A Minibreak in Tewkesbury

29 September 2014


 Located in Gloucestershire, Tewkesbury was the location of one of the most important battles during the Wars of the Roses. The entire town is frozen in 1471, so obviously I found it to be a little haven.

The Battle of Tewkesbury took place on 4 May 1471. Margaret of Anjou led her Lancastrian forces against Edward IV and the Yorkists, ending in her defeat and imprisonment. I won't go into too much detail on the battle in this post as  I also did the Battle Trail hike, so expect more on that to come! Today, Tewkesbury still celebrates the significance of the battle. Businesses and homes fly the banners of the men who fought in the battle, and the entire city is decorated in over a hundred different coats of arms! 

I stayed at the Tudor House Hotel. Located on the high street, the hotel allowed  easy access to all the sites I wanted to see, while simultaneously providing me with the beautiful country inn feel. My room overlooked the Avon, and a Full English Breakfast was included in my stay! Although my room was not located in the original 16th century building, I enjoyed our stay in this historic hotel!

Tewkesbury was a pleasantly surprising find. I was worried I would run out of things to do, but Tewkesbury actually has so much to offer! I would recommend this tiny town to anyone who enjoys a historic trip! The map below marks all our stops on my trip, but expect a post on each to come!

Happy Monday!
xoxo

A September Catch Up!

27 September 2014

As September ends and my favorite month begins, I thought it'd be the perfect time to introduce a new post series: Monthly Catch Ups! Monthly Catch Ups will be a summary of my month and what's on my mind! I still haven't figured out exactly how I want to format these, but things will fall into place as I write more and more of these posts!

Travel | Although I have spent plenty of time exploring the UK, I haven't spent any time on mainland Europe since moving to England a year ago! The summer before I moved here I got a full time job specifically to save for traveling. My masters took up a lot of time, but now that it's over I need to plan trips to the continent. Any suggestions for a good place to do a solo weekend?

Dissertation | I officially handed in my dissertation the first week of September! My finished title: The Great State Occasions of Henry VII. Although my dissertation was a LOT of work, I had fun researching Henry's state occasions. A lot of work went into each event to produce Tudor propaganda, and it made me appreciate Henry's attention to detail so much more!

Work | Since the finish of my masters, I've been able to work more hours. Currently, I'm working four days a week, and although I love my job, it doesn't qualify for a work visa. So, I'm currently on the hunt for a full time job that will allow me to stay in England past January!

Reading | I've been book crazy lately. I'm not sure if it's a side effect of finishing a masters, or the lack of wifi access I have in my new flat. Regardless, I have read some great (and not so great) books lately. To keep up to date with my reading list, friend me on Goodreads!

Autumn | Summer is officially over! Fall (or Autumn as J likes to correct me) is my favorite season, of the year! Pumpkin flavored everything, vanilla scented candles, scarves, and Halloween are some of my favorite things! I've pulled out all of my sweaters and I'm ready to cozy up under the duvet with a good book every night.


Happy Saturday!
xoxo

Autumn in Bristol

24 September 2014


Snapshots from the beginning of my favorite season!
Happy Fall (or Autumn as all the Brits like to correct me)!
xoxo

Temple Church | Bristol, England

22 September 2014

Like most places with the word 'Temple' in the title, Temple Church in Bristol was founded by the Knights Templar in the 12th century. The original building was an oval shape, similar to Temple Church in London. However, after falling into ruin, the current building was constructed in the 14th century. The church itself was built on marshy ground, resulting in the tower to lean on a 5 foot slant.

In 1778, an exorcism was performed inside the church. If there's one thing that absolutely frightens me to the core, it's exorcisms, so we'll discuss that no further. 

During World War II, Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed city in the UK due to its active harbour and airplane manufacturing company. On the 24 and 25 of November 1940, Temple Church was bombed, leaving only the exterior standing. The interior of the building is still considered unsafe, thus visitors are only allowed access to the surrounding grounds. 

Temple Church is a short walk away from Temple Meads Train Station and is perfect for a quick visit! The Gardens surrounding the church are beautiful and quiet, so bring a book and enjoy the scenery! 
Notice the slant of the tower?
Happy Monday!
xoxo

St. Nicholas' Market | Bristol, England

19 September 2014

Located in the center of Bristol's Old City is St. Nicholas Market. The market itself was established in 1743, however it is known to be the location of traders as far back as early medieval England, as it is located within the original city walls. The phrase "on the nail" originated at St. Nicholas Market, as brass pillars (or 'nails') were used to exchange payments. 

St. Nicholas Market is home to permanent  independent shops, restaurants, and stalls. However, it is also home to temporary farmers stalls and other various traveling vendors. I am a constant visitor to the market as the food is to die for. On this particular occasion though, I had decided to take a morning stroll, even before many of the stalls were open. Sometimes it's nice to enjoy the quietness of the morning before the rest of the world is functioning. The market is open from Monday to Saturday, 9:30am - 5pm. 



The St. Nicholas Market area is also the location of many TV shows, including the 2012 Doctor Who Christmas Special.

Happy Friday!
xoxo

Spending the Day Like a Tourist | Bristol, England

15 September 2014

Although I pride myself in knowing Bristol pretty well, sometimes it's nice to experience the city as a tourist would. I had been wanting to do a Sightseeing Bus Tour of Bristol for ages. I had done one of Oxford back in November and loved it. Seeing as they close for the Fall/Winter pretty soon, I decided why not take advantage of this amazing weather?

The Sightseeing Bus Tour has 20 stops, spanning over 12 miles. Student tickets are only 11 pounds, which isn't bad considering tickets in London are almost 30 pounds! Although I had seen most of the sights before, there were quite a few places I hadn't really ventured to yet (The Downs and Clifton College for example). The weather was absolutely perfect to just sit in the open top bus and enjoy Bristol's amazing sites!
Happy Monday!
xoxo