These biographies were originally written for a brochure to accompany a National Trust exhibition. Image: Marianne North 'A Bornean Crinum' Mary Delany (1700 - 1788) Born into a wealthy background, Mary Delany was closely connected with the arts from an early age. It was in later life that art was to play an important role.... Continue Reading →

In a world dominated by patriarchal societies, women have perpetually been denied the expression of their authentic creative voice in the name of propriety. Certain groups of women, however, refused to confirm to societal norms and through their imaginary literary works manifested inner worlds that would have been entirely forbidden to their monotonous outward existence.... Continue Reading →

For centuries, folklore countrywide has whispered cautionary tales of phantom black dogs. Some of these souls are benevolent, guiding weary travellers or serving as loyal protectors of innocent children playing in remote rural spots. Others, such as the Shuck and Barguest are harbingers of doom; keepers of the graveyards, waterways and ancient crossroads that pepper... Continue Reading →

As living creatures, we are all an integral part of earth’s biological cycle of reciprocity; the perpetual give and take between species, a cycle that has existed for millennia. We are surrounded by this every day, celebrating the wheel of the year and the changing seasons. With Autumn approaching, what lessons can we learn from... Continue Reading →

If you have arrived here as a fan of history, folklore and Norfolk, I will surmise that you have heard of, and perhaps even been fortunate enough to visit Raynham Hall. Situated in West Norfolk, the Hall began construction in 1619 under the instruction of Sir Robert Townshend. Further expansion was carried out in the... Continue Reading →

I remember the day clearly. Too clearly. My long, blonde plaits. The antiquated brown cotton dress. The happy tiredness of a day spent among thirty other squealing, giggling Brownies. But as I stared lazily out of the coach window on the journey home, something felt wrong. Time seemed to stop as my stomach tensed and... Continue Reading →

We know it as the land of fire and ice. Snowscapes reminiscent of Narnia; eternal winter. Velvet black skies punctuated by elusive shows of shimmering lights in colours unknown to nature. Brooding volcanoes, powerful and unpredictable, bubble and steam in sharp contrast with the eerie stillness of silent, frozen glaciers. It comes as no surprise... Continue Reading →

You may have read my previous blog post on the legendary duel that killed Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet and owner of Blickling Hall in 1698. Curiously, Hobart’s remarkable story doesn’t end with his death; in fact it appears that his post-humous exploits were almost as dramatic as those of his lifetime. Little did he... Continue Reading →

As I step onto the path into the woods, my senses come alive. I feel the familiar bounce of the woodland floor beneath my feet. An intricate chorus of birdsong soothes me, and as I watch my dear little dog race ahead, I know that he too is drinking in cold lungfuls of fresh, reviving... Continue Reading →

With the long-awaited arrival of spring, lengthening days generate a feeling of life and light within us. Thoughts of the natural world sprout in our minds as budding green shoots, tuning us into this season of growth and rebirth. But where there is light, there is also darkness; the balance of nature demands that where... Continue Reading →