Our postcard shows the gatehouse of Battle Abbey, built with an impressive wall, to protect one of the richest Abbeys in England from marauding English and raiding French. Ironic considering its very existence is due to a promise made to a Pope by a Norman duke, in 1066. Exploring the Abbey
History
Apple Harvest in Normandy – from the Penny Magazine of 1840
Death of an almost perfect King, at Lyons-la-Forêt – guest blogger!
First published 2019 Today our guest blogger is doctor, botanist and historian Jamieson B. Hurry MA MD. This entertaining extract first appeared in his excellent tome 'Henry Beauclerc and Reading Abbey' published in 1917. Henry Beauclerc was the fourth and most successful of William the Conqueror's sons, ruling as King Henry I
Fresh gleanings in Rouen – 19th century guest post!
This week our guest blogger is Donald G. Mitchell who adds a personal view of Rouen to some rather lovely etchings and drawings by Charles Pinet. Donald was an American traveler, essayist and novelist who usually wrote under the pen name Lk Marvel. Donald's wonderful descriptive article about Rouen in the
Explore Normandy with this vintage railways leaflet
A small, rather faded vintage leaflet from the Chemins de Fer de l’Etat (State Railways of France) promotes two charming excursions around Normandy that we would happily recommend today. The first scales the dizzy heights of Suisse Normande with all it's 'charm, grace and hints of savagery'. The second invites