#exploring england

[lvdybolton]

whitby abbey, whitby, uk

16.08

[royllowarch]

Buckingham Palace by Roy Llowarch Via Flickr: Buckingham Palace London in glorious sunshine. To give some idea of size Buckingham Palace is 15 times larger than The White House. Buckingham Palace is a royal residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning. Originally known as Buckingham House, the building at the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen's House. During the 19th century it was enlarged by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, who constructed three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East Front, which contains the balcony on which the royal family traditionally appears to greet crowds. A German bomb destroyed the palace chapel during the Second World War; the King's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection. The original early-19th-century interior designs, many of which survive, include widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis, on the advice of Charles Long. King Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme. Many smaller reception rooms are furnished in the Chinese regency style with furniture and fittings brought from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House. The palace has 775 rooms, and the garden is the largest private garden in London. The state rooms, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public each year for most of August and September and on some days in winter and spring.

[taarna-hendrix]

Summer on the English coast - Dorset

Summer on the English coast – Dorset

Another August and another “I am too late to find a holiday”. We planned a few trips to do this year, but some situations arose and we decided against booking. The prices don’t help either. It is so expensive everywhere! It looks to be another staycation for my birthday… If you are in a similar pickle (low budget) and live in the UK, a quick trip to Dorset might be just what you need! The thing…

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[kerrylifeandloves]

The Mermaid Inn - Rye

Did we experience any ghostly encounters at The Mermaid Inn - Rye?

“If you wake at midnight, and hear a horses feet,

Dont go drawing back the blind, or looking in the street,

Them that asks no questions they isnt told no lies,

Watch the wall, my darling, whilst the gentlemen go by”

This extract from the poem, A Smugglers Song, by Rudyard Kipling greets you in the car park of The Mermaid Inn in Rye. The poem hints of the Inn’s sketchy past, giving you a clue to…

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[ericabuteau]

Exploring England: Planning Your Vacation

Exploring England: Planning Your Vacation

There was a time when it was said that the sun never set on the British Empire. England once controlled the world, and the evidence of its former — and current — grandeur lies all throughout the country. Everyone should visit jolly ol’ London at least once, so now is the time to plan your first trip.

Even in a small nation, there is too much to see it all in one vacation, but there are a few…

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