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So yes, I do appreciate the actors and films from before I was born, and I’ll have to say you’re the first person over 40 I’ve ever known, who hasn’t heard of Richard Burton.
Who are your favorite stage and film stars? The UK has given the world so many -
I have of course heard of Richard Burton.....he was in a war film I once went to watch at the cinema when I wore short trousers to school. I think he died not long after that...he liked to drink I believe.
Burton died in 1984 of intercerebral bleed, a type of stroke, at age 58. I remember thinking that he was old. Perspective.
Interesting historical context: he died 2 years before the space shuttle Challenger exploded, 35 years ago, an event I well remember.
I didn’t realize British kids wore short pants into their teens. Do they still? That is so quaint!
The Times has a story today that is just for you, UK Man .
I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of John Mills’ movies, but this makes me curious about him. I do remember his daughters, Juliet and Hayley, but would say their work must not have been held in such high esteem as his.
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A remarkable battle.
The British were outmanned. The Zulus were outgunned.
This sound like a life plan. I don’t like scotch, but wouldn’t mind following the daily champagne part of his regimen.
Hilllllariouuuusssss....hic.
July 28th 1540: Putney-born Sir Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII's Chancellor, was quite messily beheaded on Tower Hill for arranging and promoting the king's failed marriage to 25yr old German princess, Anne of Cleves, of whom the king said upon first seeing her:
''They've brought me a Flanders Mare to wed''.
As it was already contracted, the wedding took place, but was annulled non consumated six months later, as Henry found his new non-English speaking 4th wife to be:
'abhorrent, base and dull-eyed'.
Henry gave her a generous settlement as well as Hever Castle where she was thereafter known as the King's Beloved Sister. Anne of Cleves lived to see the reign of Edward VI, and the coronation of Mary I, outliving the last of Henry's wives, Catherine Parr.
Poor Thomas Cromwell ended up being hacked to death upon Tower Hill, in front of at least 2,000 people. The Tower headsman is recorded as:
''..have'd grayte difficultie in severe'd Crumwellies head, y axe being light and blunt'd.. ''
Eventually Cromwell was buried headless, in an unmarked tomb beneath the aisle of St Peter-ad-vincular in The Tower of London. His butchered head being piked to rot upon Old London Bridge.
How very civilized. And how forgiving was the first head of the Church of England.
This brings me back down to earth. The history of Britain is incredible.
The Battle of Maes Cogwy (Maserfield) was fought on 5 August 641 or 642.
The seventh century in Britain was a period where kingdoms continually strived to establish themselves. There were many boundary shifts as they attempted to acquire new lands and defend existing ones.
In the build up to The Battle of Maes Cogwy, Cadwallon ap Cadfan, King of Gwynedd had driven Edwin of Northumbria from his kingdom and allied with Penda of Mercia in a counter attack. This resulted in the Battle of Hatfield Chase in 633, at which Edwin was killed and the kingdom of Northumbria temporarily collapsed. The following year Oswald (Edwin's nephew), regained control of Northumbria, defeating and killing Cadwallon ap Cadfan at The Battle of Heavenfield. It would appear that Oswald then went on the offensive against Penda and the Welsh kingdom of Powys, as the next action occurs at The Battle of Maes Cogwy. This action occurred at Oswestry (‘Oswald's Tree’), now in Shropshire, but at the time in the kingdom of Pengwern (a sub-kingdom of Powys).
The outcome of the battle was defeat for the Northumbrians and the death of Oswald, which resulted in once again, the internal weakening and fracturing of the Northumbrian kingdom. It strengthened the positions of Powys and Gwynedd and left Penda as ‘the most formidable king in England.’
You Britons certainly have loved battling and killing each other through the centuries. It’s amazing there are any of you left!
Take that you English and Scots!
Photoshopped rubbish...
Splinter , you were just born too late!
Splinter , you were just born too late!
Drat and Double Drat! I now have a Bruce Springsteen earworm I can't get rid of! Only the words now go:
"Splinter you were born too late....."
Emperor Augustus in Wales. I never knew this and Wales also the most castles anywhere in the world, not to mention Roman ruins.
Augustus, the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor was born on this day 63 BC.
Roman interaction with the area we now call Wales, during the life and reign of Augustus;
Roman interest in Celtic Britain during the lifetime of Augustus (23 September 63 BC – 19 August 14 AD), culminated in Claudius's successful invasion of 43 AD and the subsequent occupation of Wales. Prior to Roman interest in conquering Britain, Wales had, at least five tribal groupings: the Deceangli in the North East; the Ordovices in the North West; the Demetians in the South West; the Silurians in the South East; and the Cornovii in the central borderlands. Its people, like those of most of Britain, spoke Brythonic, the language which would eventually evolve into Welsh. They were highly skilled in many crafts and traded across Northern Europe.
58 BC - General Julius Caesar, who was fighting to secure Gaul for Rome calculated that conquering Britain and Gaul would be a tremendous boost to his career. Hearing of Caesars' planned invasion from traders in the northern Gallic ports resulted in some of the British tribes sending embassies to Caesar, offering friendship and hostages as surety. This shows that the Britons, could not simply have been introspective farming communities as they were capable of gathering intelligence from foreign shores and then undertaking a proper diplomatic mission in response.
55 BC - The first invasion of Britain under Julius Caesar was probably an investigative probe in preparation for the much larger invasion of the following year. Although he gained a beachhead on the coast, he could not advance further, and returned to Gaul for the winter.
54 BC - Julius Caeser returned, better prepared and with a larger force, and advanced inland, and established a few alliances. However, poor harvests in Gaul led to widespread revolt, which forced Caesar to leave Britain. From his reports, there is little evidence to suggest that the tribes of Wales were affected at all.
27 BC - The reign of Augustus begins. It was an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana, however, Augustus did dramatically enlarge the Empire and had also prepared invasions of Britain in 34 BC, 27 BC and 25 BC, which were called off due to incursions elsewhere or peace settlements.
14 AD - Augustus died.
40 AD - King Cunobelinus of the Catevellauni, who enjoyed friendly relations with the Roman Empire, died with his sons Caratacus and Togodumnus taking over control. His third son Amminius aggrieved at being passed over for power, appealed to Rome for assistance and persuaded Caligula to invade, however, its execution was bizarre: he reached Boulogne and drew up his troops in battle formation facing the English Channel and ordered them to attack the standing water. Afterwards, he had them gather seashells, to return to Rome with, as plunder.
43 AD - Emperor Claudius sent 40,000 troops, under the command of Aulus Plautius to invade Britain. British resistance was led by Togodumnus and Caratacus but they were defeated on the rivers Medway and Thames. Togodumnus died shortly after the battle and Caratacus retreated west to the tribes of the Ordovices and the Silures, where he led the resistance to Rome.
Always thought the Welsh were a bit shifty. Now I know why!! 😜
Emperor Augustus in Wales. I never knew this and Wales also the most castles anywhere in the world, not to mention Roman ruins.
Very interesting historical quote. I’m curious about the source?
