Last summer, I received an email asking if I would like to be an Afternoon Tea Awards judge. I hope you can imagine my delight that knowing all my years of drinking tea and eating cake had been recognised. I, obviously, accepted immediately. Why Me? I began reviewing afternoon tea offerings when I started writing about London nearly twenty years ago. When I was pregnant … [Read more...] about I Was An Afternoon Tea Awards Judge
Laura's London
Great British Houses: Rainham Hall National Trust
Rainham Hall is a charming Grade II* listed Queen Anne house in a London suburb. Now a visitor attraction run by the National Trust, Rainham Hall was built in 1729 as a successful sea merchant's home. It is regarded as one of the finest and best-preserved examples in England of a medium-sized early Georgian merchant’s house. Many National Trust properties have benefitted from … [Read more...] about Great British Houses: Rainham Hall National Trust
Exhibition Report: Portsmouth – The Mary Rose Museum – New 1545 Experience And So Much To See
The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth has added a new immersive experience. 1545 - When Their World Ended is available for all to enjoy from Monday 26 July 2021. As I last visited the Mary Rose Museum back in 2013, just before it opened, this was a great reason to return. What Is The Mary Rose? The Mary Rose is the world’s only surviving sixteenth-century warship. She was … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: Portsmouth – The Mary Rose Museum – New 1545 Experience And So Much To See
CREATIVE, CULTURAL AND COASTAL: Exploring Plymouth As We Approach Mayflower 400
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Anglotopia Print Magazine last year. It is now the year of Mayflower 400. Known as Britain’s Ocean City, Plymouth has a stunning waterfront position. It’s an enviable location with clean air, easy access to coast and country, and a vibrant cultural scene. LOCATION & TRAVEL Plymouth is a proud naval city in … [Read more...] about CREATIVE, CULTURAL AND COASTAL: Exploring Plymouth As We Approach Mayflower 400
EXPLORING COVENTRY: Your Complete Guide to This Jewel of the Midlands
When it was suggested I should write a feature about somewhere in The Midlands, I could have kept it simple and gone to Birmingham. But I opted for the less obvious choice of Coventry (and not only so I could say I was ‘sent to Coventry’!) If you’ve heard anything about the city, it’s most likely the damage caused during the Blitz in 1940. I was told ‘You won’t find any old … [Read more...] about EXPLORING COVENTRY: Your Complete Guide to This Jewel of the Midlands
EXPLORING LEEDS: Laura Porter’s Complete Travel Guide to This Yorkshire Hotspot
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #10 of the Anglotopia Print Magazine in 2018. Support great long-form writing about British History, Culture, and travel by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine. Every subscription helps keep Anglotopia running and provides us to the opportunity to produce articles like this. You can subscribe here. INTRODUCTION This … [Read more...] about EXPLORING LEEDS: Laura Porter’s Complete Travel Guide to This Yorkshire Hotspot
Laura’s Britain: Exploring History at Colchester Castle in Essex
I was brought up near to Colchester so I did visit the Castle when I was a child. I remember it as a cold shell of a Norman castle which seemed much more fun from the outside that it was when you went inside. Thankfully it's a true visitor attraction now explaining the incredible history of this Essex town. I had a great excuse to stop in Colchester recently as I spent a few … [Read more...] about Laura’s Britain: Exploring History at Colchester Castle in Essex
Bletchley Park: New Exhibition Report – D-Day: Interception, Intelligence, Invasion
Bletchley Park is the home of British codebreaking and a birthplace of modern information technology. It played a major role in World War Two, producing secret intelligence which had a direct and profound influence on the outcome of the conflict. Due to its exceptional historical importance, this nineteenth-century mansion and estate in Buckinghamshire is open to visitors … [Read more...] about Bletchley Park: New Exhibition Report – D-Day: Interception, Intelligence, Invasion
Laura’s Britain: Exploring the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford – An Inside Tour – Tons of Pictures Inside!
The Bodleian Library in Oxford – the library of the prestigious University of Oxford – is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. In Britain, it is second in size only to the British Library in London. The Bodleian first opened to scholars in 1602. Its incomparable collections of books, papers and manuscripts are housed in buildings in the city center, and you can book a … [Read more...] about Laura’s Britain: Exploring the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford – An Inside Tour – Tons of Pictures Inside!
Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth – Exploring the New Exhibition at Oxford University’s Bodleian Libraries
Oxford University's Bodleian Library recently launched a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and his connection to Oxford. Many authors have strong connections to Oxford: Lewis Carroll who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, C.S. Lewis who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia and, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien who brought us The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. … [Read more...] about Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth – Exploring the New Exhibition at Oxford University’s Bodleian Libraries
Laura’s Britain: Lincoln’s Great Magna Carta Weekend Celebration – First Person Account
15 June 1215 was when the barons of England got together and forced King John to sign the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta is known as the first charter to limit the power of the monarchy and to uphold the rights of the individual going on to form the foundations of democracy as we know it today. 800 years on, Lincoln has one of the four surviving copies of this document, and the … [Read more...] about Laura’s Britain: Lincoln’s Great Magna Carta Weekend Celebration – First Person Account
Laura’s British Adventures: Exploring Edinburgh on a Perfect 3 Day Mini Break – Many Ideas for Your Own Trip Inside
I've been to Edinburgh many times and, unusually, many of those visits over the years have been during August so you might expect that I've seen a lot of the Festival offerings. But, even though I found myself in Edinburgh again this August I've actually never been to a Festival show. It's not that I have anything against the Festival but I've always had so much else to do. I … [Read more...] about Laura’s British Adventures: Exploring Edinburgh on a Perfect 3 Day Mini Break – Many Ideas for Your Own Trip Inside
Laura’s London: Exploring the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort
LEGOLAND Windsor Resort opened in 1996 and is a children's theme park for 2 to 12 year olds. It's only a few miles from Windsor Castle and is just 8 miles from London Heathrow Airport. As it's aimed at younger children it's not all about looping roller coasters and sheer drop rides but there is a good mix for the age range. Adults also love the Viking River Splash where you … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort
Laura’s London: Exploring the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff, Wales
Doctor Who is the world's longest running sci-fi drama and I watched the show when I was a child. While I was often hiding behind the sofa back then I still love it so was thrilled to head to Cardiff to visit the Doctor Who Experience. The last time I visited Cardiff (over twenty years ago) it was not a pretty place and was generally somewhere you just passed through. But … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff, Wales
Exclusive Preview of the new Mary Rose Museum – Ship Brought back from the Ocean
The Mary Rose is the world's only surviving sixteenth century warship. This £35 million project reunites the hull of the Mary Rose with many of the 19,000 Tudor artefacts recovered from the seabed providing an unrivalled perspective of life on board the sixteenth century ship. The Mary Rose Museum opens to the public on 31 May 2013. I went for a preview about a month before … [Read more...] about Exclusive Preview of the new Mary Rose Museum – Ship Brought back from the Ocean
Laura’s London: David Bowie Is – Latest Exhibition at The V&A
David Bowie is one of the most influential artists of our time. He has been at the forefront of the world of popular music for nearly 50 years and his immense creativity positions him as one of the most innovative performers of all time. For the exhibition, the V&A's curators, Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh, were given unprecedented access to the David Bowie … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: David Bowie Is – Latest Exhibition at The V&A
Laura’s London: The London Dungeon – New and Improved
This famous scare attraction had been on Tooley Street in London Bridge for nearly 40 years but closed at the end of January 2013 to move to its new home on the Southbank. From Friday 1 March 2013, The London Dungeon is at County Hall, right next door to the London Aquarium and by the London Eye, which makes sense when you know these three major attractions are all operated … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: The London Dungeon – New and Improved
Laura’s London: The View From The Shard – Preview & Exclusive Photos
Tickets went on sale last summer for The View From The Shard and it opens on 1 February 2013. As you would expect, I've had a preview already. What is The View from The Shard? This is the new premium visitor attraction at the pinnacle of The Shard, London’s newest landmark. It offers the highest vantage point from any building in Western Europe and almost twice as high as any … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: The View From The Shard – Preview & Exclusive Photos
Laura’s London: Charles Dickens Museum Reopening – Here’s an Exclusive Preview
Jacob Marley's ghost in A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens's presence stays with us 142 years after his death. (Dickens is even referenced in Fifty Shades of Grey!) 2012 has been the bicentenary year of his birth and while the Charles Dickens Museum has been closed this year there has been a major legacy project for the bicentenary, aptly named the Great Expectations … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Charles Dickens Museum Reopening – Here’s an Exclusive Preview
Laura’s London: Interview With Jason Hawkes – UK’s Best Aerial Photographer
Jason Hawkes is the most successful aerial photographer in the UK and one of the world's most respected photographers. He has specialised in aerial photography for over 20 years and has produced more than 40 books. Fortunately for me, a chance 'meeting' on twitter led to the opportunity to chat to Jason about his work as he wasn't flying for a few days and was instead at his … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Interview With Jason Hawkes – UK’s Best Aerial Photographer
Laura’s London: Leaving London to Explore Beautiful Suffolk England
Suffolk in East Anglia is surprisingly close to London (you can get a train from Sudbury to Stratford London in around an hour) but it feels a million miles away when you are faced with half-timbered medieval houses, like I saw in Lavenham, and the winding, quiet country roads. I used The Swan Hotel in Lavenham as my base for a few nights to explore this picturesque … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Leaving London to Explore Beautiful Suffolk England
Laura’s London: A Visit to Lavenham Suffolk – Finest Medieval Village in England
Lavenham is considered by many to be the finest medieval village in England. It's also the food capital of Suffolk so you can come for the peace and rural charm but still dine well every night. The half-timbered houses here help create a quintessential English village. There are over 320 listed buildings in Lavenham and I stayed at The Swan Hotel, well loved for its 15th … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: A Visit to Lavenham Suffolk – Finest Medieval Village in England
Laura’s London: A Look at the New Hollywood Costume Exhibition at The V&A
The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington has an incredible new blockbuster exhibition: Hollywood Costume. The costume designer can often be overlooked with all the other more high profile names involved with a movie but if the costumes are right then you truly believe that actor is the film character and then the costume designer has done their job well. There … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: A Look at the New Hollywood Costume Exhibition at The V&A
Laura’s London: Family Holiday on the Isles of Scilly – A Little Known Corner of Britain
For my summer holiday this year I wanted to find somewhere unusual, exotic and yet not too far away. The Isles of Scilly fitted the bill perfectly as did the Hell Bay Hotel which has been described as New England meets the Caribbean, meets Cornwall which is pretty accurate. Where Are the Isles of Scilly? The Isles of Scilly are an archipelago of about 150 islands and rocks … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Family Holiday on the Isles of Scilly – A Little Known Corner of Britain
Laura’s London: Laura Leaves London and Explores Robin Hood Country & Nottinghamshire
When you think of Nottinghamshire, in the heart of the England, it's very likely you will think of its legendary son Robin Hood. I went to the annual Robin Hood Festival to try archery and to see a skirmish between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham next to the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest – the hideout of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. And then I went on a walking tour of … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Laura Leaves London and Explores Robin Hood Country & Nottinghamshire
Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas in 2007 in a closet in Chicago. Anglotopia is for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Join us as we explore Britain and everything it has to offer!
