal. Although the practice was banned in the 16th century, a few cathedrals re-introduced a version of it in the 20th century, of which Salisbury is one. Photograph © Salisbury Cathedral/Finbarr Webster The Boy Bishop Tradition Like many traditions established centuries ago, the origins and purpose of the Boy Bishop is unknown, with some believing its purpose to be teaching humility to the powerful Bishops, teaching responsibility to the boys, or a form of a 'Switch the Ranks' which takes place in many other formal organisations such as the military or gentry, which have clear divisions of superiors and inferiors in terms of status, who will reverse roles for a day of merriment. The Boy Bishop tradition probably started in Europe, but had reached England by the 13th Century, probably earlier. The ceremonies must have been firmly established by 1263, since they are said to be in accordance with ancient custom*. Another comment was made about them in 1263 by Dean Geoffrey de Feringues and at St Paul's in both 1245 and 1295 there is mention in the inventories of robes and pastoral staff for the Boy Bishop. In the Temple Church in London in 1302, the inventory mentions robes for the Boy Bishop and in Salisbury in 1222, the inventory mentions a gold ring for the Boy Bishop. In Heton in 1299 Edward I gave a gift to the Boy Bishop. It is mentionned again in the statutes of Salisbury in 1319, where, 'it is ordered that the boy bishop shall not make a feast.' Boy bishops originated at a time when the Catholic Church held a great deal of power and influence in European society, with the position of Bishop being highly prestigious and held by wealthy and powerful men. The Church also believed in the importance of humility and the idea that even the youngest and most innocent could serve a spiritual purpose and as a result, the tradition of boy bishops possibly emerged as a way to celebrate the innocence and purity of youth while also serving as a reminder of the humility and service that was expected of those in positions of spiritual authority. The Boy Bishop is generally inaugurated on 6th December, which is the feast of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children. St. Nicholas was an early Christian Bishop during the Roman era, and his habit of secret gift-giving led to the tradition of St Nicholas on the continent, and Father Christmas in the UK and USA. To become a Boy Bishop, a young boy would be chosen from among the choir or community and given a special ceremony in which he was appointed. Originally known as Episcopus Choristaram (Chorister Bishop), he was expected to be corpore formoses (beautiful in body) and to possess claram vocem puerilem (a clear childish voice). In Salisbury, his reign would last up to the Feast of the Holy Innocents, which is celebrated on December 28th. Once appointed, the boy bishop would be given many of the same rights and privileges as a regular bishop. In Salisbury it is thought that the Boy Bishop also had the power to dispose of prebends during his brief reign, although he would usually be guided in this by the clergy. The boy bishops would choose friends to take the role of canons in his staff, together they would dance, sing and lead processions through their local towns, leading to accusations of the practice being flippant and sacrilegious. The tradition of the Chorister Bishop was formally abrogated on the continent in 1431, with a declaration from the Council of Basel, although partly because the authority of that council was always in dispute, it was never regarded as authoritative. This can be seen from the fact that, although one or two took notice of it, the ceremonies continued on unhindered in many places. It wasn't until Henry VIII became Head of the Church, and decided that the levity and frivolity which was attached to the practice was not befitting his new role, that it ceased in England. Issuing a Proclamation in 1542, it concluded, "And whereas heretofore dyvers and many superstitious and chyldysh observauncies have be used, ... as upon Saint Nicholas, the Holie Innocents, and such like, children be strangelie decked and apparayled to counterfeit Priests, Bishops, and Women, and to be ledde with songes and dances from house to house, blessing the people, and gathering of money; and boyes do singe masse and preache in the pulpitt, with such other unfittinge and inconvenient usages, rather to the derysyon than anie true glorie of God, or honour of his sayntes." The practice was resurrected in Salisbury in the 1980s, but now the realm of the Chorister Bishop lasts for less than an hour, for the duration of the Evensong service nearest St Nicholas. These days it is just as likely to be a girl chorister, as Salisbury Cathedral was the first English cathedral to introduce female choristers (in 1991) and this has extended to the role of Chorister Bishop. Attending the Chorister Bishop Ceremony in Salisbury Cathedral Anyone can attend the Evensong service which takes place on the Sunday evening nearest 6th December, around 4.30pm. If you get there early enough you can get a seat in the quire so you can see everything that takes place. The procession leads in as normal led by the Bishop of Salisbury, and Evensong continues as normal, but during the reading of the Magnificat, when the line, "He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek" is read, the Bishop relinquishes his robe, mitre and ring, while the Chorister Bishop is helped into his robes by his revenue of friends, and ascends into the Cathedra, the Bishop's throne. From here he leads the prayers and gives a sermon. In the ceremony I attended, where Rory Law took on the role of Bishop, he spoke with much maturity and clarity about how it is the children who are expected to clean up the mess of the adults, ('twas ever thus) and about young, inspirational leaders such as Greta Thunberg, Malala and Tent Boy who are leading protests against environmental destruction, overpopulation, deforestation and so much more. At the end of the service the procession files out, with the bishop looking somewhat defenestrated without his mitre. It is a rather lovely event to attend. In the depths of winter it is dark outside, the cathedral is softly lit, the choir sounds as melodic as ever and there is an air of excitement amongst the congregation, many of whom are probably friends and relatives of the Chorister Bishop and his young retinue. The service itself is conducted with much solemnity, but just after the procession out, I saw the Boy Bishop and the Bishop having a giggle about the event, probably with relief that all had gone smoothly. After the service, have a look for the 'Boy Bishop's tomb'. It was thought that if a Boy Bishop died while incumbent, he would be buried with the full accoutrements due a bishop, and in the cathedral is a small tomb with the image of a bishop on the lid. For many years this was thought to be the tomb of a Boy Bishop, but recent research has determined that it is probably some of the internal organs of an adult bishop, probably Bishop Poore, the bishop who moved the cathedral from Old Sarum and founded the cathedral in its current location. The Salisbury Cathedral website will have details about the ceremony towards the end of each November. Read our definitive guide to Salisbury Cathedral Find out more about tombs and memorials within Salisbury Cathedral Sources and further reading: *W Sparrow Simpson (ed), Registrum Statutorum et Consuetudinum Ecclesiae Cathedralis Sancti Pauli Londiniensis, London, 1873, p. 91. Hymns and Carols of Christmas The Tudor Society St. Nicholas Centre Article written with historical information supplied by Neil Mackenzie, author of the definitive book on Boy Bishops, which you can buy by clicking on the picture

Chelsea Pensioners are a beloved British institution, highly visible in their bright red coats and tricorn hats at Remembrance services and parades every year. Army veterans, they live in the Royal Hospital, a beautiful Grade I listed building in Chelsea, given to them by Charles II and designed by Christopher Wren. Visitors can do a free self-guided tour around parts of the property, which include a museum, the chapel and old living quarters, to learn more about their history and their lives. Chelsea Pensioners are a highly visible part of British life, yet before my visit, I knew very little about them. Who were they, why did they wear the old fashioned red coats and black hats, and what was their connection to the army? When I discovered that you could visit the Royal Chelsea Hospital, I was keen to go so that I could learn more about them. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that you can visit the site for free, and either do a self-guided tour, or book a tour led by one of the pensioners. Unable to get a place on one of the bookable tours, we instead opted for the self guided tour. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CHELSEA PENSIONERS In 1682, Charles II decided to make a provision for army veterans who were too old or sick to care for themselves, when he realised that many were sick or wounded as a result of his campaigns abroad. Previously, they had been looked after by religious foundations, but the dissolution of the monasteries had put an end to that. Charles II commissioned Christopher Wren to build a home for veteran soldiers, based on the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. The buildings consist of three quadrangles next to the River Thames, in what was then the countryside of Chelsea. The first pensioners moved in in 1692, and the hospital was soon full with 476 residents. Hospital is used here in the old fashioned sense of the word, as in almshouses, rather than a place for the sick and injured. Changes were made to the site over the years, with Wren’s formal gardens being demolished by 1868 when the Chelsea Embankment was created. The famous architect, Sir John Soane, built a new infirmary in 1809, on the site which is now occupied by the National Army Museum. The site was bombed heavily in both World Wars, with the Soane Infirmary receiving a direct hit in 1941, resulting in many deaths and casualties. In total, 117 incendiary devices hit the hospital over the course of World War II. One of the bombs is on display - a 250kg which hit the hospital in 1940 but failed to explode. There are two types of Chelsea pensioner, Out and In Pensioners. The conditions for In Pensioners, i.e. those who actually live in the hospital, were established in 1685 by James II, and the rules have changed little over the years. The soldier must receive an Army Service or Army disability pension, or hold the Victoria or George Cross, be over 65, of good character and have no dependents. They give up their pension in exchange for accommodation, food, uniform and medical care at the hospital. Out Pensioners must have served 20 years in the army, or be disabled due to their service. In 2009, the first women were admitted as In Pensioners due to their long service. Their distinctive uniform of loose red coat with black cuffs and a black tricorn hat is based on that of the Army of Marlborough in the 18th century, as the veterans from the Marlborough campaigns were the first large intake to the hospital. Before this, Pensioners would have worn their own regimental uniforms. These coats are ceremonial, as around the hospital the pensioners wear a blue, more casual uniform for day to day purposes. The coats show the rank the soldier held when they were discharged, and their medals. The only way to get into the site is through the London Gate entrance, on Royal Hospital Road, where a guard lets you in through the gates and you can ask for one of the self-guided tour leaflets. These set out a route for you on a map of the site, starting with the museum, which is directly ahead of the entrance. THE MUSEUM The museum entrance is through a grand hall, with a large diorama model of how the site looked in 1742, a huge panorama of the Battle of Waterloo, hanging high on the wall, and a more recent painting of the Queen above the fireplace. Walk directly ahead to enter the museum. Once inside, turn right to start with the history of the hospital. There are comprehensive information boards on the walls, progressing through from the start of the hospital to modern day, and a wealth of artefacts that really do shed a light on this most interesting place. I particularly liked the mock up of their living quarters. The pensioners sleep on long wards, in small wooden cubicles known as berths. These were originally tiny, only 6 x 6 foot, until the 1960s when they were increased to 6 x 9 foot. There was no lighting in the berths until 1900, no central heating until 1928, and no windows. Pensioners cooked their own meals with rations on a range at the end of the wards until 1955. By the 1990s the booths were increased to 9 x 9 foot, and the mock up is one of these. It really did look small: comfortable and with everything on hand, but still very small. In the past five years, these have changed again, there is a video on the website showing that they now have a small study each, their own wet room, and a window, which must make a huge difference to how they live. In the centre of the museum is the ceremonial mace and woolsack. The Pensioners previously had no colour or standard to parade with, so one was commissioned to honour the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, which is now used in all formal occasions. The woolsack was also made to honour the occasion, a bright scarlet red to match their coats, and these items hold pride of place in the museum. There are some lovely artefacts in glass cases around the room. The antique pipe lighter which was in use for many years attached to an outside wall, a tobacco tin from the Boer War with Queen Victoria on it, a parade chair, and the one I found really moving, a painting called The Last Muster. This was of the Pensioners attending a service in the Wren Chapel, in their bright red coats, but one of them has slumped forward in death and is being held up by his comrades sitting around him. The second room of the museum is the Medal Room, containing row upon row of medals awarded to the Pensioners. It is quite an astonishing and humbling display of courage. There is also a flag captured in 1812 during the second American War, and an assortment of the original keys to the buildings. It is a small museum, but very informative, and is most definitely worth a visit. As you leave, there is a small shop and Post Office at the exit, where you can buy souvenirs. THE GROUNDS The next stop on the tour map takes you to Light Horse Court, one of the quadrangles with a grassy courtyard that looks like it must be a lovely place to relax in the summer months. The brief walk takes you through to the colonnade and out into Figure Court, the central area. Here, the recently gilded statue of Charles II glints at you from a distance. It is quite a surprise to see him portrayed as a Roman, complete with tunic and laurel wreath, and standing out like a golden icon. Behind the statue, the beautifully proportioned classical buildings and the peaceful looking grounds, is London, an incongruous sight of cranes, skyscrapers and modernity. The noise and chaos seem intrusive on this gentle and traditional place. HERITAGE BERTHS A walk through the colonnade takes you to the heritage berths, two of the original old style living quarters for the Pensioners. With their dark wood walls and low ceilings, the lack of space is palpable, but the heating is pumping out and it does at least feel very cosy. One of the original berths, this is just 6 x 6 foot. Even today, all pensioners still hang their uniforms outside their doors. It is easy to imagine that living here is a lovely way to spend your retirement after a lifetime of service. Surrounded by like minded people, a comfortable place to call your own, all of your needs met, beautiful surroundings, plenty of activities and still living within the military setup that you’re so used to, I can imagine far worse ways to spend your end of days. WREN CHAPEL The Wren Chapel is less highly decorated than some of his other designs, but it is stunning in its simplicity, with high arched white ceilings, a black and white chequered floor, wooden stalls and a beautiful fresco behind the altar. Light floods in from tall but simple glass windows and the whole effect is one of peace and tranquility. Consecrated in 1691, the chapel is still used regularly by Pensioners and visitors. THE GREAT HALL The Great Hall, opposite the chapel, is another fabulous room. It was designed by Wren as a dining hall, and was originally used for this purpose, until the time when Pensioners would take their rations away to cook on the shared ranges near their berths. The Hall was then used as a recreation room, and for court martials and courts of inquiry. In 1852 it was used for the Lying in State of the Duke of Wellington, and the table used is still in there, now called The Wellington Table. Hundreds paid their respects, including Queen Victoria, and there is a painting of the event taking place. The table where the Duke of Wellington lay in state now has two ‘blackjack’ leather jugs on it, used to carry drinks up from the cellar. From the time of Nelson, jacks were referred to as ‘boots’, which is where the phrase ‘fill your boots’ comes from, meaning to have a drink. The wood panelled walls are inscribed with the dates of battles since the formation of the British Army, starting with Tangier in 1662 and ending with Afghanistan, poignantly still awaiting an end date. Flags hang from above, replicas of those captured during battles. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling and green table lamps are on every table, creating a bright and cheerful feel to the place. A look at the menu shows typical traditional British fare; cottage pie, fish and chips, mushy peas and rice pudding, although I also noticed salads and vegetarian options. It was easy to imagine the dining hall full of people bustling around, with cutlery clinking and voices raised in laughter. COFFEE SHOP The final stop on the self-guided tour, is the coffee shop. This is back near where you entered, and I highly recommend a visit here. It serves sandwiches, snacks and drinks, and is incredibly cheap for this area of London. It is also an opportunity to see some of the Pensioners, as this is where they meet their friends from outside the Hospital. All of the residents that we met as we were exploring, stopped to say hello, wish us a good morning or just gave us a hearty smile, we found it to be a very welcoming place. Buying something in the café or the shop is a good way to give towards the upkeep of the place, as a free tour is such a gift that giving something back feels only right. BURIAL GROUND You exit from London Gate where you arrived, but before you walk through the gate, turn right into the old Burial Ground. Although not part of the official self-guided tour, you are allowed in there and it worth visiting. Pensioners and some staff were buried there from 1692 – 1854, most of them without grave markers. When it was closed, they estimated that over 9000 burials had taken place there. We wandered through this, looking at the graves and memorials, and were very surprised to find at the far end of it, was both Baroness Margaret Thatcher’s grave and that of her husband, Denis. I had had no idea that they were buried here, both with very low key and discreet gravestones, in front of the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary. She had regularly worshipped in the Wren Chapel, walked in the grounds and was a supporter of the Hospital. A small bunch of flowers nearby said ‘To the Iron Lady with the soft heart’. As we left, a small flock of wild cockatiels screeched at us from the bare branches of a tree in the graveyard, a rather surreal way to end our visit to this very British institution. Visiting The Royal Hospital Chelsea Opening hours General Site Access: Monday to Sunday 10am - 5pm Museum: Monday – Friday, 10am - 4pm Great Hall: 10am - 12, 2pm - 4pm Wren Chapel: Monday – Saturday, 10am - 4pm Coffee Shop: 10am - 4.30pm Guided tours are available for individuals which can be booked online >> The site is fully accessible and there are wheelchair lifts available to help you get into the Great Hall and Wren Chapel, but if you will need them, please do notify them in advance of your arrival.

King Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Pharaoh was the last ever world tour of the grave goods buried with King Tutankhamun, before they settled into their permanent residence in Cairo. The tour visited Paris, London, Sydney and Tokyo, but for those who were unable to visit the exhibition, this is our photo album of the highlights from when the tour visited London, as a reminder of the last chance many had to see these amazing artefacts. This gilded wooden fan held 30 ostrich feathers, which would provide a cooling breeze. The inscription on the stick says that Tutankhamun hunted them himself, in the desert near Heliopolis, which is portrayed in the incredibly detailed carving. Left: Egyptian calcite vases. The central vase is inlaid with faience, a ceramic material with a brightly coloured glaze. Traces of a brown residue was found inside, from an oil which was essential for rituals and highly valued. Right: A close up of the neck of the vase. Faience was known as ‘tjehenet’ in the ancient Egyptian world, which means ‘dazzling’ or ‘brilliant’. It was a synthetic material and could be made in a variety of colours, although turqousie was the most common, as it was believed to represent life and fertility. Left: This calcite vase on a stand has cartouches of Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun inscribed upon it. Ankesenamun was his half-sister and also his wife. They shared a father, but her mother was Queen Nefertiti, who was renowned for her beauty. Right: This alabaster vase with a stopper, has the name of Tutankhamun’s ancestor, Thutmose III, inscribed upon it. Thutmose III was considered one of the greatest Pharaohs, and a military genius. The vase was used to store perfume or oil for rituals. This painted calcite box, with a floral decoration on the vaulted lid, contained two bundles of human hair. These probably belonged to Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun. Found with a small ivory pomegranate, this may well have represented their marriage contract. The gilded wooden figure of Tutankhamun on a skiff, throwing a harpoon. He is dressed as Horus, son of Osiris. His prey is a hippopotamus, the incarnation of Osiris’ evil brother Seth, who tore apart Seth’s body and scattered it throughout Egypt. Using magic, Osiris’ sister Isis made his body whole again. They then married, starting the tradition of Egyptian Pharoahs marrying their sisters. As the Ancient Egyptians believed that words and images could come alive in the afterlife, the hippopotamus is considered too dangerous to portray. These wooden boomerangs are made from hardwood and decorated with bark patterns. Due to the curvature, none of these would have been able to be thrown and return, although there were others in the tomb that could do this. Boomerangs were used for hunting by wealthy Egyptians, who would throw them in the marshes to stun and kill birds. These would have been included in the tomb not only to allow Tutankhamun to continue one of his hobbies, but also to help him fight and subdue the forces of chaos he would meet in the afterlife. This solar hawk Horus figure, a gilded wooden hawk with a sun disk on its head, was part of the decoration of a chariot. The tomb contained six chariots in total, each of them dismantled to pass through the narrow entrance, then reassembled inside. Left: The original mummy remained in Cairo, but his adornments were on display at the exhibition. The mummy was tightly bandaged to complete his magical transformation and successful resurrection in the afterlife. Amulets and jewellery were folded into the layers, in a precise order determined by magical texts, such as The Book of the Dead. Centre: Four horizontal and two vertical gold bands are inlaid with carnelian, lapis and glass, which formed hieroglyphs of the king’s name and protective magic spells. Right: The gold ba-bird pectoral decoration is holding ‘shen’ signs, which represent the eternal journey of the sun. This lotus chalice was called ‘The Wishing Cup’ by Howard Carter, and was one of the first things he saw when he entered the tomb. Made from a single piece of alabaster, the handles are shaped like lotus flowers growing upwards. It represents the infinite and eternal life of Tutankhamun. Left: Tutankhamun’s organs were kept in a canopic shrine, which contained a magnificent calcite chest. On top of this, two pairs of Tutankhamun heads faced each other, and slotted inside those, were four intricate gold coffinettes, each containing an embalmed organ. The coffinettes are replicas of the actual coffin. This one contained his liver. Right: This gold squatting figure and chain is of King Amenhotep III. He was Tutankhamun’s grandfather and always identified himself closely with the gods. The collar of glass beads show his devotion to Ra, the sun god of Egypt. This protective pendant would have been to help Tutankhaumn on his journey through the Netherworld. Left: This gilded wooden statue of Ptah has three hieroglyphs on the sceptre, which stand for life, stability and sovereignty. Ptah was the god of Creator, and the patron of craftspeople and architects. He was central to Egyptian worship and was linked to the city of Memphis, which was also known as the ‘temple of the soul of Ptah’. The Ancient Greeks shortened this name, using it to refer to the whole country, eventually giving us the name ‘Egypt’. Right: This life sized statue of the Ka of Tutankhamun marks his passage from the dark night to his rebirth at dawn. The eyes are made from volcanic obsidian and his sandals are bronze. The black skin symbolises the fertility of the Nile, and the gold marks his divinity. It is one of a pair which stood guard in the tomb, the most complete examples of their kind ever discovered. Left: This incredible gold inlaid pectoral has a lapis scarab and is made of gold, silver, carnelian, turquoise, lapis lazuli, green feldspar and glass. When it was found by Howard Carter, he put it on the excavation’s water boy, Hussein Abdel-Rassoul, and had a photograph taken of him. This famous photograph managed to provide Hussein with an income for the rest of his life. Right: A wooden gilded mirror case in the shape of an Ankh, made with coloured glass, carnelian and quartz. Mirrors were symbolic of resurrection, and the ankh represented life. Inscriptions around it have Tutankhamun’s name, epithets and his relationship to specific gods. Pharoahs carried a crook and flail, in honour of Osiris. The crook in particular became the sign of a ruler. Tutankhamun would carry these symbols on formal occasions, confirming his divine authority. A wooden box inlaid with 47,000 separate pieces of ivory and ebony. An inscription suggests that this held gold jewellery for Tutankhamun’s wedding. Left: This golden shrine offers a glimpse into the domestic life of Tutankhamun and his wife, showing intimate scenes of domestic harmony within the royal household. Tutankhamun pours oil for her, she puts a collar on his neck, he aims his bow at birds while she hands him arrows. These images, along with others on the shrine such as the ducks, lotuses and necklaces, along with the hieroglyphs for verbs such as ‘shooting’, ‘pouring’ and ‘throwing’, all carry sexual overtones. Right: This Wesekh, or collar, was placed between the mummy’s layer of bandages. The hawk represents Horus, the god closely associated with the living Pharaoh. These collars were worn by gods and Pharaohs, and were often of such a weight that a counterpoise hung down between the shoulder blades of the wearer, to help them maintain balance. Left: This gilded wooden shield shows Tutankhamun wearing an Atef crown as he holds two lions by the tails. Lions were the most powerful animals of the natural and supernatural world, surrounding Egypt in the desert lands. By showing his mastery of these animals, he is showing his mastery over Egypt. Right: This shield has the King as a Sphinx, trampling on Nubian enemies underfoot. The hills at the bottom make the hieroglyph ‘foreign land’, showing how he is conquering his enemies. Due to the carvings on these shields, they are likely to be ceremonial rather than functional. There were 35 model ships inside the tomb, as the Ancient Egyptians believed that the power of magic would make them full size and functional in the afterlife. This one is a wooden solar boat, which has a throne and two steering paddles.

In 1943 when Britain was in the grip of World War II, the decision was taken by the Allied leaders to invade France. As plans were made for Operation Overlord, there was a need for somewhere to train over 150,000 men. The war cabinet selected suitable locations, and within weeks residents of these villages were given formal notice to leave their homes. Of the villages specifically requisitioned for D-Day, two can still be visited today, Imber in Salisbury Plain and Tyneham in Dorset. Tyneham and Imber are two small villages 60 miles apart in the south of England, with similar origins and a strikingly similar fate. For in 1943 they were reluctantly abandoned by their residents and handed over to the military for training D-Day troops. Although both were due to be returned to the residents after the war, neither village was. So today these once loved communities stand derelict, tumbling down and subject to the ravages of time. Although potentially rather forlorn and neglected, these villages offer something unique to the historian as they have not been subjected to modernisation, commercialisation or anything else that comes along in the name of progress. They offer a faded snapshot of village life in 1943 and enable the onlooker to imagine just how life might have been 80 years ago in rural England. On the south coast of Dorset, only a few miles from the tourist traps that are Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, is the village of Tyneham and the nearby coastal bay of Worbarrow. The area shows evidence of occupation from the Roman times, of fishing communities from the Iron Age and is included in the Domesday Book of 1086. The village changed hands several times and was passed down through the generations until it was bought by the Bond family in 1683, and they retained ownership until the Second World War. Living in a grand manor house, they owned most of the properties and buildings in the village, which included a 13th century church, a school, a rectory, farms and cottages. Off the beaten track and isolated, the villagers continued the traditions of the generations before them, living a peaceful and sheltered existence until November 1943, when each household received a letter from the War Office, giving them just 6 weeks’ notice to quit their properties and move out . Vast tracts of nearby land were already being used by the tank corps, and more space was needed in the run up to D-Day to cope with the influx of extra troops and equipment. The residents packed up their lives, said their farewells and had all gone by the week before Christmas, with the last one, Evelyn Bond, leaving a poignant note pinned to the church door: "Please treat the church and houses with care. We have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly". The Bond family received £30,000 compensation (nearly £1,000,000 in today’s money) as they owned most of the village. Many of the others were only compensated for the value of vegetables in their home garden plots. They were moved to council houses, some at the other end of the county. One can only imagine how they must have felt, although they were reassured that their homes would be returned to them as soon as the hostilities were over, and there was a resigned acceptance for many with a feeling that they were doing their patriotic duty for the war effort. The whole area was fenced off and the troops moved in. The image of what they had to leave behind is one of a rural idyll but it is important not to over romanticise the site. Villagers were tied to the Bond family in a near feudal set up, working for the family, living in tied properties, working in their farms. The class system was firmly entrenched here with few opportunities to escape it. The arrival of motorised farming equipment meant that there were fewer jobs available on the land and the arrival of the motor car and public transport meant that more people could access nearby towns for less arduous employment. Servant numbers working in the big manor houses across the country were waning and their numbers had dropped even more sharply with the advent of WWII, as staff left to join the military or work for the war effort. The fishing industry at Worbarrow Bay was in decline due to fishing trawlers operating out at sea from nearby Weymouth. The school had closed in 1932 due to a lack of demand. The villagers had no running water or electricity, having to queue at the village pump for water and some walked 12 mile round trips to the nearest town, Wareham, for their supplies. It was a blessing for many to be moved to new homes that had all the modern conveniences, including running water and electricity. However, the fact that so many of them were desperate to return after the war shows that for all its negative points, it was still a home they loved, and that the benefits of living there far outweighed any comfort to be found in their new lives. They had lived within a close knit community, surrounded by family and friends, far away from the troubles of the outside world, in a beautiful unspoilt location by the sea. It is said that many of the older residents died of shock and broken hearts soon after they left their homes. The War Office reneged on the deal and the villagers were never allowed to return. A son of the Bond family, who had spent much of the war as a prisoner at Colditz, was shocked to find out on his return that his family were now living in Corfe Castle. There were several campaigns over the years to return the village to its former inhabitants but none ever succeeded. As time passed, much of the village had gone, the inhabitants had moved on or died and their homes were crumbling away. The land is still part of the Defence Training Estate at Lulworth and is still used for live firing exercises and manoeuvres. Old photographs from TynehamVillage.org TYNEHAM TODAY I visited on a weekend in May, when the sun was out and spring was in the air. It’s hard to find, down a steep and sharp bend on a winding single track country road, with lots of cars reversing as they realise they’ve missed the turning. A drive down the hill with stunning views over the valley leads to a large and busy car park, as this is a popular place, especially on a sunny day. However, the car park is the only evidence of tourism in the area. Local byelaws mean that loos are the only facilities available for visitors, as any form of commercial enterprise is forbidden. The village itself is the star attraction. Only two buildings still remain fully intact, the church and the school, both of which were restored by the army around the 1980s. The Elizabethan manor house is sadly long gone, demolished in the 1960s, with its remains in a cordoned off area of the woods. Everything else has been left to the ravages of time and most buildings are simply ruins, with tumbled-down walls, weeds growing in the cracks, empty windows looking out over the wilderness. A few walls of top floors remain, where you can see the rusted bedroom fireplaces; some still have their metal grates. The school and church are both small museums full of memories of village life. The school was particularly fascinating, with names still above the pegs written in faded copperplate script, photos of the pupils who had been there and a nature table covered in the dusty ancient treasures of children who had found their delights in the natural world around them. The rest of the village is softly crumbled walls, lush vegetation and the odd stark remnant of a previous life. The whole village is maintained by the army, with grass cut and paths kept clear, ponds cleared of vegetation, striking just the right balance between making the site accessible and keeping its feeling of wilderness. Ancient trees were covered in blossom on that spring day, the small ponds teemed with life and the stream flowed, all oblivious to the absence of the inhabitants that had created and nurtured them. There is a 1920s phone box outside what was the post office, complete with 1940s posters plastered inside as well as a telegraph pole standing proudly over the ruins. Small information panels tell you who lived in the cottages, what their profession was and often include a black and white photograph, helping you to visualise the lives of the people who had lived there so contentedly. You can wander at will and explore the whole village at your own pace, following the tracks and ruins to see where they lead you. The farm is the other side of the car park to the main village, and is in the process of being restored. The stables are intact, dusty and full of hanging cobwebs. There is an oil lamp still on the windowsill, a saddle slung over a stall, a 1940s radio set under a thick layer of grime and neglect. Relics of the village are assembled in a display against the backdrop of the valley views, a rusted collection that includes the mangled shells of exploded ordinance. After exploring the village and the farm, we walked to Worbarrow Bay, past the fields fenced off with barbed wire and warning signs about the danger, the bombed out tanks and huts from the live firing exercises, to a pebble beach without a single shop or sunbed. People sat dotted around just enjoying the view and listening to the swoosh of the waves on the massive pebbles, or the scrunch of others wading through those heavy pebbles as they walked the length of the beach. Sprigs of purple and yellow flowers forced their way through the heavy clay of the white cliffs which formed a backdrop that faded away into the distance, merging with the pale blue sea in the watery May sunshine. Other than voices and laughter, there was not a man-made sound to be heard. I absolutely loved Tyneham and found it incredibly moving as well as beautiful. As someone with a strong aversion to the ugliness and chaos of the modern world and who prefers the overgrown, dilapidated and the signs of nature reclaiming its space from human habitation, it was glorious; the sheer prodigious greenness of the place was a joy. The absence of the modern world and the abundance of nature was soothing, restorative and above all, very peaceful. In my research about the history of Tyneham I read an article by someone who had found the place disappointing, called it a ‘sanitised showpiece with weeds’ with ‘no atmosphere’. All I could think was that the writer must have no soul at all, no imagination to be able to conjure up the lives and sense of history that is so easy to find here. Visiting Tyneham How to get there Tyneham is not well signposted and has no postcode for satnavs, as well as poor mobile phone service. Click here for detailed directions. Opening days Most weekends as well as much of the school holidays, but always check the that the site is open before setting out as last minute changes can occur. Opening hours Tyneham school and church exhibitions - 10am to 4pm Gates to the range walks - 9am on Saturday to 8am on Monday Elmes Grove gate (allows vehicle access to Tyneham Village) - 9am to dusk Parking Costs Per Vehicle £2 Good to Know There are no shops or kiosks anywhere near by, so take your own food and drinks. There are picnic benches near the car parking area. There are no bins on site so you must take your rubbish home. Dogs are allowed but again their rubbish must be taken home. Visiting Tyneham Website >>

Stourhead is a jewel in the National Trust's crown; a stately home with impressive gardens that people will travel miles to visit. Renowned for its autumnal display, Christmas has become just as popular, with the house and grounds decorated for the season, and festive lights trails around the grounds after hours. Unfortunately you don't get to do both festive house and garden on the same visit, but there is a way round it - read on for my tried and tested cunning plan. Stourhead house was built in the early 18th century on the site of the original manor house in the village of Stourton, in Wiltshire. It is a large stately home, filled with all the treasures and art you would expect from such a house where the owners spent 200 years globetrotting and gathering their souvenirs like spoils of war. It is however the gardens which are the major draw and for which Stourhead is renowned. The gardens were laid out in classical 18th century design by the owner: banker, garden designer and Salisbury MP, Henry Hoare II, who created gardens which were described as 'more beautiful than any landscape put on canvas'. An artificial lake is traversed by a Palladian Bridge, and following a path around the lake is intended to represent journey similar to that of Aeneas's descent in to the underworld. A Parthenon, grotto, summerhouse and assorted temples and follies are all carefully placed within the grounds, with the planting intended to evoke different emotions. The gardens are spectacular, whatever the season, from the early bulbs and buds of Spring to the reds and yellows of autumn, even the grey starkness of winter, when you can see the architectural details of the assorted buildings without foliage hiding them. For Christmas the house is beautifully decorated with tasteful trees, thousands of lights and festive foliage. Poinsettias, oranges, frosted branches and wrapped gifts adorn the antique furniture, the lights bounce off the gold picture frames and chandeliers, the house is a picture of elegance and cultured conviviality. The festive light trails are the polar opposite. Bright, gaudy and flashing, often loud and always swarming with crowds, they are still entrancing in the dark gardens, their garish ostentatiousness a marked contrast to the esthetic indoors, and a beacon in the darkness of winter evenings. The theme of the light show changes each year, but whatever the theme you can be guaranteed there will be a light tunnel, woodland filled with thousands of lights to look like spring bulbs and that the highlight will be the grand finale of the Palladian bridge over the lake, its mirror image shining in the inky blackness of the lake. Trees are filled with lanterns and fairy lights, there are laser shows under the trees, walks through tunnels and curtains of light or past a row of singing trees; each has its own magic and is particularly appreciated by children. The Christmas lights by day... Stourhead is owned by the National Trust, who love the opportunity to take money from people, even their members, and because of this, it is not possible to see both house and lights trail on the same visit. The house is closed when the garden trail is open, and the garden lights are not visible when the house is open - in fact the lights merge into the grey skies, and you can see the bulbs and trailing wires which ruin the pleasing symmetry of the landscape. There is however a way round this to see both in the same visit, albeit you still have to pay for both separately as even members have to pay for the light trail. My friend and I had been disappointed to read that we would not to be able to see the house on our festive lights visit, so we came up with a cunning plan. We got to Stourhead at around lunchtime, meaning that we could explore the house and the grounds which weren't part of the lights trail, on a standard day time ticket. When it all closed at about 4pm, we went to the café and had a satisfying and warming meal, while we waited for our booked festive trail time slot. We then went back into Stourhead and enjoyed the festive lights trail, leaving us feeling as if we had had the full festive experience. It also meant that we could explore the full grounds during the day, as much of the garden is closed for the festive lights trail, and you are confined to shuffling around just a mile of garden with hundreds of other people. There are plenty of places to eat in the area other than the National Trust café, which tends to be packed in the cold weather. The Spread Eagle is within walking distance, or you could drive a couple of miles to The White Lion in Bourton. Either way, a couple of hours out before you face the festive trail is a good idea. There is no denying that the festive lights trail in this and other National Trust properties have their detractors. You are packed closely with other people, all fighting to get a good view of the lights, trying to avoid other peoples phones thrust in front of your view, and being forced to take evasive action against the selfie sticks and over excited children. A mile of garden filled with lights can feel like a very short distance when you've paid nearly £30 per person, and the mince pies and mulled wine are so overpriced that even an extortionist would blush. That being said, they do provide a glow of joy in the depths of winter, particularly for families with young kids, who will find it a magical experience. Stourhead Festive Lights Trail Postcode: BA12 6QF Parking: The car park can get busy and be prepared for a bit of a walk through the mud to get to the entrance Facilities: There is a café and pub on site as well as assorted food and drinks stalls Trail Dates: The trails run from the end of November to early January, and start at around 4.30pm. The house is closed at this time and is not part of the trail, as are some of the further reaches of the garden. The trail itself is about a mile long; it gets very busy and can take about 60-90 minutes to walk if you really take your time.

The Sherlock Holmes Museum, at 221B Baker Street, is housed in a Grade II listed former boarding house at the north end of Baker Street, and was the world's first museum dedicated to the fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is filled with stage sets from several TV productions of Sherlock Holmes and covers the time period of 1881 - 1904 when Holmes and Watson lived there with Mrs. Hudson as their landlady. It is possible that seriously minded Slow Travellers will eschew the Sherlock Holmes Museum as a tourist attraction centred on an improbable, if amazingly astute, detective of Victorian London. It wasn’t at all clear whether those in the queue (many of whom were from overseas) realised that the whole premise of what they were about to see was quite simply based on an extremely clever and popular work of fiction. No matter: it’s a bit of fun to see inside the 4 storey Georgian townhouse at 221B Baker Street and to look at the recreated rooms of the house “occupied” by Holmes, Dr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson. The tour begins in Holmes’ study where desperate people begging him to take their case, beguiling him with bizarre and colourful details of the tragedy which has either occurred or is surely imminent, sit and wait in hope. The artefacts are from the Victorian era and have been chosen to fit the text and the gaslit rooms as appropriately as possible - there are books, lampshades, candlesticks, fire irons and period upholstered chairs. Watson’s desk is there too where he diligently took down notes of the case being discussed - which Holmes never read. Next door is Holmes’ bedroom, complete with pictures, chest of drawers and various tools of his trade laid out on the bed. The deerstalker and pipe are there but the guide assured us solemnly that Holmes would never have worn this hat, designed for hunting, and directed us to a rather nondescript black hat instead. One wall is lined with photographs of notorious murderers of the period which, apparently, Holmes liked to collect. We see his small table for chemical and forensic analysis which was important in solving his cases. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes’ creator, had used the idea of fingerprint recovery and identification in 1890, 10 years before it was actually used by Scotland Yard. On the floor above is Dr Watson’s study with learned books and his medical briefcase and notes, and the room of Mrs Hudson, the housekeeper. The next floor has waxworks of various characters who feature within the books, including of course the evil Moriarty. From then on you have to be very knowledgeable about the 56 short stories and 4 novels penned by Conan Doyle, knowing both the characters and the development of the plots in order to identify the people who stand so rigidly in their allotted positions. There are plenty of gruesome scenes to decipher. Finally, there is a very ornate water closet, with a guide stationed nearby to explain to hopeful visitors that this for display purposes only. In all honesty it is very expensive for such a short tour which has no genuine historical substance, and, with so many authentic experiences to be found nearby, it shouldn’t be high on any serious visitor’s list. However, fans of Conan Doyle will not be deterred, particularly if they know his stories well, and the casual traveller may well find both humour and interest in the house in Baker Street, known to millions across the world. Visiting the Sherlock Holmes Museum Opening times, prices and directions can be found on the museum website >> Dedicated fans can visit the grave of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the New Forest village of Minstead >> Why not try these Sherlock Holmes themed tours?

At Slow Travel we are always on the lookout for a hidden gem and a visit to the English Martyrs Catholic Church in Goring revealed a completely unexpected treat – the faithful (if smaller) reproduction of Michelangelo’s ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican in Rome. The story of how it came to be here is fascinating in itself but the results are astonishing. From the exterior the red-roofed church looks to be an architecturally dismal building – resembling an aircraft hanger or Nissen hut rather than a Catholic house of God. This impression immediately evaporates on entrance to the interior, where you are struck by the drama of the ceiling above. Reproduced in its entirety is the early 16th century masterpiece painted in fresco by Michelangelo, a cornerstone of the High Renaissance Art. It is two-thirds the size of the original, and therefore a mathematical achievement in a pre-digital age, as well as an extraordinary artistic success. In 1987 parishioner Gary Bevans visited Rome on pilgrimage and returned home inspired by what he had seen at the Vatican and sought permission to paint the glory of the Michelangelo creation on to a wooden vaulted surface fixed to the roof of this unprepossessing church. Sponsors were found, Dulux and ICI provided the acrylic paint and Gary, a sign writer by trade, and a self-taught artist, embarked on a five and half year task, while still carrying out his day job, to complete his mission. The result is stunning – above you God separates the light from the darkness, creates the sun, moon and plants, separates the sky and water and creates Adam and Eve. We see the expulsion from Eden, the Flood and the many Biblical figures and stories which feature from Pope Julius II’s original commission to Michelangelo. Even the windows of the Sistine Chapel are painted on to the roof to give an exact replica of the famous ceiling. It is a work of wonder. Gary Bevans himself is a remarkable man with devout faith in God. The volunteers speak of his humility – how he has received no financial gain for his labour and how he describes his own role in the accomplishment as “I was only the hand that held the brush”. Since the work was finished, he has become a Deacon of the Catholic Church, regularly conducting services there. The church has additional features of interest – the Martyrs’ Window depicts eleven famous men and women persecuted for their Catholic faith etched on to glass, and Peter the Fisherman’s window made by using glass recovered from a local convent is a theatre of the bright and colourful. There is also Gary’s own interpretation of the Last Supper. But it is the ceiling that will remain the longest and deepest in your memory. It is a very worthwhile visit – trolley mirrors enable you to look closely at the detail of the ceiling, and knowledgeable volunteers are on hand to answer questions. Certainly an interesting and unique experience. Visit the English Martyrs Church website >>

Butser Ancient Farm is an open air experimental archaeology museum on the Hampshire/Sussex border. At the Autumn Equinox they hold a Saxon and Viking Fire Festival, which culminates in the dramatic burning of a Viking long boat in front of a sold out crowd as the sun sets. A fascinating event set in beautiful countryside, the Fire Festival is a unique and enriching historical experience. Butser Ancient Farm Established in 1970, Butser Ancient Farm was developed to test archaeologist's theories about habitation construction and the practical side of life in the ancient world. Filled with authentically constructed dwellings, each year sees them add new ones, and the site now covers buildings from the Stone Age through to the Anglo Saxons. Last year they successfully ran a Roman hypocaust for ten days to see its impact on the building and mosaics above it, and other recent developments include an outdoor mosaic made from original tesserae found during the construction of the M4 in nearby Wiltshire. Set in a verdant valley conveniently just off the A3, the farm is open to the public during the summer months as well as to countless school groups who go to learn about ancient civilisations in these authentic buildings. There are also workshops relating to all things to do with the ancient world such as cooking, manufacturing, technologies, music and much more. One of the best aspects of Butser though is the annual celebrations of ancient customs to mark the changing seasons. In a modern world where we only recognise the changes by perhaps a change of wardrobe, gifts at Christmas or chocolate for Easter, Butser has brought back many of the old pre-Christian festivities which recognise our pagan heritage. The calendar at Butser includes Beltane, Samhain and Imbolc amongst others, each one celebrated in a unique way and which harks back to when our lives were dictated solely by the seasons and their impact on our ability to grow food. The Autumn Equinox The Autumn Equinox is celebrated by many cultures both past and present. Around the 21st of September, it marks the end of summer and the start of autumn and along with the Spring Equinox, is the only time in the year when the sun is exactly above the equator and day and night are of equal length. The Autumn Equinox in Viking history was closely connected to farming, a time of harvesting crops and preparation for the bleak winter ahead. After a year of strenuous labour, it was a time when days became shorter and nights longer, the harvest was complete and thanks needed to be given to the gods, the people and the land for what had been produced - hopefully enough to last until the coming of new life in the spring. It was a time of festivities around the fire to, "praise, ... the Fire Element, because the world itself would take its colours. The fields are veiled by a cloth in tones of fire, dark yellow, red and oranges, the skies at dusk emit a red light that resembles blood, a warning that the days ahead will be hard. The forests and the mountains become silent, most animals ... store food and hide in holes or inside old trees, others will hibernate, ravens will go ... from place to place in search of those who did not survive the hazards of the season and the harsh weather. " (Arith Harger) The burning of Viking boats is thought to be traditionally done when a chief died, his burning long ship sent out to sea with his body on board to be sent to Valhalla for the afterlife. Although there is some academic dispute over this, as many chiefs were buried in their boats underground, this is the common perception of the significance of the burning long boat, and in fact it is something celebrated in several festivals in the British Isles, namely in Up Helly Aa and another in Framlington. The Saxon and Viking Fire Festival at Buster 2023 The event, which is one of their major fundraising events of the year to enable the farm to keep going, sells out far in advance and it attracts an eclectic mix of people. There are the history fans in sensible coats and walking boots, reenactors in woolen capes and helmets, pagans in flowing gothic dresses or medieval gowns underneath their capes and I even saw an Edwardian lady complete with beribboned boater thrown into the mix. It makes for a veritable feast for the eyes and adds a real air of festivity to the event. On the warm September afternoon, people arrived at the farm gradually, many on foot but others bumping down the narrow road to the car park where cheerful volunteers steered everyone into their grassy parking spots. Through ticket and bag checks to the site itself, where at the end on a small hill was the highlight of the event - the Viking longboat which was awaiting its fate later on in the evening. People wandered up to inspect it and to take photos. Made from woven willow and decorated with shields, oars, a colourful sail and a dragon head, it was a quite a work of art. Behind it was a clothed straw dummy, waiting for his journey to Valhalla later on. People were soon tying their wishes to the willow, donating £1 to charity to write their wish on a scrap of paper and add it to the boat, to go up in flames to the heavens later on. The festivities kicked off with Dark Morris dancers in front of the small outdoor stage in the field, which hosted acts throughout the evening until it was time for the procession to the Viking boat. These included a band called Perkelt who soon had the audience dancing in the sunshine with their fast Celtic tunes and furious fiddle playing. Fire performers danced and did tricks as visitors unravelled their picnic blankets, set up chairs and drank mead as the shadows lengthened. There are so many activities laid on that it is impossible to do them all. On the more academic side of things were talks which included Women in the Viking Age, the Ancient Art of Plant Dyeing and Viking Star Navigation from Hants Astro, who had telescopes set up in a corner for visitors to peer through at the skies above. The Saxons and Vikings inhabited the British Isles at the same time, and both feature in the Autumn Equinox festival. The highlight was a Viking vs Saxon battle in the Battle Paddock, surrounded by crowds watching the lighthearted battle with much delight, cheering the Saxons on and really getting into the spirit of it all. There were a lot of activities for children, who all seemed to be really enjoying their day in the past. Striking their own Iron Age coins, decorating biscuits with ancient runes, archery, making drums, listening to the storytellers and getting their faces painted in their chosen warrior allegiances seemed to keep them all highly entertained. A drum awakening ceremony was held in the large roundhouse, smoke from the central fire swirling around us all sitting on hay bales covered in animal skins before rising through the thatch and across the valley. A bronze sword was cast in the forge, the prize for the lucky winner of the raffle. A smithy was set up and surrounded by fascinated visitors, there were displays of weaving and other crafts, as well as living historians on hand to talk about what they were doing. There were plenty of food stalls, including a huge hog roast which didn't seem to last long, as well as others selling vegan and sweet options. The bars did a roaring trade of ale, cider made especially for the festival and of course the ubiquitous mead, a bottle of which was clutched in many an adult hand. Other stalls included those selling beeswax products, herbs and garlands, metal badges and wiccan ornaments The highlight of the evening was of course the burning of the long boat. As the sun set, people drifted over to the hill and found places to sit, watching the fire performers as everyone settled down. The procession could soon be heard making its way across the site and the crowds parted as they walked up the hill to the ship to chanting and the pounding of drums. A small ceremony was held by two Viking women: "A mighty warrior has fallen and begun his journey to the next world, there he will feast and drink while we tell stories of his greatest feats. Let us send him on his way with flame and with fire. Let them hear us in the distant halls where we cannot tread until our time is called. Let them hear our howls of triumph, our cries of agony and let them once again hear the beat of the drum. On this night, we shall dance as the darkness crawls in and we shall raise our voices to remember them" To the beating of drums, three archers drew their bows with fiery arrows and fired them at the boat, with cries of, 'To Valhalla". After a couple of tries, the boat was soon aflame, and the warriors hollered, whooped and beat their drums as we all watched it go up in flames. The sail burnt quickly, the oars and shields took the longest; their silhouettes visible through the intense orange of the fire as it is crackled, hissed and spat against the night sky. Only when the fire started to diminish and reduce to a dull glow did the crowds slowly turn their backs and walk away from that most amazing spectacle, many buying a final bottle of mead as they headed back to their cars and start the drive back up the narrow roads to the A3 and home, the fire still roaring in ears, the smoke still wreathed through hair and clothes Visit the Butser website and sign up to their mailing list for details of tickets to future boat burns and all the other wonderful events they put on throughout the year.

In 1943 when Britain was in the grip of World War II, the decision was taken by the Allied leaders to invade France. As plans were made for Operation Overlord, there was a need for somewhere to train over 150,000 men. The war cabinet selected suitable locations, and within weeks residents of these villages were given formal notice to leave their homes. Of the villages specifically requisitioned for D-Day, two can still be visited today, Imber and Tyneham. Imber, a small village in the middle of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, has a history that can be traced back to the Iron Age with evidence for a small settlement in the area. Imber was later specifically mentioned in the Domesday Book with just seven households. The church of St. Giles was built in the 13th century and the village also had a manor house, a Baptist chapel, a schoolroom and a pub as well as residential properties. The village was always very isolated due to its remote location, with the villagers working closely connected to the land and agriculture. The population of Imber never went over 440 and by the 1940s it was down to 150, as Imber was affected by changes brought about by the introduction of mechanised farming equipment and greater mobility for inhabitants, even in this remote area. In the 1920s the military, who already owned a great deal of land around the village, started buying up farms and properties, leasing them back to the villagers. Times were hard and many welcomed the extra money, little realising what the military’s long term plan was. In 1942, Imber was the scene of a rehearsal for a tactical demonstration of airpower, when Spitfires and Hurricanes were to demonstrate hitting targets on the ground in front of Churchill and other dignitaries. The event was watched by many spectators, both civilian and military. One of the pilots, a 21 year old American, mistook the spectators for dummies as part of the demonstration, and opened fire. 25 people were killed, some of them Home Guard residents of Imber. The tragedy is referred to as the ‘Imber Friendly Fire Incident’, and one can only imagine how the residents of Imber felt when 18 months later, they were ordered to leave their homes. With the plans for the D-Day invasion in full swing, and the need for more space to prepare for the D-Day landings, specifically for the American troops to practise urban fighting, it was easy to remove the villagers when they were just leaseholders and tenants. They were told in November 1943 at a public meeting in the schoolroom, being given just 47 days’ notice with not even one final Christmas in their homes before they had to leave by 17th December. Most villagers went peacefully, doing their bit for the war effort, although a few had to be forcibly ejected. The local blacksmith was found sobbing over his anvil on the day of departure; he died only one month later from a broken heart, and was the first resident to be allowed to return to the village for burial. Residents received no compensation, as they did not own their land, and were not given anywhere to go, only travelling expenses and the value of their garden produce. Relying on family and friends, they had to start their lives all over again, far away from the homes they loved and the community they grew up with. For many years the military denied that they had promised that the residents could return after the war, and court cases were held to determine if the villagers could return home. Although the original eviction notice promising they could return was eventually found, the judiciary still found in favour of the military and the village has remained under military control. The church was never relinquished and is now owned by the Churches Conservation Trust, who may own the church, but the MOD still controls the access to it. The House of Lords ruled that the church must always be allowed a public service on the Saturday nearest St. Giles Day, September 1st. It is also usually open at Easter, Christmas and some Bank holidays, it varies considerably. Old Photographs © Imber Village IMBER TODAY We visited Imber on a bleak and foggy day, even though it was August, with a long drive across the barren Salisbury Plain, down narrow and unfamiliar roads that all looked the same. Imber is right in the middle of a restricted training area and the access roads on all sides are only opened at certain times of the year. Imber sits a good 5 miles in the centre. The journey takes you past military checkpoints, mournful looking cows and roads lined with barbed wire and danger signs telling you not to leave the roadway. On each side of us, the rusted shells of blown up tanks appeared out of the gloom as we drove past, lending an air of morbid desolation to the journey. On arrival in Imber there are several large parking areas, with no parking charges. There are a lot of signs telling you that you cannot wander where you wish and you must stick only to the roads. The buildings are mostly intact, albeit with no windows and tin roofs replacing the original ones, but you are not allowed in them as they are not structurally safe enough and may contain unexploded ammunition. The focal point of the village is St Giles Church, the only active building left in the village. Outside the churchyard is fenced off with barbed wire but the church itself is welcoming and active, with light streaming through the stained glass windows, comprehensive displays about life in the village and people selling homemade jams and cakes. Church services are sometimes held here and there was a real sense of people fighting the odds to keep the place alive. The rest of the village, which you can only admire from the road, looks uninviting and rather gloomy. The houses have lost their sense of being homes, they just look like shells, some with shuttered windows and set back from roads which are designed for tanks, not people. Even though they are complete structures, it is hard to imagine an active and bustling village life here, which it clearly once was, based on old photographs. As many of the original buildings were destroyed or knocked down over the years, the MOD have built some of their own – bare shells of bricks, breeze blocks and tins roofs in browns, greys and greens that form a make-believe housing estate for the military to practise urban warfare. They are fascinating but slightly ominous. The landscape around the village is not particularly inviting, as Salisbury Plain is a high chalk plateau of open plain and fields where the wind picks up and rolls through the dry valleys. Around Imber the vegetation is cut back, the grass is cut short and the trees seem to tower over the buildings rather than blend in. There are no remnants of gardens or communal village areas, just isolated brick houses in the barren grass looking very inaccessible and displaced. The prevalence of barbed wire and danger signs adds to the sense that this is a village that has been completely consumed by its military owners. Imber really does feel like a true ghost village, one that has had its heart ripped out and where I found it difficult to be able to imagine the lives of the previous inhabitants. It is an interesting place and is well worth a visit, particularly as the MOD keep reducing the amount of available public access days, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they stop altogether at some point in the future. It is a desolate place; very different to the other ghost village in this part of the country, Tyneham. Tyneham is the village I would truly advise visiting. It was beautiful, charming and still felt alive, as if the traces of the inhabitants were still there, hiding just out of sight in the undergrowth. It was poignant rather than bleak, affirming rather than depressing and the perfect backdrop for the imagination to flourish.. Visiting Imber How to get to Imber Imber is not signposted and has no postcode for satnavs, as well as no mobile phone service. Click here for detailed directions. Imber Opening days These vary considerably although usually include Easter, some days over August and Christmas. Check here for more detailed information. It is also worth following Imber Church on Facebook as they post the latest information on there. Always check the that the site is open before setting out as last minute changes can occur. Imber Parking Costs Free Essential Information for visiting Imber It is imperative that people do not stray from the paths or go inside any of the properties other than the church. The MOD may restrict all future public access as visitors keep ignoring the rules by trespassing. There is a risk of injury or death if you do so. You can also be prosecuted by the MOD. Good to Know The church sells home made cakes, tea and squash. There are no bins on site so you must take your rubbish home. Dogs are allowed but again their rubbish must be taken home too. The church usually provides temporary portable loos for visitors. The Imber Bus is an annual feature, where visitors can take a classic red Routemaster bus directly to the village. Further details can be found online. Official Website of St. Giles Church >> The nearest towns to Imber are Westbury and Devizes. However, Salisbury offers the best options if you are looking for other things to do. Take a look at our Salisbury City Guide for information on where to stay, eat, shop and other places to visit A fascinating and moving short documentary told by the former residents of Imber

For anyone who has a passion for history, holidays are often about visiting as many historic sites in an area as you can manage and spending your days immersed in the stories and objects of the past. Unfortunately your evenings may be spent in soulless holiday homes, surrounded by bland wall prints, generic furniture and cheap, plastic objects. If you know where to look however, you can find holiday homes that recreate an authentic historic experience, making your holiday something far more memorable and enjoyable. As someone with a passion for both history and travel, I often feel a huge sense of disappointment when walking into my holiday accommodation to discover it has no personality at all. I may spend the days exploring Tudor castles, 18th century forts or beautiful Art Deco design, but to return each evening to uninspiring, unoriginal and insipid accommodation can easily take away some of the magic. I am always on the lookout for unusual holiday homes, and have worked my way through many a yurt, train carriage, shepherds hut or wooden shack. Having done a lot of research on vintage holiday homes, I have selected my favourites; either places I have already stayed in or will be booking to stay in as soon as I get the chance. Victorian Era The Prince's Carriage, Bodiam The stunning Prince's Carriage sits in some beautiful countryside Photographs © Host Unusual Built in 1894, this carriage once belonged to a fairground owner, who lived in it while his show toured the West Country. With mahogany woodwork, hand-painted walls, a flower filled veranda, the carriage sits in 200 acres of East Sussex countryside near the town of Bodiam. It is filled with incredible period features such as a tiled fireplace, copper coal scuttle, painted ceilings and Victorian lamp; the carriage looks like an incredible place for a summer holiday. Nearby is the historic castle of Bodiam, the town of Hastings where you can visit the site of the 1066 battle, the famous gardens of Sissinghurst and miles and miles of incredible coastline. Find out more and book your stay >> 1920s Vintage House Aldeburgh, Suffolk A completely authentic 1920s experience on the Suffolk coast This incredible holiday home on the Suffolk coast is firmly anchored in 1928 and still has its original fixtures and fittings from that time. With wooden floorboards, a cast iron kitchen range, open fires, authentic bathroom furniture and so much more, this is the perfect place to feel as if you are living in the 1920s. The location is perfect for exploring the heritage of the area, which includes Sutton Hoo. I stayed here recently and loved it, finding it a really immersive historical experience. Read more about a stay here >> Chauffeur's Flat Coleton Fishacre, Devon Experience the 1920s in the chauffeur's flat of this 1920s Arts & Crafts house This small holiday flat, owned by the National Trust, is next to their Arts and Crafts property of Coleton Fishacre on the south Devon Coast. Built in the 1920s by the D’Oyly Carte family to house their chauffeur, this top floor flat is small and simple, but with some nice authentic touches. What makes it so special though is the unlimited access to the house and extensive grounds, which lead down to the sea. The house is a beautiful example of Arts and Crafts and is furnished in the Art Deco style, making your whole stay feel like a truly immersive experience. Perfectly located for exploring an area packed with heritage, it makes a fantastic base for historical travellers. Find out more and book your stay >> 1930s 20th Century B&B, Kent Photograph © 20th Century B&B Built in 1935, this Art Deco B&B is in Birchington-on-Sea, on the north Kent coast. Recently renovated, it has four rooms which reflect different eras of the 20th century, from Art Deco to the 1970s. The house itself is a fine example of Art Deco architecture and is only a three minute walk from Minnis Bay, famous for its sandy beaches and sunsets. There is no shortage of history in the area, from archaeological sites to World War II museums. The historic city of Canterbury with the famous Cathedral is a drive away, and nearby Broadstairs has a former home of Charles Dickens and a museum dedicated to him, and there is no shortage of castles and coastal walks. Find out more and book your stay >> 1940s Land Girls' Cottage Glastonbury, Somerset The 1940s is recreated in incredible detail in this Land Girls' cottage, complete with air raid shelter Photographs © Under The Thatch Built in 1940 to house members of the Women's Land Army who went to the countryside to help with farming, the corrugated iron hut has been recreated in true 1940s style with plenty of authentic fixtures and fittings. Utility furniture, proper eiderdowns, a record player, open fire, hundreds of vintage items to keep you entertained, including a gas mask to try on, the garden even has its own Anderson shelter complete with sandbags. I stayed here with the family a few years ago and we all loved the place not just its authentic feel but for its beautiful rural location. Only a ten minute drive from Glastonbury and with so much heritage in the surrounding area, this was a truly amazing place to stay and I can’t recommend it highly enough for the historian looking to immerse themselves in the 1940s. Find out more and book your stay >> Ty Mamgu, Wales Ty Mamgu translates as 'Grandma's House' and is a small log cabin on a farm in Wales. A bit of a mixture of 1930s to 1950s décor and furniture, this peaceful holiday home is a step back in time to your idealised Grandmother's home - wooden flooring, a log burner, teapots and tablecloths, a rocking chair and simple furniture. There are modern conveniences which are are hidden away from sight but the focus here is on the beautiful countryside around you. There are plenty of things to do in the wider area as well as a games room on site, but this is the perfect place for a simple, nostalgic holiday. Photographs © Canopy and Stars Find out more and book your stay >> 1950s Bertrams, North Devon Bertram's Bus provides a 1950s vintage stay in the Devon countryside Photographs © Host Unusual Bertrams is a double decker red bus, parked in the grounds of a north Devon country house, only 10 minutes drive from the coast. It gets its name from the Agatha Christie novel, ‘At Bertrams Hotel’ (the front cover of which has a red bus on the front), and is fully kitted out in 1950s style. Stylish 1950s decor includes a vinyl record player, a TV in a wooden cabinet, 1950s radio and other accessories, the bus also has a strong literary feel, with a small Agatha Christie library and references to her novels in the decorations. It has its own garden and you can explore the wider grounds which include a games, fishing lakes, a hot tub and free roaming alpacas. I have to say, it looks amazing and I can't wait to book a stay. The wider area includes some incredible heritage sites as well as some great places to take kids (it is only a short drive from the Milky Way Theme Park, which kids love). Find out more and book your stay >> 1960s Peartree Cottage, County Durham The 1960s come to life in all their formica'd glory in Peartree Cottage Photographs © Peartree Cottage In the town of Shildon in the north of England, Peartree Cottage is a 1960s themed cottage designed to transport you back to what the owner calls a ‘Heartbeat Holiday’, after the British TV series ‘Heartbeat’ of a 1960s rural police force. A two bedroom house with authentic fixtures and fittings, the house still manages to slip in a few mod cons for guests. You can cook in an original 1960s kitchen complete with vintage Belling oven, eat at a formica table, get ready for an evening out at a vanity table with three mirrors and a vanity brush set or spend the evening sitting on a three piece suite complete with lace antimacassars watching TV in a wooden cabinet. The town of Shildon is home to Locomotion, a huge science museum tracing the 300 year history of the railways and is close to Binchester Roman fort and Kynren, the English version of Puy du Fou, an outdoor show with a cast of hundreds that explores 2000 years of British history. Find out more and book your stay >> 1970s Dimmet Photograph © Ben Carpenter Photography Dimmet is the Devonian word for the half light at the end of the day, and this two bedroom beach bungalow in north Devon is only a few minutes drive from the golden beach of Saunton Sands with some stunning sunsets. The bungalow has been owned by the same family for over 40 years, who recently refurbished it with authentic 1970s interiors and objects, right down to 1970s recipe books and clothing, so you can dress up in kipper ties and flowing dresses to enjoy your prawn cocktails and cheese and pineapple on sticks! The house has all the mod cons you would expect, and is a great location to explore north Devon or to have a traditional 1970s bucket and spade beach holiday. Find out more and book your stay >> Champing - UK wide Have a church all to yourself for a completely unique experience Photographs © Champing Champing is a new phenomenon, and something I can't wait to try. Run by the Churches Conservation Trust, the word is a mix of church and camping, and involves camping inside a church. Beds and facilities are all provided and you could find yourself sleeping in the pews, under a pulpit or next to a Saxon font. You get exclusive use of the church with everything ready for your arrival, with your summer evenings spent exploring the wildlife in the churchyards, and nights spent sleeping under vaulted ceilings. The churches with champing on offer are scattered throughout England, rates are reasonable and where else would you get the chance to sleep in buildings that are many hundreds of years old? Find out more and book your stay >>