Five Historical Travel Tips for your visit to the United Kingdom

5 Historical Travel Tips For Your Visit To The United Kingdom

England, Scotland & Wales; the United Kingdom. Thoughts of these countries bring with them visions of valiant knights off to the crusades, the intrigue of kings and queens, historic castles, majestic chapels and literature that has inspired the western world for centuries. Touching upon the remnants of these is the beauty and romance of visiting the United Kingdom.

England

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the royal family, currently occupied by Queen Elizabeth II of the House of Windsor. It is the site of all of England's state affairs; state visits, ceremonies, dinners and investitures. Queen Elizabeth II has reigned at the Palace since her enthronement in 1953.

One of the most spectacular sights in London is the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. The procession takes place daily when the new guard marches in to replace the old guard, all of them in full regalia and complete with marching music. These men are not merely for show; they are actual soldiers; official guards of the royal family and their residences and considered among the most elite soldiers in the British Army. Hang around for a bit after the guard has changed. Have a little fun with the gate guard by trying to get his attention; see if he will move or even blink, for that matter. Good luck, though, these men are so highly trained that there is nothing short of an attack on the palace that will budge them.

Stratford Upon Avon

Nestled in the Warwickshire countryside along the Avon River, Stratford Upon Avon is the hometown of William Shakespeare and residence of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The RSC is one of the finest theatrical companies in the world; there would be no point in going to Stratford without seeing one of their productions.

Falstaff's Experience is a museum housed at the actual home of Falstaff, one of Shakespeare's most famous comedic characters. The "Experience" centers around life during the Elizabethan era. Falstaff's home is well known as the most haunted site in England. If you wish to partake, you can take one of their nightly lantern lit ghost tours or stroll through the Haunted Pub.

Along with other historic buildings at Stratford, you'll find the Holy Trinity Church, the burial place of Shakespeare and his wife, Ann Hathaway. If that is not enough to keep you entertained, there is also a butterfly farm, the largest in Europe, and numerous activities on the river throughout the year.

Scotland

Rosslyn Chapel

Located just outside of Edinburgh in the village of Roslin, Rosslyn Chapel is often referred to as the "Library in Stone". It was built in the Middle Ages, sometime between 1446 and 1484, by the St. Clair family. Almost every surface of this chapel is carved with incredible artistry detailing the mythic history and spiritual life of the area. One noted sculpture is of a Knight on Horseback which is believed to be a representation of William "the Seemly" St. Clair bringing to Scotland a portion of the 'True Cross'.

Another fascinating image is a stained glass window encased with images of maize, a corn that is native to North America. What is fascinating about this, is that America is believed to have been discovered by the western world in 1492. These carvings pre-date that by almost 50 years.

Carved Cubes line the archways of Rosslyn's Lady Chapel, each one unique and made with individual dots and slashes. Among the theories as to what they represent are that they could be keys to a code, others believe the cubes may represent musical notes.

Angel Holding A Heart is storied to be a representation of the heart of Robert the Bruce, a Scottish King from the Dark Ages. When Robert the Bruce died, two members of the St. Clair family were chosen to escort his heart to Jerusalem for burial. The two escorts died along the way, both their bodies and the heart were brought back to Scotland for burial.

The Apprentice Pillar, a huge, ornate pillar carved by an apprentice mason who was inspired by a dream. The master mason flew into a jealous rage when he saw the apprentice's work and killed him on the spot. The alter behind the pillar holds representations of the apprentice, his mother and the master mason.

Other interesting carvings include angelic figures of Free Masonry rituals and odes to the 7 virtues and 7 deadly sins.

Edinburgh Castle

Built on a volcanic mound, Edinburgh castle was constructed by David I around 1130. After numerous invasions of Scotland, it has been rebuilt, renovated and had sections added through the ages. The final rebuilding seems to have taken place around 1617. The castle overlooks the city of Edinburgh with breathtaking views of both the city and the waters of Loch Ness.

When visiting the castle, you will be entertained by wandering minstrels, jugglers and players re-enacting the historic life of Edinburgh and its castle. There are also concerts by some of Europe's finest musicians held on the drawbridge and special events scheduled through the year.

Wales

King Arthur's Labyrinth and Bard's Quest

One of the biggest contributions of the British Isles to western culture has been its literature. King Arthur's Labyrinth and Bard's Quest are a magnificent retelling of some of the best of British literature. Located in the caverns of Carris in mid Wales, King Arthur's Labyrinth will take you by boat down a subterranean river, through a waterfall land you at the labyrinth where you will walk through the caverns to narrations and tableaus of the tales of King Arthur.

Bard's Quest, adjacent to King Arthur's Labyrinth, is located in an above ground forest. As you walk through the forest, you'll be serenaded and entertained by the retelling of stories, myths and legends passed down through generations of storytellers and bards.

Do you still want some more background info? We bundled some interesting links for you!

Visit Englands History