Hadrian’s Library was created by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 132 AD to the north of the Acropolis. Having spent a long time at the Athenian Agora that day as I wandered through the streets of Athens doing a bit of souvenir shopping I hesitated at the library entrance but ultimately decided that I was both a bit too hot and a bit too ancient monument fatigued to pay the entrance fee and go inside. What I did do was take some photos as I was walking by.
Holyrood Abbey is the ruins of an abbey founded in 1128 by David I and can only be accessed on a visit to the Palace of Holyroodhouse next door.
As I mentioned in my Abbotsford post, the house provides a free volunteer lead shuttle from Tweedbank Railway Station to Abbotsford, but also from Abbotsford to Melrose Abbey. As it’s volunteer lead this isn’t always available (check Abbotsford’s website for details/contact info) but happily the shuttle was available on the day I visited and the driver offered to take me to the Abbey when I was done at the house (I was the only person using the shuttle that day). The drive didn’t take very long and you’re set down in a car park opposite the Abbey. The shuttle doesn’t take you back to the station but the driver pointed to a bus stop nearby and said that was where I could get the bus back to Tweedbank (it wasn’t – but more on that later!)
I visited Billingsgate Roman House and Baths as part of Open House London. There was a small queue to get in, as numbers down to the remains have to be restricted but it passed quickly and we were given an interesting talk about the remains while we waited. First discovered in 1848, outside of the arrangements for Open House London they can be visited at only certain times between April and November, so do check their website before making a visit.
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Beaumaris Castle on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales was another castle, like Caernarfon to be built by Edward I. Construction began in 1295 but stopped around 1300 with the castle unfinished.
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York has the longest and most well preserved medieval walls in England stretching 2 miles around the city. On my trip to York I only did a partial walk around on two separate days, one from Bootham Bar past York Minster and the other over the west corner, passing the railway station to Micklegate Bar.
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Kirby Muxloe is an English Heritage property that was built by William, Lord Hastings, who owned Ashby de la Zouch Castle. Like that castle Kirby Muxloe Castle was built around an existing manor house around 1480.
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Ashby de la Zouch Castle is an English Heritage property in Leicestershire, the ruins of a castle dating from the 15th century. The town of Ashby de la Zouch got its name from the Le Zouch family who owned the manor of Ashby in the 13th and 14th centuries. By 1472 William, Lord Hastings was transforming this manor into what would have been a magnificent castle that you can still appreciate from its remains.
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St Bride’s is one of the oldest churches in London, dating back over 2,000 years. The current building was designed by Christopher Wren in 1627. It’s probably most famous for its spire, said to have inspired a baker to make what is now the traditional tiered wedding cake.
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Chedworth Roman Villa is one of the largest Roman villas in Britain and was rediscovered by the Victorians over 150 years ago. Now in the care of the National Trust it’s a really impressive site allowing you access to the mosaic floors so typical of Roman buildings, as well as the bathhouse rooms.
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