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Review – Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England

Review – Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England

September 15, 2020 · In: Book Reviews, English History

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“Everything you look at can become a fairytale a

“Everything you look at can become a fairytale and you can get a story from everything you touch”
Hans Christian Andersen

A bit of poetry in recognition of #AustraliaDay la

A bit of poetry in recognition of #AustraliaDay last week. Like Dorothea Mackellar, I'm torn between my love for two countries... take my back to wintery days, cobblestones and castles in #England!

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!

Born on this day: Joan of England, Queen of Scotla

Born on this day: Joan of England, Queen of Scotland. Joan was the third child of John, King of England, and Isabella of Angoulême. As a child, Joan was promised in marriage to Hugh X of Lusignan. However, upon her father's death, her mother the dowager queen Isabella married Hugh X herself.

On 21 June 1221, Joan was married to the Scottish king, Alexander II. He was aged 23, she was only 11. Their marriage proved to be unsuccessful and produced no heirs. It is possible that Joan and Alexander later became estranged and Joan returned to England where she died in 1238 and was buried at Tarrant Abbey.

Years later, Joan's brother King Henry III ordered the production of a marble funeral effigy for Joan's tomb which was one of the first for a queen of England. It, unfortunately, does not survive to this day. Joan is thought to now be buried in a gold coffin in the graveyard at the church of St Mary the Virgin (pictured) which is all that remains of Tarrant Abbey.

Photo by Mike Searle / Parish Church of St Mary, Tarrant Crawford (interior)

"The snowdrop and primrose our woodlands adorn, An

"The snowdrop and primrose our woodlands adorn,
And violets bathe in the wet o' the morn."
- Robert Burns

Things are difficult for everyone right now. In Sydney we're back in lockdown, so many people without work or struggling to work whilst homeschooling their kids. Personally, I'm thankful for this additional time we have together as a family away from the busy outside world. It might be loud with 3 kids in a tiny house, but mentally it feels like the still and quiet of an early winter morning <3

The 24th of June 1314 marks the Scots victory agai

The 24th of June 1314 marks the Scots victory against the English in the First War of Scottish Independence. The Battle of #Bannockburn is an important event in Scottish history and has been frequently represented in art and literature.

This painting by John Phillip which is currently housed at the Brechin Mechanics' Institute, depicts the Abbot of Inchaffray, an early supporter of #kingrobertthebruce of Scotland and chaplain to the Scots army, giving an encouraging speech and blessing to the Scottish soldiers.

According to legend, King Robert requested the arm bone of St Fillan (whose feast is celebrated on 20 June)
be brought to the Bannockburn battle site. The Abbot left the bone behind and brought only the reliquary because he was worried about the relic falling into English possession. On the eve of the battle, as the Abbot and Robert knelt in prayer, a noise came from the reliquary. They looked at the reliquary as the door opened and the bone fell to the floor. King Robert won the battle the next day and he established a monastery to thank St. Fillan for the victory.

"Scots, wha hae wi Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome tae yer gory bed,
Or tae victorie.
Now's the day, an now's the hour:
See the front o battle lour,
See approach proud Edward's power –
Chains and Slaverie."
- Scots Wha Hae by #robertburns

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