Touring the South of England

Our friends Bess and Ed Lewis came to visit us and we toured around the South of England, including London, Oxford, Bath, Stonehenge, and the Cotswolds.

Our first day in London we met up with our friend, and Dave’s colleague, David Howell. He used to work for Historic Royal Palaces, a not-for-profit organization that manages the Royal Palaces that are open to the public. David graciously offered to tour the Tower of London (where he used to work) with us, giving us some insider information about the displays and artifacts. We had a great time!

The Tower has a long and intriguing history as both a Royal Palace, a prison, and a place for executions. Now it also houses the Crown Jewels (of which you’re not allowed to take pictures). The Royal Wardens (commonly called Beefeaters) give tours of the Tower with lots of great information. They are not in costume – they are all retired from the British military and these are their uniforms.

The main central Tower is called the White Tower which is now home to an exhibit on armor and armaments, while a larger building behind it is the home to the Crown Jewels.

Next up, Oxford, a very old city and home to the very first University in the UK, founded in the year 1096!

Many famous people have attended here, and it was at the Turf Pub where Bill Clinton famously “did not inhale,” at least according to local legend.

Next up, Bath, a beautiful old Roman City. We spent time enjoying Bath and then took a bus tour of Stonehenge. Fortunately, the weather was cold but not rainy.

Finally, we went to the Cotswolds, a UK “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.” It is full of beautiful little villages with most buildings made of local stone with a particular golden hue.

This church entrance is supposed to be an inspiration for part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings:

One village we visited is Bourton-on-the-Water, which actually has a miniature version of the town behind a pub, built as an attraction. It is regularly updated to reflect changes in the town and is made out of stone, just like the actual buildings.

Bourton is also a beautiful English village, sometimes compared to Venice for the river that runs through the town and the bridges that cross it.

Along the way we also so the tomb of King Athelstan, the first King of England. He ruled from 927 to 939!

And then we were back to London to see the sites: Big Ben and Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Buckingham Palace, among other things!

Another great adventure and visit with some wonderful friends!