Yes, another underground tour of a defunct tube station.

This one was little used as a station, but in 1939 the London Passenger Transport Board engineers resturctured it to function as a bunker for Winston Churchill and the War Cabinet during WW II.

They added dorms, bathrooms, meeting rooms, etc.

The movement of troops, equipment, and other goods was coordinated from here.

It features all the things we have come to look for on these British Transport tours - Leslie Greene tile, natty signs, and history

The abbey was built in 1066, but the one we see today was built in 1245. Lots of history.

The abbey is burial site for numerous kings, generals, nobility, etc. There is also Poets Corner where writers, poets and people of science are interned.

We probably took over 100 pictures, but I'll try to just post a few (dozen) of the most interesting.

A redoubt is a fortified area to which defenders can retreat.

So, why Drop you may ask. Well, it is a take on the local nickname for the remains of a Roman lighthouse on the site, known as the "Devil's Drop of Mortar"

The initial build was 1804, expanded in 1859. Both were in response to a possible invasion at Dover - the gateway to England.

It was active into the mid 1960s.

It has infrequent tours given by the Western Heights Preservation Society - all volunteers.

With troops up on a hill, and the port of Dover at the bottom of that high hill, the concern was troop movement. Takes quite a while for a thousand men to walk down the trail of chalk that can be slippery when wet.

So, fort engineer Twiss suggested a shaft. Brilliant idea.

It goes 140 feet down and the time to get troops to the port was cut to under 15 minutes.

In later years it was mainly the fastest way for soldiers to get from the pub to their barracks before curfew.

Just some various shots of Dover, the port and the famous white cliffs.

Churchill ordered fortification and gun implacements along the Cliffs of Dover and the Royal Engineers finished these in 3 months.

Designed as quarters and shelter for the gunners, they were mostly lined with corregated steel and bunks hung from the walls. Little or no ventilation, these are dark, wet, horrible places but men were obviously a lot tougher than I am.

They were sealed up and buried in the 1970s but the National Trust uncovered and cleared them out in 2012.

The path down to the rather steep set of stairs is narrow and winding, probably slick when it rains, but fun and well worth the trek.

Beautiful views of Langon Bay as you descend into the tunnel that opens onto the landing for the stairs.

It is thought the trail was made by smugglers in older times, and also used by the coastguard in more recent days.

If you have a fear of heights, just don't look down, but climb the steps to land on a nice, secluded little beach.

Then, of course, there is the trek back up the trail, but exercise is good for you.

Near the end of the trail along the White Cliffs of Dover is the South Foreland Lighthouse. This area has some treacherous shoals knowns as The Goodwin Sands, that have wrecked hundreds of ships, so a lighthouse on this point made sense.

Built in 1843 it has a long history, including where Marconi tested his wireless communication system that enabled ship-to-shore messages.

The place is lovely, and the tour is a lot of fun.

Took the train from Dover and headed into Cambridge.

Yes, the place where all the colleges are located, where Darwin, Newton, Turing, Hawking and others went.

The town is quite busy, lots of young people, lots of bikes, and a great feeling.

Just some of the interesting places and sites we enjoyed.

The official name is Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Built in the 1100s, the style was meant to reflect the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem which was taken by the Crusaders.

It has seen a few renovations in it's time, but the basic church is still there.

Built in the 1700s it was originally called The Eagle and Child.

During WWII, RAF pilots gathered in the back bar area to hoist a few. One night a pilot stood on a table and using a candle or lighter burned his squadron number into the ceiling.

Naturally, this set a trend.

Apparently it was hidden in subsequent renovations but uncovered in the 1990s.

This is also the place where in 1953 James Watson and Francis Crick announced they had discovered "the secret of life" with their proposal for the structure of DNA.

Amazing what good ale can do

This is the church of Cambridge University since 1209.

It is possible the first foundation was laid sometime in 1010, but it did burn in 1290 and was rebuilt in 1478 as the church we see today.

OK, so we were confused about the system at the university, and our punter explained it. Thought it was a good intro to St. Johns College pictures.

In brief, Cambridge University is the overall umbrella that provides the resources, sets curriculum, etc.

Within the University are many colleges. Students can apply to a specific college or be assigned to one by the University if they choose open application.

So, Cambridge University is Hogwarts and the various colleges are the Houses.

Think Harry Potter minus the sorting hat.

Kings is probably the most recognizable of all the colleges, mainly thanks to movies.

The original college was started by King Henry VI, but then the War of the Roses happened and the Tudors won and new plans were made under the Tudors.

Yes, it has had quite a few expansions and renovations over the centuries, but still has an excellent academic reputation

If you go to Cambridge you have to go punting down the Cam. Kind of like a gondola in Venice but these have flat bottoms and flat ends, but the poling is similar.

Originally punts moved goods down and up the river. Today they move tourists.

Many of the punters are students at Cambridge, or soon to be students.

You laze down the river as you learn about the history of each college, bridge or historic site you pass.

A short train ride from London is Arundel Castle, home to Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, his wife the Duchess of Norfolk and their family.

Dating from the 11th century it has played a major role in English history.

The Duke is also The Earl Marshall of England, a position the family has had for 500 years.

It is quite worth the trip if you enjoy history, and the docents are quite informative and fun to talk with.

The gardens attached to the Castle are very interesting and worth the stroll.

One of the funniest parts is the artsy display of dead tree stumps.

There is a little of everything, from formal to natural, and a nice little side to the castle tour.

The Keep is the oldest part of the castle, dating back to the origins back in the 11th century.

As usual, there's a narrow, winding stair up to the top, with several levels open for viewing along the way.

It is a nice little glimpse into what life was like centuries ago living in a castle - defense is not just for football.

No surprise, in the 1800s folks just dumped sewage into the Thames with all the expected consequences.

There were calls for something to be done, but Parliment dragged its heals until The Great Stink in the summer of 1858.

The odor was so bad no one, even the wealthy, could escape it.

Suddenly it was a rush to fix the problem, and Sir Joseph Bazalgette came up with a proposal to move the sewage closer to the ocean.

Part of the solution was 2 pumping stations. Crossness was one of these.

Engineering moved on and the pumping stations were decomissioned in the mid 20th century,

Thankfully someone thought they were imporant so began the effort to restore Crossness.

Beauty and egineering in one spot

So, 1066. The year that William the Bastard came over from France and defeated King Harold and took England for the Normans.

In penance for all the blood shed William built an abbey on the site where the battle took place.

Supposedly the site of the high altar was where King Herald died.

The original abbey was virtually destroyed by King Henry VIII when he went after Catholic holdings.

What was saved is now the Battle Abbey School.

It is a bit odd to be standing in a shell of a monks dorm and look out to see an intact large building with active students.

Ah, England

One of our side trips out to the surrounds.

Bodiam Castle is what you think of when you think of a castle. Tall towers, a drawbridge and a moat.

Long, rich, tumultous history starting in late 1300s and passing through various families.

It finally was dismantled when it was sold to pay fines to Parliament because the owner took the wrong side in the 1641 Civil War.

Side note - it had 30 toilets!!

Naturally we had to add a bit about the actual town of Hastings - not just its name for the battle between William and Herald.

There is a lot of history - there was already a settlement here when the Romans came.

Some of the more fun adventures of Hastings are - storm destruction, burnings, attacks, more burnings during wars with France, huge smuggling enterprise for centuries, gotten restored a few times, and is now a lovely town and a great place to vacation along the shore

We have never cared for the building itself, but it is a big part of London and is a major influence in theatre.

Putting our distain for the architecture aside, we could not pass up a free backstage tour.

It is like a small city and factory rolled into one. Pretty amazing

Yes, another Hidden London tube tour. We are addicted.

From the classic Leslie Greene oxblood tile facade to the equally classic tiles in the closed tunnels, it is so much history in a little place.

Last time we were here we did GO Boats - rent a little putput and tool down the canal lined with amazing canal barges that once carried cargo but now are homes.

Some are amazing works of art, some not so much.

As we walked along there were trikes, little tables, toys and interesting pieces of the people whose homes were moored there.

The oldest public burial grounds and the first of the “Magnificent Seven” Victorian garden cemeteries built in the suburbs of London in the 19th century.

Some of the headstones are so old you can not read them, others made of better material are still fresh.

The weather is a bit, well, English today. Damp, misty rain, and a little on the chilly side. Perfect day to do the famous Windsor Castle.

This turned out to be a great choice, to our surprise.

No, King Charles was not here, although it is said he now enjoys going there.

Oh, and no photos allowed inside.