Little Glimpses of History

The thrill of viewing old sites that are off the beaten track.

Recently, I went on a little research trip along the River Thames to give me some ‘feels’ and ideas for my current novel. What I particularly like to find are bits of history that are a little off the beaten track. Although one of my bits of research was to view the Tower of London from the other side of the river to try and get what it might have looked like from that viewpoint when it was first built, I also visited a few places that are not the most touristy or obvious places to visit.

Saxons and Romans

For my Anglo-Saxon chapter, I visited All Hallows by the Tower, as this church – or part of it – was in existence at the time that the Tower was built. I was pleased to find that the crypt has become a museum, and for me there were a couple of real delights. Firstly, a Saxon arch, and secondly – great joy – a Roman floor. This floor, where Roman feet once trod, is the kind of thing that I can gaze on for minutes and get a great thrill from knowing that these beautiful tessellated tiles were touched by people from 2,000 years ago. It is a real glimpse into the past, touching on the every day life of our ancestors.

An Old Tree and a Priory

Not far from London, a little beyond Heathrow, is the oldest tree in Britain: generally thought to be over 2,000 years old, though recent findings have put it as possibly 4,000 years old. Some believe the Magna Carta was signed under this tree, rather than across the river at Runnymede. And very close to this tree is the remaining corner of an 11th century Benedictine priory. As a writer, these things inspire the imagination. I can almost see the nuns coming in and out of that old arched doorway…

For me, these small glimpses of history are more fascinating and inspiring than the big, well-known, well-trodden and much-visited pieces of history that are in all the tourist books. The connection feels more personal, and that is what feeds my writer’s imagination.