ENGLAND – SURRY, SUSSEX and KENT (Brighton, Canterbury)
Day 4 Sat April 27 (continued for London)
Bluewater, Greenhithe. A large triangular shopping mall on two levels. There is no concentrated food court and I finally gave up trying to find Burger King.
Statue of Princess Pocahontas, Gravesend:. A statue of Pocohontas in a church graveyard. The dates on the monument were
Old Tavern Fort. It is a well-preserved 18th-century fortification and remained in use for defensive purposes until the Second World War. It was built during the American War of Independence to guard the Thames against French and Spanish raiders operating in support of the newly formed United States of America. It was redesigned and rebuilt in the mid-19th century to defend against a new generation of iron-clad French warships. By the start of the 20th century, the Thames defences had been moved further downriver to the estuary and the fort was disarmed.
ROCHESTER
Rochester Castle. Has a 12th century keep, but most is a ruin.
Rochester Cathedral. A lovely ancient cathedral dating from the 11th century. Closed when I visited.
High Weald National Landscape. Forest, hedgerow and open fields.
ON Pevensey Bay parking lot. A shingle beach with hundreds or wood posts to prevent erosion.
Day 5 Sun April 28
The Towner, Eastbourne. A civic building holding the Towner Art Gallery with the Turner Collection 2023 Free, theatres and other venues, it is four-story glass on one side and a multicoloured paint scheme.
South Downs NP
Beachly Head Lighthouse. Park and walk about .4 km to the top of the Beachy Headlands cliff (up to 535′ high). The 153′ high, red and white stripped LH sits on the beach. It was built in 1902.
Alfriston. A village with a population of about 800, it has several stone buildings, 4 churches, timber framed houses, pubs and restaurants. Touristy.
Charleston Trust, Lewes. A tiny place with a few houses, hay barn, restaurant and galleries (none were open).
Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton
THAMES VALLEY AND HAMPSHIRE (Oxford, Southampton)
Chichester. Small town. I wanted to see the cathedral but it did not open on time. It has a tremendously high spire.
Hayling Island. I ate here and slept here on the beach.
ON Hayling Beach. Cold and windy.
Day 6 Mon April 29
PORTSMOUTH
Fort Cumberland. 18th-century defensive architecture – a pentagonal bastioned fort built by the Duke of Richmond. 1785-1810. It controlled Portsmouth Harbour and harbours to the east. Now a center of archaeology. I went to the Portsmouth Distillery in the fort.
Portsmouth Cathedral. It has had so many additions that its shape is unusual especially the large Byzantine-like nave added in 1990. Parts date to the 12th century.
Bursledon Windmill. A black brick tapering mill with a walkway, and rotating cap. Vanes are not functional.
SOUTHHAMPTON
Cobden Bridge, Southampton. An average road bridge over the River Itchen flows through Southhampton.
Southampton City Art Gallery. Almost all are bequeathed to the museum making for an eclectic collection. A large portrait of Napoleon. Free
Romsey Abby. 12th-century Norman church with a huge 3-story nave, multilobed columns and a wood arch ceiling.
Limewood Hotel. 5* luxury resort with hiking, horses and rest in the middle of a forest.
ENGLAND – SOUTHWEST (Bristol, Bath etc)
OXFORD
The Randolph Hotel. In the NM Hospitality series, this is a 5* hotel – small lobby with an extensive dining room.
Covered Market. A large market with fixed shops and restaurants. The many lanes have a wood and red ceiling.
The Headington Shark, Oxford. A very large shark crashes through the roof of a small two-story brick rowhouse. It is an Air BnB. Bizzarium.:
Blavatnik School of Government. Architectural Delights: Oxford