As much as I love the energy and bustle of New York, at some point in my visits to that great city, I inevitably seek the quiet spaces. In this time of forced isolation due to the pandemic, many of us are looking for ways to safely connect with one another. Yet perhaps because so … Continue reading Those quiet spaces
Month: March 2020
Hulks in Charlestown Harbor
Des Barres, Joseph F. W. (Joseph Frederick Wallet), 1722-1824; Published 1780 (London); LOC# gm71000644 After abandoning Philadelphia to the Americans in 1778, the British shifted their focus to the South. By the middle of May 1780, they had secured a decisive victory in Charlestown, South Carolina, with the surrender of the Continental Army and Patriot … Continue reading Hulks in Charlestown Harbor
Cream Tea, Just Because
Devon Cream Tea ©2020 Roxane Gilbert What is Cream Tea? Cream tea refers to a tradition in Devon and Cornwall of serving afternoon tea with scones, clotted cream, and jam.Although I would never refuse a freshly made scone served Cornish style, when it comes to cream tea, I am securely in the Devon camp: the … Continue reading Cream Tea, Just Because
The East Webburn River in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
The East Webburn River flows through the ancient, picturesque village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor, past the Rugglestone Inn, and through the vast land holdings of the fictional family of Joseph Buckleigh, the hero of the historical novel A Moon Garden, by Roxane Gilbert. When his tour of duty in the American War for Independence comes to an … Continue reading The East Webburn River in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
St Patrick’s Day musings on the Tower of London
Church of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London©Roxane Gilbert Gerald Fitzgerald, 9th Earl of Kildare (1487-1534) has the dubious distinction of being the first prisoner to be buried in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula after being incarcerated and dying in the Tower of London. Upon his father’s death in … Continue reading St Patrick’s Day musings on the Tower of London
The stone walls of Dartmoor
Dartmoor Lane©Roxane Gilbert Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Devon, England, is a village of fewer than 200 households in the middle of Dartmoor, which has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Many of the hedgerows and stone walls that divide the landscape date back hundreds of years. The walls have become natural rock gardens, covered with … Continue reading The stone walls of Dartmoor
After the Battle of Camden 1780
Battle of Camden, August 16th, 1780 Despite the superior numbers of the American Patriot forces, they were resoundingly defeated by the British in the Battle of Camden in South Carolina on August 16, 1780. It was a bloody battle, with both sides suffering many killed and wounded. The Royal Army’s 33rd Regiment of Foot, in … Continue reading After the Battle of Camden 1780
The River Dart
It is July 4, 1778. The British Army’s 33rd Regiment of Foot has returned to the New York colony, after sustaining heavy losses in the horrific Battle of Monmouth. “It was a warm day with a mild breeze in Manhattan. Joseph sat under a tree in the meadow at the end of Broadway, cleaning his … Continue reading The River Dart
Love is in bloom at Rougemont Garden
Rougemont Castle Wall©Roxane Gilbert The construction of Rougemont Castle was begun in 1068, sometime after William the Conqueror laid siege to the city of Exeter in Devon, England. The walls that remain today are surrounded on three sides by public gardens. In the year 1785, the broad walk through those gardens would have been lined … Continue reading Love is in bloom at Rougemont Garden
Church of St Pancras in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Church of St. Pancras, Widecombe-in-the-Moor©Roxane Gilbert Having been built in the 14th century, the Church of St. Pancras in Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Devon, England, was already ancient in 1785, when the Buckleigh family went there to worship in the historical novel A Moon Garden. Although the church has changed over the passing decades, I saw some … Continue reading Church of St Pancras in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Roxane Gilbert 