The grandest pigsty in the world (probably)
Near the seaside village of Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire sits a Victorian folly in the style of an Ancient Greek temple. Amazingly, this was designed and used as a pigsty.
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Edward Elgar - 'the typically English composer'
Sir Edward Elgar was an English composer born in 1857, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire, and particularly noted for his capturing of the atmosphere of England in Edwardian times.
The subtle beauty of Cow Parsley
The delicate white flowers and fernlike leaves of the cow parsley are a familiar sight in early summer, and usually humming with insects. It is a fast-growing plant found throughout the UK, preferring shaded areas, so hedgerows and woodland edges are common places to spot it.
Geoffrey Chaucer: early tales from English Literature
Geoffrey Chaucer, called 'the father of English literature', lived in the fourteenth century, and is best known for The Canterbury Tales that details a storytelling contest from participants on a pilgrimage from London to Canterbury. Chaucer was the first writer to be buried in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey.
From Devon to Mars: Perseverance's Parachute
A Devon textiles company, Heathcoat Fabrics, has despatched its wares to many locations, the latest being Mars. It was responsible for producing the parachute that helped NASA's Mars rover, Perseverance, land on the red planet on 18th February 2021.
Growing Underground - the subterranean farm below South London
A glimpse, perhaps, of an industrialised farming future lies far below the surface of London. Out of reach from any fresh air and sunlight, the Growing Underground project uses innovative LED lighting to grow produce in a former World War II bomb shelter.
Six things to delight and entertain you every day.