Latest news with #Anglo-Saxons
West Australian
a day ago
- West Australian
Fleetwood is more than a Fisherman's Friend
I wasn't sure what to expect from Fleetwood, a fishing town out on a limb, perched where the River Wyre meets the vast tidal waters of Morecambe Bay and the Irish Sea. But the inveterate traveller in me couldn't resist riding the tram from Blackpool to the end of the line, where the North Euston Hotel is the first of many surprises piquing my interest. A curvy grand dame with neoclassical features, it came about thanks to a partnership between two men: local landowner, politician and financier Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood and Decimus Burton, an esteemed architect who embellished many of London's royal parks and upscale streets. Peeking into the hotel (it's still operating), I walk through the kempt gardens opposite, where there's a bronze statue of Hesketh-Fleetwood, then cross to the esplanade, where plaques and information boards convey the story of this Lancashire outpost, from its ancient history — think Romans, Vikings, Anglo-Saxons — to the creation in 1841 of Fleetwood, one of England's first planned Victorian towns. A liberal-minded gent, Hesketh-Fleetwood envisaged this as a holiday resort for the working class of the north of England. The seeds were planted in his mind when he visited St Leonards-on-Sea, a new resort that Burton had conjured next to Hastings, a fishing town on England's south coast. At the tip of the Fylde peninsula, Fleetwood was fashioned during the advent of the railways and linked by a new line to London via Preston, for whom Hesketh-Fleetwood was a member of parliament. For a brief period in the 1840s, with Britain's west coast mainline not yet completed, Fleetwood became a popular spot for those travelling between England and Scotland. Passengers would come by boat from Scottish ports, stay at the North Euston Hotel, then catch an onward train to London. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert called by in 1847 on their return journey south from Balmoral, their royal retreat in Scotland (Her Majesty gave Hesketh-Fleetwood her white gloves as a gift). Heavily in debt from building the town and its railway, Fleetwood's founder suffered a hammer blow in the 1850s when direct trains started linking Glasgow with London Euston, leaving Fleetwood bypassed. To add salt to the wound, Blackpool was emerging as the premier resort on the Lancashire coast — a crown that, despite many ups and downs, it still holds. While I do love a bit of Blackpool, Fleetwood has its own, sleepier charms. You could walk for ages in peace by the briny waterfront, go crabbing at the boating lake, bag some fish and chips and lay down a blanket by the sand dunes or in the esplanade gardens sloping by the Mount, a hilltop pavilion and events venue from which Fleetwood's first residential streets fanned out. When the tide is favourable, you can board a 10-minute foot ferry across the Wyre estuary to Knott End, a quiet village with its own promenade and pubs. I stick to Fleetwood, admiring other works by Decimus Burton, including two lighthouses he built to aid vessels navigating the bay's treacherous sandbanks. The tallest, the Pharos, a red sandstone tower looming almost 30m above today's parked cars, took inspiration from the ancient lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt. I see more of Burton's legacy, including Queen's Terrace, a row of neoclassical houses, where both the architect and Hesketh-Fleetwood lived for a time. Now divided into offices and flats, the terrace neighbours the former Customs House, also designed by Burton and repurposed as the Fleetwood Museum. Well worth the £4 ($8.30) entrance fee, it chronicles the ebbs and flows of a town that developed a more industrial edge, with its expanding port thronging with fishing vessels, shipyards and docks, where cargo from across the globe — Caribbean sugar, Californian grain, Baltic timber and flax — would be unloaded. Maritime exhibits, from fishing nets to models of ocean-going trawlers, dominate the museum. One gallery is dedicated to Fisherman's Friend. Created in 1865 by a Fleetwood pharmacist, James Lofthouse, it fused menthol, eucalyptus and liquorice, helping to soothe the ailments of local mariners who would angle for shrimp and cockles in the bay and go further offshore, fishing in the harsh and frigid North Atlantic waters around Iceland and Greenland. More than five billion of these lozenges are still produced annually in Fleetwood with most exported overseas (a screen in the gallery streams Fisherman's Friend TV adverts from countries including Australia). Also in the museum are bygone travel posters of Fleetwood and photographs of the town's favourite sons and daughters, notably the tenor Alfie Boe and world champion boxer Jane Couch, the daughter of a trawler 'decky' (deckhand). The biggest exhibit is Harriet, a ketch-rigged fishing smack (ship) sheltered in a shed out back. Built in Fleetwood in 1893, it was used for catching fish like sole and hake before her retirement in 1977. Pointing out its fine details — including the pitch pine planking on a formidable oak frame — is Peter, one of the museum's volunteers, who has a palpable pride in the town and is keen to share stories and hazy memories from Fleetwood's heyday. He tells me there's still a buzz and bundles of community spirit on Fleetwood Day, one of its annual family-friendly festivals, held in early May. Cut off from the national rail network in the late 1960s and with its fishing industry in decline since the 'cod wars' of the 1970s, Fleetwood is often regarded as one of England's 'left-behind' coastal towns, scarred by decades of neglect from central government and with pockets of deprivation and one too many boarded-up shops. The town's high street — the first in England to have trams running the full length of it — is lined with down-to-earth watering holes and eateries, charity stores, bookies, booze shops, barbers and beauty parlours. I like the bakeries (full of tempting homemade sausage rolls and vanilla cream buns) and smart retro artworks promoting Fleetwood's pleasures. The liveliest spot in town — at least on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday (9am to 4pm) — is the market, which has about 150 indoor and outdoor stalls and a mix of old-fashioned English and cosmopolitan flavours. To an audio backdrop of pop tunes from yesteryear, the chirps of gulls and Lancashire chatter, I wander by everything from clothes and hardware to a classic market cafe and Caribbean and Thai food kiosks. Exiting the market, past a unit selling mobility scooters, I skip by a gang of pensioners with faded sailors' tattoos on their forearms, and head to the Fisherman's Walk tram stop, opposite which is an anchor and a little wooden boat with flowers. Blackpool is just over a half-hour away, but it's a lovely day, and I'm in no rush, so I'll break up the ride with stops at other unsung towns and villages, enjoying walks along their uncluttered promenades and clifftop trails as the Irish Sea sways and sparkles in the afternoon sunshine.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
When is the next full moon? And why is it called the 'strawberry moon'?
The next full moon is nearly here, and it's the final one of this spring. Here's when you can see it. The next full moon, a so-called "strawberry moon," will be visible on June 11 at 3:44 a.m., according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Ahead of the full moon, the first quarter moon appeared June 2 at 11:41 p.m., to be followed by the last quarter moon June 18 at 3:19 p.m. and a new moon June 25 at 6:31 a.m. June's full moon is the strawberry moon, named after the small wild strawberries that ripen at this time of the year, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Approximately every 20 years, the strawberry moon coincides with the summer solstice, which occurs on June 20, 21, or 22. June's is to be the lowest full moon visible in the Northern Hemisphere until 2043, meaning that the moon will stay closer to the horizon, making it appear larger than usual. The strawberry moon is also known as the 'hot moon,' 'green corn moon' and 'berries ripen moon' to Native American tribes; the 'horse moon,' 'rose moon' and 'dyan moon' in Celtic culture; and the 'mead moon' to Anglo-Saxons, a nod to the moon occurring during a time of year meant for mowing the meads, or meadows, according to ICYMI: South Jersey's prom scene was quite a sight. Here are some of the looks that stood out. Looking ahead, July's full moon is called the 'buck moon' and is to be visible July 10 at 4:36 p.m. It signifies the new antlers that emerge on a deer buck's forehead around this time of year after they shed their previous pair, the Farmers' Almanac has reported. Show your pride: Pride Month in South Jersey: Where to find LGBTQ events The buck moon is also known as the 'raspberry moon,' 'claiming moon,' 'salmon moon,' 'wyrt moon' and 'herb moon,' among other names, according to Native American and Celtic tradition, according to Some refer to July's full moon as the "thunder moon" because of the frequent thunderstorms during the summer, or the "hay moon," in honor of the hay harvest in July. Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@ This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Why is the full moon in June called the 'strawberry moon'?
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Small town home to famous singer that people struggle to pronounce
Witham in Essex is a prominent town in the county with a number of famous faces hailing from the area including singer Olly Murs and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Essex - famed for its rich diversity - stands out as one of England's most eclectic counties, boasting an enchanting blend of bustling cityscapes, charming coastal towns, and idyllic rural retreats, all woven with a tapestry of historical significance. The county is strategically connected to London through robust infrastructure and the natural route provided by the River Thames, which has historically made it a magnet for invasions from Romans, Vikings and Anglo-Saxons. Such a storied heritage often leaves those not from Essex tongue-tied when trying to pronounce local place names. This even trips up public figures; many find themselves caught out when attempting local appellations, including Witham. Witham, where pop star Olly Murs hails from, is renowned in Essex but often mispronounced due to confusion over its 'th'. Rather than a soft 'th' like in 'bath', Witham sports a hard 't', rightly pronounced 'Witt-ham'. Even former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak once fumbled over the name during Prime Minister's Questions on May 22 last year. He stumbled responding to Sir John Whittingdale, MP for Maldon, who raised concerns his constituents had been waiting for a new hospital at St Peter's "for over 20 years". The plans indicated the possibility of the current facility closing without a replacement lined up, reports Essex Live. Sir Whittingdale said to the Prime Minister: "It leaves my constituents and those of Ms Priti Patel [MP for Witham] having to travel up to 30 miles for some treatments,". Mr Sunak responded: "I know that he [Sir Whittingdale] and the Right Honourable Friend for Witham met both the Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care and the Minister for Social Care recently to discuss this. "I understand the ICB have extended their consultation to be extended for three weeks to ensure that more consideration can be given and voices can be heard, but I will ensure that the relevant ministers keep my Right Hon Friend updated on the progress of this."
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Learn about June's full moon, including how it got its name and when you can see it
The next full moon is nearly here, and it's the last full moon of spring. Here's what's to come this month. The next full moon, a strawberry moon, will be visible on June 11 at 3:44 a.m., according to Almanac. Ahead of the full moon, the first quarter moon will appear on June 2 at 11:41 p.m., followed by the last quarter moon on June 18 at 3:19 p.m. and the last quarter moon on June 25 at 6:31 a.m., according to Almanac. June's full moon is the strawberry moon, named after the small wild strawberries that ripen at this time of the year, according to Almanac. The strawberry moon is also known as the 'hot moon,' 'green corn moon' and 'berries ripen moon' to Native American tribes; the 'horse moon,' 'rose moon' and 'dyan moon' in Celtic culture; and the 'mead moon' to Anglo-Saxons, a nod to the moon occurring during a time of year meant for mowing the meads, or meadows, according to Around every 20 years, the strawberry moon coincides with the summer solstice, occurring on either June 20, 21 or 22. ICYMI: ChristianaCare to take on 5 Crozer Health outpatient locations with $50M bid Looking ahead, July's full moon is called the 'buck moon' and will be visible on July 10 at 4:36 p.m. It signifies the new antlers that emerge on a deer buck's forehead around this time of year after they shed their previous pair, Farmers Almanac reports. Embody your favorite Blue Hen at home: Want to play as a Blue Hen? Delaware added to EA Sports 'College Football 26' video game The buck moon is also known as the 'raspberry moon,' 'claiming moon,' 'salmon moon,' 'wyrt moon' and 'herb moon,' among other names, according to Native American and Celtic tradition, according to Some refer to July's full moon as the thunder moon, due to the frequent thunderstorms during the summer, or the hay moon, in honor of the hay harvest in July. Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: When is the next full moon? Details on June 2025 full moon
New York Post
29-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Archaeologists solve grim mystery of 1,500-year-old bucket found at historic tourist site
Archaeologists recently discovered the purpose of a mysterious 1,500-year-old bucket at one of England's most historic sites – and it wasn't pleasant. The National Trust released a statement about the Byzantine Bromeswell bucket, found at Sutton Hoo, in May. The site of two ancient Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, Sutton Hoo has offered a wealth of knowledge about pre-Norman British history since its first excavation in 1938. During an excavation last summer, archaeologists unearthed the base of the Bromeswell bucket, which dates back to the 6th century. Different fragments of the bucket were uncovered in past excavations, but this latest discovery gave researchers more to study. With the base in hand, researchers quickly went to work to analyze the artifact with a variety of techniques, including computerized tomography, CT scans and X-rays – and they found an answer. In a morbid turn of events, experts learned the bucket was used to hold the cremated remains of an important person, and their grave goods. 'The cremated human and animal bones uncovered confirm the find was used as a cremation vessel,' the National Trust noted. A statement was released by The National Trust that the Byzantine Bromeswell bucket was found earlier this month. National Trust/David Brunett The organization added, 'Cremated human bones included parts of a talus (ankle bone) and fragments of a skull vault (the upper part of the skull that protects the brain).' The bucket dates back to the 500s. It's decorated with a hunting scene depicting men armed with swords and shields, as well as dogs and lions – painting a vivid picture of life in the past. 'The latest fragments include feet, paws, the base of shields and even the missing face of one of the men,' the statement described. It is believed the bucket came from Antioch in the Byzantine Empire, now located in modern Turkey. The National Trust noted, 'Letterforms used within the bucket's design suggest it was made in the 6th century, meaning it was already 100 years old when it arrived here at Sutton Hoo.' Researchers also found 'a mystery object' that turned out to be a double-sided comb made from an antler. Interestingly, the object had not been burned. The National Trust said the presence of the comb suggests the Anglo-Saxons took grooming seriously, as combs have been found in male and female burials before. Archaeologists recently found a 1,500-year-old bucket at an ancient Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Sutton Hoo, one of England's most historical sites. National Trust Images/James Dobson 'Slightly less romantically, combs also would have been useful in the control of lice,' the statement said. 'Although the human bone in the cremation couldn't be sexed, it's hoped that ancient DNA from the owner might survive on the comb, and analysis could reveal more about them.' National Trust archaeologist Angus Wainwright said that he was 'hopeful' future research will uncover new insight into 'this very special burial.' 'We knew that this bucket would have been a rare and prized possession back in Anglo-Saxon times, but it's always been a mystery why it was buried,' Wainwright said. 'Now we know it was used to contain the remains of an important person in the Sutton Hoo community.' Anglo-Saxon expert Helen Geake told the National Trust the puzzle of the Bromeswell bucket has 'finally' been solved. 'Now we know that it is the first of these rare objects ever to have been used in a cremation burial,' she said. 'It's a remarkable mixture – a vessel from the southern, classical world containing the remains of a very northern, very Germanic cremation.' She also said the find 'epitomizes the strangeness' of Sutton Hoo, which has captivated British history enthusiasts for decades. 'It has ship burials, horse burials, mound burials and now bath-bucket burials,' Geake observed. 'Who knows what else?'
