Erica Wheeler, Tour Guide (2025)

13/12/2024

Wi******er Christmas Market really is one of the best. The smells of food and gluhwein are one of the best things.

You’ll meet this scene outside the cathedral west front. A grand, semi-gothic mulled wine stirrer, with an incredibly long stick!

The Caldron is massive, the lights bright and the whole scene warming.

You’ve got till 22nd December to visit.

02/11/2024

The beautiful autumn dress of the New Forest, Hampshire. A lovely time to go walking through the 'ancient and ornamental woodland' as it's called. The New Forest has one of the highest numbers of ancient trees in Europe.

This is a walk through Denny Wood, when the sun was shining last weekend. The leaves just turning, and the bracken a deep orange brown. Even the mud and gravel adds something to the colour scene. Plus a swathe of tiny spiders webs, that at first sight look like dandelion seed heads.

The colourful ponies, of which there were plenty, add to the scene. They are semi-wild, living most of the time on the Forest. But they are owned by the Commoners, who have the right to graze them on the Forest. Once a year they are rounded up at the Drift, close to this spot, next to Beaulieu Road station. Refreshments can be had at the Drift Inn, near there.

25/10/2024

Have you ever noticed these pieces of stonework in Wi******er? I'll be running a childrens tour in half-term, Tuesday 29th, where we'll explore Wi******er discovering all the disgusting, horrid, yucky bits of it's history (as well as some interesting facts!). We'll look for clues in the stonework about just what went on here in the miserable middle ages!

It's part of Wi******er Tourist Guides special tours programme, so book through their website www.winchestertouristguides.com or at the Visitor Information Centre, Broadway, Wi******er.

19/10/2024

A mizmaze

This is the mizmaze at Breamore, on the north west edge of the New Forest.

Mizmazes are a peculiar English thing. They are mazes cut into the turf. There are only 8 left in England and 2 are in Hampshire. This one and another on St. Catherine's Hill, Wi******er. You can walk that one, but this is protected from too many feet by a fence.

Thought to be made in the middle ages perhaps the 13th or 14th centuries. It's amazing to me that it's been kept crisp all this time., this one os surrounded by trees, enveloped almost. It is circular in shape, divided into quarters, and apparently is similar to the one at Chartres Cathedral. There is no getting lost in this maze, it's easy to navigate, but patience is key, so perhaps it was for the monks at Breamore Priory to do a walking-meditatation-prayer?

The walk there from The Breamore House Farmshop and Countryside Museum is lovely in autumn. You start from the New Forest, with all its heathery, woody ness and climb a hill to a vast view over chalk downlands, towards Downton, Clearbury and Salisbury. Breamore is exactly on the transition between acid and chalk lands and Hampshire and Wiltshire.

More on Breamore church and house soon. There's lots to see in this village

14/10/2024

A Hampshire church to visit.

St Andrews at Nether Wallop.

As well as having the best of all village names, and being a beautiful, rural thatched- cottage-type village, the church has a number of notable things to see.

In front of the tower and the first thing you see is the pyramidal tomb to Francis Douce. He was a physician obsessed with his own death. Born in 1675 and dying in 1760, this pyramid was made on his orders 10 years before his death. It is the earliest example of a stone pyramid being made as a mausoleum. It also features in the novel 'A Single Thread' by Tracy Chevalier - set mostly in Wi******er and Nether Wallop.

I have posted the Anglo-Saxon Chancel arch painting before, but here it is again. Incredible - 4 angels in pinkish paint either side of the arch. The arch was cut in later and cut away the Christ in Majesty figure that would have been in the middle. Thought to be painted in 1000 AD, and the only painting of this age still in situ.
However, that is not the only medieval painting in the church, you can also make out on the South arcade between the arches, a painting of a Sabbath breaker, surrounded by tools used in trades of 15th century Nether Wallop, oozing blood where they touch him - a warning not to practice trades or work on the Sabbath, and also a George and the Dragon.

The black ledger stone is to Esther Paulet, 'a woman perfect in all respects', 'commemorated...for her lavish generosity to the poor and her notable uprightness in all her dealings. Full of fame and years she departed for heaven 15th (Ides) of October 1697, aged 87', so her anniversary is tomorrow.

The last treasure is a brass (surrounded by a cut out mat to protect it) of Mary Gore, Abbess of Amesbury Abbey, died in 1436. Thought to be the only brass of an abbess.

09/10/2024

Intriguing Ventnor and Bonchurch, Isle of Wight

Some unusual things I found while I walked from Ventnor to Bonchurch.

1) Leatherback turtles in Bonchurch village pond
2) Blakes beach hut, been hiring out deckchairs etc since 1830
3) The cascades with the art deco Winter Gardens in the background - a 1930s triumph (although looking a little worse for wear at the moment). Apparently people used to take boat trips around the Island just to see the building - the height of modernity with its curved glass tower.
4)The fishery on stilts
5) Some flint chimneys I saw. Never seen chimneys made of this. Not sure why. They are at head height because all of Bonchurch is built on a hill, or rather a cliff, so you are often looking at roof tops as you ascend or descend on a road.
6) The 101 steps up from the lower level of Bonchurch to the upper level.
7) A gravestone in Bonchurch Old Church in the shape of a mountain. It commemorates Richard and Ellen Sharland. Richard was a banker in Bideford and Ellen survived nearly 25 more years and died in Chofu Japan. Intriguing, I don't know if Richard actually died in Bonchurch, perhaps he was on holiday from Bideford and when Ellen died was she was brought to be buried with him?
8) The Chimney Steps. The route up to the next level of Bonchurch - I told you it was built on a hill. It is literally cut through the rock and is a tough climb!
9) Some street art in Ventnor centre. Echoes of Edward Gorey and seemingly depicting Ventor with it zig zag layers of buildings but with the addition of a beaked monster.

05/10/2024

Ventnor, Isle of Wight.

A beautiful town with that Mediterranean feel. It might be my favourite of the Island seaside towns. It grew up in the Victorian era on the foundation of it's warm mediterranean climate and sea air, recommended for chest complaints and consumptives.

But even today it feels distinctly southern. It sits on the South East coast of the Island, sheltered from winds from the hill, St Boniface Down, behind. Everything is built on zig zag terraces due to the landslips on the coast, which gives it that Italian coast town feel.

Another thing is immense amount of balconies - not something you see everyday in England, due to the climate. They all face the sea and the sun and many are Victorian examples. Blue sea and sky and beautiful beach

In early October it was warm, balmy and there were even crickets singing! A walk along the coast path to Steephill Cove at sunset are the other pictures.

A tonic for the health even today!

03/10/2024

A chandlery in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.

Selling rope of all sorts and sizes, varnish, paint and sea charts as well as all sorts of bits and bobs for your yacht or boat. I’m sure they all have technical names but I’ve never sailed in my life. I grew up in landlocked Staffordshire, but 20 years into Hampshire and more and more discovery of the Isle of Wight, I’m starting to understand the lure of sailing. Of planning and preparing to leave the bounds of the harbour….

Saw lots of yachts on the Solent today on my tour around the Isle of Wight. Such a clear day you could see right across to the Lymington marina on the coast of the New Forest and the Spinnaker Tower of Portsmouth, built to resemble a sail, was spectacular from the top of Brading Down (no pic as was on a coach).

20/09/2024

Two wildly different wall paintings in one days visit!

A stop at Nether Wallop church, Hampshire, to see the Anglo-Saxon, 11th century wall paintings of angels above the chancel arch. The only such paintings still in situ.

Moving on to Wilton House, Wiltshire to see the magnificent ceiling paintings in the Double Cube room, masterminded by Inigo Jones, the great and early classical architect in the 1630s for the Earl of Pembroke.

What riches our counties hold from all the layers of history.
More on both sites soon.

18/09/2024

A short but perfect Sunday walk in Hampshire.
To include a bridge over the River Itchen for river gazing and a Norman church with a very 'Hampshire' steeple. And lazy September sun warming up the thatch of a beautiful village. It must include a park for my little girl who will go nowhere without a park. That was provided at Easton. Then home for lunch.

Martyr Worthy to Easton.

17/09/2024

Moon rise over St. Catherine’s Hill. Taken from the ancient medieval almshouses at St. Cross.

The great thing about being a tour guide is that our meetings are sometimes held in brilliant places. Hence I was here in the gate of a medieval hospital, gazing at an Iron Age hillfort over the old watermeadows at St. Cross Wi******er at 7.45 pm last night.

05/09/2024

This was my house for a week! Well I could pretend. I love Landmark Trust properties. The organisation restores old buildings (of all sorts - not just houses. Their portfolio includes lodges, follies, banqueting houses, dairies, old chapels) to a very high standard and historically authentic. You can then hire them as a holiday maker. Basically incredible holiday cottages. No microwave, no TV. But you do get a proper kitchen with toaster and kettle. A fantastic library of hand picked relevant and local books and board games whiles any spare moments away.

Feeling a bit like a Lord of the Manor type holiday I managed to rent this one at short notice. The Old Hall at Croscombe, Somerset.

Wow - it really is a medieval Manor House. Incredible timber roof, medieval windows. Huge hall with service rooms at one end. Sadly other wings have disappeared over the years. A huge Gurney stove heats it in winter. I felt like I was living in history! As many Manor houses are, it is right next to the church, which the builder of the hall, William Palton, also largely gave money to build in the early 1400s. Bell ringing practice is Monday evenings, which really adds to the atmosphere.
Great pub for food in the village too, the George Inn.

31/08/2024

The Solent (channel of water between mainland and Isle of Wight ) dominates the coast of Wessex. Container ships, oil tankers, navy ships heading for or out of Portsmouth and innumerable small craft and yachts make it an exciting and yet strangely calming patch of water to simply watch.

We went to Lepe beach in the New Forest, Hampshire in the sun and looked over to the Isle of Wight. Nice cafe with views, play area for children and some WW2 remains to discover further down the beach make it a nice destination.
Lepe was a smuggling hotspot in the 1700s and you can see the coastguard cottages built to watch this part of the coast for untoward activity. The land is of course the of Wight.

26/08/2024

Some late summer cosmos. The plants are some of the only ones I planted this year (bit busy for the whole propagation thing this year) and are still churning out flowers. Plus a motley crew of other flowers from the garden. Absolutely zero colour co-ordination. But still lovely to come home to after a short holiday

26/08/2024

Green fields of England. Specifically Somerset. Don’t you want to dive in. A moderate walk up to Glastonbury Tor gets you this view. We were treated to drumming inside the tower and a pigeon dropped a crystal inside the tower too. All very Glastonbury. Beautiful place and attractive to those free of spirit.

The tower is the remaining section of a church, built as a place of retreat for the monks in the abbey down in the town below. It stands so high above the landscape you can see it from miles around.

13/08/2024

A bit more Bere Regis. The Skerne Tomb.

"If Each things end doe each things worth
Expresses what is maynes life, but wayne
unperfectness how swiftlie run we to our fatall end which have no hope
if death be not our frende

I Skerne doe shew that all our earthlie trust, all earthlie fayers and goods, & sweets, are dust. Look on the wordles insyde and look on me. Her outsyde is but painted vanitie.

Erected and finished by Margarette Skerne his wife, which caused this worke to be made Anno Domini 1596"

Brilliant inscription. Wordle means world in Dorset dialect. But I can't help thinking it might mean worms here.

08/08/2024

St Cross Hospital. Wi******er. The oldest almshouses in England. First founded in the 1100s by Bishop Henri de Blois. Here is the Beaufort Tower, outside of which you can enjoy tea and cake in the summer. The tea room is in the Hundred Men’s Hall (the original endowment also allowed for the feeding of 100 poor men, sorely needed after the chaos of the Anarchy period).
The tower was also the location of Prince Philip of Spain changing his pantaloons on the way to meet his betrothed, Mary Tudor in Wi******er, after a rain spattered ride from Southampton. He must look his best for meeting his bride! And making his entrance to Wi******er and meeting the Bishop of Wi******er Stephen Gardiner. ( yes Mantel fans, he). He hadn’t counted on the English summer weather!

The other pics are the walk there from parking on Garnier road including St Catherine’s hill, the first Iron Age settlement in the area and a great walk in itself and some grazing cows in the nature reserve/old water meadows.

29/07/2024

Another church in Dorset - incredible Bere Regis.
The roof, the roof, the roof - that is the thing that hits you as you enter. Horizontal painted apostles.

Then there's the man with a headache on the top of a pillar (amongst other humourous carvings).

Then there's the Turberville tomb (and window) - Hardy's inspiration for the name of Tess of the D'Urbevilles, and as in the book a great family, long since lost their position and wealth.

A list of rectors and chuurchwardens from the 1500s
Worth a visit. Especially for church fiends and the time-torn...

Erica Wheeler, Tour Guide

13/12/2024

02/11/2024

25/10/2024

19/10/2024

14/10/2024

09/10/2024

05/10/2024

03/10/2024

20/09/2024

18/09/2024

17/09/2024

05/09/2024

31/08/2024

26/08/2024

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