Wednesday, 6 December 2023

Christmas Decorations

 Long before the 19th century people in England decorated their houses at Christmas with holly, ivy, and mistletoe. In the 19th century people began to use coloured paper decorations.


East Meon, Hampshire

 I wrote a history of the charming village of East Meon in Hampshire 


Happy St Nicholas Day

 6 December is St Nicholas Day. As I am sure you know he morphed into Santa Claus. St Nick is the patron saint of children. He is also the patron saint of sailors.

In Portsmouth, the Garrison Church was originally called the Domus Dei (House of God). It was a hostel for pilgrims. It was dedicated to John the Baptist and St Nicholas. There is a St Nicholas Street in Old Portsmouth, so named because it led to the Domus Dei, dedicated to St Nick.

Tuesday, 5 December 2023

Hambledon Village

 I wrote a history of the Hampshire village of Hambledon 



Basingstoke

 I wrote a brief history of the town of Basingstoke. It was designated a 'new town' and grew rapidly in the late 20th century but it has been a market town since the Middle Ages.