April Trips
Ever since I bought my English Heritage pass, I have been looking for ways in which I might be able to make it pay for itself. I even created an Excel spreadsheet to see at what exact point I would break even. Thus, I was elated to find out that English Heritage pass holders receive discounts on exhibitions at the British Museum, which allowed me to add the neat little sum of £4.5 to my “Money Saved” column.
The
exhibition I visited was called “The World of Stonehenge” and its primary
attraction – judging by the omnipresent posters – was the Nebra Sky Disc. I
remember learning that the Nebra Sky Disc is thought to be the oldest known
concrete depiction of the cosmos, dating to around 1600 BCE (I forget where and
why I learned this, though I think Roberta Frank might have mentioned it in one
of her classes on Old English or Beowulf). Since it was discovered in Saxony
Anhalt, it has been classified as belonging to the Únětice Culture, named after
the village of Únětice in Central Bohemia.
A number of
other fascinating items made at around the same time were flown in from across
Europe, including massive engraved stones from the Alps, intricately carved
stone balls from Scotland, and beautiful golden ornaments from all around. The
exhibition highlighted the interconnectedness of Europe, as much of the
artistry bore close resemblances, and materials originating in one part of the
continent had been found in another. It was probably the best exhibition I had
ever been to.
As I was
due to meet a friend around London Bridge later in the day, I decided to visit
the Tower of London, passing through the picturesque ruins of Saint Dunstan on
the way. The Tower was absolutely packed, so I did not even bother waiting in
the 1 hour plus line to see the crown jewels. Instead, I followed the loop
around the ramparts and explored the exhibition in the tower itself. Quite
honestly, it was not the most interesting thing in the world, but the views of
the exterior – especially where they contrasted the modern parts of the city – were
not half bad.
I did not
do all that much for the rest of the month, though I did make a little trip to
the Church of Saint Margaret of Antioch in Binsey on Easter Sunday. It had not
rained for a while and there was a light wind blowing, so little clouds of dust
swirled around on the empty country roads as I made my way past the green
fields and houses with quaint thatched roofs. The church is thought to be the
final resting place of Saint Frideswide, foundress of the monastery that would
later be incorporated into Christ Church. Apparently, the nearby well inspired
part of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (I am yet to read this book, so
I have no idea which part).
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