Beating Retreat~2012

On a beautiful summer evening last June, we saw another spectacular example of the wonderful pageantry that is so common in London. The origin of Beating Retreat (or Sounding of Retreat) was in the 16th Century when it was used as a signal to recall troops to the barracks at the end of the day.  During campaigns, it was often difficult to gather troops together after a day's fighting.  Beating Retreat provided a signal to regroup, enabling a unit to be led as a single body to a safe encampment.   It is always held around dusk, which is when they called in the troops in the field.  

"Half an hour before the setting of the sun, The Drummers and Port-Guards are to go upon the ramparts and Beat Retreat to give notice to those without that the gates are to be shut.  The Drummers will not take more than quarter of an hour to Beat Retreat."

The Household Cavalry  ~ They act as the Queen's personal bodyguard

The history of the Household Cavalry, began in 1659 at the court of the exiled King Charles II in Holland.  It is thrilling to watch the kettledrummer and trumpeters as they enter Horse Guards Parade on their horses for the beginning of the festivities which included mounted (and unmounted) bands playing marches, fanfares, film music  and more.  

2012 Beating Retreat also included the Royal Cavalry of Oman, founded to revive the country's equestrian tradition. All the horses in the Royal Omani band are Arabians (my favorite), except for the drum horses and one Hanoverian ridden by the conductor.

Beating Retreat 2012 included the Royal Omani mounted band and pipes and drums

 The musicians were dressed in Omani dress. The Arabian horses wore beautiful silver neck collars and breastplates.

Besides the mounted bands there were also bands on foot.  The Foot Guards Regimental Bands include:  Band of the Grenadier Guards, Band of the Coldstream Guards, Band of the Scots Guards, Band of the Irish Guards and Band of the Welsh Guards. They all were the red coats and black hats.  It's pretty hard to tell them apart unless you really are into the British Military.

One of the big hits of the London West End theater is War Horse.   I loved the way the puppeteer's used their talents to make the audience feel like the life size puppet is a real horse.   The mounted bands played the music from the War Horse film  (Only Remembered)  as the puppeteers galloped the horse onto the middle of the parade grounds.   It's hard to see this scene without thinking of the emotion of that play. 

 The King's Troop~ Royal Horse Artillery

The Royal Horse Artillery soldiers (many of them women) are superb equestrians that pull the 'thirteen pounder' Guns, all of which were fired in action during the First World War.  Its duties include the firing of Royal Salutes in Hyde Park on Royal Anniversaries and State Occasions, and providing a gun carriage and team of black horses for State and Military funerals.

The Moscow Militia was also performing at Beating Retreat.  They were invited to London on the 200th anniversary of Napoleon retreating from Moscow in the War of 1812.  Their uniforms closely copied those worn by the Russian soldiers who defended Moscow against Napoleon's armies.

Some of the muskets used were the type used at the time of the first performance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture (which was performed at the end of the evening, complete with fireworks)

                         

At the end of the show, all the foot guards, mounted bands and visiting Royal Cavalry of Oman paraded their way off Horse Guards Parade, into the darkness of the evening.  The pageantry and spectacle of Beating Retreat has ended for another year.

                                 

Salisbury~ a city in the countryside

One of the websites that encourages people to visit Salisbury says that Salisbury is "a city in the countryside that retains much of it's historic past with timbered buildings, an Early English Gothic Cathedral, a thriving market, a buzzing arts scene, museums and some of England's finest historic houses waiting to be explored."  Tom and I found this to be true on a day trip to this cathedral city last May.  

Rapeseed fields create a sea of yellow from the train window

Salisbury is southwest of London about 1 1/2 hours from Waterloo Station.   Ken Follett's very popular book, The Pillars of the Earth, tells the story of the building of a beautiful medieval cathedral similar to Salisbury Cathedral.  His fictitious town, Kingsbridge, was located not far from Salisbury.  Salisbury Cathedral was built in 38 years (considered a short amount of time for a medieval cathedral) and was the inspiration for Ken Follett's book.  

Salisbury Cathedral is also known for having one of four copies of the Magna Carta 1215 that is housed in the Chapter House. 

The cathedral has Britain's tallest spire

The Cloisters are Britain's largest

A few of the old testament patriarchs and prophets statues on the West Front

You can get an idea of the height and enormity of the cathedral by looking at the people in the front.

The Salisbury Cathedral clock dates from about A.D. 1386  and is supposedly the oldest working clock in the modern world. The clock has no face because all clocks of that date rang out the hours on a bell.

the length of the nave is 230 feet!

Salisbury Cathedral has a stained glass department where the design, manufacture, repair and conservation of stained glass and leaded lights is offered as a service to organizations outside of the Cathedral.

 the side of the Cathedral looking at the Cloisters

The wisteria were in full bloom in May

Another historic, but lesser known church in Salisbury is the Church of St. Thomas and St. Edmund.   It was believed to be a place of worship for the men working on the new Cathedral.  This painting is called The Doom Painting.  Doom in Anglo-Saxon means Judgement, and medieval representations of the Last Judgement were very common in churches through few are left today.  This was painted in  about 1470.

St. Ann's Gate~ One of the five gates, built in the 14th century into the town of Salisbury.  

Look closely at the right side of this gargoyle face.  ouch!

We ended our day trip to Salisbury with a walk around the town, passing buildings and a market that are so typical of British towns.

Black pudding, anyone?   No thanks