Beachcombing on the River Thames

Pauline and I had another beach adventure - this time taking a London Walks walking tour with an archaeologist along the River Thames near the Tate Modern. This being my last Sunday in London it seemed appropriate to look for bits of history I could possibly take back with me to the States.

Pictured are the best of our pickings. Top left is a piece of crockery - not sure of any dates. Top right is a bit of Tudor roof tile. You can tell it is Tudor because of the whole in the shingle through which they would post a wooden peg. The white tube sitting on top is a piece of clay pipe from the late 1600s when tobacco use to be smoked in tiny amounts as it was an expensive, imported luxury. The bowl of the pipe is missing. The rippled piece of pottery is a design which replicated a cake's layering and the edge of the ceramic was finished like a pinched pie crust. The piece of glass at the bottom which was amongst a pile of sacks from the 1930s thrown into the water to create a firm base on which to build.

We learned that there are bits of Roman history you can find along the shore directly alongside pieces from the 1900s. This is because the river was dredged for 150 years and all the materials from the sides sank into the center creating a big mix of history. In our 1 hour walk Pauline and I found a half dozen pipes of various sizes, twenty pieces of colorful pottery, bits of glass and some impressive nails. It was an excellent way to spend my last Sunday.

Meeting Henry VIII in the Hamptons

When you say, "meet me in the Hamptons" in the US you mean the posh area of eastern Long Island, NY. If you say let's visit Hampton in the UK you mean Hampton Court the palace of Henry VIII. So today I spent the day in Henry's Hamptons and let me tell you that the Long Island Hamptons can not compare with the splendor, opulence and drama of the Henry's court.

With only two more weekends until I return to the States I have been exploring bits of London and its surrounding areas. My inspiration for visiting Hampton Court came from a series of trashy love novels I'm reading by Philipa Gregory that chronicle the lives of Henry and his six wives. There is some historical truth to the works but they are, frankly, trashy novels and I love them.

I didn't even know if Hampton Court still existed but thanks to the internet I was able to find it and plan a visit. Only 35 minutes out of London an on the River Thames this palace took my breath away. No wonder it was Henry's favorite home. Actually it was more like a city. In Gregory's books the characters are always getting lost in the palace and I appropriately did as well, several times.

It was extraordinary to walk through the same halls as Henry, his Queens and his court. But what really brought it to life was the graffiti that people had scratched into the fireplaces and windowsills back when they were in use in the 1500s.

Fireplaces were the center of activity as they provided warmth and a place to gather, gossip, conduct business, and wait for the king. The graffiti became a link between past and present for me as I toured the rooms. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos. The most memorable graffiti was outside Henry's great hall where the soldiers and common folk would gather. On a windowsill there was the outline of a hand. I put mine on top of it and it fit perfectly. Who carved this hand and how many people before me tried it on for size?

Here are images of the gardens which filled the air with the fragrance of spring flowers. Absolutely beautiful.

Photo Expedition

Instead of buying holiday cards Stephen and I are making our own this year. Last night we took a photo expedition along the River Thames to get "that perfect shot" for the front of the card. Luckily it was not too cold, wet or windy (a little of each). Stephen was the location scout and I was the photographer. check out some of the images.