CASTLE TOURS AND STAYS, “KNIGHTS TO REMEMBER”

BY CLAY LARROY

Do you feel like it is time for a short vacation? Once you decide to travel, how good you plan the trip will help you feel comfortable and be comfortable at your destination. Not only will you feel less anxiety before the trip, but you can rest assured that once you arrive where you're going you will have a good understanding of what's going on there.  When you need to plan a vacation contact me!

Who has not been captivated by tales of knights and dragons, of medieval feuds, battles and betrayals? Serving as the backdrop for each of these stories is a castle. Visiting a castle can provide a playground for the imagination, allowing the mind to revel in legend and lore. Walking through grand halls past suits of armor, torches and tapestries, one cannot fathom so many stories embedded in stone. More than a getaway from the stresses of everyday life, castles have the ability to transport visitors to another time.

Castles come in all states of repair. Many are still occupied and many more hang on in some state of ruin. Each has its own personality, calling out to some hidden part of our curiosity about times shrouded in mist. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the spirits of those who occupied the halls of Europe’s castles beckon to us, calling us by name.

This TRO report will provide you with a guide to the realm of castle tours and stays. Use it to begin your research into your castle visit and to work with your travel consultant in planning a vacation suitable for royalty!

The United Kingdom and Ireland are the traditional areas for castle stays and tours. Britain alone has several thousand castles, most constructed in the 11th through 15th centuries. Austria, Spain, Portugal, Germany and France likewise have many amazing properties scattered throughout their many provinces and districts offering both tours and hotel like accommodations.

Central Europe is a quickly growing castle market with highly competitive pricing. In particular, Hungary offers several properties constructed during the Baroque and Rococo periods, as does the Czech Republic and its sister state of Slovenia. If you have a particular destination in mind, ask your travel consultant to investigate the possibility of castle tours and vacations as an alternative to more traditional lodging options!

Castle vacations offer visitors the opportunity to indulge in a tranquil and intriguing escape, not to mention unforgettable scenery. In general, castle vacations fall into two categories: tours and stays. Both types are recommended for travelers of all ages who have an appreciation for history, culture and beauty. But, a bit of planning is in order to make your castle experience the adventure it should be.

A good travel consultant can help you navigate the maze of castles. There are a number of important considerations, including the types of castle, the choice of rooms inside of the castles, the general condition of the properties and the number of guests permitted. Your travel consultant will inquire with regard to the standards of the tour company and how the company chooses the castles with which it works. For example, far too many tour companies include manor houses in their definition of "castles", risking the disappointment of their guests. Your travel consultant will make sure that you obtain a match much closer to your preferences and will provide you with pictures of various properties along with a history to ensure that you will be in a castle of the period and age of your preference.

To better ensure an enjoyable stay and a high standard of quality, your travel consultant will choose a tour operator that that specializes in castle stays or at least visits its featured castles regularly. Some tour operators specialize geographically, while others offer castles in a variety of countries. Tour operators can give you the price of a stay, the size of the castle and its grounds, and the number of guests it can accommodate. They can be particularly helpful in arranging a stay if the castle booking system is not computerized, and most are not.

Tours of castles are rewarding trips into the past. Most tours will stay at each castle for at least a few hours, exploring the halls, stairways and grounds. Of course, the time allotted depends on the number of castles visited that day, the traveling time between them, and the castle’s visitation hours. To allow a longer visit your tour operator may try to arrange hotel accommodation nearby, but this is not always feasible in rural areas. Because of the large scale of many properties and their grounds, it is best not to try to squeeze too much viewing into too short a time period. If you time constraints are limited, choose quality over quantity and limit your tours to a few, select properties.

In terms of transportation, remember to be flexible. Though the tour will likely have a timetable, travel delays are common in the countryside. As a passenger, it is best to relax and savor the majestic views.

Remember that the better physical shape you are in for castle exploration, the more enjoyable your experience will be, especially when climbing to the top of a tower or getting lost in a garden labyrinth. Because of their age, castles generally cannot offer superior accommodation to disabled guests. Uneven floors, narrow passages and winding staircases can present particular hindrances. For these reasons, a castle tour that explores castle interiors may not be realistic for persons with certain disabilities. If you or a companion has a disability that might hinder full enjoyment of a property, let your travel consultant know well in advance. There are some destinations that boast ground floor bedrooms and restaurants, disabled parking and wheelchairs for hire. Some castles have been converted to offer ramps (permanent and removable) and bathrooms with handrails.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

 “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca

Enjoy life and travel often, the more you travel, the more memories you create!

STALKING DRAGONS IN THE CITY OF LONDON

BY Clay Larroy

In the world of traveling, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced travelers alike. There are many websites, guides, books, videos, and other resources available. By writing this blog I hope that I am providing valuable information about wonderful vacation destinations. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Stalking Dragons in the City of London

Smithfield Market

Smithfield Market is the largest "dead meat" market in the country and is another Victorian celebration in stone and polychrome ironwork. Remarkably, the striking purples, greens and blues of the market’s cast-iron skeleton and decoration are the same colors visitors would have seen when it was opened in 1868. The market is two city blocks long and walking around the 10-acre site reveals a range of dragons. Marvel at those crouched and ready to spring from the spandrels above either end of the Grand Avenue which bisects the buildings. Contemplate the massive dragons of Portland stone squatting below the market’s octagonal corner towers. A pair of prancing dragons display themselves in the playfully sculpted City coat-of-arms over the eastern entrance.

There has been a market on this site for over 1000 years. In the Middle Ages it was renowned for its horse market. Cattle were still being driven through the streets of London to Smithfield well into the 19th century - until the practice was banned due to drunken drovers playing silly buggers and stampeding cattle into houses and shops, (originating the phrase "bull in a china shop"). After slaughter, blood literally ran in the streets around here. But its bloody reputation didn’t end there. The adjacent open space ("Smithfield" = "Smooth Field") was a convenient venue for tournaments, jousting and rugged sporting events. Smithfield was also a place of public execution: hundreds of supposed rebels and heretics were variously burnt, boiled and roasted alive here over a span of 400 years. The pitch became fashionable for dueling in the early 17th century.

Even today vegetarians might want to give Smithfield a pass before about 10am, to avoid the carcasses and slabs of meat lying about and being stacked into refrigerated vans.

The Guildhall

The Guildhall is headquarters of the Corporation of London - the center of civic government for the City. Wander about Guildhall Yard and drink in the beautifully eclectic mixture of architecture, both ancient and modern (mostly thanks to the Blitz). The hall itself is 15th century, with an entrance added in 1788 expressing Gothic and Hindu styles. A pair of white dragons appear at the roofline sporting magnificently swept wings and curly-cue tails. Before the heavy, cantilevered modern building (1975) to the west you will see displayed an equally modern set of dragons displaying themselves within a City of London coat-of-arms.

Bank Underground Station

Bank underground station has a myriad of entrances. Entering four of these caverns reveals some remarkable wide-eyed, spitting mad dragons standing on their hind legs holding City pennons. Their muscular appendages and glistening talons are meant for business. Beware. A red cross is worked into their wings and a mixture of interior and exterior lighting gives their bulging chests an eerie gleam. These stunning silvery-bronze and enamel panels are by sculptor Gerald Laing.

Leadenhall Market

Leadenhall Market is another enchanting tribute to the Victorian joy in combining iron engineering with aesthetic whimsey. Unexpectedly tucked away off Gracechurch Street, the atmosphere within this tall, narrow space is dim and dusty. An occasional beam of sunlight manages to pass through the clutch of surrounding buildings and the arcade’s glass canopy to illuminate a floral wall motif or patch of cobblestones. Iron columns line the passages, rising to colorful brackets hiding in the upper shadows. Old meat and game hooks line some alleys, gloomily redundant now that the market stalls house designer shops, wine and cigar merchants and olive oil boutiques.

A square dome rises from an octagon above the crossing of the two market passages. Iron columns rise here with, as Pevsner puts it, "dragons cheekily squeezed between capital and entablature". If you look over the open outside entrances of the passages, you will see that dragons are cheeky enough to live there as well.
There is an atmospheric cloak drawn over Leadenhall Market that makes it irresistible to photographers and other visitors. But the subdued lighting and high detail makes photography here very difficult. Dragons cling to the high shadows. Some careful use of flash and/or a tripod with a medium-long telephoto lens might begin to tame these beasts and produce some interesting photographs.

Monument

The Dragon Safari ends with some sightings at Monument - glimpses of the oldest dragons in the City. Monument is an imposing Roman Doric column topped by a golden flaming urn, built by Christopher Wren in 1671-6 to commemorate the Great Fire of London. The Great Fire burnt nearly 400 acres within the City walls and 63 acres outside (around 4/5ths of the City). Over 13,000 houses, 87 churches and 44 livery halls were destroyed. A Blue Plaque nearby marks where the fire began at a bakery in Pudding Lane.

Four old dragons - pretty weathered and startled from sleep - cling to the corners of the pedestal. Timing and light is critical in photographing these ancient beasts: early in the morning with nice sunlight rising over your shoulder; or much later in the day when some light can get down the architectural corridor to the west. On the west side of the pedestal is a large allegorical frieze (representing the city in ruins and being rebuilt with the help of Charles II). Look for the dragon lower left. This is the City Dragon attempting to preserve the fire-ruined city by supporting it on his back.

Conclusion

Monument is not far from London Bridge, which, until 1750, was the only place you could cross the River Thames in London. And it is on the south end of London Bridge that a fine specimen of the Boundary Dragon can be seen and photographed. Which appropriately takes us back to where we began.

Of course, the Dragon Safari may be exhausting, but it is not exhaustive. There are more dragons out there. If you are still not satiated, wander onto the Millennium Bridge and gaze towards the City of London School ramparts overlooking the Thames, or look up to the enormous golden weathervane atop St Mary-le-Bow church on Cheapside (famous also for its "Bow Bells"). Go to the heart of the City and inspect the lampposts of the Royal Exchange. Or marvel at the modern sculpture of St George tilting at a three-tongued, serpentine dragon (spewing water!) on Dorset Rise. Its creator, Michael Sandle, has said that he originally intended to produce an "ironical sculpture with the dragon winning ...". I like that. I think all London dragons should be winners.

Good luck photographing the elusive beast and happy dragon hunting!

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“Leave home, leave the country, leave the familiar. Only then can routine experience—buying bread, eating vegetables, even saying hello—become new all over again.” 
― Anthony Doerr

   Travel to experience memories that will last a lifetime!

STALKING DRAGONS IN THE CITY OF LONDON

BY Clay Larroy

In the world of traveling, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced travelers alike. There are many websites, guides, books, videos, and other resources available. By writing this blog I hope that I am providing valuable information about wonderful vacation destinations. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Stalking Dragons in the City of London

Smithfield Market

Smithfield Market is the largest "dead meat" market in the country and is another Victorian celebration in stone and polychrome ironwork. Remarkably, the striking purples, greens and blues of the market’s cast-iron skeleton and decoration are the same colors visitors would have seen when it was opened in 1868. The market is two city blocks long and walking around the 10-acre site reveals a range of dragons. Marvel at those crouched and ready to spring from the spandrels above either end of the Grand Avenue which bisects the buildings. Contemplate the massive dragons of Portland stone squatting below the market’s octagonal corner towers. A pair of prancing dragons display themselves in the playfully sculpted City coat-of-arms over the eastern entrance.

There has been a market on this site for over 1000 years. In the Middle Ages it was renowned for its horse market. Cattle were still being driven through the streets of London to Smithfield well into the 19th century - until the practice was banned due to drunken drovers playing silly buggers and stampeding cattle into houses and shops, (originating the phrase "bull in a china shop"). After slaughter, blood literally ran in the streets around here. But its bloody reputation didn’t end there. The adjacent open space ("Smithfield" = "Smooth Field") was a convenient venue for tournaments, jousting and rugged sporting events. Smithfield was also a place of public execution: hundreds of supposed rebels and heretics were variously burnt, boiled and roasted alive here over a span of 400 years. The pitch became fashionable for dueling in the early 17th century.

Even today vegetarians might want to give Smithfield a pass before about 10am, to avoid the carcasses and slabs of meat lying about and being stacked into refrigerated vans.

The Guildhall

The Guildhall is headquarters of the Corporation of London - the center of civic government for the City. Wander about Guildhall Yard and drink in the beautifully eclectic mixture of architecture, both ancient and modern (mostly thanks to the Blitz). The hall itself is 15th century, with an entrance added in 1788 expressing Gothic and Hindu styles. A pair of white dragons appear at the roofline sporting magnificently swept wings and curly-cue tails. Before the heavy, cantilevered modern building (1975) to the west you will see displayed an equally modern set of dragons displaying themselves within a City of London coat-of-arms.

Bank Underground Station

Bank underground station has a myriad of entrances. Entering four of these caverns reveals some remarkable wide-eyed, spitting mad dragons standing on their hind legs holding City pennons. Their muscular appendages and glistening talons are meant for business. Beware. A red cross is worked into their wings and a mixture of interior and exterior lighting gives their bulging chests an eerie gleam. These stunning silvery-bronze and enamel panels are by sculptor Gerald Laing.

Leadenhall Market

Leadenhall Market is another enchanting tribute to the Victorian joy in combining iron engineering with aesthetic whimsey. Unexpectedly tucked away off Gracechurch Street, the atmosphere within this tall, narrow space is dim and dusty. An occasional beam of sunlight manages to pass through the clutch of surrounding buildings and the arcade’s glass canopy to illuminate a floral wall motif or patch of cobblestones. Iron columns line the passages, rising to colorful brackets hiding in the upper shadows. Old meat and game hooks line some alleys, gloomily redundant now that the market stalls house designer shops, wine and cigar merchants and olive oil boutiques.

A square dome rises from an octagon above the crossing of the two market passages. Iron columns rise here with, as Pevsner puts it, "dragons cheekily squeezed between capital and entablature". If you look over the open outside entrances of the passages, you will see that dragons are cheeky enough to live there as well.
There is an atmospheric cloak drawn over Leadenhall Market that makes it irresistible to photographers and other visitors. But the subdued lighting and high detail makes photography here very difficult. Dragons cling to the high shadows. Some careful use of flash and/or a tripod with a medium-long telephoto lens might begin to tame these beasts and produce some interesting photographs.

Monument

The Dragon Safari ends with some sightings at Monument - glimpses of the oldest dragons in the City. Monument is an imposing Roman Doric column topped by a golden flaming urn, built by Christopher Wren in 1671-6 to commemorate the Great Fire of London. The Great Fire burnt nearly 400 acres within the City walls and 63 acres outside (around 4/5ths of the City). Over 13,000 houses, 87 churches and 44 livery halls were destroyed. A Blue Plaque nearby marks where the fire began at a bakery in Pudding Lane.

Four old dragons - pretty weathered and startled from sleep - cling to the corners of the pedestal. Timing and light is critical in photographing these ancient beasts: early in the morning with nice sunlight rising over your shoulder; or much later in the day when some light can get down the architectural corridor to the west. On the west side of the pedestal is a large allegorical frieze (representing the city in ruins and being rebuilt with the help of Charles II). Look for the dragon lower left. This is the City Dragon attempting to preserve the fire-ruined city by supporting it on his back.

Conclusion

Monument is not far from London Bridge, which, until 1750, was the only place you could cross the River Thames in London. And it is on the south end of London Bridge that a fine specimen of the Boundary Dragon can be seen and photographed. Which appropriately takes us back to where we began.

Of course, the Dragon Safari may be exhausting, but it is not exhaustive. There are more dragons out there. If you are still not satiated, wander onto the Millennium Bridge and gaze towards the City of London School ramparts overlooking the Thames, or look up to the enormous golden weathervane atop St Mary-le-Bow church on Cheapside (famous also for its "Bow Bells"). Go to the heart of the City and inspect the lampposts of the Royal Exchange. Or marvel at the modern sculpture of St George tilting at a three-tongued, serpentine dragon (spewing water!) on Dorset Rise. Its creator, Michael Sandle, has said that he originally intended to produce an "ironical sculpture with the dragon winning ...". I like that. I think all London dragons should be winners.

Good luck photographing the elusive beast and happy dragon hunting!

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“Leave home, leave the country, leave the familiar. Only then can routine experience—buying bread, eating vegetables, even saying hello—become new all over again.” 
― Anthony Doerr

   Travel to experience memories that will last a lifetime!

FINDING THE GREEN MAN IN THE CHURCHES OF EUROPE

BY Clay Larroy

In the world of traveling, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced travelers alike. There are many websites, guides, books, videos, and other resources available. By writing this blog I hope that I am providing valuable information about wonderful vacation destinations. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Finding The Green Man in the Churches of Europe

In most examples, the Green Man merely observes. Across Europe, he can be found beside every major event in New Testament iconography, watching, but rarely reacting, although in Freiberg-im-Breisgau the green men appear to be weeping beside the tomb of Christ. This watching role has suggested that the Green Man can also symbolize immanent Divinity, present everywhere and at all times, observing the divine drama of life.

It has to be said that all that has been articulated about the Green Man has been said in the last seventy years, and most of it in the last thirty. Nothing at all on the subject has been found from earlier times: earlier illustrations of Medieval sculpture simply do not identify the image at all, and nothing has been found on the subject from the Middle Ages itself. And yet, after people and angels, this is the most common image in Medieval sculpture, with many cathedrals containing dozens of green men, and a few a hundred or more. Interest in the subject is recent, and part of its attraction is the fact that anyone may stumble upon a Green Man image that was previously unknown.

A few years ago I visited the church in an English market town in the hope of finding one of these images. I searched the church, and eventually, in the furthest corner, I found one, hidden behind and between some carved foliage at shoulder level. A man of retirement age who was working in the church enquired about my interest, and when I told him I had found a Green Man, he responded with "Never! Show me!" When he saw it, he said "I have worshipped in this church since I was boy in the choir, and no one has ever seen that before. Wait till I tell the Vicar - I bet he gives us a sermon on it."

Everyone has their own favorites, but there is some agreement that the Green Man under the platform of the famous mounted knight in Bamberg Cathedral in Germany is perhaps the best of all. The face is beautifully formed out of foliage, and he looks at us with great intensity. Another German cathedral with notable green men is that at Naumberg, while good examples can be found all over France, but perhaps the cathedrals of Le Mans, Poitiers, Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges and Chartres can be singled out. Of course green men can also be found in Italy, Belgium, Holland, Spain and other European countries.

Green men are very common in English Medieval churches, and in the Victorian churches as well. Not every church has carvings, some are quite austere, but in those with carvings, there is considerable likelihood of finding a Green Man or several, carved in stone or wood, and occasionally represented in the stained glass. Some of the cathedrals are very well endowed; Exeter, Winchester, Norwich and Ely, for example, are four of the loveliest of English cathedrals. In Norwich, the whole passion cycle in the cloister is wreathed in foliage and peopled with wonderful green men, beautifully painted, and Exeter Cathedral, the essence of English Gothic genius, has about seventy fine green men. Gloucester Cathedral is especially proud of its Green Man Collection, devoting a page of its website to the image.

Green men populate English parish churches across the country, but very notably in Devon and Cornwall. Perhaps the finest of English green men is in the small parish church of Sutton Benger, near Chippenham in Wiltshire, an extremely elaborate carving in the Decorated Gothic style, with a Green Man exuding branches of Hawthorn, including a number of birds eating the berries. The finest of English foliage carving is a Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire, and this, naturally, includes a good number of green men.

These are but a few of the many green men in English churches. There are many more in other architecture, including Nineteenth Century commercial and civic buildings, as are found elsewhere in the world. A book has recently been published including green men of Des Moines, and another of New York. The green man is now available all over the world in modern imagery - plaques, pottery, illustrations and other representations.

Somewhere, on your travels in Europe, you are likely to come under the eye of a foliate head gazing down at you. Watch for the Green Man, he’s watching you!

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life” 
― Michael Palin

Live Life, Have Fun and Travel Often!

FINDING THE GREEN MAN IN THE CHURCHES OF EUROPE

BY Clay Larroy

Across the America many couples are having wonderful wedding after months of planning. The bride and groom will need a honeymoon to rest and recuperate.  Vacations are so important, as it gives us a way to connect with each other in a stress free relaxed environment. Couples that take vacations together build memories that will last a lifetime. Couples vacations and travel can be a most rewarding experience. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Finding The Green Man in the Churches of Europe

The next time you find yourself in a European church or cathedral, there is someone you should see. Forget "The DaVinci Code". A real puzzle stares at you from the walls, architecture, and furnishings throughout these old places of worship. The mysterious Green Man, a carved foliate face from ancient times, appears in various guises and apparently independently, all over the world. His best known and most accessible incarnations are found - by the thousands - in the Medieval churches of Europe and in England, France and Germany, in particular.

The title "Green Man" was given by Lady Raglan about seventy years ago, when she was the first to identify the common concept in a number of traditional strands, mythology, folklore, folk customs, traditional imagery, in the ancient idea of the "wild man", and the English inn name, "The Green Man", which she used as the title for this unifying idea. The essential basis of the Green Man is that there is a unity between humanity and nature, and that humanity thrives better when it lives in harmony with nature, something which is explicitly understood at the present time. It must be admitted that no direct link can be demonstrated between the various strands embraced by the Green Man idea, other than that they are all driven by an archetypal element in the human mentality.

The concept makes its earliest appearance in ancient mythology, and then recurs throughout history, and is most conveniently examined in the folk customs of England and mainland Europe, and in the images in the churches. In England, the Green Man, in his guise known as "Jack-in-the-Green", may be seen on the first Monday in May in folk celebrations in Hastings and Rochester, as well as elsewhere, including in London, but also in the "Garland Day" celebrated in Castleton in Derbyshire on May 29th. In these, a man is encased in leaves (at Castleton, flowers) and plays out some elements of a traditional sacrificial drama. The ancient association is with the renewal of life in Spring, so here the Green Man is a symbol of regeneration.

He is also associated with other strands of imagery found in Medieval churches, the wild man, and the "sheela-na-gig", a female fertility image given a mock Celtic name, probably in the demure Nineteenth Century. The wild man is an image of primitive humanity, but in the churches symbolizes also the primitive in all of us. The sheela-na-gig image is a large and separate subject, but it is plainly also related to regeneration.

In all the traditions, the image is that of a man associated with foliage - very, very, rarely that of a woman. This is seen as arising from ancient mythology of the Mother Goddess sending her son, who is both divine and human, to help humanity with what it needs (not what it wants!), and in many of these myths, the son is in some way associated with a tree.

In the churches, the image is a face, almost always male, with leaves: the leaves springing from it, or forming the face, or branching out from the face, or surrounding the face as if it were the fruit of the tree. There are a few which are clearly female, notably at Ulm in Germany and Brioude in France, but otherwise they are all male. The source of the image in the Medieval church was almost certainly foliate faces in Roman sculpture, of which very fine examples survive in the archaeological museum in Trier, but the Medieval Green Man soon outclassed his Roman ancestor. He survived the end of the Middle Ages, and is found in the work of Michelangelo, in English Georgian houses, in Mexican Baroque churches, and in New York brownstone facades.

In the churches, the Green Man is found in his thousands, almost always just watching, and rarely participating in action, although there is one group in York Minster where a wild man is apparently protecting a Green Man from a demon, an image of fascinating psychological implications. There are a few Green Man images that point to a didactic role, the Green Man helping us to behave better, a role explicitly illustrated by four green men on a column capital in the village of Woodbury, near Exeter.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way!” 
― Penelope Riley

Live Life and Travel Often!

CELTIC HERITAGE TOURS

BY CLAY LARROY

Across the America many couples are having wonderful wedding after months of planning. The bride and groom will need a honeymoon to rest and recuperate.  Vacations are so important, as it gives us a way to connect with each other in a stress free relaxed environment. Couples that take vacations together build memories that will last a lifetime. Couples vacations and travel can be a most rewarding experience. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

In search of King Arthur

Perhaps the most common Celtic legend is that of King Arthur. His first recorded appearance is in Welsh literature, and although the common picture of him is a medieval knight in shining amour, he was more likely to have been a warrior from 5th century Britain, from the chaotic times after the withdrawal of the Romans.

Legend says Arthur was born at Tintagel in Cornwall. The dramatic setting of Tintagel castle is steeped in history, but to be able to fully explore the site you do need to be reasonably fit. There is a walk along a coastal path from St Materiana’s Church in the village which will take you to the inner walls of the Castle itself. The path is suitable for wheelchairs and walkers, but, there are some steep steps if you want to go on to the Castle gateway. At the time of Arthur, the castle would have been connected to the mainland, but by the 12th century the sea had washed the causeway away. The ruins that you can see today date from the mid-12th century, but it’s believed those were built on ruins dating from a much earlier time.

There are plenty of things to see in the area around Tintagel that, if not direct evidence of King Arthur himself, are at least strong pointers to the rich Celtic culture that existed in the region. Head out of Tintagel on the Boscastle road, and at Trevethy, join the public footpath behind the Rocky Valley Centre. Follow the path to St Nectan’s Glen, which is promoted as one of the ten most important spiritual sites in Britain. A spectacularly beautiful 10m-high waterfall plunges into a natural basin and then into a shallow pool at the head of the glen.

According to legend this is where the Knights of the Round Table swore to find the Holy Grail. Whether it is or not, it is a fact that St. Nectan, a Celtic Christian saint, built a hermitage above the waterfall. You can only get to this tranquil spot by foot - and flooding a few years ago made some of the footpaths slippery, so good footwear is a must. Locals will tell you tales of ghostly monks whose chants can be heard, or of the legend that St Nectan’s bell will toll to warn of impending disaster. The site was a place of pilgrimage throughout the Middle Ages.

Another site which, rightly or wrongly, is closely associated with the legend of King Arthur, is Glastonbury in Somerset. For many people, the town is better known for its annual rock concert, but it has an ancient history predating that by far. According to legend, this is the burial place of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. There is even a tradition that Jesus visited here and that a church was built here by Joseph of Arimathea. Whatever the truth, this is an important site in European - and Celtic - Christian history, with St. Patrick, St. Bridget and St. David all based here at some time.

A common place for those hunting for their Celtic roots to visit is one of the most spectacular ancient monuments in the world, Stonehenge. This huge and mysterious circle of giant stones in the middle of Salisbury Plain in England was actually erected hundreds of years before the first Celts arrived in the British Isles.

Similarly spectacular megalithic monuments also predate the Celts - such as the strange rows of stones at Carnac in Brittany, or the gigantic burial chamber at Pentre Ifan in Wales - but many believe that the Celts used the monuments for their own purposes. Pentre Ifan - which features a gigantic, 40 tonne capstone balanced on three smaller stones - is said to have been a favorite place of the Druids. It’s not surprising. The magnificent views across Fishguard Bay, the sound of a skylark launching itself above the rolling fields, and the sheer enormity of the stone monument itself make for a unique place in the world. Personal Note - On the day the author of this article visited, a middle aged couple were standing beneath the capstone, praying. It didn’t seem out of place, and when they launched into a wavering rendition of the Welsh national anthem Hen Wlad fy Nhadau (Land of my Fathers) it felt perfectly natural. And very Celtic.

Celtic Roots and Modern Genealogy

By way of example, we are going to now consider Irish geneaolgies, but the same considerations apply for all Celtic origins and lines. Key to any comprehensive genealogical research is the formulation of goals and the development of a research outline. How deep into your family tree and how wide do you wish to go? What family resources do you have at your disposal, such as old birth and marriage records and family bibles? Have others in your family undertaken such research? Very valuable information can be gleaned from documents revealing birthdates, marriages and deaths. Social Security records, church records, deeds and census records are all important sources for research.

Ideally, you want to determine where in Ireland your ancestors originated: the country, townland or parish address. If you are most fortunate, you will have access to your ancestors" immigration records and will know the port of arrival in your home country, along with any name changes, maiden names and ages. Many immigration records contain the point of departure - invaluable for tracing back to a country of origin.

Anglo-Irish genealogical research is aided by the large number of individuals undertaking the challenge. Although many records have been lost through the centuries, the cumulative knowledge base is vast, and the Internet has assisted with pulling much of it together for both the amateur and professional researcher. Disasters like the destruction of the Record Tower in Dublin Castle in the 18th century or the 1922 fire in the Ireland Public Records Office have been major setbacks, but local parish and townland records can fill many of the gaps.

Civil records in Ireland are best traced through the General Register Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast or the General Register Office in Dublin. Research in these facilities is somewhat limited and it is often necessary to pre-book your research time in advance. Census records are spotty due to the aforementioned fire in the Public Records Office, but for many years, records are still available. Church records remain one of the best resources, and if you can determine whether your ancestors were Protestant or Catholic, it may be easier to trace through the births, deaths and marriages of ancestors using the local parish records. Each locality has their own formalities and rules about access to records, so make your inquiries and appointments for research early to avoid disappointments upon arrival.

Where to begin? With yourself, of course! Work backwards as far as possible by interviewing your relatives. Try to find any old family documents, books, bibles, and photo albums, all of which might have important clues. Your family surname is a beginning, but the process of immigration often anglicized many names, obscuring their true origin. Start with a single surname and trace it out, recording your findings on a family tree, or pedigree, chart. Most cover a number of generations and have a space to record the birth, marriage and death of individuals. Excellent, and free, samples of charts can be found on the Internet.

Speaking of the Internet, it is one of the ultimate genealogical tools. Public records, news articles and other people’s research worldwide can be culled for your own use. There are many, many sites devoted to genealogy, family histories and the official records of localities. TIARA (The Irish Ancestral Research Association) www.tiara.ie is an organization that promotes the exchange of ideas among people and organizations interested in Irish genealogical and historical research and education and provides a wealth of information on Irish genealogy.

No discussion of genealogy would be complete without a mention of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, a massive undertaking of the Church of Later Day Saints to record genealogies worldwide, containing literally millions of records from over 110 countries. Anyone is free to visit or to utilize their databases without regard for religious affiliation. There are local branch offices of the Family History Centers in over 60 countries.

There and Back Again

Once you have determined the likely point of origin of your family tree, it is time to begin considering your trip to Wales, Scotland, England or Ireland. Ask your travel consultant about the best times to travel given your own personal preferences, schedules and budgetary constraints. While peak season travel in the summer months typically offers the best weather conditions, off-peak spring and fall "shoulder" season discounts are hard to ignore. Your travel consultant will work with any number of reputable tour operators that can provide either individual or group packages, often at special rates. There are advantages to both independent and group tours, but your personal preferences will dictate your choice of traveling companions, if any, your accommodations, itinerary, food, local transportation and a hundred other considerations that a good tour operator will coordinate on your behalf.

It is a proud and wonderfully rich tradition from which you derive. The exploration of your family tree is as much an inward journey as an outward one. Here’s Godspeed to both.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

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