Over the summer, I spent a long weekend in Frome, Somerset for a friend’s wedding and while I was there I decided to take a look around a few of the local sights. My friend who was getting married suggested I visit nearby Nunney Castle, as well as Stourhead, a local National Trust property. So that’s what I did. Nunney Castle is a picturesque ruin situated in the delightful village of Nunney, some three miles outside Frome. The castle, which sits on a small island surrounded by a deep moat, was built by a local knight, Sir John de la…

In August, I paid my annual visit to Dyffryn Gardens, the National Trust-run manor house (below) and gardens just south of Cardiff. I’d been meaning to go all summer, but with one thing and another, I hadn’t got around to it. But I was determined to go before the summer was up to see the last of the flowers. I made my way through the gardens following my usual route, strolling past the manor house, then up to the stone terraces (above) and onto the walled garden. Before going inside the greenhouse that dominates the back wall, I had a…

When my friend and I were looking for things to do in London last month, one of my friend’s colleagues suggested we visit ‘The Cult of Beauty’ exhibition at the Wellcome Collection. The free exhibition at the Euston Road museum explores concepts of beauty through the ages and across cultures in the context of gender, race, age, health and status. We arrived at the Wellcome Collection around 11.30am to find the exhibition was closed until 12pm, so we went off to explore the main collection while we waited. On coming back at 12pm, we found the museum had put a…

A couple of weekends ago, I went to London (again!) to stay with one of my friends and on Saturday, we drove up to Essex to visit another of our friends and her family. Our friend suggested we spend the day exploring nearby Mersea Island, the most easterly inhabited island in England. The island, which is home to some 7,000 people, has a long history, having been inhabited since before the Romans came to Britain. It’s renowned for its fishing industry, most notably its oysters. Situated between the Blackwater and Colne estuaries, the causeway to the island is cut off…

Five hundred years since they ruled over England and Wales, the Tudors still captivate audiences in a way few other royal dynasties can. Aside from the crazy drama that wouldn’t be out of place in the most far-fetched soap opera (six wives, multiple beheadings, religious schisms, to name a few), much of the family’s enduring appeal is down to its clearly defined image. Very few English monarchs are as instantly recognisable to the masses as Henry VIII or Elizabeth I (above). With his wide-legged stance, square bearded face and red hair, Henry VIII (below) still cuts an imposing, majestic figure…

I had a week off work at the beginning of January so decided to spend a day in London, as I hadn’t been back to the capital in more than a year. I didn’t have much of a firm plan, other than tickets to see Holbein at the Tudor Court at The Queen’s Gallery, so I was happy to see where the mood took me. Tokyo Diner It was early lunchtime when I arrived at Paddington and feeling peckish, I headed towards Leicester Square to visit one of my favourite Japanese restaurants, Tokyo Diner. The restaurant is tucked away down…

I was given the GCHQ Puzzle Book for Christmas, and while I’ve only solved the first three puzzles so far, it reminded me that I’ve not yet blogged about my visit to Bletchley Park, the centre of Britain’s code-breaking activities during the Second World War. I have an incredible amount of respect for the men and women who worked so hard to crack the secret messages being sent by enemy forces during the war. Largely because I’m so appallingly awful at deciphering codes and am in awe of those who can unravel the seemingly indecipherable series of letters, symbols and…

While I was at Berkeley Castle, I learned that Dr Jenner’s House was just a five minute walk away. So after looking around the castle, I walked over to the house, as I was keen to see where the ‘father of immunology’ had lived and worked. Dr Edward Jenner was born in Berkeley in 1749, the son of a local vicar, and after finishing his medical training in London, he returned to the Gloucestershire town. He bought his house, The Chantry, in 1785 and lived there with his wife Catherine and their family. In 1796, Dr Jenner cemented his place…

As the site of one of the most infamous maybe-murders in English history, it’s safe to say I’d been dying to visit Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire for quite some time. Despite being only an hour’s drive from Cardiff, I had, for some inexplicable reason, never been before. So when I had a week off work in May, I was determined to finally put that right. Situated in the charming town of Berkeley, just a stone’s throw from the River Severn, the 12th century castle is one of the oldest buildings in England still inhabited by the same family. The castle…

I first heard about The Wallace Collection years ago when I was writing a secret guide to Marylebone for a magazine I was working on at the time. As part of the feature, I was interviewing locals to find out their favourite spots in the area and one woman I talked to mentioned The Wallace Collection. Intrigued, I decided to check it out the following Saturday and discovered an utterly delightful collection of art, porcelain and furnishings inside a magnificent mansion. The Wallace Collection is a collection of European artworks, furniture and armoury amassed by the 4th Marquess of Hertford…