Things to do in England when you're Ed[ward]

[CedB]

4 hours ago, Beard said:

If you're in Kent, I recommend Dover Castle and Western Heights (you can walk from there to the BoB memorial in Capel and see lots of fortifications - some of which you can explore, if you can climb a fence) and the BoB Museum at Hawkinge.

 

4 hours ago, FalkeEins said:

..and we're only a short distance from Headcorn airfield, home to 'Aero-Legends' - ' the premier provider of vintage flight experiences..in genuine uncontrolled Battle of Britain airspace..'. There are Spitfires over-head all day every day throughout the summer..

Hawkinge and BoB Memorial on the list, Headcorn added - thanks chaps.

 

4 hours ago, 06/24 said:

Scotland

Er… they're only here for a few days Jon and we're already trying to cover most airfields!  

 

2 hours ago, Paul821 said:

If the above is your starting  list, then I would support IWM Duxford as mentioned above),, and assuming you have a car the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial at Maddingley is very close. I could suggest a long list of other sites in East Anglia - but one word of warning, many tourist attraction in the UK close from October - March. This is especially true regarding many of the smaller aviation museums.

Good warning Paul… I'd better do more research.

 

50 minutes ago, gamevender said:

If you go to Duxford, there's a pub in nearby Cambridge called "the Eagle". Been there forever. The back room, which is the original part of the pub, is where a lot of the flyers from the surrounding air bases in East Anglia hung out. It's got all sorts of aviation memorabilia on the walls and the best part is that the flyers would write their names/units on the ceiling with their lighters. It's been varnished over to "preserve" it and the varnish has darkened, but it is still very readable. There's even a map of the ceiling telling you what's where. As I recall it's a free house, which means it's not tied to any one brewery, so you can get an assortment of good real ales. It's kind of hidden away on a side street, so look it up on the interweb for directions. Oddly in today's world, they do not have their own web site, you have to go on other sites that refer to it.  

 

Thanks - found an article here (with pictures) - added!

 

Wow, what a list! Im trying to keep track on Google maps and will check opening times.

Thanks guys!

[Procopius]

8 hours ago, malpaso said:

Hmmm that sounds a bit Daily Mail - Vera Lynn -faux memory meaning, but we'll let you off, given your current domicile. 

I'm sure you didn't intend for this to be as insulting as I found it.

 

4 hours ago, Beard said:

If you're in Kent, I recommend Dover Castle and Western Heights (you can walk from there to the BoB memorial in Capel and see lots of fortifications - some of which you can explore, if you can climb a fence) and the BoB Museum at Hawkinge.

 

It looks like the museum will close for the season prior to any anticipated landing date (but duly noted for when I remain in the country illegally), as @Paul821 has warned, unfortunately.

 

1 hour ago, gamevender said:

If you go to Duxford, there's a pub in nearby Cambridge called "the Eagle". Been there forever. The back room, which is the original part of the pub, is where a lot of the flyers from the surrounding air bases in East Anglia hung out. It's got all sorts of aviation memorabilia on the walls and the best part is that the flyers would write their names/units on the ceiling with their lighters. It's been varnished over to "preserve" it and the varnish has darkened, but it is still very readable. There's even a map of the ceiling telling you what's where. As I recall it's a free house, which means it's not tied to any one brewery, so you can get an assortment of good real ales. It's kind of hidden away on a side street, so look it up on the interweb for directions. Oddly in today's world, they do not have their own web site, you have to go on other sites that refer to it.  

Oh wow, that's definitely on the list. Seems like a perfect lunch stop when visiting Duxford.

 

4 hours ago, 06/24 said:

Scotland

I mean, I'm not averse, but I only have so many vacation days. Mrs P has fond memories of Scotland from a student trip in college and wants to return and see what it's like when sober, so that may be a possible family destination within the next ten years (or less, depending on our finances).

 

6 hours ago, Avereda said:

If you do end up visiting the Old Sarum airfield let me know and I might be able to arrange a small extra for you.

Intriguing!

 

Is there much to see at Old Buckenham, does anyone know? My great-uncle flew B-24Hs with the 453rd Bomb Group out of there in 1944. 

[bootneck]

If you do chance to come to the South West, for the Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovilton, then another aviation must is the International Helicopter Museum.  I work (volunteer) there and I could give you a tour.

 

Mike

[Procopius]

4 minutes ago, bootneck said:

If you do chance to come to the South West, for the Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovilton, then another aviation must is the International Helicopter Museum.  I work (volunteer) there and I could give you a tour.

 

Over a hundred helicopters! That sounds like a good one. 

[Beard]

33 minutes ago, Procopius said:

It looks like the museum will close for the season prior to any anticipated landing date

It might be worth contacting them to see if you could get in, seeing as you'll have come such a long way.

[Heather Kay]

1 hour ago, CedB said:

Hawkinge and BoB Memorial on the list

Hawkinge may well be closed for the winter. They tend to close at the end of October and then work on maintenance and stuff until March.

 

It’s very well worth the visit if you can get there during the summer months, though.

[Edge]

5 hours ago, Whofan said:

Warwick?

 

Hmmm, last time I was their it seemed a bit theme parky.

 

Blenheim, or Chatsworth, perhaps on the culture side.

Have to agree. Warwick is, unfortunately very theme park and costs about the same.

Nearby is Kenilworth, slightly more delapidated but I feel much better for it. Stratford Upon Avon is nearby as is the Corswolds and good road network to just about anywhere, inc Telfiord.

 

Edge

 

[06/24]

47 minutes ago, Procopius said:

 

Is there much to see at Old Buckenham, does anyone know? My great-uncle flew B-24Hs with the 453rd Bomb Group out of there in 1944. 

Even if there’s nothing to see feels like an appropriate place to fit in if you can

[Mr T]

YAM is worth seeing if you are in Yorkshire, but is a bit of a trek otherwise. Distances in the UK can be deceptive, especially once you have come off the motorway (freeway) system as most country roads still follow medieval field boundaries and by US standards tend to be narrow and guess where most airfields are. BTW the BBMF is at Coningsby and the trip round is interrupted by the roar of Typhoons taking of and landing. The village church also has one of the earliest mechanical clocks in the country that still works from the early 1600's. The reasons most of the small museums shut in winter is because UK winters tend not only to be coldish (I know temps might look better than US), but there often is not a lot of sun around and it is damp and they cannot afford a lot of heating. If passing through you are welcome to visit as we are off two motorways. 

Edited November 30, 2018 by Mr T

[Procopius]

19 minutes ago, Mr T said:

UK winters tend not only to be coldish (I know temps might look better than US)

They do. Work had to start two hours late this morning due to an ice storm.

[Paul821]

1 hour ago, Procopius said:

Is there much to see at Old Buckenham, does anyone know?

Still an active airfield and has a museum devoted to the 453rd.

 

Bit our of the way but adding to recommended cathedrals - Norwich is close by. Also what I think is one of the most under rated aviation museums "The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum" but only open Tuesdays Wednesdays and Sundays in the winter.

 

As I hinted in my first reply Norfolk / Suffolk / Essex (East Anglia) are the go to locations if you are interested in the 8th and 9th Air Forces. See http://www.8theast.org  for ideas

 

 

[Procopius]

1 minute ago, Paul821 said:

Also what I think is one of the most under rated aviation museums "The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum" but only open Tuesdays Wednesdays and Sundays in the winter.

Yes, Ced had mentioned that one to me, and I must say, it looks really good. A great-looking selection of very cool airframes.

[malpaso]

I amended my earlier post as I realised it had come across badly.

Has anyone mentioned Tangmere?    It has a good collection of documents and a very interesting sort-of-as-found hurricane wreck.  It should be open around SMW time.

Solent Sky as noted is a good collection, unfortunately it’s a bit tatty at the moment, rain was dripping onto the Tiger Moth when I visited recently.  It needs a good refurb but I’m not sure the City council has any interest in anything other than Titanic nowadays.

Middle Wallop is well worthwhile, it’s closed for refurbishment at the moment, due to reopen in the spring.  Hopefully with lights!

Not sure what other places grab your fancy as you seem interested in English history to some way back, not just planes.

Cheers

Will

[lasermonkey]

8 hours ago, Max Headroom said:

‘Beachy Head’ by Veronica Falls (2011). There’s a video on YouTube- not linked it as I can’t listen to it first to check content but it doesn’t look particularly cheerful!

 

As for British things going out for a country pub lunch has got to be something to do.

 

Trevor 

Veronica Falls! I saw them supporting Teenage Fanclub a few years ago. Thoroughly enjoyed their set.

[JasonC]

Outside of Bath, I'd second Yeovilton and the Tank Museum as worthwhile day trips. Aerospace Bristol is well worth a visit: Concorde plus a selection of Bristol linked exhibits (Bristol Fighter, Harrier, Bloodhound, Beaufighter nose section, etc). The Jet Age Museum up near Gloucester also has a nice (albeit small) collection and is a decent place to spend a couple of hours. Even has an original Hurricane replica, circa 1969.

 

Inside of Bath, It'd be a pleasure to conduct a tour of the Green Tree, Star, Raven, et al.

 

Edit: Would also agree with Tangemere as a great little museum. Their replica of K5054 is immaculate.

 

Jason

[Aeronut]

Quote

Middle Wallop is well worthwhile, it’s closed for refurbishment at the moment, due to reopen in the spring.  Hopefully with lights!

Well seeing as part of the refurbishment is a total rewiring of the museum with LED lighting everywhere, you should be happy.

The lighting you may be less happy with will be the lightshow projected onto the line up of Attack helicopters consisting Scout, A109, UH1, AH1 Cobra, Lynx Mk7 and Apache (if this last one isn't there for the reopening there will be a space left for it, - the museum is being gifted one which is currently a Wattisham hangar queen).

Although currently closed when it reopens in April 2019 it will be renamed 'The Army Flying Museum - No I don't know why.

[607TSR2]

Durham cathedral  is impossible to over-rate.

[azureglo]

Does Edward do Art  (as in galleries) by any chance?

[jaw]

I am a guide at Tangmere (near Chichester), so if you were able to get there on a Monday I would be happy to show you around. The Museum is open daily from 10 till 5 (4.30 in  November).

 

John

[Gorby]

On 08/12/2018 at 23:11, 607TSR2 said:

Durham cathedral  is impossible to over-rate.

In a recent, very exclusive survey (that's just me then) 100% of those asked (still just me) thought Durham cathedral was overrated, so apparently it is possible. Who'd have guessed? Admittedly 82.3% of all statistics are made up. I think that's right, I'll have to check that with my mate Steve at the pub.

 

It may not have helped that when I visited there was more scaffolding on the outside than cathedral, but having visited most English cathedrals (yes I am an odd atheist) I'm not convinced Durham would be in my top ten. Yes there are spectacular parts, but I was underwhelmed by the building as a whole. It also probably didn't help that a vicar I was talking to a few years ago, referred to it as 'the most beautiful building in Britain', so I was expecting something mind blowing. Bit of a let down.

 

Please check back at my original post, I said 'in my opinion'. You're allowed to say pretty much anything if you add 'in my opinion' (in my opinion).

 

But that's just my opinion.

[bentwaters81tfw]

On 30/11/2018 at 16:34, Paul821 said:

Still an active airfield and has a museum devoted to the 453rd.

 

Bit our of the way but adding to recommended cathedrals - Norwich is close by. Also what I think is one of the most under rated aviation museums "The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum" but only open Tuesdays Wednesdays and Sundays in the winter.

 

As I hinted in my first reply Norfolk / Suffolk / Essex (East Anglia) are the go to locations if you are interested in the 8th and 9th Air Forces. See http://www.8theast.org  for ideas

 

 

If you are doing Old Buck and Flixton, then check if Thorpe Abbots is open (they will open on request for vets) Home of the 'Bloody Hundredth' It's just a few miles along the A 143 from Flixton (excellent pub there owned by the museum owners)

 

8theast are not popular with the museums locally. A bunch of jobsworths with funding. They were not historians, and asked for info from many local airfield museums, but had no real interest in what the staff and locals had to say. They held an exhibition 2 years back. We offered them models to display. Not even a reply.

[Procopius]

14 hours ago, azureglo said:

Does Edward do Art  (as in galleries) by any chance?

I'm halfway to being a philistine; I like art (Mondrian is a personal favourite) the way I like music: I generally prefer to just see a picture or listen to the album rather than have to deal with crowds. It doesn't help that the Art Institute of Chicago gouges one mercilessly.

[perdu]

Eduardo do consider, if you fancy a little religion, visiting Worcester cathedral

This amazing place allows you to pass time at King John's tomb, yes him!

 

I didn't even know it was there 'til a casual visit last month, totally impressive place

[Procopius]

13 minutes ago, perdu said:

Eduardo do consider, if you fancy a little religion, visiting Worcester cathedral

This amazing place allows you to pass time at King John's tomb, yes him!

 

I didn't even know it was there 'til a casual visit last month, totally impressive place

But are its spires as tall as Salisbury's? A Russian gentleman told me that they're the tallest in England and not to be missed.

[snowen250]

Far south I know, but if you fancy a visit to a proper fairytale English castle then I heartily recommend Bodiam in East Sussex. Not far from Headcorn and also close to Tunbridge Wells, which has the superb Aviation Bookshop. A shop I know you will find both excellent and potentially expensive. and fear not my colonial visitors, they can post stuff back for you at very reasonable rates.

 

They also sell second hand models. 1/72 stuff is always especially cheap.