Category Archives: History

Living Lore: Hiron’s Hole ~ Gary Stocker

Posted on February 23, 2020 by Sue Vincent

On the present-day B4086 Wellesbourne Road is Littleham Bridge. One evening in November 1820 William Hirons (or Hixons), a yeoman farmer from nearby Alveston, was on his way home from Warwick. As he approached the bridge in question he was … Continue reading →

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Sweet Fanny Adams..? The horror behind the words…

Posted on February 17, 2020 by Sue Vincent

I was unusually tired when I got back home from work on Sunday afternoon. With plenty of things I was ‘supposed to’ do, I couldn’t settle to anything for once and spent most of the day listening to music. My … Continue reading →

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A Cistercian Abbey

Posted on January 18, 2020 by Sue Vincent

I spent much of my childhood within walking distance of the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, a place where history and legends seem to meld into a story perfectly designed to capture the imagination of a child. The abbey sits amid … Continue reading →

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Carved hills

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Sue Vincent

One of the most striking things you can see as you drive through the English countryside is the great white shape of a hill figure cut into the landscape. There are many to see, at least fifty known figures, ranging … Continue reading →

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Carved stone

Posted on January 16, 2020 by Sue Vincent

In the churchyard at Bakewell stand a pair of stone cross shafts that, between them, set us off on an unexpected journey of discovery. Indeed, one of them has taken a starring role in our latest books, but that is … Continue reading →

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Avebury – songs in the stones

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Sue Vincent

With the June workshop at the site not too far distant, I spent the evening pondering archaeo-acoustics and how the old ones might have used sound at Avebury… and whether, in its current state, you would be able to test … Continue reading →

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Whitby Weekend: One last wonder… II

Posted on January 4, 2020 by Sue Vincent

It hits you as soon as you open the door… the towering figures of St George and St Christopher draw your eyes. On our first visit, we’d had no idea what we would find when we stepped inside, but even … Continue reading →

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Whitby Weekend: One last wonder…

Posted on January 3, 2020 by Sue Vincent

There was time for one more visit before our ways parted. Gary knew the town well from time spent there with his father, but could not recall ever visiting the church. Stuart and I have been there before… and were … Continue reading →

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Whitby Weekend: Fantastic beasts

Posted on January 2, 2020 by Sue Vincent

What we had really come to see at St Andrew’s church had very little to do with the church itself, except that many of the carved, tenth-century stones had been found, used long ago as building blocks within its walls. … Continue reading →

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Whitby Weekend: Third time lucky…

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Sue Vincent

It was more than six years ago that Stuart and I first, unsuccessfully, tried the door at St Andrew’s church in Middleton, North Yorkshire. We had tried since then too, the last time we were in the area. And we … Continue reading →

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