Balloon Flight from Chipping Ongar
This video records my first balloon flight, from Chipping Ongar (about 16 miles from where I live in Barkingside), early Monday morning on the 2nd April 2012. It was an amazing experience, well worth the money (a special offer at £80), and the wait (3 previous bookings between August and November last year, were cancelled due to unsuitable weather).
It also served me as a practical science lesson in the material and buoyant nature of the atmosphere. Although I know, from learning about it, that it does, the idea that air has weight has always seemed counter-intuitive to me and I'm filled with admiration for those early scientists who realised that it does have weight.
The balloon lifted us into the air, because the air inside of it was reduced in weight by more than what us 12 passengers and the basket (which, together with the burners and 4 bottles of propane gas, was quite heavy itself) weighed. This reduction in weight was brought about by heating it up, so that it expanded, forcing some of it (more than the combined weight of people and basket) out of the bottom of the balloon. Thus, being overall less dense than the surrounding air, we rose through it, buoyant in the fluid of Earth's atmosphere . . . Amazing!
St Peter's Way: Chipping Ongar To Margaretting 4 September 2015
The St. Peter's Way is a 45 mile long distance footpath running between Chipping Ongar and the ancient chapel of St. Peter On The Wall at Bradwell on Sea Essex. This walk is the 10.5 mile section of the path from Chipping Ongar to where it joins the old A12 road at Margaretting. The walk goes through the lovely village of Blackmore. The walk took place in cloudy, but dry, weather (despite the forecast of showers) on Friday 4 September 2015.
HAUNTED SANCTUM OF THE ANCIENT SAXONS
Today I visit the world`s oldest wooden church and Europe`s oldest palisaded building, the church of St Andrews at Greenstead, Chipping Ongar, Essex.
The church was found to be quite active on a brief paranormal investigation which was shot on a night cam inside as it was so dark.
THE OLDEST WOODEN CHURCH IN THE WORLD | GREENSTED ESSEX
I've been to this church many times before in my life, and never filmed or taken photos. But now that I have a channel that touches on history, I figured it was worthy of it's own video.
It's located only a short drive from where I live in Essex, and I was joined by Candice as she really wanted to check this one out (she loves churches and history!)
Greensted Church- Haunted England
The ancient Greensted Church is located in Essex. We were not expecting any paranormal activity on our visit. It was just on the way back to London from Norfolk and Sussex. However, when our photos were downloaded, three photos showed clear spirit orbs. In one photo alone there could be counted at least 12 orbs, in another 7 orbs and the other, 4 orbs. Amazing!
It was like an entire paranormal welcoming committee. I had spoken to the volunteer mowing the churchyard and told him how beautiful the church was and how well he was keeping the grounds. Maybe the orbs heard this and came out in appreciation That is a benign interpretation.
The other way of viewing it was that the photo with the 12 orbs in it was the one when Lady Cholmondeley was buying a tea shirt from the display counter. Maybe they were manifesting themselves to make sure she paid for it! (She did) After all the poor gent mowing the churchyard (where his wife lay buried) has had his mower stolen several times from the garden shed and people having been pinching the chutneys from the help yourself counter at the back of the church without paying for them! Good to see ghosts gainfully employed!
Now for the formal history of this wonderful church:
The Church of St Andrew, Greensted-juxta-Ongar.
Greensted Church has been situated in its idyllic setting for nearly 1,200 years. Archaeological evidence suggests that, before there was a permanent structure, there may well have been another church, or a holy place, on the site for much longer, possibly dating back to around the 4th century.
Construction of the first permanent church on this site is thought to have begun shortly after St Cedd began his conversion of the East Saxon people around 654. The archaeological remnants of two simple wooden buildings were discovered under the present chancel floor, and these are thought to have been built in the late sixth or early 7th century.
The church's dedication to St Andrew suggests a Celtic foundation for the original sanctuary. The body of King Edmund the Martyr of East Anglia (who was killed in 870, possibly at Hoxne) is said to have rested there in 1013, on its way to reburial at Bury St Edmunds.
The nave is mostly original, and dendrochronological research in the 1960s dated it to 845. In 1995, however, this date was revised to 1053 +10 -55 years (sometime between 998 and 1063). It is made of large split oak tree trunks, which was a traditional Saxon way of building. The flint footings of the chancel wall and the pillar piscina inside the sanctuary are all that are left of any Norman work.
1500s
The original chancel was small and built of timber, but the current brick-built chancel dates from this period of construction.
1600--1800
The distinctive white wood-panelled tower was added in the Stuart period (17th century), and is what initially draws the eye.
Around this time the three dormer windows were added to the nave for the first time, and the south porch was added. A fragment of 15th--century glass can be seen in the centre of the quatrefoil window at the west end, but it was set there during the Victorian restoration.
In 1013 an ancient chronicler records that the body of St Edmund was, for a night, deposited at Greensted Church. There are many tributes to St Edmund in the church itself.
Also, near the porch, a large, flat, coped stone marks the quiet resting place of an unknown early crusader who is said to have arrived, badly wounded, at the church and died there. The fact that it was made of stone, not a local material, and was placed against the south wall, suggests he was considered as a hero
The Tolpuddle Martyrs were granted farm tenancies in the area after they were unable to return to their Dorset homes and the record of marriage of one of them, James Brine, can be seen in the present register.
BUNGAY CASTLE | SUFFOLK
Our third and final castle that myself and Candice explored one weekend is Bungay castle in the lovely village of Bungay in Suffolk near the border with Norfolk.
I accidentally deleted all the footage from that weekend, leaving only the photos and my voice overs, but hopefully it is still an enjoyable and informative watch! This wouldn't of happened too Sir Tony Robinson lol I had a Baldrick moment, so apologies!
Lake District Rail Day Trip from London
Take a rail tour to the beautiful Lake District, and visit Hill Top where Beatrix Potter was inspired to create Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten and the Flopsie Bunnies.
You'll travel by train through the Midlands towns and into the rolling green hills of Cumbria to visit the Word of Beatrix Potter and her former home, Hill Top. Her home remains exactly as she left it, and in each room you'll see details that appear in her boo
PHOTOS OF BLACKHEATH 2
MORE PHOTOS TAKEN OF BLACKHEATH, IN THE WEST MIDLANDS. THE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN SUMMER 2008. INCLUDES PHOTOS OF THE NEW BLACKHEATH PRIMARY WHICH WAS BUILT ON THE SITE OF BRITANNIA HIGH.
White Colne and Earls Colne, Essex
Driving through White Colne and Earls Colne towards Great Yeldham, on 20th July 2014.
The Pilgrims' Way: Alton to Farnham 18 April 2017
Yes, its another long distance footpath that I am doing out of order! This is the 9 mile section of Pilgrims Way between Alton and Farnham. The walk passes through thr villages of Holybourne, Upper Froyle and Bentley. After a lot of enclosed paths at the beginning of the walk, there are some truly great views later on. The walk took place in sunny, breezy weather on Tuesday 18 April 2017.