Happy St George’s Day

Happy St George’s Day. And nowhere in England will the dragon-slaying saint be celebrated more than in Fordington, Dorset?

Who knew?

Well, the Fordingtonians, obviously, who reference St George back to King Alfred the Great’s will, where he also mentions them.

And they have a stone over the south door of their church marking St George’s appearance to the Crusaders. See https://www.visit-dorset.com.

St George’s association with England is long, dating back 1200 years to the Venerable Bede.

Morris dancing

And he had to see off the rival claims of Thomas A Beckett and Edward the Confessor, before he was made patron saint.

St George’s Day, I am happy to report (my own English rose has told me to say that), is making something of a comeback in England www.visitengland.com.

With Morris dancing, village fairs and pageants.

And the best national anthem that never was… William Blake’s Jerusalem.

England being the birthplace of my very own Scary One, and our first meeting place, it was the natural holiday for us as a family.

And it is one of the most varied, cultural, historical and fun countries you will ever visit.

Green and pleasant land

From the Lake District of the north-west to Hadrian’s wall and Lindisfarne and the buzzing town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the north-east.

To Liverpool and The Beatles and Mad Manchester…

Shakespeare’s Midlands and Birmingham and the best chocolate factory and village you’ll find anywhere Cadbury.

Sherwood Forest may not be the Wild East anymore but any visit to the East Midlands should include a trip to the Robin Hood Museum.

Mother Thames… and Mother Sadie

Samuel Johnson opined (he never just said) that the man who tired of London tired of life

London town, oh London town

And there is history and entertainment aplenty Carole King… you’re Beautiful The London life and for royalists kings and queens too.

And Berkshire where their main home Windsor Castle is, and my own little princess.

St George is celebrated around the world, particularly in Russia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Portugal, Brazil, Ethiopia and Serbia and Montenegro and Iberia.

Now here’s a thought during this lockdown… plan a St George’s list, ticking off each country on the way.

Next port of call

I’ve got Portugal www.visitportugal.com and Secret Portugal and SPORTUGAL under my belt.

And Barcelona https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/ and Catalonia Messi around on the water so I’ve got a bit to go yet.

But whether I get around some, or all of them. I know a green and pleasant land where a knowledge of St George will get you a long way.