Latest news with #EnglishCivilWar
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Five top hidden gem attractions in the UK according to experts from Venetian palaces to hidden gold mines
THE National Trusts boasts many hidden gems across the UK - including the UK's only Roman Gold Mine and a house with 'playful and mysterious' curiosities. With so many sites in it's collection, National Trust properties offer the perfect day-out this summer . 6 The National Trust has many different hidden gems Credit: Alamy And now, the charity has revealed some of it's top hidden gems. Dolaucothi, Carmarthenshire in Wales Dolaucothi, located in Carmarthenshire in Wales, is the UK's only known Roman Gold Mine. Head of visitor programming, Tom Freshwater, said: "Hidden in these wooded hillsides is evidence of Roman gold mining , dating back over 2,000 years. "On pre-booked guided tours, expert guides will unveil the secrets of Roman mining and take you underground into the mine itself, ending with the chance to try the gold panning experience." Read more on hidden gems Mining continued at Dolaucothi into the 20th century, ending in 1938. Dolaucothi is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and visitors will need to prebook The tours start from the 1930s mine yard where visitors will see buildings and mining machinery dating from that time. Orford Ness, Suffolk Orford Ness, Suffolk is one of the most dynamic landforms on the UK coastline and the largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe. Most read in News Travel "A large proportion of the world's rare coastal vegetated shingle is found here, which together with the In 1915 the arrival of the Royal Flying Corps ushered in a 70-year period of secret military experimentation, mostly working on aerial warfare. Kids Country House Between 1935 and 1937, the first experimental work on radar was conducted on the Ness and from 1953, tests on Britain's atomic bombs. "The best thing about this place is the strangeness of the landscape: the juxtaposition of wild remoteness and fascinating but disturbing history ," Tom added. Visitors can only get to Orford Ness via the National Trust ferry Octavia. There is no access on foot or by vehicle via Slaughden. There is a charge for Smallhythe, Kent Originally built in the early 16th-century, Smallhythe used to be a thriving shipbuilding port. 6 Smallhythe Place is actress Ellen Terry's 16th-century home Credit: Alamy It was later purchased by the Victorian actress Ellen Terry in 1899 and ten decades later transformed by her daughter into a museum which now displays a theatrical collection reflecting Ellen's career and life. Also at the destination is a 17th century thatched Barn Theatre, which hosts a programme of productions throughout the year. Tom said: "[There is an] outdoor theatre programme and last chance to see the Beetlewing dress on display in the Dressing Lady Macbeth In the garden, visitors can find a traditional The garden also boasts a 55-metre-long rose pergola, with 52 roses of nine varieties, that flower from May to July. There is a Kingston Lacy, Dorset The Bankes family bought Corfe Castle in 1635 but after it was destroyed in the English Civil War, Sir Ralph Bankes decided to relocate 20 miles north and build this handsome mansion house. 6 kingston Lacy boasts paintings by Velázquez, Titian and Rubens Credit: Alamy Between 1835 and 1841 the building was transformed by William Bankes, who employed Charles Barry, architect of the Houses of Parliament, to create something similar to a Venetian palace. The building boasts paintings by Velázquez, Titian and Rubens. "It also includes the largest private display of Egyptian relics in the UK, including the nine-metre Philae obelisk in the grounds," Tom revealed. "The Spanish Room has walls of gilded leather, too" In 1841, to avoid prosecution for a homosexual act, William John Bankes fled England and lived the rest of his life in exile. Tom concluded: "He may well have returned in disguise before his death in 1855 to see the home he loved one final time." Snowshill Manor & Garden, Gloucestershire A personal favourite of Tom's is Snowshill Manor & Garden, Gloucestershire, even though picking on top spot "is so hard to choose". 6 Snowshill is a charming 16th-century manor house built of Cotswold stone Credit: Alamy Tom shared: "A truly unique place is Snowshill Manor - once visited, never forgotten. "I particularly love the hidden panels and mechanisms that are built into the house which makes it playful and mysterious." Outside, Snowshill is a charming 16th-century manor house built of Cotswold stone and set above a picturesque valley. Inside is a collection of mind-boggling variety gathered from around the world by Charles Paget Wade. Javanese and Balinese theatre masks adorn walls, while Penny-farthing bicycles hang from the rafters. Wade – architect, artist-craftsman, collector, poet and (crucially) heir to a fortune – bought the manor in 1919. He built his collection while living in fairly spartan style in a small cottage in the garden. 6 Many of the hidden gems have places to eat and gardens Credit: Alamy By the time he died in 1951, he had collected over 22,000 hand-made objects, including tiny toys, Samurai armour, musical instruments and fine clocks. "It's an eccentric collection, but one unified by Wade's love," Tom concluded. There is an 'Arts and Crafts' garden, which is an extension of the house and features a number of outdoor rooms full of doorways, hidden vistas and curiosities. In addition, there is Wolf's Cove - a model harbour based on a typical The destination also has a café with indoor and outdoor seating, a shop that sells souvenirs and homeware and a second-hand bookshop. The National Trust also recently revealed its Plus, 6 Orford Ness is home to the largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe Credit: Alamy
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
A weaker Harvard is a weaker America
The Trump administration's attacks on Harvard University are framed as deeply damaging to the U.S. itself, given Harvard's immense contributions to science, technology, the economy, and American global influence. While Harvard has faced valid criticism for campus issues like antisemitism and lack of ideological diversity, the administration's actions—such as threats to cut federal funding—are seen as politically motivated and authoritarian rather than solutions. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Imagine if China or Russia tried to destroy a US asset that generates tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars of economic value, plays a major role in American leadership in science and technology and turbocharges our prestige and soft power. We'd expect our government to go to war to defend in attacking Harvard University , that's exactly the kind of damage the Trump administration is trying to do. Despite the school's failures and flaws, it remains a vital national asset — and the administration's actions are far more dangerous to America than they are to Harvard When you tour the UK's Cambridge University , your guide will show you empty niches containing stone fragments. They're the remnants of statues smashed by Puritan fanatics during the English Civil War. But Cambridge survived and flourished. Universities are enormously resilient and count time in centuries, not electoral cycles. Long after the Trump administration is gone, there will still be a Harvard. But an America deprived of everything Harvard contributes will be far poorer and weaker.I have a stake in this battle: I spent seven years on the faculty at Harvard Business School and still teach in the Harvard Kennedy School's Senior Executive Fellows program. But I'm also the first to agree with colleagues who say the university has fallen short of its ideals. Its own reports on antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus contain devastating revelations about the school's inability to maintain an orderly and safe learning environment for everyone. Harvard should better protect its students — even, when necessary, from each other. It must guarantee freedom of speech on campus. And it should find ways to have more diverse political representation among both students and the Trump administration isn't trying to fix Harvard. It's trying to control it via blatantly illegal tactics. Authoritarians have always feared universities because of their role as centers of dissent. It's not an accident that (Ohio State and Yale University graduate) JD Vance gave a speech titled 'The Universities Are the Enemy' in 2021. If President Donald Trump breaks America's oldest and wealthiest school, no other university and few institutions of any kind will dare stand against administration's ostensible concern about antisemitism is so obviously a pretext that Secretary of Education Linda McMahon's letter declaring Harvard ineligible for federal funding never mentions it, even as it attacks the school for giving fellowships to Democratic politicians. Two of the last four Harvard presidents were Jewish (including the current one), as is Penny Pritzker, chair of the Harvard Corporation, the ultimate authority over the university. This makes it an odd target for those whose primary concern is antisemitism. And an administration sincerely concerned about the issue might start by not hiring multiple senior staffers with close ties to antisemitic control would destroy what makes Harvard — and any other school — valuable in the first place. Universities play a disproportionate role in producing revolutionary ideas because they embrace freedom of thought and dissent. Taking orders from politicians is antithetical to that Harvard, and along with it, American higher education, would be a grievous blow to the US. The university's contributions to American history and wealth are difficult to overstate. It has produced eight presidents and countless members of Congress, governors, Supreme Court justices, CEOs and entrepreneurs, along with more Medal of Honor recipients than any school except West Point and the Naval the last 20 years, Harvard founders have averaged nine unicorns — startups valued at more than $1 billion — every year. That's first among all world universities. And in just the last five years, companies founded by Harvard alums have gone public with a combined value of $282 billion. (I'll also note that a quarter of all unicorn startups have a founder who came to the US as a foreign student — exactly the population Trump is targeting at Harvard and other schools).Both the US economy and the country's international preeminence depend on primacy in science and technology. That leadership is under threat as never before: American universities, long leaders in basic and groundbreaking research, are falling behind. When Nature ranked the top 10 research universities in the world in 2023, eight were in China. Well, most of them are falling behind; Harvard was No. 1. If you really believe in America first, attacking it is the last thing you'd there's the university's global reputation, which functions as an emissary of American excellence. I once spent time as visiting faculty at Tsinghua University, China's MIT. While I was there, the dean would routinely bring visiting dignitaries to my office so he could show off the Harvard professor teaching at Tsinghua. (I used to joke that I expected them to toss me peanuts like an elephant at the zoo.)The school is also a powerful instrument for the propagation of US values. In the last 25 years, the leaders of countries from Canada to Taiwan have studied at Harvard. The next generation will look similar: The future Queen of Belgium is a current Harvard student, and the daughter of China's President Xi is an alumna. The global elite, in other words, pays for the privilege of sending their children to Harvard to experience the best of American life and be indoctrinated with American attack on Harvard is really an attack on America. Harvard, like every old and important institution, including our nation, is far from perfect. But like America, Harvard is worth fighting for.
Mint
6 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Attack Harvard to make America grate on its own nerves again
Imagine if China or Russia tried to destroy a US asset that generates tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars of economic value, plays a major role in American leadership in science and technology and turbocharges our prestige and soft power. We'd expect our government to go to war to defend it. But in attacking Harvard University, that's exactly the kind of damage the Trump administration is trying to do. Despite the school's failures and flaws, it remains a vital national asset—and the administration's actions are far more dangerous to America than they are to Harvard. Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | Harvard's stance is good for America When you tour the UK's Cambridge University, your guide will show you empty niches containing stone fragments. They're the remnants of statues smashed by Puritan fanatics during the English Civil War. But Cambridge survived and flourished. Universities are enormously resilient and count time in centuries, not electoral cycles. Long after the Trump administration is gone, there will still be a Harvard. But an America deprived of everything Harvard contributes will be far poorer and weaker. I have a stake in this battle: I spent seven years on the faculty at Harvard Business School and still teach in the Harvard Kennedy School's Senior Executive Fellows programme. But I'm also the first to agree with colleagues who say the university has fallen short of its ideals. Its own reports on antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus contain devastating revelations about the school's inability to maintain an orderly and safe learning environment for everyone. Harvard should better protect its students—even, when necessary, from each other. It must guarantee freedom of speech on campus. And it should find ways to have more diverse political representation among both students and faculty. Also Read: Columbia missed the bus of academic freedom that Harvard took But the Trump administration isn't trying to fix Harvard. It's trying to control it via blatantly illegal tactics. Authoritarians have always feared universities because of their role as centers of dissent. It's not an accident that Ohio State and Yale University graduate, J.D. Vance, gave a speech titled 'The Universities Are the Enemy' in 2021. If President Donald Trump breaks America's oldest and wealthiest school, no other university and few institutions of any kind will dare stand against him. The administration's ostensible concern about antisemitism seems so obviously to be a pretext that Secretary of Education Linda McMahon's letter declaring Harvard ineligible for federal funding never mentions it, even as it attacks the school for giving fellowships to Democratic politicians. Three of the last four Harvard presidents were Jewish (including the current one), as is Penny Pritzker, chair of the Harvard Corporation, the ultimate authority over the university. This makes it an odd target for those whose primary concern is antisemitism. An administration sincerely concerned about the issue might start by not hiring multiple senior staffers with close ties to antisemitic extremists. Also Read: Barry Eichengreen: The end of American exceptionalism? Government control would destroy what makes Harvard—and any other school—valuable in the first place. Universities play a disproportionate role in producing revolutionary ideas because they embrace freedom of thought and dissent. Taking orders from politicians is antithetical to that spirit. Crippling Harvard, and along with it, American higher education, would be a grievous blow to the US. The university's contributions to American history and wealth are difficult to overstate. It has produced eight presidents and countless members of Congress, governors, Supreme Court justices, CEOs and entrepreneurs, along with more Medal of Honor recipients than any school except West Point and the Naval Academy. Over the last 20 years, Harvard founders have averaged nine unicorns—startups valued at more than $1 billion—every year. That's first among all world universities. And in just the last five years, companies founded by Harvard alums have gone public with a combined value of $282 billion. (I'll also note that a quarter of all unicorn startups have a founder who came to the US as a foreign student—exactly the population Trump is targeting at Harvard and other schools). Also Read: Is American exceptionalism finally on its last legs? Both the US economy and the country's international preeminence depend on primacy in science and technology. That leadership is under threat as never before: American universities, long leaders in basic and groundbreaking research, are falling behind. When Nature ranked the top 10 research universities in the world in 2023, eight were in China. Well, most of them are falling behind; Harvard was No. 1. If you really believe in America first, attacking it is the last thing you'd do. Then there's the university's global reputation, which functions as an emissary of American excellence. I once spent time as a visiting faculty member at Tsinghua University, China's MIT. While I was there, the dean would routinely bring visiting dignitaries to my office so he could show off the Harvard professor teaching at Tsinghua. (I used to joke that I expected them to toss me peanuts like an elephant at the zoo.) The school is also a powerful instrument for the propagation of US values. In the last 25 years, the leaders of countries from Canada to Taiwan have studied at Harvard. The next generation will look similar: The future Queen of Belgium is a current Harvard student, and the daughter of China's President Xi is an alumna. The global elite, in other words, pays for the privilege of sending their children to Harvard to experience the best of American life and be indoctrinated with American values. The attack on Harvard is really an attack on America. Harvard, like every old and important institution, including our nation, is far from perfect. But like America, Harvard is worth fighting for. ©Bloomberg The author is a Bloomberg Opinions writer.
Business Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Business Times
A weaker Harvard is a weaker America
IMAGINE if China or Russia tried to destroy a US asset that generates tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars of economic value, plays a major role in American leadership in science and technology, and turbocharges our prestige and soft power. We'd expect our government to go to war to defend it. But in attacking Harvard University, that's exactly the kind of damage the Trump administration is trying to do. Despite the school's failures and flaws, it remains a vital national asset – and the administration's actions are far more dangerous to America than they are to Harvard. When you tour the UK's Cambridge University, your guide will show you empty niches containing stone fragments. They're the remnants of statues smashed by Puritan fanatics during the English Civil War. But Cambridge survived and flourished. Resilient Universities are enormously resilient and count time in centuries, not electoral cycles. Long after the Trump administration is gone, there will still be a Harvard. But an America deprived of everything Harvard contributes will be far poorer and weaker. I have a stake in this battle: I spent seven years on the faculty at Harvard Business School and still teach in the Harvard Kennedy School's Senior Executive Fellows programme. But I'm also the first to agree with colleagues who say the university has fallen short of its ideals. Its own reports on anti-semitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus contain devastating revelations about the school's inability to maintain an orderly and safe learning environment for everyone. Harvard should better protect its students – even, when necessary, from each other. It must guarantee freedom of speech on campus. And it should find ways to have more diverse political representation among both students and faculty. But the Trump administration isn't trying to fix Harvard. It's trying to control it via blatantly illegal tactics. Authoritarians have always feared universities because of their role as centres of dissent. It's not an accident that (Ohio State and Yale University graduate) JD Vance gave a speech titled The Universities Are the Enemy in 2021. If President Donald Trump breaks America's oldest and wealthiest school, no other university and few institutions of any kind will dare stand against him. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The administration's ostensible concern about anti-semitism is so obviously a pretext that Secretary of Education Linda McMahon's letter declaring Harvard ineligible for federal funding never mentions it, even as it attacks the school for giving fellowships to Democratic politicians. Three of the last four Harvard presidents were Jewish (including the current one), as is Penny Pritzker, chair of the Harvard Corporation, the ultimate authority over the university. This makes it an odd target for those whose primary concern is anti-semitism. And an administration sincerely concerned about the issue might start by not hiring multiple senior staffers with close ties to anti-semitic extremists. Government control would destroy what makes Harvard – and any other school – valuable in the first place. Universities play a disproportionate role in producing revolutionary ideas because they embrace freedom of thought and dissent. Taking orders from politicians is antithetical to that spirit. Crippling Harvard, and along with it, American higher education, would be a grievous blow to the US. The university's contributions to American history and wealth are difficult to overstate. It has produced eight presidents and countless members of Congress, governors, Supreme Court justices, CEOs and entrepreneurs, along with more Medal of Honour recipients than any school except West Point and the Naval Academy. Over the last 20 years, Harvard founders have averaged nine unicorns – startups valued at more than US$1 billion – every year. That's first among all world universities. And in just the last five years, companies founded by Harvard alums have gone public with a combined value of US$282 billion. (I'll also note that a quarter of all unicorn startups have a founder who came to the US as a foreign student – exactly the population Trump is targeting at Harvard and other schools). Both the US economy and the country's international pre-eminence depend on primacy in science and technology. That leadership is under threat as never before: American universities, long leaders in basic and groundbreaking research, are falling behind. When Nature ranked the top 10 research universities in the world in 2023, eight were in China. Well, most of them are falling behind; Harvard was No 1. If you really believe in America first, attacking it is the last thing you'd do. Global reputation Then there's the university's global reputation, which functions as an emissary of American excellence. I once spent time as visiting faculty at Tsinghua University, China's MIT. While I was there, the dean would routinely bring visiting dignitaries to my office so he could show off the Harvard professor teaching at Tsinghua. (I used to joke that I expected them to toss me peanuts like an elephant at the zoo.) The school is also a powerful instrument for the propagation of US values. In the last 25 years, the leaders of countries from Canada to Taiwan have studied at Harvard. The next generation will look similar: The future Queen of Belgium is a current Harvard student, and the daughter of China's President Xi is an alumna. The global elite, in other words, pays for the privilege of sending their children to Harvard to experience the best of American life and be indoctrinated with American values. The attack on Harvard is really an attack on America. Harvard, like every old and important institution, including our nation, is far from perfect. But like America, Harvard is worth fighting for. BLOOMBERG
Daily Record
28-05-2025
- Daily Record
The UK's smallest city that's as charming as York and Canterbury, and yet remains a hidden gem
Wells in Somerset may be the smallest city in England, but it's not short on things to see and do - from a stunning cathedral to a medieval palace and a street that's straight out of the history books. Though diminutive in stature, Wells, England's smallest city, is a place where history and charm abound in equal measure. Its picturesque architecture and serpentine cobbled streets are straight from the pages of a fairy tale. The unusual moniker of this enchanting spot has its origins in the springs situated within the precincts of the Bishop's Palace. Conveniently placed a mere stone's throw from Bristol, Bath, and Cardiff, Wells is an undiscovered nugget that many tourists bypass, but those who do discover this charming cathedral city straddling the River Brue in Somerset are invariably captivated. Dominating the landscape, Wells Cathedral is a testament to historical grandeur and architectural brilliance, demanding the attention of all who visit. Recognised as one of Britain's most remarkable Gothic cathedrals, it showcases awe-inspiring design coupled with medieval craftsmanship. Spanning the period from 1175 to 1490, it has been celebrated as "the most poetic of the English Cathedrals." The Cathedral's fame extends beyond its iconic West Front; it features unique elements such as the spellbinding 'scissor arches' which fortify the central tower, setting it apart from other English cathedrals. Installed in 1338 following the precarious addition of a weighty spire, these arches were an ingenious solution to avert a catastrophic collapse, reports the Express. Additionally, the Cathedral houses an extensive collection of historic stained glass, one of the most significant in the nation. The Jesse Window at Wells Cathedral, hailed by experts as one of the most splendid instances of 14th century stained glass in Europe, narrowly escaped destruction during the English Civil War. Moreover, the Cathedral proudly displays the famed Wells Clock, thought to be the second oldest clock mechanism in Great Britain. It also accommodates the fascinating octagonal Chapter House and one of only four chained libraries in the UK. Other must-see attractions in this picturesque city include The Bishop's Palace and Gardens in Wells, which has served as the residence of the Bishops of Bath and Wells for over 800 years. This awe-inspiring medieval palace is now open to the public. It provides a superb family day out in Somerset with a packed calendar of events throughout the year, free guided walks, outdoor music and theatre, garden workshops and more. Additionally, indulging in a slice of cake with afternoon tea at the ever-popular Bishop's Table café is always a delight! Since the 1800s, the palace's moat has been home to mute swans, with the tradition of swans on the moat believed to date back to the 1850s. According to legend, a Bishop's daughter may have initially trained the swans to ring a bell at the Gatehouse when they were hungry. Today, two swan bells are installed, with ropes for the swans to pull to signal for food. There are 14 acres of breathtaking RHS Partner gardens to explore, including the picturesque well pools that gave the city its name, the medieval Palace building equipped with multimedia audio-visual guides, Dragon's Lair play area, guided tours, children's trails and workshops, and a café offering the finest views in Wells. Adjacent to the Cathedral lies Vicars' Close, reputed to be the only intact medieval street left in England. This significant landmark was designed to house the Vicars Choral, who were responsible for daily worship within the Cathedral. This centuries-old tradition persists today and is a cherished aspect of life at Wells Cathedral. The houses of the close, all Grade I listed, were built in the 14th century under the guidance of Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury, with the distinctive chimneys added in the 15th century. Originally, 42 houses were constructed (one for each vicar), but some were merged after the Reformation when vicars were allowed to marry. Today, the Close consists of 27 residences, a chapel, library, treasury and muniment room. There's also a dining hall linked to the Cathedral by a covered walkway, known as the Chain Gate Bridge. The current residents include all twelve members of the Vicars Choral, along with the organists and virgers. The Vicars Choral have been central to life at Wells Cathedral since the 1100s and are now acknowledged as a world-class choir. For gastronomes, Wells is home to a historic market located in Wells Market Place. This vibrant square, encircled by breathtaking historical buildings, provides an authentic glimpse into the timeless daily life of Wells. Currently, a lively market takes place twice weekly - on Wednesdays and Saturdays - showcasing local produce and wares. The square also annually hosts a larger street food festival, with the next Wells Food Festival slated for Sunday, 12 October 2025. In addition, a funfair is organised biannually, contributing to the market's dynamic ambience. Wells also boasts a plethora of independent bookshops and boutiques, alongside antique and vintage shops, promising endless hours of leisurely perusal.
