PRIORITIES ?

This picture shows the long slog along the shingle spit from Keyhaven to Hurst Castle on the southern shore of the Solent, close to Lymington.   It`s a few years ago now that we walked from the car park at Keyhaven all the way along well over a mile of hard pebbles and shingle to reach Hurst Castle, which was built on the orders of King Henry V111 between 1541 and 1544 to protect the narrow channel between the mainland and the Isle of Wight from French invasion. 

When we reached the castle it really was like going back in time - an almost eerie feeling that you could reach out and touch the island, it seemed that close.  Was it worth the slog?  Well, maybe;  the exertions of getting there and the sea air did us good although we were not sure that our then golden retriever, Barney, was too impressed.  Rather than slog all the way back, we took the little ferry - the ferryman taking pity on Barney so he allowed Barney aboard where he was impeccably behaved and a lesson in good manners to the children who were also aboard.

The point of all this is that I read yesterday that the east wing of the castle had slid into the sea as a result of the foundations being undermined by the power of the waves;  this despite the fact that English Heritage, who own the castle, did not heed the early warnings about the problems with the foundations and didn`t act in time to prevent the east wing collapsing.  Here`s what it looks like:-

Maybe it`s a question of priorities but perhaps if English Heritage had spent less time rewriting our heritage and more time looking after it then maybe this important piece of our history would still be in one piece.  For example, last year they announced that all 950 of London`s blue plaques would be `reviewed` for potential links to slavery.  I wonder why they stop at `just` slavery - maybe they will also be looking into links with torture, raping and pillaging as well.  Maybe things like that do not offend quite as much?

TO THE ISLAND (PART TWO)...

The first time I ever saw the sea was during World War II when, as a small boy, my mother and I walked from Blackfield, where we were living with my aunt and uncle, to Lepe on Hampshire`s south coast.  It was a long walk for a boy of four.  Prior to the D-Day invasion of June, 1944, Lepe was used for the secret construction of massive caissons which were towed across the channel to form part of the Mulberry Harbours used during the Normandy invasion.   Lepe was also used as one of the many embarkation sites for troops and equipment taking part in the invasion.  I still have vivid memories of the seemingly endless stream of military vehicles roaring through Blackfield on their way to Lepe and the generosity of the American servicemen throwing packets of sweets to us urchins along the wayside.

Back in the Spring of this year we stayed in the New Forest and made a return visit to Lepe.  It always brings back memories of those boyhood experiences but also reminds me of the awe with which I first saw the sea and the infinity of the skies above the water. This is a photo I took last time we were there and shows the skies above the Solent and a lone yacht making its way across to the Isle of Wight.   It was very different in 1944........

AN ACCIDENT OF TIMING ?...

Just last week we `marked` the 50th anniversary of Sir Winston Churchill`s passing and this week two separate `events` have prompted me to recall one of his many true and memorable quotations.   

A year or so ago a good friend was kind enough to lend me a copy of Hilary Mantel`s `Wolf Hall.`   I didn`t get on with it too well as, although the narrative was interesting from a historical perspective, the style in which it was written - almost the English of the time - left me struggling.   It`s the same with `Gone Girl,` which I have also just struggled through because, again, whilst the story line was intriguing, the style, the annoying Americana, the irritating plethora of obscenity, took away much of any enjoyment from what might otherwise have been an acclaimed novel.

There seems to be a trend these days for writers and especially so-called `comedians` to use gratuitous obscene or blasphemous language under the misguided belief that it`s either clever or funny.  It`s neither, of course - merely the last resort of those devoid of sensitivity, talent or both.   `Mrs. Brown`s Boys` again springs to mind immediately and, whilst I`m no prude - how could I be having lived through the `culture` of the 10th Royal Hussars? - I do find it all rather tiresome.  Maybe I`m just getting old.......

Anyway, back to Sir Winston and the events that reminded me of his wisdom.  I`ve now watched the first three episodes of the BBC`s adaptation of `Wolf Hall` and it has much to commend it, not least being its ability to bring light to the darkness of Dame Hilary`s anguished prose. The last episode included reference to a beheading and the gruesome spectacle of the burning of William Tyndale - for the unpardonable sin of translating the Bible into English.

And with what seems to be an unfortunate accident of timing, in the same week we have learned of similar atrocities carried out by ISIS - the beheading of the Japanese journalist and the burning of the Jordanian pilot.  Now it would be comforting to believe that, despite the passing of 500 years being but the blink of an eye in the infinity of time and history, we as a species had by now grown away from such outrages against our fellow men.   As things stand, however, all we seem to have is the knowledge that Sir Winston was right all along.

When will we ever learn?