And Did Those Feet

I have always believed that you put the milk in first because of the risk of cracking your bone china with boiling hot water.  But have just heard what sounds like a definitive answer to the question:   BUT if you are wealthy you can afford cups that don't crack under boiling water AND by the time the hot water comes up from downstairs the water is not so boiling so UPSTAIRS you can put the tea in first DOWNSTAIRS you put the milk in first So which goes in first becomes a measure of class.  Just like everything else in the UK.

My book review has just been published: Flude, Kevin Quartz and Feldspar. Dartmoor: a British landscape in modern times Planning Perspectives Vol. 0, Iss. 0, 2018

This is the document a spy recorded about Elizabethan Playwright (and spy) Christopher Marlowe a few days before he was murdered with a knife through the eye in a Tavern in Deptford. It provides a motive. Spy report that criticised Marlowe for 'gay Christ' claim is revealed online | Stage | The Guardian

Attended LAMAS lecture on the excavations at the Curtain Theatre. Very interesting lecture which was very well presented. But, I had a lot of questions at the end of it. I asked the question, 'if you did not know this was the Curtain, what would make you think it was a Theatre.' There is a lot of documentary evidence to say the Curtain is here abouts but the archaeology seemed to me to be less than totally convincing. For example, the speaker talked about the stage, the galleries and showed a very schematic image of the rectangular theatre, with post-holes showing where the gallery is. But we were shown no archaeological photos which demonstrated these 'facts' they seemed to be self-evident. The two side gallery was evidenced by what looked like one post-hole. The stage was said to be a stage but didn't hear any evidence to show what it is identified as a stage. One range of foundations seemed to continue beyond the building outlines in the schematics a...

This is an app which allows you to use maps as a navigation device - or as an adjunct to a story. Quite interesting although I guess you could do this without the app as a web site or app. Not sure what it offers over other technology. Pointed out to me by CSM MANE students. The Amazonian Travels of Richard Evans Schultes Here is one with a literary theme Hemingway in Idaho http://uidaho.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=8372c1acd90749a489cd937795d788a5

 AQA, an educational charity  announced that it was dropping a total of 20 A Level subjects . Media commentators bemoaned the loss of History of Art, but many others are being given the boot, including Anthropology, Electronics, Creative Writing, Science in Society, Archaeology, Classical Civilisation and Statistics.

Here is a good list of Music Jane Austen would have heard/sung/played. Jane Austen Music

Your chance to listen to lecture on Shakespeare's Globe by the archaeologist who digs them. UCL ISH March Guest Lecture: Julian Bowsher, MOLA - 'Sustaining Shakespeare’s Stages' - YouTube Julian also appears in this short promo for the Cain Hoy Developers who are building a 37 story tower in Shoreditch.  What a pity a company who care so much for the area and are prepared to preserve its archaeology, care so little for the area as to disfigure it by an inappropriately high building? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la7027fleNU&feature=youtu.be

Interesting radio programme on Radio 4 about Plotto, where William Cook gives a foolproof method of getting a story together. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06sny8v Although, I do hate all such 'writing by numbers' methods, this looks like fun. Plotto: The Master Book of All Plots by William Wallace Cook — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

The Council web site has a literary walk around Chawton, where Jane finished off most of her work. The Austen's Cottage in Chawton     http://www.easthants.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/JaneAustenWalk.pdf

Richard Jefferies wrote a book called "After London" which is one of the world's first Post-Apocalyptic novels . It inspired John Wyndham and John Fowles. BBC magazine refered to "Dead London" but I can find no trace of this so I think this is a description of Chapter 22 Part 2 of After London which describes the ruined City. Anyway there is a Museum, near Swindon and a Writer's Prize.   Celebrating the life and works of Richard Jefferies

The North Doors of St Edwards are certainly amazing, and everywhere described as the Hobbit Doors, but as far as I can tell the 'evidence' is simply that Tolkein knew the Church and must therefore have been inspired by the Doors. But then the references cited in , for example, Stow-on-the-Wold, The Cotswolds #travelthursday | Adventures of a London Kiwi : does not describe a door with two trees beside it - it describes and invisible door with a badge on it which has various insignia including two trees: 'The two greatest craftsmen of the Second Age, the elf-lord Celebrimbor and the Dwarf Narvi, built the Doors. They were made like a flush door, the jambs invisible to the eye, and matched so perfectly with the mountain rock that, when closed, the Doors could not be seen. The slabs were made by Narvi out of grey material stronger than stone and inlayed by Celebrimbor with Ithildin, which can only be seen in starlight and moonlight; when visible, the fine silver-li...

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. Search eText, Read Online, Study, Discuss. the following web site gives the source of the Madding Crowd.   (1874) Hardy took the title of this novel from Thomas Gray's poem Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1751): Far From the madding crowd's ignoble strife Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray; Along the cool sequester'd vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way. In this case "Madding" means "frenzied". The title may be ironic: the five main characters -- Bathsheba, Troy, Boldwood, Oak, and Fanny Robin -- are all passionate beings who find the "vale of life" neither quiet nor cool. Hardy said that he first introduced Wessex in this novel. It was successful enough for him to give up architectural work and pursue a literary career. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. Search eText, Read Online, Study, Discuss.

This is the psalm Michael Henchard has the choir sing. The Choir Master says: 'I wasn't made for singing. We chose it once when the gypsy stole the parson's mare thinking to please him but parson were quite upset. Whatever Servant David were thinking about when h he made a Psalm that nobody can sing without disgracing hims I cannot fathom' Henchard is angry with Farfrae. Psalm 109 King James Version (KJV) 109 Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; 2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. 3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause. 4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. 5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. 6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. 7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer bec...

This is an ambitions web  site - which provides a list of writer's houses, book shops, libraries, events and literary tours. Covers a host of countries. I checked London and Dorchester and it is quite impressive in its coverage. However, the funcionality is a bit limited  not sure you could not get all that information by googling. Dorchester - Literary Tourist

I'ev no real idea why they revived this play.  It really doesn't give any of the characters any thought through motivation and therefore you really don't engage with any of them.  Just not a very good play.  The biggest problem is that the evil Iago character seems to be evil simply for the fun of it, he seems to stand to gain nothing from it. The staging also uses a lot of Bill Viola like projection which does not add to the drama much, and the projection of foetuses onto the stomachs of the 3 pregnant unmarried mothers is bafflingly unnecessary. Its well acted as far as it goes, but no engagement is provoked and the ending is such a come-down that I felt sorry for the actors at the end who surely must want to creep home rather than go to an after show party. Matthew Kelly was very good. The problem, I think, with the way the play was performed, is that the plot only works if the audience are ery clear at the begining that  D'Avolos is in love with,...

This is the text of a much loved label now missing from Dickens House - its a letter he wrote about his malfunctioning clock. The energy level to write something this funny for an audience of 1! My Dear Sir Since my hall clock was sent to your establishment to be cleaned it has gone as (indeed it always has) perfectly well, but has struck the hours with great reluctance and after enduring internal agonies of the most distressing nature it's has now ceased to striking altogether. Though a happy released for the clock, this is not convenient to the household. If you can send down any confidential person with whom the clock may confer, I think it may have something on its works it would be glad to make a clean breast of. faithfully yours C. Dickens

This is an article written following the inaugural meeting of a Book Club looking at books with a medical Theme.   This is a short story written in a highly dramatic form by Conan-Doyle. It does not feature Sherlock Holmes, and perhaps because of that it has a cracking pace.   It is a bit-sized story that can be read in a single tube journey.  There is no detection in it, but the style alerts the reader to the fact that there is going to be a surprising possibly horrific ending. The plot has medicine at its heart. Conan-Doyle was a doctor himself, trained in Edinburgh by Joseph Bell whose forensic skills were one of the main influences leading to the creation of the world's most famous fictional detective. There was no wikipedia page, so I set up the following wikipedia entry outlining the plot. This is a short story by Conan-Doyle which features an arrogant Surgeon, Douglas Stone, who is in love with the married Lady Sannox, one of the most beautiful woma...

I am working on a project I began many years ago, and have decided to try out Authoromy, which is a writer's platform.  I have also published an early version of the book on Feedaread. So, if you want to have a look at it - its a very early draft and needs lots of work. The 4 Humours of Shakespeare | Authonomy

William Barnes - St Peters Church,Dorchester To have zome fu n last night: how wer’t? Vor we’d a-worked wi’ all our might To scour the iron things up bright, An’ brush’d an’ scrubb’d the house all drough; An’ brought in vor a brand, a plock O’ wood so big’s an uppen-stock An’ hung a bough o’ misseltoo, An’ ax’d a merry friend or two, To keepen up o’Christmas. An’ zoo you didden come athirt, An’ there wer wold an’ young; an’ Bill, Soon after dark, stalk’d up vrom mill. An’ when he wer a-comin near, He whissled loud vor me to hear; Then roun’ my head my frock I roll’d, An’ stood on orcha’d like a post, To meake en think I wer a ghost. But he wer up to’t, an did scwold To vind me stannen in the cwold, A-keepen up o’ Christmas. We play’d at Forfeits, an’ we spun The trencher roun’, an’ meade such fun! An’ had a geame o’ dree-ceard loo, An’ then begun to hunt the shoe. An’ all the wold vo’k zitten near, A-chatten roun’ the vier pleace, Did smile in woone ano...