Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I've decided on a staycation for my next holiday - two weeks at the end of this month, beginning of next
I was thinking of getting the Harwich to Hook Of Holland ferry and having a walk around the Netherlands, but have changed my mind
I can walk to Avebury or Amesbury in a day, mostly on footpaths, and I've never done either
Classic children TV show, Children of the stones, was filmed in Avebury.
More evidence showing Thatcher was right to close so many grammars.
A grammar school student with a “deep seated interest in Right-wing extremism” sent white nationalists instructions to make bombs in the hope of encouraging a terrorist attack, a court heard.
Malakai Wheeler allegedly shared guides on the manufacture of explosives and firearms with an online group of white nationalists dedicated to violent racism.
Wheeler, a pupil at Marling School in Stroud, Gloucestershire, was 15 when he began sharing terrorist manifestos, a jury heard.
When his home was searched by police they allegedly discovered publications titled the Terrorist Handbook, the Anarchist Cookbook and Homemade Detonators.
His electrical devices were also seized and revealed to contain a “hoard” of Right-wing material, literature and manifestos of known terrorists, the court heard.
Footage of the mass shootings in Christchurch mosques in New Zealand in 2019, overdubbed with Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now playing, was also found on his phone, the jury was told.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I like that they actually renamed the gorge after the first iron bridge, such a big deal it was.
And quite right too. Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale are remarkable places. You can genuinely sense that the world fundamentally *changed here*
That is true of vanishingly few places on earth
The Tas Tepeler - the Neolithic Revolution Jerusalem - monotheism Athens - the first Democracy (however flawed) Florence - the Renaissance Ironbridge - the Industrial Revolution
Perhaps also Silicon Valley?
Chatsworth, in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley is the birthplace of the modern porn industry
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I've decided on a staycation for my next holiday - two weeks at the end of this month, beginning of next
I was thinking of getting the Harwich to Hook Of Holland ferry and having a walk around the Netherlands, but have changed my mind
I can walk to Avebury or Amesbury in a day, mostly on footpaths, and I've never done either
Classic children TV show, Children of the stones, was filmed in Avebury.
Terrific show.
Indeed. First show I was genuinely scared by.
Yes, so was I. Iain Cuthbertson was wonderfully sinister and as the story evolved more and more of the village ended up,under the ‘happy day’ influence. The Bare bones DVD release didn’t do it justice.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I'm not sure. I'd have thought places like Italy or Israel/Palestine might give us a run for our money in terms of historical and cultural sites in a relatively compact space.
Rather proves the point, however. All those countries in the top 10-15 are much bigger than the UK
And that’s despite the UK being weirdly bad, or diffident, at getting places UNESCO listed
Eg why the F aren’t Oxford and Cambridge both listed, separately? They are globally unique, overwhelmingly important. When you look at 98% of the sites that ARE listed it is ridiculous these two are not
I can only presume there is resistance in both cities because a UNESCO listing can hinder development and turn towns/sites into fossilised museums
There are dozens of other UK sites that should be contenders. Eg the Happisburgh footprints. The oldest human footprints outside Africa. They’re in Norfolk. How many Britons even know about them?
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I've decided on a staycation for my next holiday - two weeks at the end of this month, beginning of next
I was thinking of getting the Harwich to Hook Of Holland ferry and having a walk around the Netherlands, but have changed my mind
I can walk to Avebury or Amesbury in a day, mostly on footpaths, and I've never done either
Friends of mine have done the entire Ridgeway and rave about it. And they are experienced travellers
if you have two weeks you can step off the path to endless fascinating towns and villages and ancient sites en route. Also lots of great pubs with good food
Doing the whole Ridgeway would be cool (ditto the Wansdyke ) but I don't want to go "away" for two weeks so close to home
Part of the reason I want to stay at home is so I can do the odd shift at work and pay for my "holiday" as I go
I can also get the bus home from places like Avebury, rather than paying for a room
And at Stonehenge, my best mate lives about four miles away. I can stay a couple of nights at his place and have a day walking there, a day exploring locally, and a day walking back by a different route
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I'm not sure. I'd have thought places like Italy or Israel/Palestine might give us a run for our money in terms of historical and cultural sites in a relatively compact space.
Rather proves the point, however. All those countries in the top 10-15 are much bigger than the UK
And that’s despite the UK being weirdly bad, or diffident, at getting places UNESCO listed
Eg why the F aren’t Oxford and Cambridge both listed, separately? They are globally unique, overwhelmingly important. When you look at 98% of the sites that ARE listed it is ridiculous these two are not
I can only presume there is resistance in both cities because a UNESCO listing can hinder development and turn towns/sites into fossilised museums
There are dozens of other UK sites that should be contenders. Eg the Happisburgh footprints. The oldest human footprints outside Africa. They’re in Norfolk. How many Britons even know about them?
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I've decided on a staycation for my next holiday - two weeks at the end of this month, beginning of next
I was thinking of getting the Harwich to Hook Of Holland ferry and having a walk around the Netherlands, but have changed my mind
I can walk to Avebury or Amesbury in a day, mostly on footpaths, and I've never done either
Classic children TV show, Children of the stones, was filmed in Avebury.
Terrific show.
Indeed. First show I was genuinely scared by.
Yes, so was I. Iain Cuthbertson was wonderfully sinister and as the story evolved more and more of the village ended up,under the ‘happy day’ influence. The Bare bones DVD release didn’t do it justice.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I like that they actually renamed the gorge after the first iron bridge, such a big deal it was.
You'll be telling us next that they renamed a gorge after the cheese.
Of course! Very deserved too.
Speaking of Cheddar, I tasted a Welsh expression of Cheddar today, called 'Rockstar' - should be banned it's so good.
The Welsh also make Black Bomber, which is my favorite, but I'll look out for Rockstar.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I'm not sure. I'd have thought places like Italy or Israel/Palestine might give us a run for our money in terms of historical and cultural sites in a relatively compact space.
Rather proves the point, however. All those countries in the top 10-15 are much bigger than the UK
And that’s despite the UK being weirdly bad, or diffident, at getting places UNESCO listed
Eg why the F aren’t Oxford and Cambridge both listed, separately? They are globally unique, overwhelmingly important. When you look at 98% of the sites that ARE listed it is ridiculous these two are not
I can only presume there is resistance in both cities because a UNESCO listing can hinder development and turn towns/sites into fossilised museums
There are dozens of other UK sites that should be contenders. Eg the Happisburgh footprints. The oldest human footprints outside Africa. They’re in Norfolk. How many Britons even know about them?
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I've decided on a staycation for my next holiday - two weeks at the end of this month, beginning of next
I was thinking of getting the Harwich to Hook Of Holland ferry and having a walk around the Netherlands, but have changed my mind
I can walk to Avebury or Amesbury in a day, mostly on footpaths, and I've never done either
Friends of mine have done the entire Ridgeway and rave about it. And they are experienced travellers
if you have two weeks you can step off the path to endless fascinating towns and villages and ancient sites en route. Also lots of great pubs with good food
Doing the whole Ridgeway would be cool (ditto the Wansdyke ) but I don't want to go "away" for two weeks so close to home
Part of the reason I want to stay at home is so I can do the odd shift at work and pay for my "holiday" as I go
I can also get the bus home from places like Avebury, rather than paying for a room
And at Stonehenge, my best mate lives about four miles away. I can stay a couple of nights at his place and have a day walking there, a day exploring locally, and a day walking back by a different route
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I like that they actually renamed the gorge after the first iron bridge, such a big deal it was.
You'll be telling us next that they renamed a gorge after the cheese.
Of course! Very deserved too.
Speaking of Cheddar, I tasted a Welsh expression of Cheddar today, called 'Rockstar' - should be banned it's so good.
The Welsh also make Black Bomber, which is my favorite, but I'll look out for Rockstar.
Can't beat top quality cheddar.
Same company makes it. It's more intense than Black Bomber. Both are good.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
Most surprising decision in the reshuffle was Lisa Nandy losing levelling up to Angela Rayner, and getting international development. I assume she was getting troublesome and not following the party line: she was certainly enthusiastic about the brief. A shame, that one.
I’m glad Johnny Reynolds and David Lammy both remained in their jobs. And Bridget Phillipson too, but Ydoethur will be along shortly to tell us why she’s a disaster.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I've decided on a staycation for my next holiday - two weeks at the end of this month, beginning of next
I was thinking of getting the Harwich to Hook Of Holland ferry and having a walk around the Netherlands, but have changed my mind
I can walk to Avebury or Amesbury in a day, mostly on footpaths, and I've never done either
Classic children TV show, Children of the stones, was filmed in Avebury.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
And yet all we remember about them is Romans, Pizza, and medieval banking.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I'm not sure. I'd have thought places like Italy or Israel/Palestine might give us a run for our money in terms of historical and cultural sites in a relatively compact space.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
I’m with a @Cyclefree on this, I think Italy edges it because of the multitude of overlapping cultures and histories, invaders and settlers in such a small country.
However, others disagree:
“...it occurred to me, not for the first time, what a remarkably small world Britain is. That is its glory, you see--that it manages at once to be intimate and small scale, and at the same time packed to bursting with incident and interest. I am constantly filled with admiration at this--at the way you can wander through a town like Oxford and in the space of a few hundred yards pass the home of Christopher Wren,... or how you can stand on Snow's Hill at Windsor and see, in a single sweep, Windsor Castle, the playing fields of Eton, the churchyard where Gray wrote his "Elegy," the site where The Merry Wives of Windsor was performed. Can there anywhere on earth be, in such a modest span, a landscape more packed with centuries of busy, productive attainment?”
All in all, it's a clever image. In part because it's hard to imagine the current Cabinet managing a group shot like this without at least one back-stabbing incident.
(Plus the whole how-do-you-hide-Rishi's-stature? thing)
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I'm not sure. I'd have thought places like Italy or Israel/Palestine might give us a run for our money in terms of historical and cultural sites in a relatively compact space.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Now you're changing the rules. It was historical events / places within walking / short driving distances. Now you're adding influence.
And who influenced the world - Europe - most? The Greeks and Romans have a strong claim to that. They made Europe. The Renaissance and the Baroque gave it its culture. Britain helped make the modern world, and taught its public servants how to emulate the Roman Empire. Italy taught the world how to enjoy life - la dolce vita - and the English how to make the gardens in which to enjoy life.
There! Sorted!
I - lucky old me - have the best of both. And, let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
Dude, whinging about people criticising you just makes it worse, just admit you couldn't say no to bags full of cash if you aren't going to be silent about it. Laughably claiming you went to Saudia Arabia for, what, the football, is just pathetic.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson says he was "really hurt" after being criticised for joining Al-Ettifaq.
Henderson, who moved to the Saudi club from Liverpool in July, has been a vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community. His move has been criticised by some LGBTQ+ campaigners, as same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Saudi Arabia.
"My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone. My intention has always been to help causes and communities," Henderson told the Athletic. "I do care about different causes that I've been involved in, and different communities… I do care. And for people to criticise and say that I'd turned my back on them really, really hurt me.
"All I can say is that I apologise, I'm sorry that I've made them feel that way. But I haven't changed as a person."
This bit is pretty hilarious though. Yeah, sure, Jordan, you had no idea it might happen because you know nothing about the religion, it's not as though anyone might have mentioned something about the laws in that area.
When his switch to Al-Ettifaq was announced, the club released a welcome video on social media with a montage of Henderson's career, but it appeared that his rainbow armband had been greyed out.
"I didn't know anything about it until it was out," Henderson said. "It's hard for me to know and understand everything because it is part of the religion.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
And yet all we remember about them is Romans, Pizza, and medieval banking.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Now you're changing the rules. It was historical events / places within walking / short driving distances. Now you're adding influence.
And who influenced the world - Europe - most? The Greeks and Romans have a strong claim to that. They made Europe. The Renaissance and the Baroque gave it its culture. Britain helped make the modern world, and taught its public servants how to emulate the Roman Empire. Italy taught the world how to enjoy life - la dolce vita - and the English how to make the gardens in which to enjoy life.
There! Sorted!
I - lucky old me - have the best of both. And, let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
If you are going for influence then Israel and Palestine, surely?
(Clowns to the left of me*, jokers to the right**) Stuck in the middle with you
*Corbynite wing **Conservative party
The joke loses its hilarity somewhat with the frantic asterisk work to stay on message.
I didn't want to risk being seen to be dissing Rayner*** or PB favourite Reeves****
***who I think is well'ard ****just for the hell of it
Rayner is undoubtedly slay (I believe that’s what the youngsters call it these days) and becoming more so. She’s honed her persona very effectively: partying Manc and woman of the people who makes killer cocktails, yet serious minded (but doesn’t take herself too seriously), fierce but approachable, loyal to the leadership but independent minded.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
And yet all we remember about them is Romans, Pizza, and medieval banking.
"We"?
You, maybe.
I was speaking on behalf of the culturally ignorant average Briton - what are the cliches that are regurgitated etc, I think that's pretty clear from the context, given you comment was about what 'Britain' was edging on ahead on. It was a lament.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
I'm not sure. I'd have thought places like Italy or Israel/Palestine might give us a run for our money in terms of historical and cultural sites in a relatively compact space.
(Clowns to the left of me*, jokers to the right**) Stuck in the middle with you
*Corbynite wing **Conservative party
The joke loses its hilarity somewhat with the frantic asterisk work to stay on message.
I didn't want to risk being seen to be dissing Rayner*** or PB favourite Reeves****
***who I think is well'ard ****just for the hell of it
Rayner is undoubtedly slay (I believe that’s what the youngsters call it these days) and becoming more so. She’s honed her persona very effectively: partying Manc and woman of the people who makes killer cocktails, yet serious minded (but doesn’t take herself too seriously), fierce but approachable, loyal to the leadership but independent minded.
She is a star. The only one with real charisma in the Shadow Cabinet.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Now you're changing the rules. It was historical events / places within walking / short driving distances. Now you're adding influence.
And who influenced the world - Europe - most? The Greeks and Romans have a strong claim to that. They made Europe. The Renaissance and the Baroque gave it its culture. Britain helped make the modern world, and taught its public servants how to emulate the Roman Empire. Italy taught the world how to enjoy life - la dolce vita - and the English how to make the gardens in which to enjoy life.
There! Sorted!
I - lucky old me - have the best of both. And, let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
No, I mean you can go see the places which inspired these people, or shaped them
I was led down this rabbit hole by my discovery over dinner that Darwin was born in Shrewsbury - 3 miles from where I type this - and that he was inspired by a weird stone in Shrewsbury, the Bellstone, which moulded his thinking on planetary history, and led him ultimately to the Theory of Evolution
(Clowns to the left of me*, jokers to the right**) Stuck in the middle with you
*Corbynite wing **Conservative party
The joke loses its hilarity somewhat with the frantic asterisk work to stay on message.
I didn't want to risk being seen to be dissing Rayner*** or PB favourite Reeves****
***who I think is well'ard ****just for the hell of it
Rayner is undoubtedly slay (I believe that’s what the youngsters call it these days) and becoming more so. She’s honed her persona very effectively: partying Manc and woman of the people who makes killer cocktails, yet serious minded (but doesn’t take herself too seriously), fierce but approachable, loyal to the leadership but independent minded.
She is quite a beauty in that photo and together with the lady in the orange suit - Thangam Debonaire, I think - the most elegant.
Rachel Reeves needs to find a jacket, indeed a trouser suit that fits. The one she wears there does her no favours. Starmer looks quite short.
I think the only Transgender MP is Jamie Wallis, who is Conservative.
Of course, there may be others unknown to the public.
He's not really, though, is he? He's a man who dresses up as a woman for his own private purposes. He's not, I don't think, going the whole chop-your-cock-off hog? He's claiming he wants to be trans because he thought it would get him some sympathy/attention.
Dude, whinging about people criticising you just makes it worse, just admit you couldn't say no to bags full of cash if you aren't going to be silent about it. Laughably claiming you went to Saudia Arabia for, what, the football, is just pathetic.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson says he was "really hurt" after being criticised for joining Al-Ettifaq.
Henderson, who moved to the Saudi club from Liverpool in July, has been a vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community. His move has been criticised by some LGBTQ+ campaigners, as same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Saudi Arabia.
"My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone. My intention has always been to help causes and communities," Henderson told the Athletic. "I do care about different causes that I've been involved in, and different communities… I do care. And for people to criticise and say that I'd turned my back on them really, really hurt me.
"All I can say is that I apologise, I'm sorry that I've made them feel that way. But I haven't changed as a person."
This bit is pretty hilarious though. Yeah, sure, Jordan, you had no idea it might happen because you know nothing about the religion, it's not as though anyone might have mentioned something about the laws in that area.
When his switch to Al-Ettifaq was announced, the club released a welcome video on social media with a montage of Henderson's career, but it appeared that his rainbow armband had been greyed out.
"I didn't know anything about it until it was out," Henderson said. "It's hard for me to know and understand everything because it is part of the religion.
Yes, all comes across as a bit disingenuous from Jordan. Wanting the cash but wanting to be liked too.
He should take a leaf out of our very own ageing star Leon, who turned the Saudi millions down in the end, for reasons of conscience.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
... let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
I'm playing outside my sphere of competence here, but isn't it the Americans?
I feel like with this latest crisis the government has crossed the Rubicon into the kind of territory where there is no way back. I wouldn't bet against a Labour majority.
It is error after error both forced and unforced.
I do not buy into Heatheners "It's 97 on Steroids" view but I think a small majority is in the offing. The Polls are not shifting back to the Tories and the news is continually not good for them,
More evidence showing Thatcher was right to close so many grammars.
A grammar school student with a “deep seated interest in Right-wing extremism” sent white nationalists instructions to make bombs in the hope of encouraging a terrorist attack, a court heard.
Malakai Wheeler allegedly shared guides on the manufacture of explosives and firearms with an online group of white nationalists dedicated to violent racism.
Wheeler, a pupil at Marling School in Stroud, Gloucestershire, was 15 when he began sharing terrorist manifestos, a jury heard.
When his home was searched by police they allegedly discovered publications titled the Terrorist Handbook, the Anarchist Cookbook and Homemade Detonators.
His electrical devices were also seized and revealed to contain a “hoard” of Right-wing material, literature and manifestos of known terrorists, the court heard.
Footage of the mass shootings in Christchurch mosques in New Zealand in 2019, overdubbed with Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now playing, was also found on his phone, the jury was told.
Honestly shocked that some Republicans have found an example of public conduct that they don't think is acceptable. Paxton may well be shady as hell but they've defended worse. AUSTIN, Texas — Attorney General Ken Paxton pleaded not guilty to 20 articles of impeachment alleging corruption, abuse of public trust, misuse of public funds and more, as the Texas Senate began a historic impeachment trial Tuesday.
The Republican firebrand was impeached in May by an overwhelming vote in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives over his involvement with real estate developer and donor Nate Paul. Now, the state Senate — convened as a high court of impeachment — will determine whether or not to remove him from office.
I feel like with this latest crisis the government has crossed the Rubicon into the kind of territory where there is no way back. I wouldn't bet against a Labour majority.
It is error after error both forced and unforced.
I do not buy into Heatheners "It's 97 on Steroids" view but I think a small majority is in the offing. The Polls are not shifting back to the Tories and the news is continually not good for them,
More evidence showing Thatcher was right to close so many grammars.
A grammar school student with a “deep seated interest in Right-wing extremism” sent white nationalists instructions to make bombs in the hope of encouraging a terrorist attack, a court heard.
Malakai Wheeler allegedly shared guides on the manufacture of explosives and firearms with an online group of white nationalists dedicated to violent racism.
Wheeler, a pupil at Marling School in Stroud, Gloucestershire, was 15 when he began sharing terrorist manifestos, a jury heard.
When his home was searched by police they allegedly discovered publications titled the Terrorist Handbook, the Anarchist Cookbook and Homemade Detonators.
His electrical devices were also seized and revealed to contain a “hoard” of Right-wing material, literature and manifestos of known terrorists, the court heard.
Footage of the mass shootings in Christchurch mosques in New Zealand in 2019, overdubbed with Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now playing, was also found on his phone, the jury was told.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
Italy is a long thin peninsula whose connection to its continent is mostly over a huge mountain range. A pet theory, for which I have little evidence, is that socially, or politically, that has given it some of the characteristics of an island.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
I think the only Transgender MP is Jamie Wallis, who is Conservative.
Of course, there may be others unknown to the public.
He's not really, though, is he? He's a man who dresses up as a woman for his own private purposes. He's not, I don't think, going the whole chop-your-cock-off hog? He's claiming he wants to be trans because he thought it would get him some sympathy/attention.
I feel like with this latest crisis the government has crossed the Rubicon into the kind of territory where there is no way back. I wouldn't bet against a Labour majority.
It is error after error both forced and unforced.
I do not buy into Heatheners "It's 97 on Steroids" view but I think a small majority is in the offing. The Polls are not shifting back to the Tories and the news is continually not good for them,
More evidence showing Thatcher was right to close so many grammars.
A grammar school student with a “deep seated interest in Right-wing extremism” sent white nationalists instructions to make bombs in the hope of encouraging a terrorist attack, a court heard.
Malakai Wheeler allegedly shared guides on the manufacture of explosives and firearms with an online group of white nationalists dedicated to violent racism.
Wheeler, a pupil at Marling School in Stroud, Gloucestershire, was 15 when he began sharing terrorist manifestos, a jury heard.
When his home was searched by police they allegedly discovered publications titled the Terrorist Handbook, the Anarchist Cookbook and Homemade Detonators.
His electrical devices were also seized and revealed to contain a “hoard” of Right-wing material, literature and manifestos of known terrorists, the court heard.
Footage of the mass shootings in Christchurch mosques in New Zealand in 2019, overdubbed with Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now playing, was also found on his phone, the jury was told.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Now you're changing the rules. It was historical events / places within walking / short driving distances. Now you're adding influence.
And who influenced the world - Europe - most? The Greeks and Romans have a strong claim to that. They made Europe. The Renaissance and the Baroque gave it its culture. Britain helped make the modern world, and taught its public servants how to emulate the Roman Empire. Italy taught the world how to enjoy life - la dolce vita - and the English how to make the gardens in which to enjoy life.
There! Sorted!
I - lucky old me - have the best of both. And, let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
No, I mean you can go see the places which inspired these people, or shaped them
I was led down this rabbit hole by my discovery over dinner that Darwin was born in Shrewsbury - 3 miles from where I type this - and that he was inspired by a weird stone in Shrewsbury, the Bellstone, which moulded his thinking on planetary history, and led him ultimately to the Theory of Evolution
Will you be venturing up the weird Long Mynd? Carding Mill valley is like a strange, steep Precambrian twin of Dovedale (but without the Muslim pilgrims). Those are the oldest rocks In Shropshire.
It feels a bit like being on the high slopes of somewhere in the Kenyan rift valley.
I think the only Transgender MP is Jamie Wallis, who is Conservative.
Of course, there may be others unknown to the public.
He's not really, though, is he? He's a man who dresses up as a woman for his own private purposes. He's not, I don't think, going the whole chop-your-cock-off hog? He's claiming he wants to be trans because he thought it would get him some sympathy/attention.
He's on twitter. You can ask him (them?). It's not like it's difficult.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
And yet all we remember about them is Romans, Pizza, and medieval banking.
"We"?
You, maybe.
I was speaking on behalf of the culturally ignorant average Briton - what are the cliches that are regurgitated etc, I think that's pretty clear from the context, given you comment was about what 'Britain' was edging on ahead on. It was a lament.
Fair enough.
I feel immensely privileged to have been brought up in Naples. Though if you mentioned that to most English people at the time they'd politely recoil in horror, assuming that you were some sort of peasant working for the Mafia. Add in the barely disguised contempt for the Irish - and our family may as well have worn T-shirts with the word "troll" on them. There is nothing like being on the receiving end of middle class English contempt to inoculate you against it for the rest of your born days.
This is what's in a day's walk between me and Avebury. Two days' walk to fit it all in
I could get the bus back, and out again in the morning, or stay there overnight
Make sure you get to the West Kennet barrow, and walk around Silbury while you're nearby. If it makes sense, do those on the way to Avebury. Haven't been to The sanctuary but it's another important part of the Sacred Landscape.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
All Bryson’s fault for calling it notes from a small island. But he’s American do everything over here is small.
Dude, whinging about people criticising you just makes it worse, just admit you couldn't say no to bags full of cash if you aren't going to be silent about it. Laughably claiming you went to Saudia Arabia for, what, the football, is just pathetic.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson says he was "really hurt" after being criticised for joining Al-Ettifaq.
Henderson, who moved to the Saudi club from Liverpool in July, has been a vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community. His move has been criticised by some LGBTQ+ campaigners, as same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Saudi Arabia.
"My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone. My intention has always been to help causes and communities," Henderson told the Athletic. "I do care about different causes that I've been involved in, and different communities… I do care. And for people to criticise and say that I'd turned my back on them really, really hurt me.
"All I can say is that I apologise, I'm sorry that I've made them feel that way. But I haven't changed as a person."
This bit is pretty hilarious though. Yeah, sure, Jordan, you had no idea it might happen because you know nothing about the religion, it's not as though anyone might have mentioned something about the laws in that area.
When his switch to Al-Ettifaq was announced, the club released a welcome video on social media with a montage of Henderson's career, but it appeared that his rainbow armband had been greyed out.
"I didn't know anything about it until it was out," Henderson said. "It's hard for me to know and understand everything because it is part of the religion.
That is, indeed, utter cringe
What a lying twat. And I can think of worse words that would also be justified
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
... let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
I'm playing outside my sphere of competence here, but isn't it the Americans?
(Clowns to the left of me*, jokers to the right**) Stuck in the middle with you
*Corbynite wing **Conservative party
The joke loses its hilarity somewhat with the frantic asterisk work to stay on message.
I didn't want to risk being seen to be dissing Rayner*** or PB favourite Reeves****
***who I think is well'ard ****just for the hell of it
Rayner is undoubtedly slay (I believe that’s what the youngsters call it these days) and becoming more so. She’s honed her persona very effectively: partying Manc and woman of the people who makes killer cocktails, yet serious minded (but doesn’t take herself too seriously), fierce but approachable, loyal to the leadership but independent minded.
She is a star. The only one with real charisma in the Shadow Cabinet.
I think Angela Rayner is great . I would be happier to see her as leader as she would give the Tories both barrels . Starmer needs to stop being so polite .
Nah Rayner is better as deputy. She’s get eaten alive as leader.
Keir is the right leader. Boring competence is just what Labour needs. An Attlee or Wilson type but with the longevity of Blair: Brown without being useless.
Nah Rayner is better as deputy. She’s get eaten alive as leader.
Keir is the right leader. Boring competence is just what Labour needs. An Attlee or Wilson type but with the longevity of Blair: Brown without being useless.
He does need her as a sidekick too.
Like Attlee, if you are charisma free but in command, then surround yourself with strong characters.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
... let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
I'm playing outside my sphere of competence here, but isn't it the Americans?
Hmmm....not sure they have anyone to match James Joyce.
Russians might have been a better shot. Tolstoy was quite good, and Dostoyevsky could turn a nice phrase or two.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
And yet all we remember about them is Romans, Pizza, and medieval banking.
"We"?
You, maybe.
I was speaking on behalf of the culturally ignorant average Briton - what are the cliches that are regurgitated etc, I think that's pretty clear from the context, given you comment was about what 'Britain' was edging on ahead on. It was a lament.
Fair enough.
I feel immensely privileged to have been brought up in Naples. Though if you mentioned that to most English people at the time they'd politely recoil in horror, assuming that you were some sort of peasant working for the Mafia. Add in the barely disguised contempt for the Irish - and our family may as well have worn T-shirts with the word "troll" on them. There is nothing like being on the receiving end of middle class English contempt to inoculate you against it for the rest of your born days.
This is definitely the weirdest question you've ever been asked, but have you seen Equaliser 3? It's set in Italy (Sicily?) And the village it's set in is extraordinarily beautiful. We all see the tourism stuff but I am constantly amazed by the beauty of even poor places in the Mediterranean. Leon is wandering thru chocolate-box Britain and ignoring the rat-holes, but in Italy even the rat-holes look good.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
... let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
I'm playing outside my sphere of competence here, but isn't it the Americans?
Hmmm....not sure they have anyone to match James Joyce.
Russians might have been a better shot. Tolstoy was quite good, and Dostoyevsky could turn a nice phrase or two.
James Joyce is to carry, or put on your bookshelf. No one actually reads it.
“Shropshire has rocks from more periods of geology than anywhere else in the world,”
If so, we win on geology as well
IN YOUR FACE, EVERYWHERE ELSE
From memory alone, I think the Arran (the island off the west coast of Scotland) has the most extraordinary spread of geological time outcropping on its surface than anywhere else.
Britain as a whole does have fairly interesting geology (and again, to the extraordinary variety point it’s more the breadth than the depth - there are more interesting fossils, caves, formations etc in loads of other places, but like a sort of geological It’s A Small World After All we have tasters of most of it).
EDIT to add source: a mostly forgotten ‘D’ in A-level geology from 25 years ago.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
Yeah, "tiny" is a bit of a stretch
But both the UK and Italy are relatively tiny countries compared to Russia, and the UK is relatively tinier
Both are relatively tiny compared to their global impact
I agree with Leon that the relatively tiny UK has had the greatest influence on the world
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
... let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
I'm playing outside my sphere of competence here, but isn't it the Americans?
Hmmm....not sure they have anyone to match James Joyce.
Russians might have been a better shot. Tolstoy was quite good, and Dostoyevsky could turn a nice phrase or two.
James Joyce is to carry, or put on your bookshelf. No one actually reads it.
Philistine
I’ve read Ulysses twice. In fact it is the ONLY book I’ve read twice. And I did it for pleasure
I confess I couldn’t get beyond page 6 of Finnegan’s Wake but then Joyce pretty much admitted the same, of his own book
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
All Bryson’s fault for calling it notes from a small island. But he’s American do everything over here is small.
Bryson's later book(s) on Britain are not so complimentary. He hates fly-tipping.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Now you're changing the rules. It was historical events / places within walking / short driving distances. Now you're adding influence.
And who influenced the world - Europe - most? The Greeks and Romans have a strong claim to that. They made Europe. The Renaissance and the Baroque gave it its culture. Britain helped make the modern world, and taught its public servants how to emulate the Roman Empire. Italy taught the world how to enjoy life - la dolce vita - and the English how to make the gardens in which to enjoy life.
There! Sorted!
I - lucky old me - have the best of both. And, let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
No, I mean you can go see the places which inspired these people, or shaped them
I was led down this rabbit hole by my discovery over dinner that Darwin was born in Shrewsbury - 3 miles from where I type this - and that he was inspired by a weird stone in Shrewsbury, the Bellstone, which moulded his thinking on planetary history, and led him ultimately to the Theory of Evolution
Evolution - you have the wrong Darwin. Hus grandpa Erasmus was writing about it. AS were others before him.
And as for "It was only when he studied geology at Edinburgh that Darwin learned that during the last ice age moving glaciers had transported massive rocks across the country."
C. Darwin = student in Edinburgh in the late 1820s. After there had been speculation about massive floods, icebergs etc moving rocks.
He read Lyell's Principles of Geology, 1830-33. That was the key event in his view of planetary history, arguably.
And so far as I can recall Agassiz's glacial theory didn't come till later.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
All Bryson’s fault for calling it notes from a small island. But he’s American do everything over here is small.
Bryson's later book(s) on Britain are not so complimentary. He hates fly-tipping.
To stay on theme, the only developed country with worse fly tipping than Britain is Southern Italy.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
... let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
I'm playing outside my sphere of competence here, but isn't it the Americans?
Hmmm....not sure they have anyone to match James Joyce.
Russians might have been a better shot. Tolstoy was quite good, and Dostoyevsky could turn a nice phrase or two.
James Joyce is to carry, or put on your bookshelf. No one actually reads it.
Philistine
I’ve read Ulysses twice. In fact it is the ONLY book I’ve read twice. And I did it for pleasure
I confess I couldn’t get beyond page 6 of Finnegan’s Wake but then Joyce pretty much admitted the same, of his own book
“Shropshire has rocks from more periods of geology than anywhere else in the world,”
If so, we win on geology as well
IN YOUR FACE, EVERYWHERE ELSE
From memory alone, I think the Arran (the island off the west coast of Scotland) has the most extraordinary spread of geological time outcropping on its surface than anywhere else.
Britain as a whole does have fairly interesting geology (and again, to the extraordinary variety point it’s more the breadth than the depth - there are more interesting fossils, caves, formations etc in loads of other places, but like a sort of geological It’s A Small World After All we have tasters of most of it).
EDIT to add source: a mostly forgotten ‘D’ in A-level geology from 25 years ago.
Even in the SE we have some sedimentary geology that’s extremely complex in a small area. My profile picture is from the geological map of the Kent downs south of Canterbury where my vineyard is. Multiple very different soils and bedrock types even on this predominantly chalk formation. Wealden sands to the South West, upper, middle and lower chalk, periglacial drift deposits (head), loess, London clay beds and even a coal seam over Thanet.
Nah Rayner is better as deputy. She’s get eaten alive as leader.
Keir is the right leader. Boring competence is just what Labour needs. An Attlee or Wilson type but with the longevity of Blair: Brown without being useless.
He does need her as a sidekick too.
Like Attlee, if you are charisma free but in command, then surround yourself with strong characters.
One of the differences between now and 2021 seems to be that Starmer and Rayner have an understanding (maybe that one is a Sordid Deal) of what each brings to the table and why they each need the other.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
... let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
I'm playing outside my sphere of competence here, but isn't it the Americans?
Hmmm....not sure they have anyone to match James Joyce.
Russians might have been a better shot. Tolstoy was quite good, and Dostoyevsky could turn a nice phrase or two.
James Joyce is to carry, or put on your bookshelf. No one actually reads it.
Philistine
I’ve read Ulysses twice. In fact it is the ONLY book I’ve read twice. And I did it for pleasure
I confess I couldn’t get beyond page 6 of Finnegan’s Wake but then Joyce pretty much admitted the same, of his own book
Don't wish to argue with either of you, but you gotta admit Portrait Of The Artist is a ripping good read as well as a great work of art.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
And yet all we remember about them is Romans, Pizza, and medieval banking.
"We"?
You, maybe.
I was speaking on behalf of the culturally ignorant average Briton - what are the cliches that are regurgitated etc, I think that's pretty clear from the context, given you comment was about what 'Britain' was edging on ahead on. It was a lament.
Fair enough.
I feel immensely privileged to have been brought up in Naples. Though if you mentioned that to most English people at the time they'd politely recoil in horror, assuming that you were some sort of peasant working for the Mafia. Add in the barely disguised contempt for the Irish - and our family may as well have worn T-shirts with the word "troll" on them. There is nothing like being on the receiving end of middle class English contempt to inoculate you against it for the rest of your born days.
This is definitely the weirdest question you've ever been asked, but have you seen Equaliser 3? It's set in Italy (Sicily?) And the village it's set in is extraordinarily beautiful. We all see the tourism stuff but I am constantly amazed by the beauty of even poor places in the Mediterranean. Leon is wandering thru chocolate-box Britain and ignoring the rat-holes, but in Italy even the rat-holes look good.
But I am not wandering through chocolate box Britain. I am not far from Telford, Redditch, Brum…
And trust me, rat-hole Italy is fucking horrible. You don’t know what you are talking about. There are entire slum towns in Calabria which make Egypt look tolerable. Infested with Mafiosi, half built due to corruption,3/4 ruined due to earthquakes, deeply poor and ugly, and no amount of sun can save the concrete, squalor, litter and torpor
See also the burbs around Naples, many towns in Puglia, some of the shanty towns around Genoa, the ugly suburban sprawl in the Veneto (bleak as fuck), the worst bits of Sicily, and much else
You haven’t been to any of these places, have you?
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
Agreed; the UK has nigh-on 70m people. That is not small by really anyone’s measure, let alone tiny. We’re nudging into the top 10% of countries ranked by population. If I was in the top ten 10% of adult men by height*, I would not be small. I’d be quite tall.
Britain’s a decent sized island as well, and whole the UK is not actually that physically big a country it’s not like we all live on the Isle of Man or something.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
All Bryson’s fault for calling it notes from a small island. But he’s American do everything over here is small.
Bryson's later book(s) on Britain are not so complimentary. He hates fly-tipping.
To stay on theme, the only developed country with worse fly tipping than Britain is Southern Italy.
It’s absolutely revolting. I have vivid recollections of a drive along the Eastern slopes of Etna where the entire roadside was strewn with rubbish bags, for mile upon mile. British fly tipping is far more localised.
This is what's in a day's walk between me and Avebury. Two days' walk to fit it all in
I could get the bus back, and out again in the morning, or stay there overnight
Make sure you get to the West Kennet barrow, and walk around Silbury while you're nearby. If it makes sense, do those on the way to Avebury. Haven't been to The sanctuary but it's another important part of the Sacred Landscape.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
All Bryson’s fault for calling it notes from a small island. But he’s American do everything over here is small.
Bryson's later book(s) on Britain are not so complimentary. He hates fly-tipping.
To stay on theme, the only developed country with worse fly tipping than Britain is Southern Italy.
It’s absolutely revolting. I have vivid recollections of a drive along the Eastern slopes of Etna where the entire roadside was strewn with rubbish bags, for mile upon mile. British fly tipping is far more localised.
Can't remember the last time I saw any fly-tipping in this part of the UK.
I’m appreciative of the love being shown for British history and heritage this evening.
Reinforces my desire to bin off those bloody boring ‘marbles’ from the BM and put something decent in instead. Do it before someone (else) nicks them anyway.
Here’s a thought. Is there “more to see per square mile” in the UK than anywhere else on earth?
I suspect that might be true
I am in Upton Magna, Shropshire
I am 12 miles from Ironbridge, UNESCO listed, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, one of the most important places on earth
I am 3 miles from Shrewsbury, a splendidly preserved Medieval-Georgian English market town, childhood home of Darwin. I am half an hour from Ludlow, which is even better
I am right next door to Attingham Park, a glorious 18th century mansion, on a site with 4000 years of human history, Bronze Age, Roman, you name it
I am surrounded by medieval churches and Iron Age hill forts and weird Manor Houses and the like
I don’t believe any other country on earth offers this variety of history, scenery, culture, weirdness, beauty, ugliness, packed into such a tiny space
Italy.
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
yes, I agree the World Cup final of “most interesting place per sq m” is between the UK and Italy
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
And Baroque and 18th C history. Plus WW battlefields. They probably win on criminal history too! Fiats. Films - especially post-War: Rossellini vs Ealing Comedies.
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
But we trounce them on global influence post 1700. The English language, the British Empire, all our colonial adventures, and all those incredible inventions which changed the world, all coming from this relatively tiny island (and you can’t move without bumping into the birthplace of such and such a person who transformed this or that). The British basically invented the modern world
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
Can I just pull you up on 'relatively tiny island'? Great Britain is the 8th largest island in the world (out of roughly 900,000). And, I think, roughly the 5th most populous (out of roughly 16,000 inhabited). As islands go, its a humdinger.
We're a relatively tiny country, that is also an island
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
We're not really a relatively tiny country, though. We're above the middle in terms of area, and pretty close to the top in terms of population. It's like saying a human is a relatively tiny mammal because much bigger ones exist. Sure, it's not the biggest, but tiny? San Marino is tiny. Moldova could be decribed, arguably, as relatively tiny. The UK cannot, really. I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
All Bryson’s fault for calling it notes from a small island. But he’s American do everything over here is small.
Bryson's later book(s) on Britain are not so complimentary. He hates fly-tipping.
To stay on theme, the only developed country with worse fly tipping than Britain is Southern Italy.
It’s absolutely revolting. I have vivid recollections of a drive along the Eastern slopes of Etna where the entire roadside was strewn with rubbish bags, for mile upon mile. British fly tipping is far more localised.
Can't remember the last time I saw any fly-tipping in this part of the UK.
Comments
First show I was genuinely scared by.
A grammar school student with a “deep seated interest in Right-wing extremism” sent white nationalists instructions to make bombs in the hope of encouraging a terrorist attack, a court heard.
Malakai Wheeler allegedly shared guides on the manufacture of explosives and firearms with an online group of white nationalists dedicated to violent racism.
Wheeler, a pupil at Marling School in Stroud, Gloucestershire, was 15 when he began sharing terrorist manifestos, a jury heard.
When his home was searched by police they allegedly discovered publications titled the Terrorist Handbook, the Anarchist Cookbook and Homemade Detonators.
His electrical devices were also seized and revealed to contain a “hoard” of Right-wing material, literature and manifestos of known terrorists, the court heard.
Footage of the mass shootings in Christchurch mosques in New Zealand in 2019, overdubbed with Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now playing, was also found on his phone, the jury was told.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/05/school-student-white-nationalists-bomb-instructions-court/
Take Naples for instance - in one street you can be above Greek and Roman ruins, within a few minutes walk of Norman castles and castles built by the Anjou, and the Spanish quarter built by the Spanish Hapsburgs, palaces built by the Bourbons and inhabited by Napoleon's brother and Nelson and William Hamilton who took vases from Pompei which inspired Wedgwood in England and a bank building with Caravaggio paintings in it. You have Vesuvius nearby and Amalfi, where the law of the sea was first formulated, and the first railway line built in Italy, and so on. An awful lot of history and art and culture is packed into a small place.
Much the same could be said for many other places in Italy.
And that’s despite the UK being weirdly bad, or diffident, at getting places UNESCO listed
Eg why the F aren’t Oxford and Cambridge both listed, separately? They are globally unique, overwhelmingly important. When you look at 98% of the sites that ARE listed it is ridiculous these two are not
I can only presume there is resistance in both cities because a UNESCO listing can hinder development and turn towns/sites into fossilised museums
There are dozens of other UK sites that should be contenders. Eg the Happisburgh footprints. The oldest human footprints outside Africa. They’re in Norfolk. How many Britons even know about them?
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/07/oldest-human-footprints-happisburgh-norfolk?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Part of the reason I want to stay at home is so I can do the odd shift at work and pay for my "holiday" as I go
I can also get the bus home from places like Avebury, rather than paying for a room
And at Stonehenge, my best mate lives about four miles away. I can stay a couple of nights at his place and have a day walking there, a day exploring locally, and a day walking back by a different route
They have the edge in ancient and Renaissance history but we have the edge in more modern history
So far on this road trip I’d say our food is better. I have been superbly well fed
Can't beat top quality cheddar.
So Italy is not much bigger, agreed. But it is notably bigger
Though I think Britain is probably now edging it on public / political scandals!
Stuck in the middle with you
*Corbynite wing
**Conservative party
I’m glad Johnny Reynolds and David Lammy both remained in their jobs. And Bridget Phillipson too, but Ydoethur will be along shortly to tell us why she’s a disaster.
So I reckon WE edge it, but they have nicer ice cream. And, yes, I am biased. And also a little tipsy
However, others disagree:
“...it occurred to me, not for the first time, what a remarkably small world Britain is. That is its glory, you see--that it manages at once to be intimate and small scale, and at the same time packed to bursting with incident and interest. I am constantly filled with admiration at this--at the way you can wander through a town like Oxford and in the space of a few hundred yards pass the home of Christopher Wren,... or how you can stand on Snow's Hill at Windsor and see, in a single sweep, Windsor Castle, the playing fields of Eton, the churchyard where Gray wrote his "Elegy," the site where The Merry Wives of Windsor was performed. Can there anywhere on earth be, in such a modest span, a landscape more packed with centuries of busy, productive attainment?”
Bill Bryson, Notes from a small island.
I could get the bus back, and out again in the morning, or stay there overnight
All in all, it's a clever image. In part because it's hard to imagine the current Cabinet managing a group shot like this without at least one back-stabbing incident.
(Plus the whole how-do-you-hide-Rishi's-stature? thing)
The Brits are ridiculously lazy on this. And it’s a damn shame, because I know, as a pro, that UNESCO listing really helps tourism
Here are some utterly shit German UNESCO sites that they managed to get listed
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1239/
“Berlin Modernism Housing Estates” - what really??
Then why not list an English garden city, which influenced architecture and urbanism around the world??
A fucking factory. One factory
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1368/
And what in the name of Holy Fuckery is this doing on the list? What even is it?
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1614/
And look, a park with some nice buildings
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1127/
***who I think is well'ard
****just for the hell of it
And who influenced the world - Europe - most? The Greeks and Romans have a strong claim to that. They made Europe. The Renaissance and the Baroque gave it its culture. Britain helped make the modern world, and taught its public servants how to emulate the Roman Empire. Italy taught the world how to enjoy life - la dolce vita - and the English how to make the gardens in which to enjoy life.
There! Sorted!
I - lucky old me - have the best of both. And, let's face it, Shakespeare aside, the best literature in English has been written by the Irish. 😉
Of course, there may be others unknown to the public.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson says he was "really hurt" after being criticised for joining Al-Ettifaq.
Henderson, who moved to the Saudi club from Liverpool in July, has been a vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community. His move has been criticised by some LGBTQ+ campaigners, as same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Saudi Arabia.
"My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone. My intention has always been to help causes and communities," Henderson told the Athletic. "I do care about different causes that I've been involved in, and different communities… I do care. And for people to criticise and say that I'd turned my back on them really, really hurt me.
"All I can say is that I apologise, I'm sorry that I've made them feel that way. But I haven't changed as a person."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66714875
This bit is pretty hilarious though. Yeah, sure, Jordan, you had no idea it might happen because you know nothing about the religion, it's not as though anyone might have mentioned something about the laws in that area.
When his switch to Al-Ettifaq was announced, the club released a welcome video on social media with a montage of Henderson's career, but it appeared that his rainbow armband had been greyed out.
"I didn't know anything about it until it was out," Henderson said. "It's hard for me to know and understand everything because it is part of the religion.
https://twitter.com/paulmasonnews/status/1699138822364078174
You, maybe.
I think "relatively tiny island" is fair and fine, when comparing to Italy
I was led down this rabbit hole by my discovery over dinner that Darwin was born in Shrewsbury - 3 miles from where I type this - and that he was inspired by a weird stone in Shrewsbury, the Bellstone, which moulded his thinking on planetary history, and led him ultimately to the Theory of Evolution
https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-shrewsburys-bellstone
Galileo? PFF!
Rachel Reeves needs to find a jacket, indeed a trouser suit that fits. The one she wears there does her no favours. Starmer looks quite short.
“Shropshire has rocks from more periods of geology than anywhere else in the world,”
If so, we win on geology as well
IN YOUR FACE, EVERYWHERE ELSE
He should take a leaf out of our very own ageing star Leon, who turned the Saudi millions down in the end, for reasons of conscience.
AUSTIN, Texas — Attorney General Ken Paxton pleaded not guilty to 20 articles of impeachment alleging corruption, abuse of public trust, misuse of public funds and more, as the Texas Senate began a historic impeachment trial Tuesday.
The Republican firebrand was impeached in May by an overwhelming vote in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives over his involvement with real estate developer and donor Nate Paul. Now, the state Senate — convened as a high court of impeachment — will determine whether or not to remove him from office.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-republicans-trump-ally-attorney-general-ken-paxton-impeachment-rcna102601
I appreciate Leon was using a rhetorical flourish but I can't let the 'tiny island' bit go past without comment from him or anyone else. If anyone ever uses it without comment from me you can assume I am elsewhere.
https://news.sky.com/story/jamie-wallis-mp-says-he-wants-to-begin-gender-transition-process-as-quickly-as-possible-as-he-describes-rape-and-blackmail-ordeal-12596079
It feels a bit like being on the high slopes of somewhere in the Kenyan rift valley.
I feel immensely privileged to have been brought up in Naples. Though if you mentioned that to most English people at the time they'd politely recoil in horror, assuming that you were some sort of peasant working for the Mafia. Add in the barely disguised contempt for the Irish - and our family may as well have worn T-shirts with the word "troll" on them. There is nothing like being on the receiving end of middle class English contempt to inoculate you against it for the rest of your born days.
What a lying twat. And I can think of worse words that would also be justified
😀😀😀
I see they claim little more than fossil earth in a single quarry for the entire Palaeogene and Neogene, and none at all for the Cretaceous ...
Keir is the right leader. Boring competence is just what Labour needs. An Attlee or Wilson type but with the longevity of Blair: Brown without being useless.
22C at 10pm in rural Shropshire. September 5th
Must be breaking some night time minima records here
Like Attlee, if you are charisma free but in command, then surround yourself with strong characters.
"Tucker Carlson will release an interview with a man who claims he had sex with Barack Obama in 1999"
https://x.com/tpostmillennial/status/1699144917333790957
Russians might have been a better shot. Tolstoy was quite good, and Dostoyevsky could turn a nice phrase or two.
Britain as a whole does have fairly interesting geology (and again, to the extraordinary variety point it’s more the breadth than the depth - there are more interesting fossils, caves, formations etc in loads of other places, but like a sort of geological It’s A Small World After All we have tasters of most of it).
EDIT to add source: a mostly forgotten ‘D’ in A-level geology from 25 years ago.
But both the UK and Italy are relatively tiny countries compared to Russia, and the UK is relatively tinier
Both are relatively tiny compared to their global impact
I agree with Leon that the relatively tiny UK has had the greatest influence on the world
I’ve read Ulysses twice. In fact it is the ONLY book I’ve read twice. And I did it for pleasure
I confess I couldn’t get beyond page 6 of Finnegan’s Wake but then Joyce pretty much admitted the same, of his own book
We also have Saharan dust which is why the sky looked a bit Dubai-like this afternoon.
Hell of a story there.
Evolution - you have the wrong Darwin. Hus grandpa Erasmus was writing about it. AS were others before him.
And as for "It was only when he studied geology at Edinburgh that Darwin learned that during the last ice age moving glaciers had transported massive rocks across the country."
C. Darwin = student in Edinburgh in the late 1820s. After there had been speculation about massive floods, icebergs etc moving rocks.
He read Lyell's Principles of Geology, 1830-33. That was the key event in his view of planetary history, arguably.
And so far as I can recall Agassiz's glacial theory didn't come till later.
And trust me, rat-hole Italy is fucking horrible. You don’t know what you are talking about. There are entire slum towns in Calabria which make Egypt look tolerable. Infested with Mafiosi, half built due to corruption,3/4 ruined due to earthquakes, deeply poor and ugly, and no amount of sun can save the concrete, squalor, litter and torpor
See also the burbs around Naples, many towns in Puglia, some of the shanty towns around Genoa, the ugly suburban sprawl in the Veneto (bleak as fuck), the worst bits of Sicily, and much else
You haven’t been to any of these places, have you?
Britain’s a decent sized island as well, and whole the UK is not actually that physically big a country it’s not like we all live on the Isle of Man or something.
*I am not
Reinforces my desire to bin off those bloody boring ‘marbles’ from the BM and put something decent in instead. Do it before someone (else) nicks them anyway.