SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2010
By ADMINISTRATOR
Kent
Approximate Population: 43,552
Canterbury is an enticing Cathedral City with a rich history in the County Of Kent, home to over 42 thousand people. It’s set on the River Stour which flows through it’s heart, where narrow winding cobbled streets are lined with houses from many centuries, and ancient Roman City Walls. Medieval Canterbury was the most important and busiest Pilgrimage site which has continued for centuries, after the brutal and bloody murder of Thomas a Becket in 1170.
The majestic Cathedral commands the skyline, complete with the longest nave in Europe and was declared by Unesco a World Heritage Site. Gothic towers, memorable arches, and gem coloured stained glass windows are breath stealing. St Augustine’s Abbey was built after he had successfully persuaded King Ethelbert of Kent to convert to Christianity in 597, both Ethelbert and his wife were buried there, today a chance the explore the site and browse round the Museum should be taken.
The Canterbury Museum has treasure upon treasure to discover from Romans, Rupert Bear, and the Blitz, and certainly the fabulous 14th Century Westgate Towers should feature highly on everyone’s list. Canterbury is also blessed with the oldest Saxon church in England which is dedicated to St Martin where time reverses in a flash, history oozes from every corner, William the Conqueror built a castle here, and although in ruins today it’s worth the time to explore, King John was crowned here, and Chaucer immortalised Canterbury when he wrote his world famous Canterbury Tales.
Nursing Homes near Canterbury Kent
SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2010
By ADMINISTRATOR
Nursing Homes near Walsall
West Midlands
Approximate Population: 170,994
Tracing its history back to around 1160 Walsall was created as a Royal Manor. There are claims however that Walsall can actually trace its history back to 1004 – but these claims have yet to be proven. In essence a medieval town, the highest point being Church Hill, where a church has stood since around 1200 and today there is still evidence in the present church of a crypt dating back to the 13th century.
Walsall gained its status as a market town and together with the local agricultural economy it became an important market town and today the market, dating back to 1220, is still a popular attraction. The borough though had good supplies of raw materials, coal, limestone and ironstone, and it was only a matter of time before the local residents exploited these raw materials making stirrups, buckles and spurs. The coming of the Industrial Revolution saw these small industries grow to be quite huge commercial operations, rail and canal networks meant that locally produced goods could now be traded throughout the country and this level of activity saw local wealth increase.
This legacy can still be seen today, the Arboretum Park was opened in the late 19th century and the lakes within it were created by flooding the old mining works, the park today contains parkland, woodland, gardens and lakes with many activities being available. For the casual visitor to Walsall the evidence of its industrious past is there to be seen, a trip to the Leather Museum or the Walsall Museum providing an insight into this fascinating place.
Nursing Homes near Walsall West Midlands