Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(Midsummer 2004)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
The Historic Town of Marlborough, Wiltshire.
Sheena and I returned from Normandy to the small
market town of Marlborough, (where Sheena’s family have
resided for many years), in order to witness the celebration
of Marlborough’s eight hundredth anniversary of
the granting of the town charter by King John in the
year 1204. Prince Charles also attended the Anniversary
celebration.
For those of you that have not visited Marlborough,
I will give you a brief description of this historic
old town.
Legend has it that Merlin, King Arthur’s magician, was buried in a mound
within the precincts of Marlborough upon which a Norman castle was later built.
By the year 1100 the second Norman Bishop of Sarum had raised a Castle on the
mound and in the Doomsday Book of 1086 Marlborough was regarded as having achieved
borough status.
King John, (Of Magna Carta fame - a charter granted
in 1215 ), and Henry the Third were both married in the
Castle.
Marlborough is a country market town with a very wide
and long high street with a church at both ends, with
two or three hotels and more than an adequate number
of pubs scattered in-between.
The church at the west of the high street, St Peter and St Paul’s, dates
from the mid to late 15th century, and the Norman church of St Mary’s,
situated behind the town hall at the east end of the high street is said to
date back to as early as the 11th century.
The mother and father of my wife
Sheena are buried in the grounds of the 12th century church of St George
located in the Preshute part of Marlborough, and incidentally
our Grandaughter Sheena, (named after my wife), travelled
from Maryland when she was less than one year old and
was christened in Preshute church in 1985, on the eightieth
birthday of her Great Grandmother.
The famous Marlborough
College, founded in 1845, and its grounds are a prominent
feature of the town.
We welcome feedback about any of the contents of these
newsletters. Please send all correspondence to bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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