The New Forest and Salisbury Cathedral

When we were in Salisbury, we passed by the courtyard where the Russian Spy and his daughter were poisoned.  Remember the recent news where the homeless couple were sick from exposure to the same toxin, well that made me feel good!

We seem to be fine.  I am sure if we had gotten close to it, Frank would have been affected by the substance.

We rode to Salisbury to see the Cathedral there.

The first church was built in 1092 by William the Conqueror.  Can you imagine recorded history that goes back that far?

 It used to be called the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Christopher Wren was the architect for repairs in the 17th Century when it was rebuilt.  He was tasked with the restoration of the spire  after it has settled.

The spire was added in the 13th century.  It is now the tallest in England.  the spire was not originally this tall so the added weight pushed the walls outward.  in the mid 14th century additional buttresses and iron ties were added.

Salisbury Church has one of the 4 surviving Magna Carta.  The Magna Carta is a symbol of justice and fairness and has inspired freedom and constitutional governments in Britain and around the world.  It was issued by England's King John in 1215 to prevent a war between the king and his powerful barons.

Before you get all up in arms about how great England is over the US, think about how many of England's colonies have fared over the centuries.  All countries have baggage.

You can see the marks made by King John's seal since these documents were not actually signed.

We drove through the New Forest on our way to London.  The New Forest is one of the last remaining tracts of Royal Forestlands in England.  It was proclaimed such by William the Conqueror in 1079.  The lands are still governed today by Medieval Laws rather than todays modern laws.  It included 20 hamlets and all the peasants living therein.

Look at the thatched roof.  This cottage was built in the in the 1600's.




This particular forest land is divided into 5 districts with a warden in each.  The land's purpose was for it to be used for the King's pleasure and all others were to stay out.  Unfortunately, two of William's sons died in this forest, one in and hunting accident; the other was murdered in retaliation for his own murderous acts.

There are game wardens who patrol the districts and take responsibility for the horses, rabbits, pigs and co

w and sheep and goats and any structures on the lands.  Any changes or decisions need to go to a council just as it would have in the Middle Ages.  If a car hits a pony, you go before the Council to plead, because you have killed the Queen's horse.

The rights of common to be on the land passes down in families and some have been on the land since the middle ages.  Their pigs are allowed our to forage when there are acorns on the ground that are poisonous to the ponies.



The pigs love the acorns.  But the privileged sows, the ones that are pregnant, are allowed out at anytime to forage.








The animals are rounded up in a rodeo of sorts once a year and vaccinated and vetted.  There is a fair and festivall and everyone dresses in Medieval clothing.

 The English love gardens.  They can make gardens in just about any place.  The colors are beautiful against the red bricks that are so prevalent in the city.

The Medieval Gates still cross the narrow streets.  This is where the old city walls offered protection to the serfs and countrymen.

I can see the tradesmen going in and out with their their wagons and wares.

This reminds me of the alleyways in New Orleans down in the French Quarter.  I guess some things are universal.

Dr. Who?

This looks like an amazing manor house.


This is a mail box.  I  guess they call it a Post.  It looks like a post.  Right?

 Some photos of the lane we were walking down to get to the Cathedral.  Lots of English gardens!

And this is part of the outer wall of the Medieval protection wall from 1500s.  I love the whole picture in my head.

Can you see the damsel in the window?

If there was any doubt......

Spring has come to Louisiana.


Azalea's are blooming all over the south.  When we were living in Hammond, LA before Carrie was born, we would go to Zemurray Gardens in Loranger, LA outside of Pontchatoula every spring.

 You can see old Zemurray Gardens photos  here.  It  closed years ago. 

It was old paper mill acres where the trees had been harvested.  The Zemurray family would replant the acres with camellias and azaleas, day lilies and begonias and a million other blooming things.

In the early 1900's Samuel Zemurray owned the land.  Zemurray was born in Russia and came to America at age 14.  By age 21 he had amassed over $100,000 and was known as Sam the Banana Man and he bought a steam boat and sailed to Honduras where he bought 5000 acres.  He was involved in a coup to bring the deposed leader back to Honduras and was granted low taxes that eventually made him a millionaire.  He turned his company into controlling interest in the United Fruit Company and ran it until his death in New Orleans in 1961.  Many Mayan artifacts were found on his Honduran lands and donated to Tulane University.  His mansion on Audubon Place in New Orleans is now the home of the President of Tulane University.

There is an old mansion on the Loranger lands the family used as a retreat getaway that you could tour for a few extra dollars.  We would do that sometimes, sometimes we would just stay on the paths and walk through the color beauty.  

The lakes were ringed with pathways and bridges that brought you to island gazebos that held hanging plants full of blazing colors.


We would walk the paths and I would take photos of the statues hidden in every nook and field.



One of my long ago photos of a pale lavender azalea heavy with blooms won first place in a Louisiana Photographic Society show. 

The pink and reds come from my yard and the whites are from my neighbor Dale's yard.   My small azalea bushes in the front yard were put in last year when David replanted the sod.  The small blooms are ones that have been here in the area by the carport since we bought the house.