Deir el-Bahari; the stunning mortuary temple of the female pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, Hatshepsut, who was erased from history.

/ Deir el-Bahari/

Your first view of Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple at Deer el-Bahari will leave you stunned. What an amazing place with some people believing that this is the most beautiful of all the Egyptian temples. Hatshepsut, was to become a royal princess, the “Great Royal Wife”, Queen of Egypt, Queen Regent of Egypt and finally, Pharaoh in her own right, despite not being male. She was to wear the royal kilt of a pharaoh, the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt, as well as a false beard just like all other Pharaohs. Many egyptologists believe that she was an astute and wise leader who had the ability to choose good advisers. To leave her mark, she did not only build her mortuary temple, she also erected 4 obelisks at the Karnak temple in Luxor. The red granite obelisks weighed up to 250 000 tons and had to use 27 boats to move them from Aswan in the south.

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The Great Sphinx; built by Djedefre or Khafre? Plus intrigue, murder, mystery and more pyramids.

/ Giza necropolis/

The Great Sphinx, was it built by Djedefre or Khafre. Could it be a story of intrigue, murder, mystery and more? When one thinks of famous historical monuments to visit in the world, the Sphinx will always near the top of the list, especially when a visit to the Sphinx will take in the stunning pyramids nearby. At 245 feet long (75.5 metres) and 65 feet tall (20metres) it is a very large statue although it is somewhat belittled by the pyramids behind it. Who built the tallest pyramid? Khafre’s pyramid at first sight looks taller than Khufu’s Great Pyramid but this is an optical illusion, mainly because it was built on higher land.

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The Great Pyramid should be on your "bucket list" but why not go now?

/ The Great Pyramid/

The Great Pyramid should be on your "bucket list" but why not see it now? Great Pyramid, is the first and only existing one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World”. It was originally 481 feet tall but now is only 451 ft due to losing its top 30feet. It was built by Pharaoh Khufu known as Cheops by the Greeks, who was the second king of the 4th dynasty, ruling from 2589-2566 BC. It was built to be Khufu’s monumental tomb and his vehicle to the afterlife but when his sarcophagus was opened it was empty. It was yet another robbed burial place.Oddly, when you see it next to his son, Khafre’s pyramid, it looks smaller but this is due to Khafre’s being built on a higher part of the plateau. Possibly, out of deference to his father, Khafre’s is smaller. Khufu’s pyramid was the highest building on the planet for the next 4000 years!

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Sneferu, the greatest ever pyramid builder.

/ Red pyramid/

Pharaoh Sneferu, is seen by many as the greatest ever pyramid builder. He ruled Egypt from 2613-2589 and was the first pharaoh of the fourth dynasty. He went down in history as the man who built 3 pyramids, the “Medium Pyramid”, the “Bent Pyramid” and the “Red Pyramid”. Unfortunately, the first two presented Sneferu and Neferma’at, his eldest son, vizier and architect, with big problems but to their credit, they had a third attempt and constructed the Red Pyramid. This was the first “true pyramid” with straight sides and a square base. When people refer to a pyramid, this is what is envisaged.

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Pharaoh Djoser and the world's first pyramid at Saqqara.

/ Djosers pyramid/

The amazing stepped pyramid is a major turning point in Egyptian and arguably, world history. It is a turning point because it led to one hundred pyramids being built in Egypt and it is the first monumental stone building in the world. To build pyramids, required a huge workforce and an economic system to support the construction, the builders and to finance it all. When completed, it would have been stunning close up and being 60 m high, it could be seen for miles around and therefore, leave a lasting impression that this was a monument built for an awesome king. Today, when one thinks of Egypt, one thinks of pyramids and this was the first. Before it, pharaohs were buried in the ground and later on, in “mastabas”, small, low level, mud brick constructions, that lacked conveying any form of status. From now on pyramids were to be seen, not as a pharaoh’s last resting place but as a popular TV programme has put it, a resurrection machine.

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Okehampton Castle; a romantic medieval ruin set in the beautiful Devon countryside with some fascinating former owners with stories to tell.

/ Okehampton Castle/

Okehampton Castle s a romantic medieval ruin set in the beautiful Devon countryside with some fascinating former owners with stories to tell. Exploring the castle is an engaging experience. Built, soon after the Battle of Hastings and as part of the Norman Conquest, the castle had a vital role to play in consolidating William the Conqueror’s control of the rebellious South-West of England. Built on a natural spur of high land above the valley of the River Okement, its location was carefully chosen to dominate the area and be very difficult to successfully attack. Having seen little action in its early years, it became a hunting lodge for its owners to carry out their favourite pastime and entertain as well as impress, its illustrious guests. It was eventually owned by the Courtenay family who became involved in national politics and suffered some great setbacks with Thomas Courtenay, in 1461 and Henry Courtenay, in 1538, paying the ultimate price of beheading.

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Discover the story of Tutankhamen through objects, tomb paintings, hieroglyphs and treasure, from four different locations.

/ valley of the kings/

In this post, you will see photos from Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, an exact replica of his tomb at Howard Carter’s house, the tomb of Ay (also in in the Valley of the Kings), the next pharaoh who is believed to occupy the tomb that was meant for Tutankhamen and from the Cairo Museum, soon to be moved to the new and amazing, Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza. You will read about his tomb, his artefacts, his mummy and his brief life. The last section of the post will give you essential information to make your visit trouble free, comfortable and as awesome as possible.

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Lincoln Castle; a centre of national events, walk the entire curtain wall, see two mottes, a Victorian prison and a very rare copy of Magna Carta.

/ Lincoln Castle/

Lincoln Castle is an amazing place to visit with its complete circular wall that can be walked with great views of the nearby cathedral. It is rather unusual with two Norman mottes and its history of numerous medieval sieges. All the medieval sieges were of national importance and featured King Stephen, King Richard, King John and the nine year old King Henry III. In 1217, the castle was pounded by boulders fired from massive catapults known as trebuchets as part of the Battle of Lincoln. Victory of Henry III’s army led by the heroic, William Marshall, just outside the castle walls put an end to English rebels and French troops claiming the English crown for Prince Louis of France. Lincoln Castle, has its own copy of the original Magna Carta on display, an audio visual display explaining this highly important document and a small but fascinating museum. The castle grounds also house a Georgean and Victorian prison where original cells can be visited. Lastly, it even has its own resident dragon!

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Exeter Cathedral; acknowledged as the most complete example of "Decorated Gothic" architecture with the longest continuous medieval stone vault in the world with stunning "bosses".

/ Exeter Cathedral/

When you enter Exeter Cathedral it is easy too see why thousands of people visit it every year. In front of you runs the longest, continuous medieval stone vault in the world, which, can only be described as awesome. Where each rib of the tierceron vaulting meets, there is a beautifully carved boss. Many of the bosses are of a bright gold colour and most of the bosses are highly coloured, illustrating that medieval churches were once dominated by vibrant colours. Gothic architecture was devised to allow in as much light as possible and this cathedral certainly meets that goal. Beautiful, gothic windows adorn the building and there are many fascinating features to search for such as misericords, green men and an early 15th century medieval clock.

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Penshurst Place; Henry VIII's residence whilst he was flirting with Anne Boleyn in Hever Castle and possibly her sister, Mary.

/ Penshurst Place/

Penshurst Place is a beautiful house and gardens which date back to the mid 14th century. It is the place acquired by Henry VIII to be able to flirt with Anne Boleyn and possibly Mary Boleyn who lived at nearby Hever Castle. It has had some fascinating owners including the second Duke of Buckingham who was closely involved with Richard III’s takeover of power and possible the assassination of the “Princes in the Tower. His successor, the third Duke of Buckingham, put on an extravagant feast to impress Henry VIII in 1519 at Penshurst, only to be executed two years later for treason! Among its many rooms is the stunning Barons’ Hall, a great hall that has been featured in numerous documentaries about Medieval and Tudor history and is one of the best examples of a great hall in the country.

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Westminster Abbey, an awesome building for royal funerals, royal tombs, marriages and coronations plus a magnificent place to host Poets' Corner" .

/ Westminster abbey/

Westminster Abbey, an awesome building for royal funerals, royal tombs, marriages and coronations plus a magnificent place to host Poets' Corner. The Abbey is the burial place for 3,300 people including; Edward I and his wife; Eleanor of Castile; Edward III and his wife, Philippa of Hainault; Henry V, sometimes seen as the greatest ever King of England; Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. In total, 17 monarchs are buried in Westminster Abbey. Added to that there are 600 memorials including for such geniuses as William Shakespeare and Charles Darwin.I rarely use the word awesome in my blog but in this case it is highly appropriate. It was constructed to be awesome and inside it is guaranteed to take your breath away. Although, linked to Edward the Confessor in the 11th century, the church you see today replaced Edward’s impressive building beginning in 1245 and was largely constructed by Henry III and later kings.

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Totnes Castle; One of the earliest and best preserved examples of a Norman Motte and Bailey in the country.

/ Totnes Castle/

Totnes is a beautiful example of an early, motte and bailey castle that, by the end of the 13th century, morphed into a shell keep castle. It was a vital part of the Norman policy of controlling the troublesome English people, especially people living in the South-West. Totnes was one of the earliest types of castle and was built at speed in 1068 being part of William the Conqueror’ plans to suppress rebellious Anglo-saxons. It is a good example of a shell keep and, with visits to other types of castles, will create a great timeline of the development of castles culminating in Caernarvon Castle, Beaumaris Castle and Tudor castles such as at Pendennis and Southsea. Standing on top of the shell keep, gives fantastic 360 degree views of the surrounding area and therefore reasons for its location. Walking around the bailey makes it easy to see the development of the dry moat and ditches as the first form of defence.

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"Da Vinci Code", the Knights Templar and William Marshall, the "greatest knight that ever lived", see it all in the Temple Church hidden in the City of London.

/ Temple Church/

The Temple Church was the headquarters of the Knights Templar in London. The Templars have a fascinating history, have been linked to the “Holy Grail” and in modern times have featured in Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. In the film of book of his book, the key characters visit the temple in their quest to find the grail. In 1215 AD, it was the place that key negotiations for Magna Carta took place in the reign of King John. On stepping inside the Temple Church, eight effigies can be observed , one of which is William Marshall, known as “the greatest ever knight”.

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What did William Marshall do to earn the title of, "the greatest ever medieval knight"?

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In the in his biography of William Marshal, Thomas Asbridge wrote:“William also possessed innate qualities and acquired skills that set him apart. Marshal’s raw physicality allowed him to absorb battering blows that might fell others, while his strength lent jarring force to the attacks he delivered with either lance or sword. Few could match the assured agility of his horsemanship and a canny, guileful strategic awareness meant that he was able to outthink opponents.” He was not only a very skilful knight, from relatively humble beginnings being the son of a minor lord, he rose to the importance of being regent to the young Henry III and saving England from having a French monarch. He worked for five kings from Henry II to Henry III, as well as Henry II’s eldest son, Henry, who died before his father. In the reign of King John, the barons rebelled against their monarch and it was Marshall who played a key part in advising the king to sign Magna Carta and gain peace at least for a short time. John soon renaged on the Charter but soon after his death, William sealed the charter in the name of John’s young successor, Henry III and people’s rights in England were guaranteed forever.(see the next section for details).

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What was Magna Carta and why was it important?

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Magna Carta is seen by many historians as one of the most important documents in history because it established first in 1215, the principle that everyone is subject to the law, even kings and queens and it guarantees the rights of individuals, the right to justice and the right to a fair trial. It is significant because it put England on the way to democracy. Over time the powers of English kings were curtailed especially in the 17th Century. Furthermore, Magna Carta is often cited as having strongly influenced the American Bill of Rights in 1791 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rightist 1948. You can see it at Salisbury Cathedral, Lincoln Castle and the British Library London.

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Lincoln Cathedral, an awesome gothic building with loads of treasures to discover inside.

/ Lincoln Cathedral/

Construction of this magnificent cathedral you see above began in 1192, with its stunning rib vaulting as well as pointed arches and beautiful stained glass windows. To contrast with this, the amazing chapter house has fan vaulting and, coincidentally, was where some scenes of the film, the De Vinci Code were shot. Look closely and you will find beautifully carved misericords and if you are eagle eyed you will find some “Green Men” as well as a little creature known as the “Imp”. In the nave at the opposite end to the entrance is the tomb for the entrails of Queen Eleanor of Castile, wife of King Edward I. (her heart was buried in Blackfriars in Lincoln and the rest of her body, in Westminster Abbey). In the choir area, is the tomb of Katherine Swynford, the mistress and third wife of John of Gaunt whose family line ended with Henry VII claiming the throne in 1485.

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Chaldon "Doom Painting" or "Purgatorial ladder" , probably the oldest in the UK.

/ St Peter and St Paul's Church, Chaldon/

Chaldon “Doom Painting” has been featured in loads of books, especially chiIdren’s medieval history books and is stunning when you walk into the church and see it for the first time. It is possibly the oldest Doom painting in the UK, painted sometime around 1200 AD. It is unique, there is nothing to compare it with. Some people have suggested that it is part of the original mural but no-one has found any evidence to support this theory and looking around with my amateur eye, I couldn’t see anything that could be interpreted as being even a small bump in the white paintwork that could be concealing a fragment of another painting. The painting is believed to have been produced by an unnamed travelling monk who went from church to church. The painting is over 17 feet wide and 11 feet high. Only red and yellow ochre paints were used in the painting which again, makes it unusual. It is said to have been whitewashed when Cromwell and the puritans were in power and rediscovered in 1869.

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Richmond Palace, much loved home to the Tudors and once a stunning grand palace but sadly only a gatehouse remains today.

/ Richmond Palace /

Richmond Palace, much loved home to the Tudors and once a stunning grand palace but sadly only a gatehouse remains today. You can walk up to this impressive Tudor gatehouse built in 1501 by Henry VII. It started off as a substantial manor house in 1125 and became a royal manor house in 1327. Important events involving key Tudors took place at Richmond Palace. Henry VII died here and in 1603, so did his granddaughter, Elizabeth I. Prince Henry, later Henry VIII nearly lost his life here and his eldest daugther, Mary, spent her honeymoon within its walls.

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The king in the car park 2 : the backstory of the discovery and proof at the Richard III Visitor Centre

/ Richard III Visitor Centre/

A visit to the Richard III Visitor Centre is a must for any medieval history fan. It tells the story of the Wars of the Roses using some amazing graphics and how Richard came to rule England. You are then taken on a path to discover what happened to Richard’s body having lost the Battle of Bosworth Field to Henry Tudor. The great mystery was only recently solved but then the task was to exactly locate the skeletal remains. This was not easy because several misleading sources suggested that either his bones had been removed and buried next to a river or actually thrown in that river. This was not the end of the story because the next step was the monumental task of proving that the remains found were actually Richard III. Historian’s judgements would not be sufficient, it had to be proven by mitochondrial DNA. Finally, you can actually see Richard’s open grave!

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The king in the car park part 1: Leicester Cathedral, Richard III's final resting place.

/ Leicester Cathedral/

The king in the car park, part 1, is about Leicester Cathedral, Richard III's final resting place. In August 2012 there was a media frenzy taking place near an old car park in the city of Leicester. What was going on? The world’s media had just been informed that archaeologists had found skeletal remains which were possibly those of King Richard III of England. Back in August 1485, Richard III had been killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field by the army of Henry Tudor, soon to become Henry VII but there was a mystery about what happened to his body. Leicester Cathedral has become his final resting place. There you can see his amazing tomb, two beautiful stained glass windows commissioned to go with the tomb and the beautiful cloth (pall) that covered his coffin in his funeral. It is also next door to the Richard III Visitor Centre, specially created with audio visual facilities to tell the story of Richard’s life, how his body was discovered and give you a good view of his excavated grave.

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