Mysterious Gargoyles

They come in many different shapes, forms and sizes and are believed to have originated in France during the 12th century; however, a lion mask on the Acropolis in Athens dating from the 4th century indicates a much earlier history. In any event, strange and mysterious gargoyles can still be seen perched strategically on the corners of buildings as rainwater gushes from their mouths. Some sculptures resemble half man, half beast creatures with grotesque features that must have scared the ancients into believing these very beasts warded off evil spirits.

As I researched my book Extraordinary Places…Close to London I came across many strange sculptures in various churches and important buildings. For instance, in the village of Thaxted in the county of Essex there is a variety of sculptured faces in the church of St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and St. Lawrence.

Following is an excerpt from Extraordinary Places…Close to London (Thaxted, Essex.)

The church is quite exquisite and still dominates the town. It has been described as one of the most beautiful and architecturally pleasing in the country. The foundations were laid and work began on the church in 1340 but it was completed until 1510. No one knows for sure who the original benefactors of the church were but the Cutlers, townspeople and the House of Clare who owned the Manor are all thought to be instrumental in its construction. The influential family of the House of Clare had connections to the Crown, so it is assumed that royalty also contributed to the initial funds.

The walls of St. John the Baptist Church are made of flint with decorations in limestone. The roofs are constructed of lead with the exception of the tiled north and south porch chambers. During construction of the church the artisans were asked to carve their own likeness in the rafters. Some have portrayed themselves with smiling faces, others are quite grim but yet some have shown a sense of humor by poking their tongues out. There are various ancient chests around the church holding age-old linens that are still used during services. The splendid organ used by Holst as he composed The Planets Suite and some of his other works sits quietly against a wall in the church.

It is believed the famous St. Thomas of Beckett, who was killed at Canterbury Cathedral on orders of King Henry II, was interred under the floor of the church.

Amber Lodge Hotel, Norfolk

If you are looking for a great place to stay while touring in Norfolk, why not use the Amber Lodge Hotel as your base? Pride of ownership shows in this ten bedroom hotel, all with bathrooms on suite. It has about four acres of well maintained gardens with beautiful flowers and shrubs, plus a large patio. There is also ample parking accommodations.

Located about one mile from the center of Acle, the hotel is midway between Norwich and Great Yarmouth on the A47, and is therefore idealy suited for all sightseeing adventures.

The owners operate the hotel and it shows! Service is good and so was the food. A full English breakfast is offered and is included in the cost of the room. An evening meal is also offered to guests and there is a wellstocked hotel bar that opens to a large patio.

Amber Lodge
South Walsham
Acle, Norwich, NR13 3ES, United Kingdom+44 1493 750377

http://www.amberlodgeacle.com/

Room Prices
All prices are per room, per night (not per person) and inclusive of VAT
£55 - Single room£70 - Double room
£75 - Twin room
£85 - Luxury king-sized room (with Jacuzzi bath)
£85 - Family room (double bed & bunk bed)

The Thameside Mummers

An excerpt from Christmas Past in Essex (ISBN 9780752444635) by Elizabeth Wallace.

Richard Peacock and Derek Oliver both members of the “Fabulous” Thameside Mummers describe how the group collects stories and maintains the tradition of Mumming plays.

“Plays have been discovered from villages all over England, mostly collected by local gentry or churchmen and written in their diaries or books of ‘local customs’ the tradition even reached Wales where the Mari Llwyd (Grey Mare) and her entourage would visit homes and perform a ritual song/play in return for food.

The villagers would perform their play but once each year, the parts being handed down from father to son; the costumes would be a suit of rags, with each character being introduced by the wording of the play ‘In come I…., or by a ‘calling-on’ song. These rags would be simple and cheap to produce but would also hide the ‘real’ identity of the performer, important if the play included some line, or ad-lib, critical of the church or the local gentry. For this reason, the Mummers would frequently blacken their faces with soot to hide their identity…. The Mummers would of course perform for the Lord of the Manor and his guests, expecting (and probably receiving) a considerable amount of reciprocal entertainment from the kitchen and wine cellar. Nowadays, the remuneration tends to be in the form of cash, though a free pint or two and the occasional meals are gratefully received and faithfully consumed.”

portrait

The Mayan Temple at Coba, Mexico.

Climbing the Grand Pyramid at Cobá was a truly wonderful experience. Hiking the 120+ steps to the top and then looking over the vast expanse of what was once a huge Mayan community was the highlight of my trip. At the top, there is a small temple with a carving over the entrance. There are many theories about the origin of the effigy over the mantle, but one is that it represents a “bee god” and is associated with the planet Venus. In any event, reaching the top of the Grand Pyramid and viewing a canopy of jungle with smaller pyramids protruding above the trees was absolutely fantastic.

The site dates from 600-900 AD and is located at Quintana Roo, 120 miles south of Cancun, Mexico. It is believed that approximately 100,000 people lived in and around the area. More than 50 sacbes (ancient roads) led directly to Cobá which was obviously once a thriving city center. It is a mystery as to why Cobá was eventually deserted – one theory is that a disease decimated the Mayan civilization. Another is that the Mayans overworked the once rich soil and since the land could no longer produce a decent harvest, they moved to more fertile land to sustain their community. Either way, they left the city and it was soon overtaken by the jungle. Only a small percentage of the site has been excavated, and so we can only marvel at the actual size.

I highly recommend a visit to Cobá but suggest using a tour guide service. I was grateful of the running commentary about specific items of interest such as the bee hives (the area is known for its excellent honey) the sacrificial stones, Mayan games and the gum trees from which chewing gum originated.

For visitors with small children or who those who need a little extra help, “human taxis” are available for the 2 mile round trip. The taxis use “peddle power” and are basically a tricycle with two of the wheels and a bench seat up front. They can carry up to two adults and two children. The cost is minimal and provides a unique way to visit the site.

For more information go to here.

Victorian Elegance in Durango, Colorado

The Victorian Strater Hotel was built in 1887 in Durango, Colorado. It is an elegant hotel that combines the beauty of bygone times with the practical everyday conveniences expected by today’s visitors. There are 93 rooms each lavishly furnished with American Victorian antiques, and highly decorated ceilings with magnificent light fixtures. A visitor can sit by the fire in the lounge and then enjoy a wonderful meal in the restaurant as they listen to a medley of tunes by an excellent pianist. For more info call: 1-800-247-4431.

The Ruins of Aztec, New Mexico

The National Park Service describes The Ruins of Aztec as “Contrary to the name, these structures were not built by the Aztecs of central Mexico. The Aztecs in fact lived centuries after the building of this ancestral Pueblo community. Inspired by popular histories about Cortez’s conquest of Mexico and thinking that Aztecs built the structures, early settlers named the site Aztec. The nearby city eventually took its name from the site.”

On a recent trip to New Mexico, I took the time to visit The Ruins of Aztec. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of excavation work that had been completed and the actual size of the exhibit. It covers more than 320 acres. A visitor can meander around the site and get a real sense of the way people lived more than 700 years ago. The majority of homes were built around a huge central plaza. Some of the homes were built three stories high and comprised hundreds of homes. In the center of the plaza stood the main kiva building which is believed was used as a ceremonial chamber. Earl Morris, an archaeologist, first visited the site in 1916, and began the first excavations on the large kiva in 1921. After leaving the site for a few years, he returned in 1934 to supervise the renovations to the large kiva. It is the only reconstructed great kiva in the Southwest. It is an impressive building with a stone bench around the circular, interior walls. It has a large fire pit in the center and two open burial pits.

When Morris first saw the site, only the tops of sandstone walls were visible above the surrounding brush and trees. But now, almost one hundred years later, we can see the true extent of this magnificent community village and get a small glimpse into their lives.

Don’t miss the 24 minute documentary on the excavations and the museum. For more information go to: www.wnpa.org