Marillion - The Dome Brighton

The Dome Brighton

Haunt The Woods

Marillion at the Brighton Dome, the perfect excuse for a weekend in Brighton. It has been a grey and drizzly Sunday. We have been on the Pier and sampled a local hostelry as we head to the venue. The support band had already started at 7PM as we took to our seats in the lower stalls. The last seats on the row that adjoin the Lower Circle. Pretty good as we won't be disturbed by latecomers or those needing to use the facilities. Something that seems to have become more of an issue, particularly with the older male audience. Hailing from the South West, Haunt the Woods have been around since 2016. I suppose they would be described as alternative Rock in the Radiohead sense. The four piece band made a good sound and were well received by an appreciative audience.  

It is an all seated venue tonight sometimes that can affect the atmosphere at times the audience subdued and comfortable. This is the second night of the tour after Portsmouth previously. The epic and somewhat emotive 'Gaza' sets things off from 'Sounds That Can't be Made'. Followed by 'Seasons End' and 'You're Gone'. Hogarth gives an update on the much anticipated new album. 'It will definitely be finished by the end of the century' he confidently predicts. 'Just as we start to make progress we go out on tour'. In the meantime we get a song from the new album 'Ribbons and Lace' to whet our appetites. 

'H' and 'Rothers'

We get a tease of 'Hotel Hobbies' before one of my favourites' Afraid of Sunlight' gets an airing. With no new album to promote there is room for a few set list rarities. 'Enlightened' and 'Built in Bastard Radar' from the 'Marillion.com' album would certainly as obscure live songs. The previous album 'An Hour Before It's Dark' is well represented with the full 'Care' combination. Followed by the 'Crow and The Nightingale'. They always go down well because of the obvious meaning to many people. Probably the highlight of the night was 'Easter' which is pretty much a staple for any Marillion concert.I never get tired of hearing the Guitar solo  from Steve Rothery (pictured left). More rarities follow in the form of 'Wave' and 'Mad' from the Brave album. I get the feeling that 'Hogarth' isn't too keen on the all seater venues. 'It feels like 'I've been up here for a fortnight' he quips. There are a few strange ramblings about 'Fiona Bruce' , but even he isn't quite sure?? 

It's all good fun though and before we know it the band are taking their leave from the stage. At some stage the final ending for the band will inevitably happen. Drummer Ian Mosley is in his 70's. But on the evidence of tonight there is plenty of life in these band for now. They are an enigma in many ways, always under the radar. To the uninitiated mention the name Marillion and you usually get the response of , oh 'Kayleigh' or is 'Fish' still singing. Like the finest of wines they have aged and matured to a perfection. Don't all the best bands ? Rush, Purple , Floyd, to name but a few who have stood the test of time. 

The band return with an encore consisting of 'The Release' and from 'Clutching at Straws and the 'Fish' era 'Sugar Mice'. A good venue, excellent sound but maybe lacking slightly in atmosphere? They leave us though very much looking forward to the new album. Hopefully a lot nearer than the end of the century!

 

 

  

The John Bunyan Trail (18) Ampthill

Bunyan Trail logo

We have reached the penultimate leg of the 'Bunyan Trail walk' We are starting at the beautiful Ampthill Park . Set in 160 acres of parkland and woodland it is an impressive sight. There is a lot going on too in and around the park. Down the road the local Rugby Club are taking on the mighty Saracens later in the day. Closer to home there is a Park Cafe, Tennis Courts and a Cricket Pitch. The walk today will cut right across the park and take us through Ampthill Town Centre. We will be walking in an anti-clockwise direction past the railway line. The first point of interest is a large stone boulder dedicated to Muriel K Jones. It is one of seven erected on the Greensand Ridge Walk by Mid Bedfordshire Council. A commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. It is also a national important historic site. Henry VIII enjoyed his passion for hunting here. Many of the trees were planted by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in the 18th century. Much to take in and enjoy for sure. 

Millbrook  St Micheal  and All Angels

We are very close to Millbrook Circuit. High up on the Greensand Ridge is the church of St Michael and All Angels. Interesting facts coming up! It is believed to be the fourth highest working church in England, and the fourth smallest parish church in the UK.

Greensand Ridge

 

Relaxing Pigs

We move through a lovely woodland area of the Greensand Ridge. We are also close to the big Woburn Forest Center Parcs site. Over the hedge are three very large pigs enjoying a mud bath. We make our way steadily towards the town. Ampthill is an Anglo Saxon name which literally means 'ant infested hill'. Well there aren't any Ants around today , infested or otherwise.

The metal gate for the local Bowls Club looks quite interesting. An 'ABC' monogram with an animal motif. In 1542 an Act of Parliament created the 'Honour of Ampthill', an area of 45 parishes around the town, including 11 in Buckinghamshire. in which the crown owned extensive property and the manorial rights. The Honour was sold to the Dukes of Bedford in parts between 1730 and 1881. Ampthill is one of the most expensive places to buy a house in Bedfordshire, even in comparison with other mid-Bedfordshire towns such as neighbouring Flitwick, and Cranfield. So best to keep that in mind. We continue in a northerly direction on the John Bunyan Trail. In the distance there are the remains of Houghton House. I have blogged about visiting HH from a previous visit. As a brief refresher for those who can't be bothered to search for it . A shell of a building dating from the 17th century. It is believed to be the inspiration for Bunyan's 'House Beautiful' in his 'Pilgrim's Progress. Built around 1615 for Mary, Dowager Countess of Pembroke. A mixture of Jacobean and Classical styles.

Houghton House

St Katherine's Cross

We arrive back in Ampthill Park via Laurel Woods. There are two historic monuments which warrant closer attention. The Memorial Cross is dedicated to 707 officers and men of the Bedfordshire Regiment who trained at the local First World War Ampthill Camp and lost their lives during the Great War of 1914–1918. By my reckoning that is one in three who died. The other is a Gothic Revival monument erected in 1773 to commemorate Catherine of Aragon and the site of the former Ampthill Castle. Down below a very competitive cricket match is taking place with no quarter given. 

Katherine's Cross gained additional fame in the 1980's. Artist Kit Williams buried his 18 carat Golden Hare at the base of the cross. He wrote the book 'Masquerade' which was essentially a treasure hunt and clues to the mystery location somewhere in the UK.It was something that really caught the imagination of the public as I recall. 

The car park has now filled up , certainly from when we arrived earlier in the morning. A very enjoyable walk as always , total distance 9.5 miles.

Oxford Trip Day 2 - Botanic Garden, Randolph Hotel, Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum

 

 

A good nights sleep followed by a hearty breakfast courtesy of 'The Hungry Horse' sets us up for day 2 in Oxford. Once again we walk in to the City, a bit cloudy but still very warm. We are passing the Botanical Garden so no reason not to pop in. I remember coming here many years ago and entry was free. Times change though and now it is £10 to get in. Money well spent though I suspect, as we collect our free map. The oldest Botanic Gard in GB too with over 5,000 different plant species. The garden was founded in 1621 as a physic garden for medicinal research.We start our tour by walking along the border with the River Cherwell.The northeast corner of Christ Church Meadow, belonging to Magdalen College. We were just on the other side of the sports pitches yesterday, when we had our picnic.

Walled Garden

The garden is made up of three sections. the Walled Garden, surrounded by the original seventeenth-century stonework and home to the Garden's oldest tree; an English Yew (taxus bacata). In the background the Magdalen Tower oversees all that is going on. The walled garden is made up of deep borders with leafy shrubs, ornamental grasses and deciduous trees.

There are seven glasshouses, which allow the cultivation of plants needing protection from the extremes of British weather. We travel the world as we move from one to another, from the jungle to the desert  and alpine regions. The first greenhouse was built at the Botanic Garden more than 300 years ago. I believe there are plans  for more too. Some of the larger exhibits are literally pushing the glass up. 

Agave Salmiana

Giant Water Lillies

The Water Lily house is great fun and was constructed in 1850-1851 custom-built for the giant Amazonian water lily (Victoria amazonica). The pond also hosts the stunning day-blooming Nymphaea x daubenyana, a hybrid water lily first propagated at Oxford Botanical Gardens in 1874.Other plants include,  water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and flowering water lilies(Nymphaea).The Lower Garden holds ornamental collections. In the far corner, Lyra's bench is a popular place of pilgrimage for many Garden visitors. It is a significant location in Philip Pullman’s ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy in which the characters, Lyra and Will, meet between their respective worlds.

The Randolph Hotel

The Morse Bar

Leaving the beautiful Botanic Garden we make our way up the High Street, passing University College. We grab a quick look at the quadrangle of reputedly the oldest college in Oxford, founded in 1249. The college has historical connections with luminaries such as Percy Bysshe Shelley and Stephen Hawking. We also visit the very impressive covered market with its wide variety of independent shops. Our destination though is the splendid 'Randolph Hotel situated opposite the Ashmolean Museum on  the corner of Beaumont Street and Magdalen Street. Opened in 1866 the Victorian Gothic building is famous for the 'Inspector Morse' link. Featuring in the television series several times. The cast would often stay during filming. We enjoyed a very civilised pint of Guinness and a large Latte in extreme comfort on the leather upholstery.  

Hertford Bridge - Bridge of Sighs

It was a short hop across to New College Lane to see the 'Bridge of Sighs' at Hertford College. Designed by Architect Sir Thomas Graham Jackson and completed in 1914. Ironically the design has more in common with the Rialto Bridge in Venice then the Bridge of Sighs. We cut back to Broad street where lively sounds are coming from the street market. It seemed the done thing to have some 'street food' into the bargain. The 'Chili Chicken' went down very well I must say. Suitably refreshed we continue to the Bodleian Library. The picture left shows the Old Schools Quadrangle., part of the Bodleian Old Library. The facade shows the distinctive Tower of the Five orders and Gothic- Jacobean architecture. (Below,left)

Old Schools Quadrangle

An 'order' is a classic design system. They are listed as follows, Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite. A real mixture of, Roma, Greek, fancy, decorative and complex in styling. Corinthian being the most ornate, with Tuscan the plainest but sturdiest.  

Parts of the 'Harry Potter' film series were set in the Bodleian Library. (Philosophers Stone and Goblet of Fire). Serving as icon Hogwarts locations.

There is something about the 'Radcliffe Camera' (left) that appeals to me.Maybe it is the English Palladian and Baroque styling. Built some time between 1737 and 1749 it serves as a reading room for the Bodleian Library.  It sits directly between Brasenose College and All Souls College. It is literally in the heart of Oxford.  

We walk along Parks Road to our final ports of call. Several University Colleges line the route. Along the way I spot an interesting door that called for closer inspection. It is a piece of public artwork 'A Door for the Stuart Gates'. A collaboration between sculptor Antony Gormely and UK Poet Laureate 'Simon Armitage'. At first glance it looks like a rusty iron door. Look closely and you see a human shaped cut-out in the centre. 

The Simon Armitage poem 'Hinge' is engraved into the metal surface. The door will change colour as it becomes weathered over the fullness of time. Look through the spy-hole and you are treated to a view of the 'Quad Garden' and back lawns of Trinity College. It would have been easy to just walk past and the door go unnoticed.

We cross over the road and the Neo-Gothic frontage of the Museum of Natural History comes into view. Established in 1860 to to collate scientific studies from across the University of Oxford. The exhibit highlights would have to be the three Oxfordshire Dinosaurs. In the late 18th century 'Megalosaurus Bucklandii' was found locally in Stonesfield in the Cotswolds. A nine metre long Jurassic carnivore. Over the next two decades, several more enormous bones were found at Stonesfield. Another museum favourite is the famous 'Oxford Dodo'. The only surviving remains of Dodo soft tissue anywhere in the world!

Pitts River Museum

At the rear of the museum is the entrance to the Pitt Rivers museum. Amazingly both museums are free entry, although a donation is welcomed. There are over half a million exhibits from all over the world. It was founded in 1884 when General Pitt Rivers a very influential figure gave his collection to the university. I've been told there is also display of 'shrunken heads' which I'm looking forward too. Set on three floors the collections are almost impossible to describe such is the enormity . There is just so much to take in and admire. There is a 37 feet tall (11.36 metres)Haida totem pole which rises to the ceiling. You really could spend a whole day in here to do it justice. Still no 'shrunken heads' though. In desperation I ask for directions... Unfortunately they have been removed no reason was given. 

Time is getting on and we need to get back to Headington to pick up the car. We have a slow walk back through Oxford stopping for tea and a cake en route. We save our legs though and catch the bus back.It has been a wonderful tow days in the university city that has so much to offer.  

Of course no visit to Headington would be complete without viewing the ;Headington Shark'. A sculpture of a large shark embedded head first through the roof of a house..The shark first appeared on 9 August 1986 and was seen as a protest against bombs.  

In 2022 Oxford City Council made the sculpture a heritage site. It hasn't been an easy ride though with lots of planning issues along the way.