The Winter Sea

Slains Castle built circa 1664

I have read The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley twice in the last three years.  It was Ms. Kearsley description of the North Sea coastline of Scotland, Cruden Bay and Slains Castle that had me planning a trip to Aberdeen, Scotland. The story is about a current day author writing a story about the 1708 Jacobite uprising and the unsuccessful landing of King James back into Scotland. The novel switches from past to present flawlessly.

I fell in love with the detail description of the castle, the ruins and the Scottish coastline.

My Visit to Slains Castle

Looking south to Cruden's bay

Cruden Bay - Harbor Street

Dunnottar... Done

After reading a few novels, one called The Winter Sea, all set in the Northeastern coast of Scotland I dreamed of visiting. One of my favorite stops was Dunnottar Castle on the cliff coastline of the NorthSea in Stonehaven, Scotland.  The stone castle was built by Sir William Keith in 1390.  The castle is rich in history and is said to be be built on consecrated ground.  The Scottish Crown Jewels were held at Dunnottar. Mary Queen of Scotts, Oliver Cromwell and the Jacobite uprising are just a few people and events that are associated with Dunnottar Castle.

The day we visited the Scottish Lords were smiling down with sunshine.  It was stunningly beautiful.

Original stone floor circa 1400

Looking out from Dunnottar to the North Sea

Dunnotter Done and Didn't Disappoint!

Now Entering Scotland

Early English novels had many fair maidens traveling across the border into Scotland to elope with their true love.  In Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, Lidia is said to have gone to Gretna Green to elope with Wickham,  Gretna Green is just over the English border and historically the first village in Scotland. 

According to Wikipedia "in the 1770s Scottish law allowed for "irregular marriages", meaning that if a declaration was made before two witnesses, almost anybody had the authority to conduct the marriage ceremony. The blacksmiths in Gretna became known as "anvil priests", culminating with Richard Rennison, who performed 5,147 ceremonies. The local blacksmith and his anvil became lasting symbols of Gretna Green weddings."

 

How romantic... Not a shot gun wedding but a Blacksmith wedding.

Now we are entering Scotland....the the GAMES begin!

The Romans are coming...

Let's start with a short history lesson....

Old Roman Fort

In 55 B.C. Julius Cesar, Roman military general, invaded Britannia for the first time and by 43 B.C. Britain was under the Roman Empire and would remain under Roman occupation for the next 350 years.  In 122 A.D. the emperor Hadrian commanded that a wall be built as a defensive fortification on the northern most boundary of the  Roman Empire.  It became known as Hadrian's Wall, it runs 73 miles across northern England, from the North Sea to the Irish Sea.  Today it is the largest Roman artifact anywhere.



 Due to the fact that England was under Roman rule for almost 400 years one can still visit the ruins of Roman forts throughout England today.

I love history and I love ruins...

Old Roman Fort - Bath House - Northumberland National Park

Hadrian's Wall -  only 1,896 years old....Standing on History !

Bronte Country - An English Adventure

"If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad." 

Jane Austen from her novel Northanger Abbey.

We I last left off we were deep in Dracula Country, which I am grateful to have left as our next adventure took us to Bronte Country.  While I am a Jane Austen fan I do like to change it up a bit and read a Bronte novel. By that I mean, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.  I am not a big fan of Wuthering Heights by her sister Emily, nor her sister Anne's novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Charlotte Bronte completed four novels, Anne wrote two and Emily just one.  by far my favorite it Jane Eyre and as I have read it many times, watched the different movie adaptations I longed to see the moors of which she describes. 

Finally I was in Bronte Country...

Ron and I took a step back in time and visited the Parsonage Museum in Haworth, England; the home of the Bronte family from 1820 -1860.  Charlotte's father became the curate for the church in 1820 and the family moved to the parsonage. Today the parsonage holds much of the original Bronte household items as well as manuscripts, journal and photos. I loved everything about Haworth and the surrounding countryside. 

What is not to love about Bronte Country...Nothing 

Always Looking for an Adventure - UK

"If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad." 

Jane Austen from her novel Northanger Abbey.

I have taken this quote to heart and have found adventures all over the world.  For me it is not just to travel and check of a visited this state or that country list but it is to immerse myself in the culture and to mingle with those around me. Having moved back to the United States a little over a year ago after living in Asia for the pervious eight years I was feeling the need for a little adventure.  Whilst, using my proper English, thinking about where to go I decided to fulfill one of my life long dreams of visit the United Kingdom.  The first proper English novel I remember reading was Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.  I must have been around 14 years old. It was that book that started my love affair with the Regency English period, 1810-1820.  Since then I have branched out into all things English, except music!  It was just a few months ago I listened to forty-six lectures on the Stuart and Tudor lines in English history.  My favorite shows are on the BBC channels and my novels of choice are usually all set England or Scotland!  So it was no big surprise to my husband of where I was planning our next adventure.  August 1st - August 22nd we were going on a road trip through-out the country side of England, Scotland and Wales.  Places I had read about and had dreamed about visiting since I was fourteen.

Dover Dover - send Heidi right over! 

Dover Castle looking over to France

White Cliffs of Dover

Our first stop was to visit the Kent area and to see the famous White Cliffs of Dover.  Looking out over the English Channel we could see Calais, France.  We ate fish and chips, the first of many on this trip, while looking out on the English Channel and asking ourselves why anyone would want to swim it- we didn't! 

Canterbury Tales

Canterbury was the first cathedral we visited.  It was the place where Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in December 1170.  The cathedral is a stunning edifice and truly a work of craftsmanship which was started in 1066.

Dracula By Day

Moving up the coast we visited the little coastal town of Whitby, England home of setting for Dracula.  The port town was quaint and enjoyed the best fish n chips I have ever tasted! Neither Ron or I had read the novel so we quickly download it, thank you online library, and started listening.  About half way through I am saying out loud to the speaker - just get the stake and kill the thing!  I found the novel to be a bid boring and repetitive - so much for my GOTH side.

This adventure has been amazing....and a trip not soon to be forgotten!

It's all about FAMILY

"Family - where life begins and love never ends"

This quote is written on the tile sitting under my family photo on my entry wall.  I am reminded how important family is each time I pass it.  My recent adventures overseas have taken me to the United Kingdom: England, Scotland and Wales.  Having spent a little more then three weeks driving the countryside I have felt rejuvenated and my soul has been lifted.  I have connected with my English and Scottish roots and have a deepening sense of from whence my ancestors came.  I marvel at their unique individual stories and the decisions they made to leave home and family and to immigrate into America for a better life. I am eternally grateful for their courage and strength to brave a new beginning.

"Family, where life begins and love never ends."

Henry Joseph Walk
1854-1930
My 2nd Great Grandfather

1A Addington Street
Margate, Kent, England

While southeastern part of England I located the birth home of my great great grandfather, Henry Joseph Walk. It may not have been painted the blue color but it is still standing in Margate, England.


Just being in front of this home gave me a profound sense of family and belonging to something bigger then myself.

Harriet Ann Franklin Walk
My 3rd great Grandmother

Cemetery Margate England 

I as surprised at the emotion that I felt just standing on the street taking a few photographs.  I walked around the block a few times and noticed that most of the buildings standing would have been right there in 1854 when he was born.

 I found the abandoned cemetery where I believe his parents were buried, according to records that I have.  It was just sad to see it gated, locked and in such a state of ruin.



How I would have love to have gone in and searched for the headstones of my great great great grandparents, pictured on the left, and cleaned them as a sign of respect to - but unfortunately I was unable to locate someone who could help me get in. Cemeteries are a haven of peace and belonging for me, they tell stories and help us to connect with the past.

While in Scotland I was unable to locate the exact addresses of my Hamilton ancestors but I was able to get street photos of the buildings that they would have lived in.

David James Hamilton was married to Ellen Riddel in Paisley, Renfrewshire Scotland on February 18, 1858.  The marriage was registered in the Paisley  Abbey, which was built around 1163.

Connecting with the past gives me a wonderful sense of belonging to my family even if I have never met them and death separates us, because family love never ends.