A Fortnight of England

This post needs to cover Wednesday to now, Saturday am. Beginning with the fact that we didn't go to the Portsmouth Military Museum (I don't know if there actually is one). We went to the Historic Docks. It was a day very well spent, and as I commented to the kids the next morning at breakfast, I feel as though I know more now than I did before..there is just so much to absorb.
The two main attractions were the ability to go onboard the Victory, an old wooden boat of some 150 years of service and an age still more impressive, and the Warrior, the first British ship with an all metal hull. She was put into service in the early 1800s and was sadly outdated quickly, as technology rushed by her. Both are fascinating to explore. The other highlights are the Mary Rose Museum and the Action Station.
Within the Action Station, you are able to take part in a simulated helicopter flight where you are the pilot, a 'ride' where you are the passenger on a helicopter rescue mission, two different rock climbing walls, shooting ranges, submarine rooms and numerous other stations where you can touch and explore. My favourite part of the docks was probably the Mary Rose Museumwhere we learnt all about the sinking of the Mary Rose, about two kms off shore, with King Henry viii watching on, and its salvage in the late eighties, some four hundred and fifty years later.
She was a smallish, wooden ship which King Henry had commisioned when he became King, to build up the British fleet (which was maybe two or three ships, up to five or six). Usually she had up to five hundred men on board, but on this fateful day it is estimated that she had up to seven hundred - of which only 25 to 30 men survived.
The Brits were heading out into the harbour to fight the French. As she turned, to take good shots at the enemy, she lolled drastically onto her side and water flooded into her cannon ports. Within a couple of minutes she was totally gone. In the second half of last century someone went on an all out search to find her - and did! Buried in silt which had amazingly preserved half of her hull and lots of what was within her. And so began the worlds first underwater archaelogical dig. New frontiers were constantly being crossed. It took numerous years and thousands of volunteers (one of whom was Prince Charles). Finally her hull was raised in about 1986(???Dont quote this year to anyone)and hundreds of other artifacts were already on shore and being treated. Even as we were at the harbour, there was a museum being built around the actual hull where eventually all of the artifacts and the original hull will be reunited. AS it is, we were unable to see the hull as it is still being treated. Looking at the personal effects of so many people so long ago departed was quite an emotional experience. In fact, just writing about it and recalling it has quite an effect on me. I always wonder what these people would think if they could pop back for a day and see the place. Would they look into a cabinet and think, 'hey, that is my diary cover. Uncle William embossed that for me. Why is it hanging on display, it looks really wretched. Shouldn't it be burned?' Or would they be truly gratified to find that what was precious to them, has been found and valued by us. There was such ornateness to EVERYTHING. The leather wrist straps from the archers arms were patterned, even the buttons which have been found are ornaments in themselves. And all of it was hand done. No Woolies back then for bulk buying.
Amongst the treasures found, was the surgeons medical chest, still in his room, unopened. Within it they found dozens of jars and bottles, unopened, some even still with air in them - one ointment complete with the finger print of the last person to have touched it. The discoveries aboard the Mary Rose have greatly increased our knowledge of life in the Tudor era.
Fascinating. Truly fascinating and engaging. Sam particularly enjoyed it of the kids. And all of them enjoyed the unplanned cannon firing lesson. (without actually firing a cannon ball of course). Sam is now convinced that he is ready for a war as he would be able to load and fire a cannon. I don't think he realizes just how different weaponry is these days - nor does he realize that his mother would probably lock him in his room til he hits retirement age, rather than have him join the army.
On Thursday we drove around the Isle of Wight. We spent the bulk of our time wandering around Osbourne House and grounds. This was the 'holiday house' of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Victoria particularly wanted it so that they could have a place which was entirely their own to decorate as they please. (She felt the burdens of public life constraint). The thing that makes this place so amazing - and the information so personal, is that Victoria kept diaries. Fank and open. And now much of them is public property. Therefore, much of what you read, is Queen Victoria's own opinion,
and feelings. All of this added to the fact that I watched Young Victoria last year and was very taken by the love story - made Osbourne house an exciting place for me to be. Nine children. A true love story, right down to the years of mourning and carrying of Albert's memory with her for ever. It was moving.
Everything is laid out much as it was within the house. The nursery. the paintings. All the originals. Again, I couldn't help but wonder what they would think if they could pop back and see their place looking so much as it was, even though they have been gone for 150 years. My guess is that they would be less surprised than the sailors from the Mary Rose. The thing that impressed me was the way in which these people who were born into privilege didn't sit around being pampered, but made the most of those resources available to them to learn, think and do. There is a little fort remaining on the grounds which Albert built with his children - they made the bricks. From a home schooling point of view (one of the things I like to think about) it was really interesting. They had their own separate schoolroom some way away from the house, full of artifacts from all around the world.
Unfortunately, our day ended by discovering that the two nights we had booked at Travelodge hadn't gone through. Luckily one night was available - so we stayed Thursday night there (Just out of Eastbourne at Hellingsly) and decided to spend yesterday driving around and looking later for somewhere to stay. That was a bad idea...which I will tell you about next entry.