Real Britain Company News…

Everyone wants to visit Stonehenge on their UK trip but did you know there are about 1000 stone circles in Britain, and of course a load more in Ireland? No-one really knows why they were built and their ages date from 5000BC to around 1500BC. Many are not very siginificant to look at but they all have the advantage that you can go up to them and touch them, unlike Stonehenge (unless you book a special early morning or late afternoon session months in advance).

My personal favourite, the largest stone circle in the World encloses the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, a few miles north of Stonehenge. This World Heritage Site also has many other significant megalithic monuments and the Alexander Keiller museum. Keiller was the archeologist who excavated the area and re-erected many of the stones, which had been thrown down by superstitious villagers.

Castlerigg stone circle sits in possibly the most beautiful setting, within the Lake District National Park with views across to Skiddaw, Blencathra and Lonscale Fell. Built around 30000BC it is one of the oldest circles.

On the Isle of Lewis, on the Outer Hebrides the Callanais (or Callanish to us English folk) are in the most remote place, bearing testimony to a civilisation that inhabited these wild islands about 5000 years ago.

The Nine Maidens on the rugged terrain of Dartmoor in Devon is one of the smallest circles in Britain with only 16 stones. Legend has it that nine young women or maidens danced on the Sabbath and were punished by being turned to stone. It is said they were compelled to dance every day at noon for the rest of eternity and to this day they can be seen rhythmically moving at midday!! Maybe you a need a drop or two of the hard stuff to help the legend along.

Last but not least the Beltany stone circle in County Donegal has 64 stones of around 6ft arranged in a circle 145ft in diameter. Originally there were eighty or more. The circle, substantially older than the Iron Age, also incorporates a tumulus.

There are of course many more. Do you have a favourite?

Another entry in the weird and wonderful museums category. British Lawnmower Museum.

This museum in Southport, Lancashire, is one of the Worlds leading authorities on vintage lawnmowers. It also import & exports antique garden machinery and spare parts.

The lawnmower was invented by Edwin Beard Budding in 1830. He was working in a woollen mill in Stroud, Gloucester, where he designed a machine originally to trim the knap off the cloth, destined for Guardsmen’s uniforms. His revolutionary idea was to use it to cut grass!!. At the time people thought he was a lunatic and a madman to use such a contraption, so he tested the machine at night so no one could see him