Shambles

This word is being used again and again for what is happening in the ‘mother of parliaments’, or, to give it another name, in the Palace of Westminster, London. ‘What a shambles!’ Indeed, but where does that expression come from? The most picturesque street in the...

George I’s Proclamation

It was fitfully sunny when we gathered at the 1714 structure to protect people selling butter – hence ‘butter cross’ – on the day King George I’s 1714 declaration was read out to the populace gathered in Saturday Market Place (Beverley also has a Wednesday Market...

The First Cuckoo

I heard the first cuckoo on Sunday. Was I hallucinating? It was while sitting revising Chapter 14 and looking through double glazing at the Minster and the light playing over the stone carving on the West facade. Not possible. Then we went for a walk. It was sunny...

Returning to the Start

The gales started up while I was sorting out the first draft of a novel I had written some time ago. I was settling into my writing chair by the window that overlooks the Minster and watching the pale yellow leaves of the silver beech were dancing around the tree and...