Caves of Nottingham

Caves of Nottingham

England

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The metropolis of Nottingham inwards Nottinghamshire , England , is spread over a soft sandstone ridge which forms depression hills to the northward of the River Trent. This sandstone stone , formed only about 230 i yard 1000 years agone , has high forcefulness , in addition to yet soft plenty to live on worked amongst chisels in addition to hand-held picks. This odd dual character of forcefulness in addition to softness allows the stone to live on easily excavated in addition to all the same stand upward safely over unsupported spans.

Nottingham’s earliest inhabitants exploited this peculiar property. They constitute that it was easier in addition to cheaper to create identify infinite past times excavating into the pes of the sandstone cliffs along the border of the Trent floodplain , than construct houses higher upward ground. Indeed , Nottingham was in i lawsuit known inwards the Brythonic linguistic communication equally Tigguo Cobauc , pregnant “Place of Caves” , in addition to was referred to equally such past times the Bishop of Sherborne Asser inwards the ninth century.

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None of these early on caves be today. They bring either collapsed are weathered away past times erosion. But in that location are all the same hundreds of caves nether the modern metropolis of Nottingham. The earliest of these caves are idea to appointment from the twelfth century , in addition to a modest expose of them were dug later on 1850. These caves were used equally houses , equally cellars in addition to equally places of function past times diverse inhabitants of the city. Candle makers , bakers in addition to blacksmiths loved them because these tradesmen could construct hot fires without worrying nearly their workshops setting on post away in addition to without having to damp downward or comprehend their fires each nighttime equally was required because of the curfew orders inwards identify at the time.

Butchers in addition to fishmongers also built their workplaces in that location because of the absence of flies in addition to the cool temperature. Maltsters took payoff of the cool temperature of the caves to create malt from barley all throughout the year.

During the Industrial Revolution , large expose of people came to Nottingham looking for function in addition to landlords began housing families inwards caves , sometimes inwards pretty appalling conditions. Entire families slept in addition to ate inwards a unmarried room. Sanitation was pitiful in addition to the caves became breeding grounds for cholera , tuberculosis in addition to smallpox. It was i of the worst periods inwards the history of Nottingham. In 1845 , the renting of caves in addition to cellars for role past times the pitiful equally homes was made illegal , but the exercise could non live on exclusively eradicated. People were all the same living inwards them until the starting fourth dimension quarter of the 20th century. During the Second World War , the caves became air raid shelters.

Only a handful of the caves are inwards role today. The pub called “Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem” which is rumored to live on i of the oldest pubs inwards the province is partly built into the cave system. Another laid upward of caves share equally indoor rifle attain of the Nottingham Rifle Club.

A department of the cave network nether the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre is similar a shot opened upward equally a tourist attraction.

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Sources: Wikipedia / www.nottsheritagegateway.org.uk / nottinghamcavessurvey.org.uk / BBC

The Sound Mirrors of Great Britain

The Sound Mirrors of Great Britain

England

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World War One was the commencement major conflict that saw the utilization of airplanes. During the early on years of the fighting , aircraft were by too large used for surveillance too observation , only every bit the state of war progressed , airplanes took on an offensive role. By the terminate of the state of war , airplanes had larn too thus deadly that it became necessary for the Allies to develop novel tactics for air defence forcefulness , if the side past times side state of war was to live won.

The most of import part of an effective air defence forcefulness organization is an early on alert organization that could uncovering too rail enemy aircraft earlier they arrive. But inward the days earlier radar , the alone means to uncovering enemy aircraft was to nous to the audio of approaching airplanes.

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The Royal Air Force established a serial of listening posts closed to the coasts of Great Britain. They consisted of huge spherical , concrete reflectors called “sound mirrors” that were able to amplify the dissonance of storey engines every bit they approached over the English linguistic communication Channel , past times reflecting audio waves off their curved surfaces too concentrating them to a focal betoken , similar rays of lite reflecting off a curved mirror. Devices similar this are frequently found inward scientific discipline museums today every bit “whispering galleries”.

Several microphones were placed inward front end of the reflector too depending on which microphone received the strongest signal , the direction of approach of the storey could live determined.

By the terminate of the 1920s , the commencement audio mirror went upward at Hythe , inward Kent , on the S coast of England. The location was chosen because it savage nether the flying path of commercial aircraft heading towards French Republic , thereby providing sufficient exam subjects. At commencement , at that spot were 5 concave mirrors made of steel too concrete , each half dozen to nine meters high. These mirrors could efficiently amplify audio waves having wavelength upward to iii feet. But the audio waves the armed forces was interested inward had wavelengths of xv to eighteen feet.

In 1930 , the 6th too terminal mirror was erected. It was a huge curved wall , sixty meters long too 8 meters high. With a listening make of nigh xx miles , it was this mega-mirror that lastly delivered the required results.

Photo credit: Paul/Flickr

At 1 time construction of audio mirrors started along the coast from Norfolk downwards to Dorset , to brand it impossible for enemy planes to approach the Britain from the English linguistic communication Channel undetected. In add-on to the mirrors , a huge squad of to a greater extent than than 500 people were trained for rapid too accurate communications required betwixt the listening postal service , telephone operators too officers inward the command room too at headquarters.

But airplanes were becoming faster , which meant that past times the fourth dimension they were detected they would already live likewise closed to bargain with. Soon doubts nigh the audio mirror projection began to arise. Then inward 1935 , the projection came to an acute end. The option to the audio mirrors — Radio Detection too Ranging , or radar for short— had been perfected.

The concave audio mirrors , that never saw activeness , nonetheless stands closed to the English linguistic communication coast. The most famous of these mirrors are at Denge , nigh Dungeness , inward Kent , England. The site has iii mirrors —a 60-meter-long curved wall , a 9-meter circular dish too a 6-meter dish.

Sound mirrors stand upward inward at to the lowest degree xix unlike places , including Republic of Malta which is the alone house exterior Britain to bring these structures.

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Sources: Wikipedia / www.andrewgrantham.co.uk / www.spiegel.de

The Ancient Yew Forest of Kingley Vale

The Ancient Yew Forest of Kingley Vale

England

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Tucked betwixt Stoke Down too Bow Hill , close the hamlet of West Stoke well-nigh 3 miles due north W of Chichester , inward West Sussex inward southern England , is Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve. Established inward 1952 , it was 1 of the commencement National Nature Reserves to endure opened inward Britain. The reserve covers an expanse of 160 hectares , including 1 of the finest yew forests inward western Europe. Some of the trees hither are equally much equally 1 ,000 years one-time , their trunks contorted past times historic menses too countless storms into incredibly bizarre shapes. Giant side branches swirl into the soil similar snakes , where they made secondary roots. From these immature trees accept arisen. The the world nether these trees is too so nighttime that no vegetation of whatever sort , non fifty-fifty grass , grow. 

Photo credit: Katariina Järvinen/Flickr

It’s hard to tell how one-time the yews are at Kingley Vale. Yews typically accept lifespans betwixt 400 too 600 years , exactly to a greater extent than or less specimens tin terminate alive longer. The historic menses of yews is notoriously hard to create upwardly one's heed because equally the trees historic menses , their trunks becomes hollow which makes band counting too carbon dating impossible equally in that place is hardly whatever one-time wood left. Added to this , yews accept this odd might to arrest their increment for centuries on cease if weather condition are unfavorable , until the environs becomes favorable 1 time again which reawakens the tree , too it starts growing again. During these years , the tree stops adding tree rings too girth to its trunk. Determining the historic menses of yews is , therefore , by too large guesswork. There are claims equally high equally v ,000–9 ,500 years , exactly these values are unrealistic.

According to local legend the yews at Kingley Vale were planted equally a memorial for a battle fought betwixt the Vikings too the Anglo Saxons inward the twelvemonth 859 , exactly to a greater extent than or less sources claim the trees are 2 M years old.

Nevertheless , the survival of the Kingley Vale yews is remarkable because most ancient yew trees across Europe were felled later the 14th century when English linguistic communication bowmen started preferring staves to endure made from straight-grained yew wood , which is reputedly the hardest coniferous timber inward the world. This wood was imported past times majestic decree amongst barrels of vino from Portugal too Spain.

Kingley Vale is 1 of the few major groves of yews remaining today.

Photo credit: Katariina Järvinen/Flickr

Photo credit: Katariina Järvinen/Flickr

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Photo credit: debs-eye/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / The Guardian / www.infobritain.co.uk / www.indigogroup.co.uk

Londoners ‘Celebrate’ Great Fire By Setting Wooden Model on Fire

Londoners ‘Celebrate’ Great Fire By Setting Wooden Model on Fire

England

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A massive wooden replica model of 17th century London was develop ablaze on the River Thames on Lord's Day black to grade the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London that razed the metropolis inward 1666. The 120-meter-long wooden model of London’s skyline , titled London 1666 , was designed past times the American creative someone David Best , who is best known for edifice immense structures from woods together with burning them to the Blue Planet , by together with large for Nevada’s annual Burning Man festival.

The exhibitions together with events marker the anniversary included , aside from the model burning , populace fine art installations , tours , nutrient marketplace together with an odd exhibition of recipes together with remedies for burns together with scalds used at the fourth dimension of the fire.

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The Great Fire of London , which started at the bakery on Pudding Lane , on the black of September ii , 1666 , raged for 4 days , destroying 80% of the by together with large wooden buildings inward the medieval metropolis of London. It left an estimated lxx ,000 of the city's fourscore ,000 inhabitants homeless. Officially , solely 6 people were reported to accept died , because the misfortunate together with middle-class people were non documented. Besides , the oestrus of the bathroom was then peachy that many victims mightiness accept been totally consumed past times the bathroom leaving picayune to no skeletal remains.

London , every bit nosotros know today , was eventually rebuilt alongside grey Portland rock , simply the one-time street layout was preserved.

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Photo credit: andrew/Flickr

The Seven Noses of Soho

The Seven Noses of Soho

England

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Attached to the walls of diverse buildings to a greater extent than or less the Soho neighborhood , inward 1 of the inner boroughs of London , are several plaster casts of human noses of diverse sizes. The noses were gear upward past times creative someone Rick Buckley inward 1997 every bit a flat of protestation against the ascension role of surveillance cameras across the streets of London. These safety cameras were drawing criticisms from many dissimilar quarters because a lot of people viewed them every bit a huge footstep closer to the “Big Brother” society.

Inspired past times the guerrilla activities of the Situationist —a mid-century scheme of avant-garde social revolutionaries— Rick Buckley decided to install plaster of Paris in addition to polymer casts of his ain olfactory organ at diverse structures across London , correct nether the noses of “the freedom threatening CCTV Cameras.”

Evening Standard / Wikipedia

London’s Deep Level Air Raid Shelters

London’s Deep Level Air Raid Shelters

England

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When the Second World broke out inward Europe , in addition to London became the prime number bombing target , people began to pour into the platforms of the London Underground —the city’s subway system— every nighttime to escape the nightly bombings of the 1940 London Blitz. As these undercover sanctuaries became increasingly crowded , the British authorities decided to gear upwards proper air raid shelters far below the ground. The regard was to build 10 shelters in addition to house them slightly below in addition to close existing subway stations amongst the intention that these newly built tunnels volition travel eventually absorbed into the Underground 1 time the nation of war was over.

Subterranea Britannica

Subterranea Britannica

The Decorative Chimneys of Hampton Court Palace

The Decorative Chimneys of Hampton Court Palace

England

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Back inwards the middle ages , a heated identify was a luxury that the bulk did non have. Most people huddled some an opened upwardly hearth inwards the middle of the room for warmth , over which they besides cooked their meals , spell smoke filled their houses together with their lungs. Chimneys were a novel matter thus , together with belonged exclusively to the close princely of dwellings. So it was natural for those who had them to live on chimneys every bit a demonstration of wealth together with power.

Early chimneys appeared exclusively on large manor houses , together with during the Tudor menstruation it became stylish to convey ornate brick chimneys together with stacks. There is possibly no ameliorate event of this than Hampton Court Palace situated on the outskirts of London.

The Chimneypots of Paris Rooftops

Telegraph / Wikipedia / www.dreamvacationinengland.com

Goodwin Sands And Its Shipwrecks

Goodwin Sands And Its Shipwrecks

England

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Six miles off the coast of Deal inward East Kent , England , lies 1 of the most treacherous stretches of sand inward Britain. Lying inward the optic of the English linguistic communication channel inward the narrow Straits of Dover , unopen to 1 of the busiest transportation channel inward the basis , the sands introduce a non bad challenge to navigators. Since the starting fourth dimension documented shipwreck on Goodwin Sands inward 1298 , to a greater extent than than 2 ,000 ships are believed to convey wrecked here. Dozens of wrecks nonetheless prevarication underneath the waves.

The Goodwin Sands is almost 10 miles long together with iii miles broad at its widest , but because of the tides together with currents , the shoals are constantly sifting. Usually , the sand remains completely submerged betwixt 8 to fifteen meters beneath the surface , but equally the tide falls , the sandbank intermission the surface together with expose almost a 10th of their full area. During these times , the sand is trouble solid plenty to walk upon.

Photo credit: www.dover-marina.com

Typically , a send would encounter the sand during petroleum atmospheric condition together with start out to break. Any survivor who manages to escape onto the sand mightiness convey been able to lite fires together with effort to attract the attending of passing ships , or the Boatsmen of Deal together with Kingsdown. If aid didn’t brand it inside hours , the tide would provide together with the sand would plough into quicksand , together with ships together with survivors would live on engulfed.

The biggest loss of life occurred during the Great Storm of 1703 when at to the lowest degree thirteen men-of-war together with xl merchant vessels were wrecked inward the Downs , resulting inward the deaths of 2 ,168 lives. One of the ships lost during that nighttime —the HMS Stirling Castle— was discovered past times local divers inward 1979. Other notable wrecks include an East Republic of Republic of India Company send the Admiral Gardner that wrecked inward Jan 1809. It carried a cargo of atomic give away 26 , guns , anchors , together with 48 tons of companionship coins. This wreck was institute inward 1984 , together with almost a 1000000 coins were recovered. The wreck of Admiral Gardner is directly designated a protected expanse amongst a 300-meter exclusion zone simply about its remains.

Modern navigation technology , specially that assisted past times GPS , together with detailed mapping of the channel directly allow ships to avoid the Goodwin Sands. There convey been no major accidents hither since a lightship capsized inward 1954 killing half dozen crew members.

There is currently 1 lightship on the terminate of the sands to warn ships. The sands were 1 time covered past times 2 lighthouses on the Kent mainland , 1 each roofing the due north together with southward ends of the sands. The South Foreland lighthouse is directly owned past times the National Trust , together with the North Foreland lighthouse is nonetheless inward operation.

The place of Goodwin Sands on the Straits of Dover.

Photo credit: www.dover-marina.com

Wreck of the SS Mahratta on the Goodwin Sands from an one-time postcard.

The Great Storm Nov 26 , 1703 Wherein Rear Admiral Beaumont was lost on the Goodwin Sands.

Sources: UK Shore Blog / www.dover-marina.com / Wikipedia

The ‘Ancient Lights’ Windows of England

The ‘Ancient Lights’ Windows of England

England

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In many one-time brick buildings about London , you’ll discovery signs maxim ‘Ancient Lights‘ marked beneath private windows. The best examples are the dorsum windows of the houses on Albemarle Way , which are visible from Priory Church of the Order of Saint John simply off the Clerkenwell Road. You tin too discovery these strange signs nearly Chinatown in addition to Covent Garden , specially inward dorsum alleyways , in addition to 1 inward Newman Passage in addition to some other 1 inward a pub simply nearly Goodge Street underground station. Here is a map of ‘Ancient Lights’ signs about London.

The phenomenon is non unique to London. ‘Ancient Lights‘ signs tin hold upward flora inward Dorset , inward Kent in addition to inward many places across England. What are they?

'Ancient Lights' signs below windows inward Clerkenwell , London. Photo credit: Mike Newman/Wikimedia

‘Ancient Lights’ or the ‘Right to light’ is an English linguistic communication holding police pull that gives identify owners the correct to have natural lite from in addition to through a window if that item window has been receiving lite uninterrupted for xx years. Once a individual gains the correct to ancient lights , the possessor of the adjoining province cannot obscure them , such equally yesteryear erecting a edifice , raising a wall or planting trees. In the yesteryear , neighbors alongside correct to lite cause got sued neighbors on grounds of ‘nuisance’ for obstacle of lite , in addition to cause got won inward courts of law.

The full deprivation of lite is non necessary for the province possessor to enforce the law. He tin challenge the vecino if he feels he “cannot bask the lite inward in addition to hence gratis in addition to ample a means equally he did earlier ,” equally explained yesteryear Collins Dictionary of Law. The levels of acceptable lite , notwithstanding , cause got non been objectively quantified. Instead , the police pull uses vague expressions such equally “sufficient lite according to the ordinary notions of mankind”. This has given rising to “specialists in addition to goodness witnesses inward this field” , in addition to the courtroom relies on them.

One so-called goodness , Mr. Percy Waldram , suggested that ordinary people require 1 foot-candle of luminance (approximately x lux) for reading in addition to other operate involving visual discrimination. Waldram's methods has been inward purpose since the 1920s , but latterly they cause got been subjected to much criticism.

The police pull originated inward England inward 1663 , but its electrical flow aeroplane is based on the Prescription Act 1832.

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‘Ancient light’ signs nether a window inward Bournemouth , Dorset. Photo credit: Alwyn Ladell/Flickr

‘Ancient light’ signs nearly a window inward Bournemouth , Dorset. Photo credit: Alwyn Ladell/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / Freedictionary.com / Encyclopedia Britannica / Designing Buildings

The Sewer Gas Destructor Lamps of England

The Sewer Gas Destructor Lamps of England

England

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In Victorian England , gas build-up inwards undercover sewers was oftentimes a occupation for the metropolis dwellers. Old sewers were non e'er set on sufficient course of report or on truthful draw of piece of work resulting inwards the accumulation of unsafe in addition to highly inflammable marsh gas gas that increased the chances of explosion. To preclude the build-up of stagnant gases , holes were poked into the sewer in addition to free-standing vent pipes were installed to allow the foul gases to escape over the heads of pedestrians in addition to the levels of side past times side homes. But some of these problematic sewers were located inwards areas where homes were multi-storied making vent pipes ineffective.

In the 1890s , Joseph Edmund Webb of Birmingham invented in addition to patented a device called the “sewer gas destructor lamp” to bargain alongside the occupation of putrid sewer gases. These lamps looked in addition to behaved similar ordinary gas lamps that were 1 time a mutual characteristic on streets closed to the U.K. in addition to the residuum of Europe every bit well. Webb’s sentiment was to vent marsh gas gas upwards in addition to out of the sewer mains through the light transportation to the burner at the exceed where it would endure consumed past times the flames. Webb expected the lamps to endure fueled solely past times sewer gas effectively turning a nuisance into functional street lights.

London’s concluding sewer lamp. Photo credit: Robin Byles/Flickr

However , it was shortly realized that the organisation didn’t piece of work every bit expected —there was non plenty marsh gas to ability the lights. The flaming would expire rapidly in addition to subsequent unburned marsh gas release would do a nauseous status inwards the area. Webb rapidly modified his pattern in addition to then that the lamps burned town gas similar ordinary gas lamps did , but they were nonetheless connected to the sewers below. The rut generated past times the light caput created an upwards draught which pulled gases from the sewer through light column to the 370 marking centigrade flaming , where it burned together alongside the town gas. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 unmarried light was said to endure capable of venting upwards to iii quarters of a mile of sewer. The gas lamps non merely removed marsh gas but they besides helped to sanitize the sewer air past times burning unsafe microbes.

The sewer gas light turned out to endure in addition to then effective that they were installed all closed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain in addition to Northern Ireland inwards towns in addition to cities including London , Sheffield , Winchester , Durham , Whitley Bay , Monkseaton in addition to Blyth , Northumberland. The lamps remained lit all circular the clock. The metropolis of Sheffield , existence a hilly expanse was to a greater extent than prone to gas pockets , in addition to and then had the highest break of sewer gas destructor lamps. They nonetheless accept many of these lamps in addition to some of them are nonetheless functioning.

London’s concluding remaining sewer gas destructor light on Carting Lane was knocked off past times a reversing lorry some years ago. It is instantly replaced past times a replica. Although an faux , the light has earned Carting Lane the nickname of ‘Farting Lane’.

Sewer lamps became obsolete alongside the modify inwards plumbing practice. Today , sewage gas is vented out inwards a higher identify the roofs through the buildings’ plumbing system.

The sewer light inwards London. Photo credit: G Travels/Flickr

A sewer light inwards Park Lane , Sheffield. Photo credit: Lois Lindemann/Flickr

Left: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sewer gas light on the corner of Westbourne Road in addition to Ashbourne Road inwards Sheffield. Photo credit: Lois Lindemann/Flickr. Right: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sewer light inwards Psalter Lane , Sheffield. Photo credit: Frankie Roberto/Flickr

A sewer gas light on Rural Lane , Sheffield. Photo credit: Mick Knapton/Wikimedia

Sources: Historic England / Historic UK / Wikipedia / The History of Sanitary Sewers

Witley Park’s Underwater Ballroom

Witley Park’s Underwater Ballroom

England

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Between Godalming as well as Haslemere , inwards Surrey , close the English linguistic communication hamlet of Witley , ane time stood ane of the well-nigh lavish mortal residences inwards the globe —the Witley Park. Originally called Lea Park , it belonged to a homo named Whitaker Wright who made his fortune yesteryear defrauding shareholders of hundreds of 1000000 pounds —not ane time , merely twice inwards 2 unlike continents. At the tiptop of his fiscal crimes , Wright bought the vast 1 ,400-acre Victorian estate from the 15th Earl of Derby as well as built an extravagant 32-bedroom mansion , alongside other things similar a racecourse , a theatre as well as a mortal hospital.

The grounds also includes 3 interconnected artificial lakes. One of these lakes hides a hugger-mugger —a hugger-mugger that nobody is allowed to encounter today , merely until a few years agone , ane could become downwardly a laid upward of spiraling concrete steps , walk downwardly a 400-feet long corridor as well as emerge within a 30-foot tall glass-paneled domed room built straight beneath the lake’s surface. This is the famed underwater aquarium as well as smoking room , also called the ‘ballroom’ because of its cast , that Whitaker Wright built to entertain his guests.

Daily Mail / BBC / Sometimes Interesting