Reach Fair

Reach is a village about 10 miles north east of Cambridge. The ancient township has been inhabited for over 2,000 years. It was the centre of considerable trade in mediaeval times and was granted a charter to hold an annual fair at Rogation-tide by King John in 1201. The Fair now takes place every year on May Bank Holiday. …

Sir Alex Ferguson

…and what possible connection could the decision of the knighted Scot to retire as manager of that well known Premier League business Manchester United have with Cambridge? Well rather tenuous I admit but the guest speaker at The Cambridge Union this Monday evening, May 13th , is David Moyes, the current Everton manager and odds on candidate to take …

Flanneuring in Saffron Walden

My friend Anne introduced me to the concept of flanneuring. As I understand it all you need is that precious commodity Time. You then wander about a place with no schedule, no plan, no aim, indeed no idea! just go where it takes you and absorb the ambience. Well this morning I biked over to …

Spring at Last!

It has been a long, cold and grey winter. Usually by this time the Backs are a carpet of colour but who can blame the daffs and other flowers for their reluctance to burst into bloom this year. However, at last, the flowers are emerging and the colour, like an old “painting by numbers” picture is making a show!   …

St Luke’s Grand Day Out

Enjoyed a wonderful day helping out St Luke’s Primary School. My twin grandsons are in Maple Class and their inspiring teacher Ms Kearns had planned a day out in Cambridge to coincide with this terma classwork on The Tudors.. St Luke’s is only a 10 minute walk from the centre of the city and so …

Dalai Lama visits Cambridge

This morning I noticed that St John’s College was closed to visitors and was aware of a “security presence”. Today saw the arrival of the 14th Dalai Lama who is to spend two days in Cambridge and will speak at St John’s and The Cambridge Union.

Milliband in Town

                I am one lucky person. I get to meet people from all over the world..the people that come to study, come to visit and come to work in Cambridge. When not guiding I work on the family Market Stall, The Hemp Store. Is there a finer setting …

Annual GOAT Race!

The world is fully aware that tomorrow hosts the 159th boat race between Cambridge and Oxford on the Thames, but, did you know, another race between the two universities is also staged. Spitafields City Farm in London is the venue for the 5th annual Goat Race. Apparently Barney the Goat has secured victory for Cambridge in the …

Lady Margaret Beaufort

St John’s College Chapel was closed to the public this week for 2 reasons. The start of the week it was hosting auditions for musical scholars while later in the week the film cameras were rolling, capturing footage for a BBC film on the college founder Lady Margaret Beaufort. This truly remarkable women, gave birth to her son Henry Tudor,(later …

Archbishop of Canterbury

March 21st 2013 saw the enthronement of the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury. Justin Welby was a Cambridge graduate (Trinity College) as indeed was his predecessor  Rowan Williams (Christ’s College). Part of the ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral involved the kissing of a very old book called “The Canterbury Chronicles”. This book was brought to these shores in AD 597 by a monk, St Augustine, sent …