Twilight at the Museums

Twilight at the Museums is an annual event usually held during half-term. The museums are lit up and children are asked to bring their 'torches' (flashlights). It is a free event and a great way to go see some of the museums if you find it hard to get there during their normal opening hours. Also you get to see the museums in a different light.

A great way to break up the short days in the spring!

St Brides

St Brides Church is known as the journalist church. You can see its Wren steeple from St Pauls and if very modern compared to what you would expect. It was damaged during the war. The steeple was the inspiration for the first wedding cake.

It is free to enter and has a great exhibition in the crypt!  Also it was the first time Jane had seen an iron casket. Look out for the seats sponsored by the newspapers!

Kirtling Tower

I used to go to the Catholic church in Kirtling before I moved to Cambridge. Right next to the church is a beautiful property known as Kirtling Tower is owned by Lord and Lady Fairhaven. They open their property up for visits to raise money for charity. If you get a chance I would suggest that you visit it.

Kirtling Tower is a Tudor building which dates back to 1556. It has a moat on 3 sides. They usually have the local church open for teas and coffees and is a very nice day out.

Lift

You take a lift to the next floor, not an elevator.

Tower Bridge

As many times I have seen the infamous Tower Bridge which is often mistaken for the London Bridge (Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas has this in her video, 'London Bridge'.) This is very interesting for people that like engineering and architecture.

When the Tower Bridge was designed, the only other way over the Thames was the London Bridge.It has Portland Stone to hide the Steel structure and was one of the most sophisticated at its time.

There you can also go see the Engine Rooms which were used to open the bridge to allow tall ships to get through.

You can combine a a ticket for this attraction with one with The Monument or you can use the 2 for 1 voucher if you take the train to London.

If you are planning to spend the day in London, I recommend visiting The Monument, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.

Blue Plaques

JFK Blue Plaque

My mom and I were discussing what she wanted to do the next time she came out and brought up the blue plaques system that was mentioned on one of the travel channels that she was watching. She gave me a list of the ones she wanted to see but said that if it was any trouble that I was not to worry. So I looked up where we were going and where the locations of the plaques were and tried to work them in.

The Blue Plaque system was founded in 1866 and they are found all over the UK. Some councils run their own scheme but the official one is run by English Heritage.

It takes between 4-6 years for an application to go through. Every nomination has to meet basic selection criteria before it can be considered. Most importantly, a London building associated with the subject must survive, and they must have been dead for 20 years or have passed the centenary of their birth.

Here are the other requirements for the suggestion to be passed from the English Heritage website:

Nominated figures must also:

• be considered eminent by a majority of members of their own profession or calling
• have made an important positive contribution to human welfare or happiness
• have had such exceptional and outstanding personalities as to be recognisable to the well-informed passer-by, or deserve national recognition
• have resided in London for a significant period, in time or importance, within their life or work

In the case of overseas visitors, candidates should:

• be of international reputation or significant standing in their own country

Additionally, it should be noted that:

• plaques can only be erected on the actual building inhabited by the nominated figure, not the site where the building once stood. However, consideration may be given in cases where reconstructed buildings present an exact facsimile frontage on the identical site.
• buildings marked with plaques must be visible from the public highway.
• plaques can only be erected on buildings, not on boundary walls or gate piers.
• each figure may only be commemorated with one plaque: unless a case is deemed exceptional, suggestions will not be considered for figures already commemorated by a plaque erected by the (Royal) Society of Arts, the London County Council, the Greater London Council or English Heritage.
• proposals will not be considered for the commemoration of individuals still living.
• proposals will be considered for the commemoration of sites of special historical interest, though these should be of national (or even international) significance.
• a building shall not be commemorated solely because it figures in a work of fiction.
• the erection of plaques on blocks of flats is not excluded, nor are significant places of work.
• unless a case is deemed exceptional, plaques shall not be erected on educational or ecclesiastical buildings or Inns of Court.
• the City of London and Whitehall are ruled out for consideration under the blue plaques scheme. 

You can find a list of plaques and their locations here. It can enhance any of your trips.

Wall Ties

 If you are like me, you have seen the items in the pictures on buildings and homes in England thought that they were just there for decoration.

They are known as wall ties and are actually used to keep the inner and outer leafs of the wall so that they won't bend or bow. You can see a great example of what these look like at Denny Abbey in the farmhouse.

Wimpole Hall

Wimpole Hall is a beautiful property outside of Cambridge. You can take the dog for walks along the trails around the property.

They also have a working farm and you can buy food from it.

You can go cycling on the three routes that they have. They also have geocoaching there and you are able to rent a GPS from them.

They have events year round.

Definitely a great day out!

Sir Christopher Wren

Sir Christopher Wren is a very influential person and you will see his influence all around England. He was a great architect and once I name the works he has designed you will see how great he really was:

• St Paul's Cathedral, London
• St Clements Dane, London
• Pembroke College's Chapel, Cambridge
• Royal Observatory, Greenwich
• Trinity College Library, Cambridge
• Emmanuel College Chapel, Cambridge
• Reconstruction of Kensington Palace
• Hampton Court Palace
• St James' Palace

He was born on 20 Oct 1632 and attended Oxford University. He was a mathematician and a scientist and help found the Royal Society (a group that it is very honourable to belong to if you are a scientist). His interest in physics lead to architecture.

After the Great Fire of London in 1666, he had big plans for the rebuild of London but many people would not give up their property. He ended up going onto design 51 churches such as St Paul's and was knighted in 1673.

He died on 25 February 1723 and the inscription on his gravestone at St Paul's reads "If you seek his memorial, look about you."

Temple Church

Temple Church is a medieval church built in London. This is the second of the four round churches that I have seen. It was built in 1185 by the Knights of Templar. It is famous for the round church and its effigies.

The church lies off the beaten track in central London. It featured in both the Da Vinci Code movie and novel.

There is a small fee to see this church but it is very beautiful.

Twilight at the Museums

Twilight at the Museums is an annual event usually held during half-term. The museums are lit up and children are asked to bring their 'torches' (flashlights). It is a free event and a great way to go see some of the museums if you find it hard to get there during their normal opening hours. Also you get to see the museums in a different light.

A great way to break up the short days in the spring!

Carlisle Castle

Jane and I went to Carlisle Castle when we went back to collect our car after walking Hadrain's Wall. We were both English Heritage members so we had free admission.

I really like the displays that they had about the Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Civil War. It really brought the whole thing to light for me. The more I travel, the more I learn.

It was used in the war and only recently stopped being used. They also have a great war museum in the castle.

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace was built in the late 1600s and was initially the home of the William of Orange and Mary II. Mary II was offered the throne after James II had a son which was to be raised Roman Catholic. There is a rumour that the son was smuggled in a warming pan and so the throne was offered to the Protestant Mary II (James's daughter) and William.

Sir Christopher Wren expanded on the Jacobean mansion for the couple. They did not have children and so when they both passed away (Mary II of smallpox and William of a broken collarbone after a horse riding accident), William III and Mary Herietta ruled jointly which was rare. When they both passed away, Queen Anne (James II's other daughter) succeeded them. All of these people contributed to the house you see today.

I really like Kensington Palace. The experience is different than any other palace I have ever been to. They have displayed the story of the people who have lived here in a very artistic way. Also the Explainers (yes that is what they are called) were fabulous! They were able to answer most of our questions. I have to admit my Kings & Queens pocket book, has come in quite handy! I put it in my bag to read while waiting in line and now take it every time I visit a property. This is a property not to be missed!

Tip: If you plan on visiting Tower of London, Hampton Court, Banqueting House, Kew House and Kensington Palace, it is worth becoming a member! It pays for itself if you visit two places and you can go as often as you want!

St Paul's

Every American should visit this beautiful place at least once while you are here. I have been to St Paul's 3 times already in my 6 years here.

The best view of London in from the top of the dome. Although climbing the 528 steps is not for the fainthearted but don't despair, there are several places to stops, such as the Whispering Gallery and the Stone Gallery before reaching the Golden Gallery's amazing views.

They have an American Memorial Chapel as a way of saying thanks for our help during the war. Winston Churchill ensured that during the war, that if everything else was bombed, he wanted St Paul's to be protected so he had people stationed there to put out any fires that began. It escaped any major bomb damage and was hit by 28 bombs.

It is also the place where Diana and Charles married in 1981.

The crypt is very interesting as well, it hosts the body of Admiral Lord Nelson (the guy on top of the statue in Trafalgar Square).

I find the architecture breathtaking and will continue to go again and again. The current cathedral was built between 1675 and 1710 and is the fourth to be on this place the first was built in 604.

You can get in free if you attend a service and the church does shut for the services. It also closes early so do check the times before you go there. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

What can you expect from the houses in England?

First off, I need to thank the people that took part in my survey to help me figure out what Americans think of the housing situation in England. They really helped me get an idea of people took notice of so this could be more generalized and not just my opinion!

The other thing I have to say is that it is best that you come over here with an open mind and to remember that this is England and whilst they may not have homes like we do, doesn’t mean it’s wrong as people live differently all over the world from Americans. Believe me I have had to tell myself this about a lot of things but you are going against thousands of years of tradition. If you can embrace that I think that you will enjoy your tour here and be able to find a suitable home. Another thing we need to remember is when America was growing her suburbs and 1950's homes, England was rebuilding itself after WWII. This set England behind the USA about 20 years because it was more important to provide homes for people and the conveniences came later.

Based on my research 73% of the people live in a free standing house, 13.5% semi-attached, and 11.5% terraced-house. If you are looking to live near the town centre, you will need to expect to live in a terraced house. Perhaps the best of both worlds, would be to live in a semi-detached which means that only one side of the house is attached to another. Until the 1970s many homes only had one or no cars so people lived close enough to the town centre so that they could walk to the shops, the station and to work.  It wasn't until around the 1970's that women started to drive cars. This is why there is limited parking and the roads are narrow. My husband does like to remind me that a lot of these houses were built before cars even existed. The older houses are more solidly built. The houses from the 1970's to today aren't as they were trying to cope with a large population that needed homes.

To have an opened planned house is rare (whilst it takes a while to get used to it, it appears that people really like this!). There is a fire safety code that states that there must be a door between each room. Also to save money, its best to close doors to rooms you do not want to heat. Check out my other tips on how to save on utilities. Most British houses do not have closets or other cabinets for storage; instead, they often have wardrobes where they store stuff. Although a lot of people recommend you take only half of your stuff and get rid of the rest!

You will get more home for your money the farther from base you live but not near popular cities such as Cambridge (a lot of people that work in London commute from Cambridge). The sizes of the houses that people in my survey range from 900-2800 square feet. Half of the people responded said that their home was not smaller than the last house that they lived in the US.

Kitchens and laundry facilities can also become a shock to Americans. There are no garbage disposals. Most English homes have a washer machine in the kitchen (some houses do not have space for a dryer). It wasn’t until after the 1970's that washer machines became common in the home and driers in the last 15-20 years.  You will need to read my post about washing clothes practices to know that a lot of English was their clothes when dirty and not just when worn and will generally line dry in the nice weather and use a clothes horse in the winter. Also you can hang your clothes in the airing cupboard which is where the boiler is and it will dry your clothes quickly. Remember that energy is expensive compared to the US so these are also ways that you can cut back on your expenses. The refrigerator wasn't common until the 1970's but women would go shopping at their small local grocer everyday or every other day. That is why you will see a lot of Co-operatives around. They used to store meat in a larder which is a small cabinet that keeps cool, mine is under the stairs.

The bedroom sizes are not generally as big as US ones and some rooms would not be considered bedrooms at all in the US. Rooms are generally long and narrow. They are also smaller as most people just sleep in these rooms and spend time in their living/sitting rooms, that is why these rooms are usually bigger.

Bathrooms are a bit different than in the US. It is not as common anymore but do not be shocked to see an outdoor loo. Some bathrooms are baths that have showers added at a later date; it appears to be in the 1980’s, which is in line when England caught up with the US and other appliances that were common in the USA became common here. You might also find your bathroom might be split into two rooms, one where the toilet is in one and the another is where the bath and sink are. Some bathrooms might have carpet. There are no outlets for curling irons but there are ones for shavers only, this is because the voltage is twice the strength of the US and it is dangerous to have electrical items that might get wet. That is why the lightswitch is either outside, or a string to pull, because with wet hands you could get a shock. Many bathrooms do not have mirrors in them as women would have gotten ready at a vanity table. You might also have a half bathroom on the ground floor. Also there are usually are no mixer taps in the bathrooms.

Carpets is an interesting topic that came up. Carpets like many things is expensive. The kind of carpet is different as well. They tend to have the short length style. An interesting thing that I found out is that when people moved home, they used to take the carpet with them. This is less common now a days. If you have a child with allergies, its best to find a home without carpets.

Some houses do have garages but the British often use them more for storage rather than parking the car in it.

There are not porches over here as you know them in the US, but a lot of houses have conservatories which are made up of windows. They catch the sun when its out and are a nice place to sit when its raining outside. The British would never sit out in the front of their house. The front garden is for show and the back garden is to enjoy.

Another thing that they mentioned is that heating your home by oil is expensive so if you can find one with a good energy rating and doesn’t use oil, that would be preferable. Also central heating wasn't seen in England until the 1970's.

It doesn’t happen very often but we do get hot weather. The heat mixed with the humidity gets the Americans pining for their air conditioners but it’s a luxury over here. They recommended that if you have one, bring it with you but remember that they will need to use a transformer which will rack up your energy bills. Also windows do not have screens in them.

A lot of people commented on how expensive the houses were. The reason housing is so expensive is not particularly because of the US market nowadays, it is because the value of the house and the land it stands on is so high. Generally, landlords work out rent on an annual return basis of around 6 - 8%, so if a house is worth £100,000, they would expect a rent of £8000 per year, ie £650 per month.  So it follows that a £200,000 house, the rent would be £1300 or so.

Pets can make a home harder to find. Some landlords will not accept any pets or will require a double deposit.

Almost 75% respondents said that all over their furniture fit in their house. One tip was if you have a bed that is Queen or bigger, its best to have a box mattress that is split to aid the bed getting up to the room that you want in.

One person said that if you are open minded about how you want to school your children perhaps send them to British schools and that means you can be more flexible with where you live (and your children will be 1 1/2 years ahead of American children!).

Some things that shocked people about homes over here:

• How small the washer and dryers are (read my explanation here)
• Most things don’t fit up the stairs.
• The houses were as small than I thought.
• Living here has shown us how spoiled Americans are.

Things that people liked:

• You can adjust the temperature of each room by the knobs on the radiators.
• Security of the doors and windows.
• Small water heaters.
• Small fridge = less junk food
• History that the houses have (used to be the Old Village Hall)
• The houses have character!
• If you live in the right town, everything is walking distance.
• That you can turn off the outlets at the wall to save on electricity. 
• Conservatories!
• They are more eco-friendly here. We only heat our water 3 times a day instead of all day.
• They make you realize that you really can live without things you took for granted before. You also learn to appreciate them more.
• I like that I am learning to live in a different manner. Making do with less, and living a bit simpler, if more cramped life!
• Towns are made to be pedestrian friendly which is nice! 

Tips that they wished someone told them:

• Ship your Household Goods ASAP so that they arrive here by the time you do.
• Check the energy rating of your home, the better it is the less you will spend on heating it. (High D and above will be covered by the money you get for utilities).
• It is hard to mount TVs.
• Do not bring little appliances (vacuum) with you or anything with US plug. Transformers are pains and eat up a lot of energy (which means they cost you more money!). You can also check your electronics to see if they automatically handle the voltage, if so you just need an adapter to fit it in the wall.
• Use cleaners from off base because they are developed for the water over here.
• Take photos of house before you move in for any stains and marks for your records.
• Take your time to find a house you like but once you find one, jump on it as they go quickly!
• Use this as a chance to get rid of things that you don't need.
• Move off base if you feel like you can be part of the local culture but in order to do that you must leave your expectations behind and embrace the differences.
• You will hate it here if you only go to base and back. Make the most of the opportunity to travel, learn and grow.
• Do NOT bring your washer and dryer!!!!
• Look further from base, you get more for your money!
• Set up a British bank account because they have chip and pin and a lot of places do not accept the swipe card you get from banks on base!

1930s House Style 1918-1939

• Detached houses with round bay windows were prevalent.
• The bricks were red and the porches were under the house.
• Simple planned house, front and back room, kitchen and 3 bedrooms upstairs.

Edwardian House Style 1900-1918

• The semi detached was developed as the country prospered.
• Pebbledashed, hanging tiles and timber framing made an appearance.
• Chimneys were built right above fireplaces so they appeared halfway down a roof.
• Stained glass windows were popular in the upper panels and in front doors.

Victorian House Style 1830-1900

• Standard house was ‘two up and two down’ which means two rooms upstairs and two downstairs with kitchen and bathroom to the back of the house. 
• Terraced houses had the doors in pairs instead of in the middle of the house or on the same side of the house as seen before. 
• Round headed windows were more common. 
• Ridge decorations on roofs were popular. 
• Towers on houses were in fashion.
• Full height bay windows were common in the late Victorian and were often square.
• Halls were lavishly decorated.
• Bedrooms started to have sinks in them. 

Regency House Style 1790-1830

• The terraced houses have balconies and bay windows so people could look out.
• The terraced houses became taller too.
• Greek influence was favoured more than Roman influences
• Window tax made bay windows expensive.
• Ironwork was more common in windows, staircases and porches.
• Sash windows had finer glazing bars.
• Wallpaper was bold striped.
• Picture rails appeared.
• Staircases had iron hand rails.

Georgian House Style 1715-1790

• Tall Georgian terraces were creeping up as seen in Bath.
• The building facades became more plain but elegant.
• Portico (porches were popping up and there were steps leading up to the front door which helped because it gave light to floors below (which is where the kitchens were and there was access from the street straight into the kitchens this way).
• Rainwater traps were added to houses, sometimes there are dates on here which are not when the house was built but when the renovation was done.
• Fan lights (half circle windows) instead of dormer windows were above front doors.
• The windows were set back 4 inches after 1774 regulation rather than flush with the building.
• Plaster was used in the rooms rather than wood panels.