GOING TO ENGLAND!

[wolfgang336]

I am pleased to say that I've been accepted to study at Castle Herstmonceaux next year, near Sussex. I don't have any details, but I may be able to make it to some of the Constantine lectures and conferences in York. I'll be studying Internatioal Relations / Political Sciences / Humanities (clearly I'm not sure what yet!). I got the call yesterday, and am absolutely THRILLED. Anybody know of this place? It's apparantly by the site of the Battle of Hastings.

Evan

[Potator II]

Hi Evan

Sounds great !!!
Hope you will enjoy your stay in old Europe. My son is 15  and my daugther is 18  , so if you wish to improve your french and visit us, just tell.

Regards
Potator

[Manzikert]

Hi Evan

See http://www.herstmonceux-castle.com/ for their website.

Built in 1441 using brick construction. It was abandoned at the end of the 18th century, but was then restored between 1913 and 1933. After London's skies got too light-polluted the Royal Greenwich Observatory moved to Herstmonceaux, then moved to Cambridge in the early 1990's. Now that the International Study Centre occupies it the public can only look round the gardens, and a few rooms are used for weddings, corporate events, etc.

Yes, just 3 miles from Pevensey, where William landed in 1066.

Should be fun, enjoy it 

Best wishes

Alan

[AlexB]

Wow

Thats a beautiful place to study - congrats! I hope it injspires you to great things. The whole area is actually very nice so enjoy your time in UK.

Brgds

Alex

[Retrospectator]

There are three impressive Roman sites in Sussex that are an absolute must-see, namely:

1. Pevensey Castle, which started out as an ancient Roman "Saxon-shore" fort.
2. Fishbourne Roman Palace (near Chichester, West Sussex).
3. Bignor Roman Villa.

And of course, not forgetting the city of Chichester itself, the former Roman city of Noviomagus Regnorum, where recent excavations have uncovered a wide Roman road that could accomodate two-way traffic, more here.

Happy sightseeing!

[PeterD]

Evan,

Congratulations. That's a lovely part of the world to study.

Being originally from Hastings, I can categorically say Herstmonceaux is not where the Battle of Hastings took place. That spot is about 10 miles from Hastings at a place called -let me think- oh yes, Battle. Pevensey bay is where the Normans landed and Pevensey Castle was the first strong-point that William took.

Another nearby Saxon Shore fort, turned medieval castle is Porchester. Also on the south coast, don't miss Henry VIII's warship Mary Rose and Nelson's Victory at Portsmouth naval dockyard.

[Ecgþeow]

Congratulations, Evan!  That's really exicitng.  It sounds like an excellent school, and it will be great with all the history attached to the area!

[wolfgang336]

Thanks for the kudos guys! I'm really looking forward to going, and can hardly contain my excitement! A whole year! Wow.... All I can say is that I look forward to meeting a few of you, and of course, meeting the BM collection

Evan

[slokind]

I think you can take an early train and get off at Cambridge and have a day there at the Fitzwilliam.  For the Ashmolean at Oxford, you may still find it easier to take a very early train to London and go to Oxford from there.  I have very dreary memories (and someone stole my suitcase) of a stopover at Bletchley trying to go from Cambridge to Oxford on the hypoteneuse, so to speak.  But that was in 1959!  Better yet, get a BritRail three-day or week ticket whenever you get a holiday, since you're young enough to use Youth Hostels.  Gosh, at your age, you can even bike and hike.  Compared with the Pacific Northwest, southern England is quite small.  Maybe there are very few trains now.  Pat L.

[Robert_Brenchley]

There are plenty of trains, but the system is chaotic, it's very easy to end up on a Virgin train that your ticket isn't valid for and get surcharged, and they aren't always reliable. I often go to work on them, and I hate it, like most people. You do get there though.