It has been exactly 35 years since I last set foot in Westminster Abbey. Back then, I was just a tourist looking to see great sights around the World. Today, I am an amateur genealogist looking for clues on my ancestors.  First impression today, it was too crowded, and due to the crowds, you just can't see all that you want to see while you are there. Pictures were allowed in most of the Abbey, but not on the second level where the Queen's galleries were. While plodding along like sheep on the floor level, it was nearly impossible to see some of the tombs to the Kings of England, because they were too high to see except for the bases of the tombs. Here's a couple of examples: This is the Tomb of King Henry III at Westminster Abbey. I can barely see his left hand and foot. Tomb of Edward I "Longshanks" "Hammer of the Scots" at Westminster Abbey. His tomb is really quite plain. I overheard a Tour guide saying that he wanted to be buried in the Holy Lands...

  Not a lot to post about today. I spent the day at St Georges Chapel and Windsor Castle, but just like three years ago when I posted about it then, no pictures allowed inside either place, and it's hard to get the documented photos you need to complete your research.  I did take notes on my phone. The Beaufort Chapel contains the remains of a couple of my ancestors, but I already knew that they were there, so no earthshattering revelations coming there. Anne St. Leger, and her husband, Sir George Manners, 11th Baron de Roos, were there, but I couldn't get close enough to see who else was buried in their space. I also saw the tomb of Charles Henry Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, but that was about it.  When I get back home, I'll do more research to see who all of the people buried in St Georges Chapel were, and try to piece together how their blood became a part of mine. Tomorrow is my last day blogging from England, and I hope I have more fascinating discoveries to tell...

  St Pauls Cathedral and Temple Church in London. Two of the most important religious houses in London, except for Westminster Abbey and St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. I started the day knowing that Temple Church would be closed, yet I ventured that way after visiting St Pauls to look upon the Hallowed Church of the Knights Templer. I also thought that I had 6 ancestors buried at St Pauls Cathedral, and found out that there may be a few more. St Pauls Cathedral was one of the most beautiful Cathedrals I've seen on this trip. The problem here is that the Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed many of the older memorials, and the most recent of my ancestors who were buried here was in 1427. Lots of beautiful Marble Carvings, but no older memorials. I needed the help of a volunteer to direct me to an obscure brass plate in the basement of the Cathedral. This plate/plaque was dedicated to some of the memorials that perished in the fire.  Of the names listed on the plaque, I...

 I made a trip today to the Tower of London. I have not been here for nearly 35 years, and things have changed quite a bit since then. Back then in 1991, I was a Captain in the USAF, deployed out of Pope AFB NC to RAF Mildenhall. We had one day to take a bus from the airfield to London, so we had to make the best of our day. The three things we did, was to get opening round tickets to Wimbledon, visit the Tower of London, and stop by Westminster Abbey.  Today, I took Terry to the Tower, followed by a short walk to see St Magnus the Martyr Church, near the North shore of the Thames near London Bridge, then a short walk across the bridge to Southwark Cathedral.  The Tower of London has elements of Roman Walls interspersed with Norman Construction. It was where the Kings of England made their residence for the better part of 400 years. It has served as an Armory, a Palace, a Prison, and a Zoo. I have had at least 17 ancestors who were associated with the Tower of London, but...

  Just a quick post from todays travels. Old Sarum Castle is an ancient site about 17 miles Southwest of Stonehenge, and has been around probably as long as Stonehenge has. It isn't mentioned anywhere in my genealogy database, but as I walked around and read the story boards placed all over the Motte and Bailey Ruined Castle, it does have ties to some of my ancestors. King Henry II imprisoned his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine here until 1189. Many of you don't know how she eventually turned on him, and supported hers sons in their rebellion against their father Henry. While there, henry did make improvements to Queen Eleanor's living quarters, to increase her comfort while imprisoned. 30 years later, King John dropped some coin into the castle, and built a great hall, to be used as a court and banquet hall. Unfortunately, the roof only lasted around 90 years before it collapsed.  This picture is of the steps leading up to the central keep, or where it used to be.  Around 1350...

  I am going to do things a little bit differently with this blog post. Instead of outlining who is associated with this castle in my genealogy software, I am going to change the font color for these people to red, so that you can identify them. Some aren't listed in my software as being associated, but they had a connection to this castle, so if I make their names red, you can see how they were involved in this castle's history, and know that they are related to me. Kenilworth Castle, nestled in the heart of Warwickshire, is a place of much mystery and intrigue. The castle construction was initiated by William I just after his arrival from Normandy in 1066, and given to the Geoffrey de Clinton Family to oversee it in 1120. De Clinton was the treasurer underneath King Henry I , and well trusted.  Even though Kenilworth Castle was built 5 miles away from the Earls of Warwick and Warwick Castle, it still became a substantial property. The primary reason it was so close to Warwi...