England -- Bath

 

We left Cardiff around 9 a.m. and headed back to England, to Bath, a short journey of about an hour and a half. We crossed the Severn Estuary, which creates the border between Wales and England. It runs for 160 miles from the Dee estuary, in the north, to the Severn estuary in the south. It is a treacherous body of water to cross at low tide because of its marshland. 

People have lived in this area for thousands of years. Alfred the Great was the first to unite all the kingdoms in this area, and he is credited with founding England. He was deposed by the Vikings but managed to fight back. 

The County of Somerset is part of the ancient Kingdom of Wessex. The rolling hills of Somerset are very fertile. They form a deep valley for the Avon River. The Avon is a tributary of the Thames River that passes through London. Bath was a fording point across the Avon River and as a result became a trading post.

The Mendip Hills are largely composed of carboniferous limestone, which is quarried at several sites. Ash and maple woodlands cover the area and provide habitat for a range of flora and fauna. These were great hunting grounds and they provided an east-west trade route to London.

 

Bath, a small town in southwestern England, has been known and named for the baths the Romans built there in 60 CE. They were fed by hot springs. 

Bath is located along the Avon River. Bath Abbey was founded in the 7th century and the town became a religious center. The building was rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries. In the 17th century, as claims were made for the curative properties of water from the hot springs, Bath became popular as a spa town in the Georgian era.  

The hot sulfurous spring there were seen as magical as well as spiritual by the Britons who worshipped Nature. They had restorative powers to heal the sick. The earliest account of this is in the 5th century. Venerable Bede (673-735), a monk at the monastery of St Peter and its companion monastery of St Paul in the Kingdom of Northumbria of the Angles, wrote about it in one of the first histories of the Britons. 

There is also a story about Prince Bladat, the son of King Lear, who had an itch and rash. He was banished to live in the wild forest. One day, he was sitting on a rock and he saw a herd of swine looking pretty crusty. They rolled in the mud of the hot spring and got better. So, he tried it himself and he recovered from his skin disease. He later became king. This story went as far as Greece because the Britons had traded with cities on the Mediterranean for thousands of years.

In the first century C.E., the Roman came here and discovered the hot springs. They liked to bath so this region became a resort for them--a break from the cold, wet, and unfriendly climate.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 Bath was a medieval town. In the 18th century, science and new discoveries encouraged people to return to ancient classical values. So they tore down the city and copied Italian neo-classical architecture, which is called Paladian style. (The White House in Washington, D.C. follows this same style.) John Nash (1752-1835),  was one of the foremost British architects of the Georgian and Regency eras, during which he was responsible for the design, in the neoclassical and picturesque styles, of many important areas of London. He designed Buckingham Palace and the Marble Arch. 

He designed the new Bath with the idea that the city is "a work of art" and shouldn't be over-crowded. He used yellow limestone for building materials, built wide streets, and used symmetry. The bridge over the Avon River (top photo) is based on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Consequently, he made Bath the most fashionable city in Europe. Many people flocked there to enjoy its ambience and to be seen.

A river walkway (left) and a park further down the road with mansions in the background.

The Circus (the Royal Crescent) is an example of Georgian architecture begun in 1754 and completed in 1768. The name comes from the Latin 'circus', which means a ring, oval or circle.The Circus was designed by John Wood the Elder, although he died less than three months after the first stone was laid. His son, John Wood the Younger completed the building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were also concert halls, lectures, and poetry readings held in Bath. It was all about leisure and pleasure. It was a place where the wealthy British aristocrats went, especially for matchmaking. Bath was a retreat from troubles at home and a fresh start after indulging in the beauty of the town's spas and parks. It was also a place the wealthy merchant class went to marry off their children to the gentry class that had high social status but not necessarily any money. 

My exposure to Bath was through two women: Jane Austen and Chaucer's Wife of Bath. It was exciting to be in a place I'd read about. I didn't know what to expect.

 

Jane Austen (1775–1817) wrote six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Two of her novels have scenes in Bath. Her plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favorable social standing and economic security. She used biting irony, along with realism and social commentary.

 

Geoffrey Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales (1405-10) made one of his major characters the Wife of Bath, a somewhat loose and sensual woman who was married five times. She complains about the double standards of men and women who do the same. Women were identified not by their social status and occupations, but solely by their relations with men: a maiden, a spouse or a widow – capable only of child-bearing, cooking and other "women's work".

 

Bath Abbey

Although it started out as a convent in 676, in the 8th century, Bath Abbey was founded as a Benedictine monastery. Its community was committed to worshipping God, justice for the poor, and hospitality to all people. The Abbey is now a parish church still guided by the same values, says a pamphlet.

The Abbey is one of the largest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the West Country. It is the third and final style of medieval Gothic architecture in England. It is characterized by an emphasis on vertical lines. The style began to emerge in about 1330.

 

A very unique structure on the exterior flanking the main doors was Jacob's Ladder with angels attempting to climb it to reach God. This was a first for me--and quite a delightful first. Some of them make it, and some of them don't.

                                      

 

As a Gothic church, light was everything. The light in this church was brilliant as the sanctuary and the surrounding narthex stained glass windows let the light flood in. It was a magnificent display of color!

The ceiling was most amazing. Its lace-like design reminded me of a church in Sicily, only this ceiling was more symmetrical.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The talents of the artisan's wood carvings of the pulpit and monks' stalls were carefully preserved and on display.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The British seem to like putting graves in the floors of their cathedrals and abbeys. This one was no different. Here are a few of the older gravestones.

And a few interesting monuments to the dead as well.

The Tomb of Jane, wife of Sir William Waller who commanded the Parliamen-tary forces against the Royalists under Sir Ralph Hopton at the Battle of Lansdown in 1643. Sir William Waller erected the tomb to the memory of his wife and made provision for his own burial here. He was, however, buried in the Tothill Street Chapel, Westminster.
 

 

 

Finally, a plaque commemorated the visit of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on August 9, 1973.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bath is certainly a wonderful place to visit! It's worth coming back to and indulging in some of its pleasures, like the hot springs, the parks, and the interesting shops. One shop I visited but didn't photograph was the meat pie shop. Our guide highly recommended this taste of the local food for our lunch. After all, our bus was waiting to take us to Windsor, our last stop on this miles-long tour.  

 

 

Resources

Andrew Speed, guide for Costsaver Travel Company

Jane Austen -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen

The Wife of Bath -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wife_of_Bath%27s_Tale

Bath -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath,_Somerset

Perpendicular Gothic -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Gothic_architecture#Perpendicular_Gothic

 

Wales -- Cardiff Castle

  

If you're spending only a day in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, you will want to see the Cardiff Castle. One among some 300 in the country, the 2,000-year-old castle has seen many faces and reconstructions. The Romans were the original builders of a series of forts. The Normans took over in 11th century and added fortifications and the keep (below). The medieval Lords of Glamorgan began work on the House during the 15th century. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the 19th century, the Bute family, among the wealthiest in the world at the time,  transformed the castle into the opulent Victorian Gothic home it is today. (They also tore down the medieval city and built a new one with arcades for shopping. ) During World War II (1939-45) the walls which surround the Castle were used as air raid shelters, which provided a place of safety for 2,000 Cardiff citizens during the German bombings with the layers of masonry and earth banks above.

In 1947 the Bute family gave the castle to the City of Cardiff, which is now open to the public visits as well as for weddings and parties. That's quite a life for a castle that has literally seen the face of ancient, medieval, and modern history. 

 

 The Bute Family 

The second Marquess of Bute who through a coal exportation business turned Cardiff into the world's greatest port. He had acquired the castle through marriage in 1766. His son, John, the acquired the castle and his father's fortune in the 1860s. He was reputedly the richest man in the world, and he spent much of his wealth in decorating the castle. 

John was a learned man, a Biblical scholar, and a polyglot of about 20 languages including Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. He was obsessed with medieval life, and he re-created it in his castle in collaboration with an architectural genius named William Burges. The gothic towers have lavish and opulent interiors and the castle rooms have an abundance of murals, stained glass, marble, gilding, and elaborate wood carvings--each with a special theme with Mediterranean, Italian, and Arabic decoration. Many unfinished projects were completed by the 4th Marquess of Bute.

 

 

With the death of the 4th Marquess in 1947, the Bute family and the 5th Marquess decided to give the Castle and its surrounding parkland, as a gift to Cardiff and her people. In this photo, the Marquess (center) has given the key to Cardiff's mayor.

 For 25 years, the Castle was home to the National College of Music and Drama , and since 1974 it has become one of Wales’ most popular visitor attractions.

Below are examples of the clock tower and some of the rooms and special features of the castle. For one-minute video explanations of various rooms with more dynamic photos, click here on the Castle's website.

Ceilings were important to the architect and they provide a different look from what one might expect in a castle let alone any modern building.

Here are some special highlights of the castle in the form of sculptures and murals. They also reflect the third marquess' scholarship of history and language.

 

 

This is a table setting of Victorian Wales. The castle currently hosts weddings and parties that provide similar beautiful tables aimed at delighting the eye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Roof Garden sports a statue of the Virgin and some copies of ancient Roman wood warmers that the Marquess saw on his journeys to Italy.

 

 Even the bedroom and bath spare no lack of decorations

The Cardiff Castle Animal Wall

Surrounding the castle grounds is the unique Animal Wall. It originally comprised eight animals placed on the wall from the South Gate entrance to the Clock Tower. They were moved to their present position in 1928. They were carved by the Thomas Nicholls of Lambeth between 1887 and 1889 and are distinguished by their glass eyes.

Another group of animals was added in 1928-30 by Alexander Carrick of Edinburgh, which include the lynx, vulture, beaver, leopard, racoon, ant-eater and pelican.

 

 

One other note on the fortification around the castle illustrates its history. A portion of the wall that is uncovered reveals the Normans' original wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources

Cardiff Castle -- https://www.cardiffcastle.com/history/ 

 

 

Wales -- Cardiff

 

Cardiff is the capital of Wales. The city is over 2,000 years old, but it has only been the capital of Wales since 1955. Cardiff is the main commercial centre of Wales as well as the base for the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament), the Wales Millennium Centre Arts Complex, and the Cardiff International Sports Village. Its population in 2021 was 362,400.

Wealthy men made Cardiff what it is today. For example, in 1766, John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute married into the Herbert family and was later created Baron Cardiff. In 1778, he began renovating Cardiff Castle. A racecourse, printing press, bank and coffee house opened in the 1790s and Cardiff gained a stagecoach service to London.

in 1793, John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute was born. He spent his life building the Cardiff docks and was later hailed as "the creator of modern Cardiff". A twice-weekly boat service between Cardiff and Bristol opened in 1815, and in 1821, the Cardiff Gas Works was established. 

Cardiff had been a medieval city and the Bute family sought to make it a new, modern city with wide boulevards, pedestrians areas, and lots of arcades for shopping. In the early 1900s, Cardiff was the home of what would be known as shopping malls. These arcades contained small and independent stores with products made by local craftsmen. A university and the municipal buildings were re-located into one area. As a result, the entire city is well-organized and well-managed.

 

Rugby is the national sport and people are crazy about it. Games took place in the Cardiff Arms Park was rebuilt and made into Principality Stadium before 2000. The orange plastic seats were sold everywhere to raise money. Matches between England and Wales are magical events with lots of singing and drinking as well as good-natured camaraderie.  

 

 

Cardiff is a very multi-cultural city. After all, it has been a seaport since the 19th century when coal was exported. Immigrant ships at that time stopped in Cardiff for their coal supplies, and many of the people got off the boats because they thought they had landed in the USA, their destination. They formed a working class that mined coal.

Today, Cardiff is a major center for television and film production (such as Doctor Who, Torchwood and Sherlock), and it is the Welsh base for the main national broadcasters. 

 

 

Cardiff University contributes to the diversity of the student-friendly capital.  

 

 

               

 

The Welsh language is unique and still being spoken. According to Historic UK, 

Welsh is a Brythonic language, meaning British Celtic in origin and was spoken in Britain even before the Roman occupation. Thought to have arrived in Britain around 600 BC, the Celtic language evolved in the British Isles into a Brythonic tongue which provided the basis not only for Welsh, but also Breton and Cornish. At this time in Europe, Celtic languages were spoken across the continent even as far as Turkey.

Welsh spoken in the Middle Ages period, between 1000 and 1536, became known as Middle Welsh. From the twelfth century onwards, Middle Welsh formed the basis for one of the most famous manuscripts of this time in Britain, the Mabinogion. This famous literary collection of prose stories is one of the earliest examples of its kind, thought to date from either the twelfth or thirteenth centuries and inspired by earlier story-telling.

In the twentieth century, there was a growing recognition that the Welsh language and Welsh speakers were being discriminated against, for example, in 1942 the Welsh Courts Act formally addressed the issue of defendants and plaintiffs being forced to speak in English and ushered in a new law allowing Welsh to be used in the courts.

By 1967, a very important and crucial piece of legislation was introduced thanks to the campaigning of many individuals including Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Language Society.

This marked a pivotal moment when the prejudices ushered in during the Tudor period began to be reversed. Today the Welsh language is embraced and spoken at home, in the workplace, in the community and in government. In the 2011 census, over 562,000 people named Welsh as their main language.

Signs in Wales are typically in both Welsh and English. Here are some examples:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources

 Andrew Speed, guide of Costsaver Tour Company

Cardiff -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiff

Historic UK -- https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/Welsh-Language/