R.J. Connor's Blog, page 2

Black Christmas 1349

Short-story prequel to Mercenary
Currently available to read online free of charge, at English Historical Fiction Authors blog.
England 1349.The Black Death is rife. God has abandoned his people.After the death of his abbot, an Irish monk named Aiden O'Connor, must come to terms with the growing fear the plague has wrought.With his greatest companion at his side, Brother Thomas, Aiden must leave the confines of St. Albans Abbey and seek refuge somewhere else. But as one door closes, another opens and a secret that should have remained hidden,is unveiled.

HLD#6: Berkhampstead Castle

The remains of Berkhampstead Castle inner bailey.

     The last leg of my Heretic tour took me down the A41 to the town of Berkhampstead. Here nestled in beautiful grounds, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of ordinary working day life, including the railway line, is the remains of an old Norman motte and bailey castle.     The castle was built in what was then considered a strategic location, as it sat smack dab on the road from London in the Chiltern Hills, making it a key gateway to the Midlands and the North. After victory at the Battle of  Hastings, William the Conqueror made way to London and it was here, that the Archbishop of York surrendered to him, before construction of the castle began.     The castles construction was under saw by Williams half brother Robert, who became lord of the castle. Earthworks were put in place to defend the castle and there was large park suitable for deer hunting. The castle soon became a centre for administration and the old town of Berkhampstead soon built up around it.    The castle saw many kings, several of whom passed it on to their chancellors. The castle saw significant redevelopment in the 12th, century probably under the guidance of Thomas Becket.In the 13th century it was besieged by the French during the baronial wars in the reign of King John. After capturing the castle it was later retaken by royal force and give to Richard the Earl of Cornwall.     Other leading figures who resided there were Edward III who bestowed the castle on his son, the Black Prince, who expanded the hunting grounds. In later years it was used to hold prisoners before the castle fell in to disrepair and ruin. In the 16th century the castle was unsuitable for royal presence and most of the stone was taken and used for building in the town.     A rather unceremonious downfall to what was the first and greatest of the Norman castles ever to be built. It's history is both illustrious and inspiring and even today, with crumbled walls, it's still an impressive site. With the hill the old keep used to stand on, and the huge bailey, surrounded by two moats. Berkhampstead Castle is well worth a visit! 

HLD#5: Sopwell Nunnery & Hertford Castle

The last remains of Sopwell Nunnery
     Heretic is well under way!Since my last post, I have taken time away from the tour to get cracking with the novel itself. I have already written the opening chapters and the plot is all but decided. I am very excited with how the book is shaping up and I hope when the time comes, that you guys will benefit from the extensive research that I have put in.      As this is a prequel to Mercenary, which in itself is an unusual tact to take, especially with the sequel already in the pipeline. It is therefore important to me that Heretic really give you a flavour of, not just the period, but a background to the whole story and the characters we have come to love.     The Easter holidays brought a reprieve from the desk and during my two week break I was able to finish off the bulk of the tour. The fifth leg of my journey took me east across Hertfordshire to the county town of Hertford. But not before a quick stop off to see another site in St Albans.     What you see in the picture above you is that of the remains of Sopwell Nunnery. That is slightly misleading however, because the nunnery was actually torn down by Sir Richard Lee, who bought it in 1539 from King Henry VIII, following the dissolution of the monasteries. He built on top of the old site and what you see now is the remains of Sopwell House.     As far as Heretic is concerned however, I only care about the Nunnery, which at the time was a cell to St. Albans Abbey. It was built by Geoffrey de Gorham, the Abbot of St. Albans in 1140. There is not much to tell in terms of history but it is believed the 15th century prioress Juliana Berners, wrote the Boke of St Albans, a very popular book at the time.     Hertford Castle was the jewel of the day. Although little of it remains, the gatehouse cuts a pretty impressive figure and some of the outer wall is still standing. Set in beautiful grounds surrounded by the old town, it is a very beautiful place to walk around.     The castle was built way back in 911 by Edward the Elder. The castle didn't really come in to fruition however until after the Norman conquest. They updated it to a motte and bailey and it was surrounded by a moat. It was granted to Peter de Valoignes, the High Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire by William the Conqueror.     During the rule of the Valoignes family, King Henry II, seeing potential in the castle had it modified in the 1170s. These modifications included the gatehouse, a drawbridge and new flint walls. After the death of Robert de Valoignes in 1184, the last of his line, the castle passed to Henry's son Richard I. However it was later claimed by Robert Fitzwalter, the son in law of Valoignes. He put his own garrison in place but was soon evicted by Richard's brother who became King John.     After a French invasion, who besieged the castle and then held it for a time, the castle became less of a military stronghold and was used as a royal residency. Edward I gave it to his wife Margaret in 1299 and during his sons reign, Edward II it even held some of the Knights Templars prisoner.     His wife Isabella spent much time there with her son, Edward III in 1309...
...But to find out what happens at the castle next, you'll have to wait for Heretic!     
Flint outer walls of Hertford Castle with the gatehouse in the background.

HLD#5: Sopwell Nunnery & Hertford Castle.

The last remains of Sopwell Nunnery
     Heretic is well under way!Since my last post, I have taken time away from the tour to get cracking with the novel itself. I have already written the opening chapters and the plot is all but decided. I am very excited with how the book is shaping up and I hope when the time comes, that you guys will benefit from the extensive research that I have put in.      As this is a prequel to Mercenary, which in itself is an unusual tact to take, especially with the sequel already in the pipeline. It is therefore important to me that Heretic really give you a flavour of, not just the period, but a background to the whole story and the characters we have come to love.     The Easter holidays brought a reprieve from the desk and during my two week break I was able to finish off the bulk of the tour. The fifth leg of my journey took me east across Hertfordshire to the county town of Hertford. But not before a quick stop off to see another site in St Albans.     What you see in the picture above you is that of the remains of Sopwell Nunnery. That is slightly misleading however, because the nunnery was actually torn down by Sir Richard Lee, who bought it in 1539 from King Henry VIII, following the dissolution of the monasteries. He built on top of the old site and what you see now is the remains of Sopwell House.     As far as Heretic is concerned however, I only care about the Nunnery, which at the time was a cell to St. Albans Abbey. It was built by Geoffrey de Gorham, the Abbot of St. Albans in 1140. There is not much to tell in terms of history but it is believed the 15th century prioress Juliana Berners, wrote the Boke of St Albans, a very popular book at the time.     Hertford Castle was the jewel of the day. Although little of it remains, the gatehouse cuts a pretty impressive figure and some of the outer wall is still standing. Set in beautiful grounds surrounded by the old town, it is a very beautiful place to walk around.     The castle was built way back in 911 by Edward the Elder. The castle didn't really come in to fruition however until after the Norman conquest. They updated it to a motte and bailey and it was surrounded by a moat. It was granted to Peter de Valoignes, the High Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire by William the Conqueror.     During the rule of the Valoignes family, King Henry II, seeing potential in the castle had it modified in the 1170s. These modifications included the gatehouse, a drawbridge and new flint walls. After the death of Robert de Valoignes in 1184, the last of his line, the castle passed to Henry's son Richard I. However it was later claimed by Robert Fitzwalter, the son in law of Valoignes. He put his own garrison in place but was soon evicted by Richard's brother who became King John.     After a French invasion, who besieged the castle and then held it for a time, the castle became less of a military stronghold and was used as a royal residency. Edward I gave it to his wife Margaret in 1299 and during his sons reign, Edward II it even held some of the Knights Templars prisoner.     His wife Isabella spent much time there with her son, Edward III in 1309...
...But to find out what happens at the castle next, you'll have to wait for Heretic!     
Flint outer walls of Hertford Castle with the gatehouse in the background.

HLD#4: St. Marys & Cashio

The front facade of St. Mary's in Hemel Hempstead
     After an eventful half term with my boys, it was back to work as usual.
I am now at the midway point of my HLD tour, taking in some of Hertfordshire's most breathtaking sites, and on the latest leg of my journey, I find myself a little closer to home.
     In the morning I paid a visit to the neighbouring town of Hemel Hempstead, before returning to my home town of Watford in the afternoon. I had the pleasure of visiting two of the oldest churches in the local area, one from each town respectively, and ironically, they share the same name. St. Mary's in Hemel Hempstead and St. Mary's in Watford.
     St. Mary's in Hemel, paints a very pretty picture. It dwells in secluded grounds, in what is now known as the old town. It is a very typical church of the era in which it was built (mid 12th century), taking a cruciform shape, with a tower over the crossing. What isn't typical however, is the spire. Of course, spires are not uncommon among churches. In fact, Salisbury has a spire that reaches a staggering 400 ft making it the tallest in the country. But that's just it, Salisbury is a cathedral and you'd expect such glamour on a building of it's type, but St. Mary's on the other hand is nothing more than a local parish church. So why does it have a 200 ft tower?
     Annoyingly, no one knows! The eye catching spire stands at a whopping 200 ft and is to this day, one of the tallest church spires in all of Europe. But despite this epic claim to fame, historians have been able to uncover, why, such a small church, in what would have been at the time, a very small village, should warrant such a masterpiece. Perhaps we'll never know, but the mystery behind the spire, make's it all the more intriguing, I think.
     About 50 years after the church was built, in 1302, the monks of Ashridge Priory founded a cell in Hemel Hempstead. The monks would frequent the church often, and on days of service, would enter the church via a small door at the base of the tower, to avoid mingling with the local peasantry.
     Leaving the graceful ambiance of St. Mary's, in Hemel, I headed back to Watford to see to the church there. St, Mary's, Watford, doesn't quite cut the scene like that of her sister in Hemel, probably because it's surrounded by the high street on one side, (which incidentally follows the path of the old Roman road that runs from London and heads all the way to Berkhampstead Castle and beyond.) and the ring road on the other. But she presents an imposing figure nonetheless, with a large tower forming the front facade. It also brought back memories of my youth, for it was the site of my old scout troupe, but we'll leave that story for another time!
     The church is thought be 800 years old, built around 1230. But records in the church only date back to the 16th century, so it's hard to be precise. It is likely that the church was built around about the time the Lord of the Manor at Cashio, the abbot of St. Albans, received a charter to hold a market in Watford.
     Cashio, later known as the Cassiobury Estate, and later still Cassiobury Park, was home to a monastery, before being turned into a grand stately home, which was the seat of the earls of Essex for several years. St. Mary's was the parish church for the Cassiobury Estate, which was later incorporated into Watford. A number of Watford nobility, have been buried in the church.
     Nothing however remains of the manor or the monastery in Cassiobury Park and the gatehouse was knocked down in the 1970s but it is still a wonderful place to visit on a warm summers day. In fact, I took my boys there on two separate occasions during the half term week.
     Though it is a shame, especially considering my tour, that there is no visual evidence of what once existed in the park, I was pleased to learn that a petition has been set up, that seeks to see the gatehouse rebuilt at Cassiobury Park. I myself have signed it, and if this is something that appeals to you, please feel free to visit the link on my facebook page.

Front facade and tower of St. Mary's in Watford   

HLD#3: Ashridge Priory

The grand entrance to Ashridge Priory

Ashridge House, is part of a grand estate and home to the Ashridge Business School. But it was not always a school, just as it was not always a stately home either. A very long time ago this building housed the Brothers of Penitence, also known as Bonhommes and they were part of a religious order known as the Augustinians. They followed the rule of St Augustine of Hippo, they were friars and Ashridge was their abbey.
In 1283, not to far from Ashridge, at Berkhampstead Castle, lived Richard, Earl of Cornwall and his son Edmund. It was Edmund who founded the priory and he did so for a rector and twenty canons. It was the first ever house of Bonhommes in England.
Richard, donated a phial of Christ's blood to the abbey and thanks to this, pilgrims flocked from all over Europe, to catch a glimpse and see for themselves. It made the abbey quite prosperous. King Edward I visited and held court there in 1290 while he spent Christmas in the local village of Pitstone.
Like most religious building of its era, it met its downfall at the hands of Henry VIII.

Why reading is good for you!

Have you read a book lately? Or even an interesting newspaper article for that matter? Or are you one of these social readers, who only reads what suits them; Facebook status updates, tweets etc. Perhaps your daily reading only consists of following the instructions on your pot noodle! For those of you that find reading a chore and not the beautiful leisure activity that it is, here are a few of the benefits to reading that might make you think twice.1. It stimulates the mindIt is a known fact that reading stimulates the mind. But it is scientifically proven that stimulating the mind in such a way can prevent the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Dementia. All muscles in the human body need exercise and just like the legs need jogging to keep them strong and healthy, the brain needs reading.2. It reduces stressDaily life is hectic, we all know this. Work, family, bills. All these things add up to cause huge amounts of stress. But when you lose yourself in a truly great story, all that stress simply slips away and for a few hours at least, you can find yourself in another world, completely oblivious to the present. Just like a bath calms and soothes, reading helps you to relax.3. It can make you cleverWhether you realise it or not, when you read, you are constantly picking up new bits of information. One day you may find yourself in an important job interview, or if you're lucky enough, even on a tv quiz show. You may be asked a question and the answer will suddenly pop to the forefront of your mind, because you know it, because you have read it somewhere before. Unlike materialistic things, knowledge stays with you forever.4. A human dictionaryYou don't just gain knowledge from reading, you can learn new words too. Words perhaps you wouldn't normally use but inevitably end up in your everyday vocabulary, making you come across as a well learned and knowledgeable person. This can be an advantage when meeting new people, particularly when looking for a new job and or promotion, or even when it comes to impressing the new girlfriend's parents!5. You remember thingsAfter reading a book, you may be a little overwhelmed. You've met lots of new characters, learnt of their backgrounds, what they aspired to and who they were as people. Not to mention the place and history in which it's set along with all the relevant sub plots. Reading exposes you to all sorts of new situations and experiences.  The brain remembers all these wonderful things and uses them to create new pathways and even strengthen ones you already have. 6. The new Sherlock HolmesThere are many wannabe detectives, or CSI's out there who delve into a mystery novel and imagine themselves as the next best in the crime solving world. It may sound silly, but reading books of the same nature can help you when it comes to critical and analytical thinking.  In your mind you can use the clues to form your own suspicions and try and work out who dunnit.7. Teach you how to focusThere are way too many distractions in todays world. Through the internet we are able to work, send emails, chat and all in the space of a few minutes. This makes it difficult when you need your focus, to concentrate on a specific task. When you read, all your attention is focused on the story. You will find by reading from as little as 15 minutes per day, you'll learn to keep your focus.8. It can help you writeReading not only helps you with your vocabulary skills but its helps with your writing skills also. From reading alone you expose yourself to some of the world's best and well written work. It's not just about words but finding a fluidity. You may find different writers will influence your own writing in different ways, but the more you expose yourself to, the better you will become.9. It can bring you peaceReading is tranquil. Depending on the subject matter of what you read you can often find yourself feeling at times a sense of peace. Certain texts including spiritual ones can even lower blood pressure. People who suffer from mood swings will even find that reading can calm the senses and often help with mild mental issues as well.10. It's fun!Most importantly of all reading is fun. At the end of the day it is free entertainment. Ok you can buy books, of course, like anything else, but nothing is stopping you going to the local library or borrowing off of your friend the latest gripper that they recommend.  Reading is enjoyable, just as much so as films, just as much so as browsing on facebook and twitter and all the other latest crazes. Reading is one of the oldest forms of personal entertainment, it has been around for many years and will be for many years to come.

So what are you waiting for, pick up that book you've been neglecting and improve your life in more ways than one, and remember...

HLD#2: St Albans Abbey

A view of the nave, tower and transept from the south west.
On the second outing of my HLD (Heretic: Live Diary) Tour, I paid a visit to St Albans Abbey.
     The abbey church, which, since 1887 has been a cathedral, was once a part of a great benedictine monastery. Originally the abbey was built by Offa II, the then King of Mercia in 793. It was built on the site of an earlier church, which was destroyed in 586 and held a shrine and the remains of the great Roman martyr St Alban. The site is also said to be, the very spot where Alban was executed.
     For those of you that do not know his story. He was a Roman citizen living in the town of Verulamium in the 4th C, some of the remains of which can still be seen in St Albans today. The story goes that he harboured a Christian priest, who was on the run from persecutors in what was a very pagan empire. Whilst in his care the priest convinced Alban of the Christian faith and during the course of his stay, so taken was Alban by the priest that he converted to Christianity. When the priest was finally discovered to be hiding in Albans house, Alban changed clothes with the priest, who escaped and Alban was arrested in his place and sentenced to death by beheading.
     A lot of things are said to have happened on the day of his execution. Not namely that the first Roman soldier who was supposed to kill him, refused and wished to convert to Christianity and be executed in Albans place. But a spring is also said to have sprung up at Albans feet when he told God that he was thirsty and the second Roman soldier who was ordered to cut off Albans head and that of the first soldier's, his eyes are said to have fallen out.
     Whether those things actually happened is another story, but there is no denying the natural beauty and tranquility of the place that has been a sacred spot for nearly 2000 years.
     Most of the abbey was rebuilt by Robert the Mason during the time of the Normans and most of its layout today resembles that period. The first Norman abbot Paul of Caen, undersaw the most part of that transition. The church has the longest nave in England and the crossing tower is the only 11th C tower of it's type still standing in England. Like most churches of that era it takes a cruciform shape.
     It has changed mightily over the years and with the times. Like most old buildings it has needed repairs. In the 13th C  there was a great earthquake which cracked many of the walls and in the 14th C a large part of the nave collapsed.
     A huge gateway was built to lead into the monastery buildings, which still stands today. The only remaining structure other than the church itself. It now belongs to the St Albans School for boys, founded at the abbey in 948 by Abbot Wulsin.
     There have been a total of 40 abbots of St Albans abbey, the last of which was in 1539. It was at that time that King Henry VIII wished to break away from the Catholic Church and brought about the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Like most catholic churches in that period it fell from grace.
     But the church, which has seen much modernisation over recent centuries, very much in the gothic fashion, now with cathedral status, still remains much in use today as a Church of England.
     Despite its downfall, it remains as mesmerizing as ever.

A view from inside the nave.   

HLD#1: Kings Langley Priory

      Remains of Kings Langley Priory
     The first destination on my planned research trip across Hertfordshire, for my latest novel Heretic, took me to the neighbouring village of Kings Langley and it brought about a pleasant surprise.
     On what was a brilliantly sunny morning but still bitterly cold, I braved the short walk across muddy farmland that took me up to the top of Langley Hill. Which is supposedly the site of the once great, Royal Palace of Langley. Built by Queen Elinor wife of Edward I, the self proclaimed 'Hammer of the Scots'. It was built on top, or around, what was an existing manor house that had been built many years before, probably dating back to Roman times.
     As far as the Palace was concerned there was not much to see as none of the building remains and the land where it stood now belongs to the Rudolf Steiner School. Though on my visit, I was able to see several small artifacts, including a number of coins inside the entrance hall of the School. It is believed the palace had a triple court layout and excavations say, a large wine cellar. Edward III moved his court there in 1349 when the black death was rife in London and his son Edmund of Langley was born there and his body was later entombed in the Langley chapel at the church of All Saints situated at the bottom of the Hill.
     I had heard before arriving that a remaining part of the old priory remained. Kings Langley Priory was built adjacent to the palace in the gardens of the manor. The land was given to the friars by Edward II and it was in the priory's graveyard that Edward buried his lover Piers Gaveston after he was executed by the kings barons.
     All I could see from the road of the old building was a structure that looked very tudor in appearance and could have been no older than the 1500s. It was still an old building of course, but not as old as the medieval priory that had been built at least 200 years before.
     Having entered the allotments that grace the outskirts of the school, I brushed through the shrubbery to enter a small, somewhat secret garden that led to an amazing site. A stone building with beautiful arched windows. This building is the oldest part of the remains and dates back to the early days of the priory. It probably would have been no more than a guesthouse at the time, but the aura it gave off was satisfying nonetheless.

Church of All Saints, Kings Langley.

Kings Langley Priory

      Remains of Kings Langley Priory
     The first destination on my planned research trip across Hertfordshire, for my latest novel Heretic, took me to the neighbouring village of Kings Langley and it brought about a pleasant surprise.
     On what was a brilliantly sunny morning but still bitterly cold, I braved the short walk across muddy farmland that took me up to the top of Langley Hill. Which is supposedly the site of the once great, Royal Palace of Langley. Built by Queen Elinor wife of Edward I, the self proclaimed 'Hammer of the Scots'. It was built on top, or around, what was an existing manor house that had been built many years before, probably dating back to Roman times.
     As far as the Palace was concerned there was not much to see as none of the building remains and the land where it stood now belongs to the Rudolf Steiner School. Though on my visit, I was able to see several small artifacts, including a number of coins inside the entrance hall of the School. It is believed the palace had a triple court layout and excavations say, a large wine cellar. Edward III moved his court there in 1349 when the black death was rife in London and his son Edmund of Langley was born there and his body was later entombed in the Langley chapel at the church of All Saints situated at the bottom of the Hill.
     I had heard before arriving that a remaining part of the old priory remained. Kings Langley Priory was built adjacent to the palace in the gardens of the manor. The land was given to the friars by Edward II and it was in the priory's graveyard that Edward buried his lover Piers Gaveston after he was executed by the kings barons.
     All I could see from the road of the old building was a structure that looked very tudor in appearance and could have been no older than the 1500s. It was still an old building of course, but not as old as the medieval priory that had been built at least 200 years before.
     Having entered the allotments that grace the outskirts of the school, I brushed through the shrubbery to enter a small, somewhat secret garden that led to an amazing site. A stone building with beautiful arched windows. This building is the oldest part of the remains and dates back to the early days of the priory. It probably would have been no more than a guesthouse at the time, but the aura it gave off was satisfying nonetheless.

Church of All Saints, Kings Langley.