Comments for England at http://www.talkaccommodation.com , comment 1 to 4 out of 4 comments http://www.talkaccommodation.com Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:24:50 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.talkaccommodation.com/regions/regions/england.html#comment-21 Visit York and be enriched in one of Europe's most inspiring cities... If you are looking for a cultural getaway or a romantic weekend break then visit York and be inspired. Renowned for its exquisite architecture, tangle of quaint cobbled streets and the iconic York Minster, York is fast developing a flourishing, cutting-edge scene. Delve into the city's vibrant café culture, take time out to enjoy some of the country's most talented street entertainers or simply watch the world go by while sipping a drink by the river. A city of contrasts and exciting discoveries, York is a place where the old encompasses the new and the commonplace meets with the unexpected. Broaden your mind with a visit to world class museums or a variety of festivals held throughout the year catering for all ages and interests. - John Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:22:17 +0100 http://www.talkaccommodation.com/regions/regions/england.html#comment-14 A BRIEF HISTORY OF SOUTHSEA From Wikipedia [url] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southsea[/url] for more informaiton visit the site All links are external links to Wikipedia and will open in new window Copyright (c) 2005. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License". In 1544 Henry VIII built the fort which became known as Southsea Castle. Although it would not have been called that at the time it is recorded as ‘Southsea Castle' in a map of 1724. In 1809 a new suburb began to grow. It became known as Southsea after the castle. The first houses were built for skilled workers in the 'mineral' streets (Silver Street, Nickel Street etc). Around 1810 Hampshire Terrace, Landport Terrace, King’s Terrace, Jubilee Terrace and Bellevue Terrace were built adjacent to the town walls. Nowadays they form an almost continuous road between the City Center and the beach. Southsea remained small until 1835. The area between Castle Road and Victoria Road South was built up between 1835 and 1860 as housing for middle class families. A prominent architect during this period was Thomas Ellis Owen who built properties in Kent Road, Queen’s Terrace, Sussex Terrace and Portland Terrace. By the 1860's the suburb of Southsea had grown along Clarendon Road as far as Granada Road. In 1857 Southsea gained its own Improvement Commissioners responsible for paving, cleaning and lighting the streets. After the 1870s, east of Victoria Road, there was new building in the Campbell Road / Outram Road area. As building proceeded most was put up in the cramped manner typical of much of Portsmouth, a city where space is at a premium. Much of Southsea was designed by the architect Thomas Ellis Owen. Although some of his buildings were destroyed in World War 2 and some have since been unsympathetically modernised, his work still shapes the architecture of modern Southsea. The majority of Owen's Southsea is now protected by a number of Conservation Areas or by being Listed Buildings. The Southsea beachfront is stony and has two piers: South Parade Pier and Clarence Pier; both house amusement arcades and South Parade Pier also contains a ballroom and a bar area. Clarence pier is adjacent to a permanent funfair. To commemorate the millennium a scenic walk was created which runs to Gunwharf Quays from Southsea seafront. There is a pavement route or you can just follow the blue street lamps! There are a number of miniature golf courses, a skateboard park and public grass and clay tennis courts. The D-Day museum (which holds the Overlord embroidery) is located on the seafront in Southsea, very close to Southsea castle. Cumberland House is a natural history museum, butterfly house and aquarium. The Blue Reef Aquarium is also sitated on the seafront. Throughout the summer there are regular open air concerts and events at the bandstand and on Castle Field. Southsea Common is host to a number of annual events each year including the Southsea Show, Para Spectacular, Military Vehicle Show and Kite Festival. Just off the seafront is Southsea Model Village which is a 1/12th scale model village with forty miniature buildings, houses, forts, castles and a miniature railway. It was opened in 1956 on the site of a Victorian fort. Another part of the fort has been converted into Southsea Rose Garden. Canoe Lake is the last remnant of an area of marsh and open water known as the Great Morass, drained in 1886, which much of Southsea now sits on. The lake is topped up from the sea by opening a sluice at high tide. Crabs and fish find their way in, and attract fisherkids equipped with a piece of bacon on a string. When undisturbed there are regularly Swan and Mallard, with less frequent visits from Tufted Duck, Mediterranean Gull, Cormorant and Little Grebe. In summer pedalos can be rented on the Lake and Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team meet there regularly at weekends renact dramatic sea battles. Towards the eastern end of the seafront is the Royal Marines Museum. Southsea Parish Council was created in 1999 following a successful submission to the UK Government under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997. The parish council later became the Southsea Town Council. The existence of the town council has been controversial from the outset. The initial creation of the town council was opposed by Portsmouth city council. There has been a long standing campaign to disband the town council. In a poll of local residents in February 2005, 56% voted to abolish it. Southsea Town Council continues to operate although its future is uncertain. The town council has limited powers and a small budget funded by the local precpit. It campaigns on local issues, seeking to influence the unitary authority Portsmouth City Council, it makes awards of funds to local causes and funds infrastructure improvements in the local area. It has an office in Southsea. Portsea is a small island on the south coast of England. Most of the city of Portsmouth is located on the island. It is very flat and low lying. To the east lies Langstone Harbour, and to the west is Portsmouth Harbour. To the south it faces into the Solent. A small channel separates the island from the mainland, Great Britain. There are ferries to Gosport, Hayling Island and the Isle of Wight. There are seven bridges. A small bridge joins it to Whale Island. - John Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:27:18 +0100 http://www.talkaccommodation.com/regions/regions/england.html#comment-13 1. The legend of St Swithun originates in Winchester - according to the legend, the saint's remains were moved against his dying wishes from their final resting place in the grounds of the cathedral to the inner sanctum, whereupon it proceeded to rain for 40 days as a sign of his displeasure. Now, if it rains on the saint's day (15th July), it is said to herald another 39 days of rain! 2. The Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time potting shed is located at Sparsholt College, just outside of Winchester. Sparsholt is also one of the few regular venues in the UK for lawnmower racing. 3. Marwell Wildlife is the only place in the UK where you can see the Coquerels Mouse Lemur and the Dorcas Gazelle. It also has some of the world's rarest big cats including the Amur leopard and the snow leopard, and one of the smallest - the enchanting sand cat. Visitors can stay at the adjacent Marwell Hotel - a unique safari-style building in a woodland setting. 4. Feast your eyes on the spectacular Avenue of Limes at charming 17th century Lainston House. Measured at 9/10ths of a mile, it is the longest line of limes in England, with trees dating back as far as 1716. Guests staying at the hotel can enjoy a truly English weekend with croquet on the lawn, fishing on the River Test and clay pigeon shooting. 5. Despite Winchester's association with King Alfred, no one has ever found his remains. Thanks to excavations at the end of the 1990s, the location of a medieval abbey church was identified at Hyde, situated on the northern outskirts of the city, and this was found to be the last known resting place of Alfred the Great. Kim Wilkie, one of the foremost landscape architects in the UK, has designed a contemporary garden to mark the site. Sadly, the bodies of Alfred, his Queen and his son which were buried here have still not been found... 6. Winchester College is believed to be the oldest continuously running school in the country. During the spring term, the boys play a unique version of football, Winkies (shorthand for Winchester College Football). 7. Expand your mind! Back in 1850 England's first public library was established in Winchester in part of the former city gaol. 8. Winchester is fast growing a reputation for the quality of its local produce, and plays host to the largest farmers' market in the UK, which is popular with the likes of Rick Stein. The nearby market town of Alresford is the watercress capital of the UK, and local rivers are renowned for their excellent trout. Why not surprise your taste buds with tea at the Cathedral Café - voted one of the UK's top tearooms by The Times. Winchester is home to a host of award-winning gastro-pubs and restaurants located throughout the district. 9. Despite its rich heritage, Winchester's love affair with the modern is apparent across the city. Peter Freeman's Luminous Motion sculpture is positioned in the cathedral square. Visitors can select the colour of the small pulsing lights on the tower by texting 07980 732147 with their choice from options such as Lightdancer, Breathe, Radiance and Eyepop. Antony Gormley's Sound II sits in the cathedral's crypt and works by Elisabeth Frink and Barbara Hepworth are featured throughout the city. 10. From the late 18th century, Winchester was the leading medical centre outside London - one of the reasons Jane Austen moved here from her nearby home at Chawton in 1817. She was laid to rest in Winchester Cathedral upon her death, following a brief residence in College Street. 11. Experience spooky happenings at the Theatre Royal, which is said to have two resident ghosts, one who is believed to be John Simpkins, one of the original founders who converted the Market Hotel into the Theatre Royal in 1913. If you are after some light relief, check out the regular comedy night bills at the recently renovated venue. 12. During World War Two, what is now the West Downs Performing Arts and Conference Centre at University of Winchester, but was then a public boys' school, was closed down and used as a base from which to co-ordinate plans for D-Day. Churchill and Eisenhower also met at nearby Southwick House while planning the invasion. Churchill's War Cabinet took up residence in a special train in the long siding at Droxford Station for several days whilst final preparations for the landings were being made. You can still see the D-Day map in the Map Room at Southwick House. 13. The village of Hambledon, just outside of Winchester, is the birthplace of cricket. At Broadha'penny Down a cricket club was formed in the 1760s and this is where the rules of the game as it is known throughout the world today were first established. The Bat and Ball pub has stood opposite the cricket ground since the club was formed and has a wealth of memorabilia. 14. Boutique hotel chain Hotel du Vin originated in Winchester. Founders Robin Hutson and Gerard Basset opened the doors to the Winchester hotel to widespread acclaim in 1994, and still live in the city. 15. Winchester doesn't like to blow its own trumpet, but the City Museum houses Winchester city's original Moot Horn. Made in Winchester in the late 12th century, records show the horn was still being blown at city functions and meetings throughout the 18th century. A replica is blown at a variety of formal functions today. 16. Fort Nelson, on Portsdown Hill, near Fareham, is not actually named after the famous Admiral, but his monument - the original 'Nelson's column'. Built in 1807 and still standing next to the Fort, it pre-dates its more famous counterpart - in Trafalgar Square - by 36 years. The bricks used to build Fort Nelson, called 'Fareham Reds', are exactly the same as those used to build the Royal Albert Hall - there were 10 million bricks used in the construction of the fort. (Both buildings were completed in 1871.) 17. Winchester has a strong affinity with British military history. The Royal Green Jackets Museum has 34 Victoria Crosses on display - more than in any other public museum in the UK. Since the institution of the VC in 1856, The Royal Green Jackets have been awarded more (59) than any other regiment in the British Army. The 150th anniversary of the VC will be marked in 2006 with a special exhibition in July and August entitled Focus on Courage: The 59 Victoria Crosses of The Royal Green Jackets, which will be accompanied by a book of the same name. 18. Much of Winchester's shopping affords a specialised and individual service. Visitors can see highly-skilled goldsmiths at work at Jeremy France Jewellers at the top of the High Street, or order tailor-made items for the home at Forme on Parchment Street, where centuries-old Italian artistry is brought together with the latest trends in modern design. 19. John Keats wrote his ode 'To Autumn' during a stay in Winchester in 1819, taking his inspiration from his daily walk past the cathedral and college and through the water meadows. Visitors can follow a self-guided walk in the poet's footsteps. 20. Diver William Walker spent six years toiling below the walls of the cathedral in a bid to replace the foundations. Engineer Francis Fox realised that this was the only way to stop the imminent collapse of the cathedral. It is Walker however who is immortalised in brass and who is commemorated annually at Winchester's patronal festival as the man who 'saved the cathedral with his own hands'. - John Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:50:57 +0100 http://www.talkaccommodation.com/regions/regions/england.html#comment-12 Portsmouth is an island city on the coast of Southern England, and because of its sheltered location (The Isle of Wight protects it from the winds of the South and Portsdown hill protect it from the North). The weather is milder than other parts of England. The average daily temperature is 20°C during the summer months, falling to 12°C in winter. Rainfall is lower than the national average and snow is very rare the last big fall being 1982. Portsmouth has daily Ferry crossings to Europe, France, Spain, Jersey and Guernsey. Crossings to the Isle of Wight are ever 30 minutes or so depending on how you want to go. The car ferry runs every 30 minutes, the catamaran runs every 20 and the Hovercraft runs every 15 minutes. The Solent has a reputation as one of the Worlds most popular sailing venues. During August each year you can see the boats racing during Cowes’s week from the sea front at Southsea. Global Challenge 2004/2005 left from Portsmouth on Sunday 3rd October 2004, 12 identical 72ft ocean racing yachts sailed from Portsmouth. They will finish at Portsmouth on the 17th July 2005. If you like sailing you will love Portsmouth. With its historic ships, castles, forts and museums, you can explore the heritage of Maritime England. At Portsmouth's Royal Dockyard - home of the Royal Navy for centuries displays three famous ships from the history of sea warfare. In 1545 Henry VIII's flagship the 'Mary Rose' sank before his eyes in Portsmouth Harbour on its way to fight the French. It was recovered from the seabed in 1982 and now you can see her for yourself at the Historic Dockyard as well as HMS Victory the flagship of Lord Nelson, see the spot where Nelson died. The Dockyard is also home to HMS Warrior, The Royal Naval Museum, the Dockyard Apprentice Exhibition and Action Stations. From the Seafront in Southsea you can walk along the Millennium path, which takes you around Old Portsmouth and its fishing port, along to Gunwharf Quays where the old and the new come together. You can shop at over 85 designer outlets, eat at one of 20 or so bars & restaurants, or go to the cinema. Other attractions in Portsmouth include Henry VIII Castle, Charles Dickens Birthplace, The Round Towers, D-Day Museum, The Pyramids, Fort Nelson, Royal Marines Museum, The Submarine museum, Portchester castle, Port Solent, Continental Ferries, and many more. Look at our listing and book a room [url]http://www.talkaccommodation.com/Details/Pembroke-Park-Hotel.html[/url] - John Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:39:25 +0100