There is nothing more quintessentially British than a much loved afternoon cream tea. Henry James said it best, “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” This delightful English tradition started, when a lady felt a little peckish one late afternoon before dinner in 1840! Waiting from lunch until … Read More
It’s Back…The 6th Harrow Whisky Festival!
It’s just over two weeks until the popular Harrow Whisky Festival returns to the Grim’s Dyke Hotel on Friday 6th & Saturday 7th January. With the festival delayed in previous years due to the global pandemic, excitement and anticipation is high. The featured distillers and bottlers are ready to make this a wonderful event you’ll truly remember. The Festival This … Read More
10 Tips for hiring the right wedding DJ for you
Planning your perfect wedding can be exciting, but it can also be a little overwhelming. When it comes to the music on your big day, having the right DJ is important. When you’re deciding who to hire to create the soundtrack to your day, keep these top 10 tips in mind. #1: Choose an experienced DJ Being a DJ may … Read More
The bed of kings: the four poster bed
The bed has long been used as a symbol of money and power. The better a style and quality of bed, the wealthier its owner was. In Saxon and Norman times, most people slept on the floor around the fire. It was only the wealthy or those with a higher status, that slept off the floor, on beds created from … Read More
A brief history of Victorian herbalism
Herbalism or botanical medicine is one of the oldest traditions around. The Egyptians used herbs for medicine, as did indigenous healers around the world. In Britain, herbalism can be traced back thousands of years. The British Library has a copy of a ‘leech book’ – thought to date back as far as the 800s CE! Medieval lay healers used herbs, … Read More
A Brief History of the Victorian Glasshouse
The greenhouse, otherwise known as the Victorian glasshouse, became an iconic feature of british gardens during the Victorian era. As the Victorian’s love of gardening grew, the need to house their fragile, temperature controlled and valuable plants did too. The glasshouse provided a home for these species, whilst also paving the way for plant experimentation and cultivation. A status symbol … Read More
The history of Father’s Day
Father’s Day is an annual celebration that is celebrated in over one hundred countries. This year in the UK, we’ll be celebrating it on Sunday 16th of June. However it wasn’t always a celebrated day. Initially celebrating fatherhood was something only the Copic and Catholic Churches of southern europe celebrated, as part of their St. Joseph’s Day celebrations, but now … Read More
Top Wedding Trends for 2019
Wedding trends for 2019 are both plentiful and encouraging. For many, the royal weddings of 2018 highlighted an uprising of simple, classic elegance. For others, those same weddings were seen as a sign of change – with old traditions and stereotypes being broken, replaced with more diverse options. Here’s our rundown on the top wedding trends for 2019. Colour – … Read More
Top 10 things to see in London’s West End this summer 2019
You cannot book a stay in or around London, without treating yourself to a West End show. The entertainment district around Leicester Square and Covent Garden is known for being a buzzing hive of colour, sound and top West End theatres. Here’s our rundown of the top 10 things to see this summer, in London’s West End. Mamma Mia! This … Read More
The Saint TV series
British mystery spy thriller, The Saint premiered on the ITV on 4th October 1962. Starring Sir Roger Moore as the main character Simon Templar, The Saint aired for six series – a total of 118 episodes. Simon Templar was a wealthy, Robin Hood-like criminal who always left a calling card at his crimes – a stick figure of a man … Read More