Traveling through southwest England, I had passed many ruins left by the Romans. However, with the exception of the baths in Bath, I had not taken the opportunity to examine any of them. So, for my last full day in England, I headed north from the Saulsbury Plain to the town of Chedworth in the Costwolds in Gloucestershire. Here lies the ruins of one of the largest Roman villas in Britain. 
Built in the 2nd to the 4th centuries A.D.,it was the home to the uber rich. Discovered in 1864 by a Iocal gamekeeper it is well known for its mosaic tile floors. (From internet articles, I see that this site has been considerably more developed since my visit.)
Taking leave of Chedworth, I headed south with no particular destination in mind, knowing only that I had to be at Gatwick Airport the following moming. I wandered to the coast making my way to Portsmouth. (Little did I know at the time, but I had skirted the bounds of New Forest National Park, home of 500 year old oaks and 1000 year old yew trees. Unfortunate.) I continued along the south coast till I came to the small town of Arundel. As I proceeded through town looking for lunch, I came upon what proved to be one of the best examples of a restored medieval castle in England.
Arundel Castle was established in 1067 by Roger de Montgomery, the Earl of Arundel, by William the Conqueror himself. It has been the home of the Duke of Norfolk family for over 400 years. It lies at the mouth of the River Arun as a defense against invasion from France. Arundel is an example of the motte and bailey castle design used
throughout the British Isles and the European Low Contries in the 12th and 13th centuries. The motte, or mound, is topped by a keep (usually a round structure of wood or stone) with one or more fortified enclosures, the bailey, built next to the motte. (Fans of Game of Thrones may recognize Deepwood Motte, a true motte and bailey castle in the books.)
As it was past my lunch time, I decided to park and seek my meal before exploring the castle. As I walked up High
Street towards the castle, I came upon a chalkboard menu along the sidewalk that sounded promising. (Checking with Google maps at street level along High St. just south of Maltravers St., a chalk-board menu still sits on the sidewalk.) Following the arrow, I entered a doorway that opened directly on a stairway to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, I made my way across the creaking, uneven floor to an empty table. As I looked over the single page, handwritten menu, I could not help but notice the two matronly ladies sitting several tables away. One said to the other, “I believe I’ll have the, uh, roast powuk (pork)”. I could only smile as they reminded me of two of daddy’s sisters, my Aunt Mae and Aunt Tee.
Oddly enough, just a year or so ago, my dear friend, Pam Forney was researching the Flew name and wrote this to me regarding my great grandfather. “They [great grandpa George and Mary Ann Martin] were married in Brighton
, Sussex . Mary Ann was born in Arundel, Sussex, and her father was John and her mother was Ann. On the 1841 Census of Arundel, John is making shoes - how quaint.” So it is entirely possible that these women (who could have been sisters) were, in fact, related to the Tennessee Flews! And little did I know at the time, but while in Bath I was only about 15 miles from Long Ashton, just south of Bristol, the home of my grandfather Francis. I would like to follow up on this some day.
Finishing my mid-day repast, I finally headed to the Castle. After wandering the grounds and the main residence, I crossed the front bailey, climbed the motte and then the winding staircase to the top of the Keep. My first sight from the ramparts of the Keep is the back bailey where I discover that I have just missed what appeared to have been a medieval joust fest. I cursed myself for the timing. Turning, my gaze fell on the coast of the English Channel just 3¾ miles to the south. It is easy to see the strategic value of this site.
I finally had to take leave of Arundel and the Castle. I made my way north towards Gatwick and found a motel for my last night. My last meal before leaving England was breakfast. As a final homage to the English gastronomic world, I had kidneys with my eggs. Probably won’t repeat that.
Built in the 2nd to the 4th centuries A.D.,it was the home to the uber rich. Discovered in 1864 by a Iocal gamekeeper it is well known for its mosaic tile floors. (From internet articles, I see that this site has been considerably more developed since my visit.)
Taking leave of Chedworth, I headed south with no particular destination in mind, knowing only that I had to be at Gatwick Airport the following moming. I wandered to the coast making my way to Portsmouth. (Little did I know at the time, but I had skirted the bounds of New Forest National Park, home of 500 year old oaks and 1000 year old yew trees. Unfortunate.) I continued along the south coast till I came to the small town of Arundel. As I proceeded through town looking for lunch, I came upon what proved to be one of the best examples of a restored medieval castle in England.
Arundel Castle was established in 1067 by Roger de Montgomery, the Earl of Arundel, by William the Conqueror himself. It has been the home of the Duke of Norfolk family for over 400 years. It lies at the mouth of the River Arun as a defense against invasion from France. Arundel is an example of the motte and bailey castle design used
throughout the British Isles and the European Low Contries in the 12th and 13th centuries. The motte, or mound, is topped by a keep (usually a round structure of wood or stone) with one or more fortified enclosures, the bailey, built next to the motte. (Fans of Game of Thrones may recognize Deepwood Motte, a true motte and bailey castle in the books.)
As it was past my lunch time, I decided to park and seek my meal before exploring the castle. As I walked up High
Street towards the castle, I came upon a chalkboard menu along the sidewalk that sounded promising. (Checking with Google maps at street level along High St. just south of Maltravers St., a chalk-
Oddly enough, just a year or so ago, my dear friend, Pam Forney was researching the Flew name and wrote this to me regarding my great grandfather. “They [great grandpa George and Mary Ann Martin] were married in Brighton
, Sussex . Mary Ann was born in Arundel, Sussex, and her father was John and her mother was Ann. On the 1841 Census of Arundel, John is making shoes -Finishing my mid-
I finally had to take leave of Arundel and the Castle. I made my way north towards Gatwick and found a motel for my last night. My last meal before leaving England was breakfast. As a final homage to the English gastronomic world, I had kidneys with my eggs. Probably won’t repeat that.
Merrie Olde England