Poldark

Last fall, when I was in Cornwall, I bought many books set in this enchanting part of the world. Go here to read more. My goal was to keep the magic going once I returned home. I read A Cornish Affair by Liz Fenwick, Summer in February by Jonathan Smith, and Ross Poldark by Winston Graham. I enjoyed them all, though Ross Poldark was my favorite. When I was in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago, I went to Waterstone's, a fabulous book store on Princes Street, and bought book two in the Poldark series: Demelza: A Novel of Cornwall. I've been devouring it ever since; it is my new guilty pleasure. 

And on Sunday night a televised drama of Poldark will begin. It has already aired in Britain and received excellent reviews. Do you remember the original televised drama of Poldark starring Robin Ellis from many years ago? Well, if this is half as good, it will be a hit. If you are into costume dramas, brooding heroes, swashbuckling adventures and romance, all taking place in the 18th-century, then this one is for you. It doesn't hurt that it is set in Cornwall, one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Here is a brief synopsis of the story. Ross Poldark has just returned to Cornwall after fighting in the war against the American colonies. Everyone has assumed he was dead. He finds his estate in ruins as well as his fiance engaged to another man. The mining industry in Cornwall is in crisis because of the monopoly of the big companies. As he sets about recovering what is his, he becomes a champion for the struggling miners. He takes in the half-starved urchin girl Demelza as a kitchen maid, an act which will change his life. He rebuilds his estate with the help of his incompetent servants Jud and Prudie. They are the married couple who worked for his father and let the house fall into ruins. He trains them in the proper methods of running a house and together they get the estate up and running. The story of Ross rebuilding his life, finding new love, and becoming a champion for the struggling miners and the tenants on his land is one of those sweeping sagas that we don't see very often. It's the kind of escapist television that is so much fun.      

Now that the first season of "Outlander" is over, I have a feeling this may become my new weekly obsession.

Will you be watching?

English Countryside, Part One

St. Mawes, Cornwall

If you believe that places can be muses than you would love Cornwall. An Englishman we met during our trip to England used a phrase to describe what we were looking at one day which has stuck with me. He described the scene as "achingly beautiful." I agreed. When you combine glorious weather, the English countryside and picture postcard scenery, you have a winner. The beauty is simply off the charts. Somehow your heart gets involved and you fall in love with a place. This happened to me in Cornwall.

Checking into the hotel in the early evening

I couldn't wait to get to Cornwall. I knew that it was a muse for Virginia Woolf. She had spent childhood summers in St. Ives and "To The Lighthouse" was based on her happy memories of those vacations. The lighthouse of the novel is based on the Godrevy lighthouse in St. Ives.

Other writers had been inspired by its beauty. Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" had been set there. There were also the swashbuckling "Poldark" books. I remembered a dashing hero, devious smugglers, battles over the land, betrayal and romance. They were made into a popular television series which I watched many years ago. And more recently there was "Doc Martin," a television series I loved. But still, I was unprepared for the beauty I would discover.

 St. Mawes

After six days in London, we drove to Cornwall arriving late in the day. Our drive had been on narrow, winding roads bordered by hedgerows and the countryside was storybook. We checked into our hotel and unpacked. It was a short walk to dinner as we were eating in the hotel that night. The next day we awoke to foggy skies and the sound of seagulls and a fog horn. A walk outside revealed the view (see photo above), though admittedly it was much grayer and more overcast than this. This is what it looked like in the afternoon. The experience reminded me of the scene in "The Enchanted April" when the English women, who arrive in Italy at night, throw open the shutters the next morning to discover the stunning view. This is the road leading into the little village of St. Mawes where we would be spending the next three days.

The road to town

The first day was spent exploring the village. The main road is lined with quaint cottages, art galleries, and little shops. We walked into town passing little cottages along the way. It looked very much like the setting of "Doc Martin."

Each cottage is out of a storybook

They all have names; this is the Pink Cottage

We stopped at St. Mawes Dairy to see the selection of cheeses
Miss Muffet looked enticing

And arrived at the little harbor

There were benches for sitting and taking in the view

We stumbled upon The Idle Rocks, a beautiful hotel right on the water. Lunch was on the terrace and while we ate our meal the sun came out. This was a place to linger. As the afternoon progressed, more and more boats appeared, the water began to sparkle, and it became a scene to inspire a painter.

The lobby was lovely, with an understated elegance

 Next was a walk through the countryside, passing St. Mawes Castle on the way

We took the path along the sea, passing beautiful homes and huge hydrangea bushes

I loved the lush hydrangeas against sparkling Falmouth Bay

As the afternoon wore on, more sailboats began to appear -- another painting

We opened this gate

Leading into a neighboring field where we had a lovely walk

We retraced our steps back to this hydrangea-lined lane leading to the castle

 We bought a ticket and went on the tour

St. Mawes Castle is known as Henry VIII's most picturesque fortress. Built in the sixteenth-century, it was one of the king's defenses against European invaders.

 It's hard to beat a castle on the water; the views were incredible!

The flag was flying

There were cannons

Narrow stairwells

A clover-leaf design

And tiny doors

We walked through the gun rooms, governor's quarters, barracks and kitchen.

So far Cornwall was proving to be deeply atmospheric. Between the castle, the ancient stone walls, diminutive cottages, seagulls, foghorns, blue skies, puffy clouds, sparkling water and sailboats, this was a magical place. It was easy to imagine a writer or an artist coming here for inspiration.

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The next day we went to St. Ives which is about an hour away. We were headed to the Tate St. Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum to see the art. I was also hoping to get a glimpse of Virginia Woolf's lighthouse. The drive was lovely through narrow and winding roads bordered by hedgerows. We passed miles of untouched green countryside that looked as if it were out of a Thomas Hardy novel.

We took a ferry across the River Fall which we were told is very deep. This is the view from the car. We continued driving on the famously narrow Cornish roads, finally arriving at beautiful St. Ives.

St. Ives

St. Ives is a port and resort area that was the center of the fishing industry in the 19th-century. It was also a gathering spot for artists who were inspired by the beautiful light. Today it continues to be a community for artists and art lovers.

The Tate Gallery in London opened a small branch here. This beautiful little museum is a beacon of modern art with a breathtaking setting right across from Porthminster beach. If you go, be sure to take a leisurely stroll through the museum and then visit the cafe on the top floor to enjoy the panoramic ocean views.

Barbara Hepworth Museum

Our next stop was The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. It is located in her home in St. Ives. She was a sculptor at the center of the mid-20th-century arts scene in this Cornish town. Her art is beautiful and fits so perfectly in this space. We walked through several rooms containing her abstract works.

The lush garden contains some of her larger works

It was a lovely place to linger

Each piece is enhanced by the garden setting

The charming town of St. Ives

The town of St. Ives is a warren of little streets lined with tall and narrow buildings, a very pretty church, candy stores, an excellent book store, a war memorial, and little gardens. Everywhere you look you can catch a glimpse of the stunning seaside.

Some Cornish Specialties

Sea Salt is a wonderful gear store with everything you might need for the inclement weather

The St. Ives church with its pots of flowers and a glimpse of the ocean

The war memorial

 We even spotted Virginia Woolf's lighthouse before leaving!

 Is there a place that has cast its spell on you? And can you imagine it inspiring writers and artists?
Please send me your recommendations for books that are set in Cornwall. I can't wait to read more!

A Little London Magic

St. James Park

 I am just getting back from a wonderful trip to England. Autumn arrived while we were there, though everyone thought it felt more like Indian summer. The weather was beautiful --  sparkling sunshine and blue skies. Once I catch my breath, I will write more about the trip. But here are a few highlights from bustling London: 

 Anne Boleyn crowned as queen in "Wolf Hall"
Photo via here

A performance of the breathtaking "Wolf Hall," the play based on Hillary Mantel's gripping novel about Thomas Cromwell. The drama starts out with a glittering court dance and rapidly descends into strategic plotting in dark castles. Thomas Cromwell is at the center of things as he tries to help the King get out of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon so he can marry Anne Boleyn. We watch as Cromwell rises to power and his mentor Cardinal Wolsey sinks into disgrace. Do you remember the actor Nathaniel Parker who played Inspector Lynley on the television series of the same name? He stars as King Henry VIII and is fantastic in the role. Ben Miles who plays Cromwell is also excellent. He is in every scene and you can't take your eyes off of him. Just as the novel did, this play makes history live and breathe.

 Tower of London

   The art installation at The Tower of London to commemorate 100 years since World War I. The red ceramic poppies represent fallen British soldiers and have been added every day since August. By November the moat will be full. It was a poignant sight to behold.

Tower Bridge

A walk across Tower bridge on a beautiful day is always a treat

Peter Harrington Rare Books

A visit to the lovely Peter Harrington Rare Books was a reminder of the beauty of books. I have never seen so many beautiful editions of favorite books in one place. This visit resulted in an exciting purchase: the five volumes of "The Diary of Virginia Woolf." It will be fun to find the perfect bookshelf for these.

St. Mawes, Corwall

And then there was Cornwall...

It was easy to conjure up a Daphne du Maurier novel during our first walk into the little seaside village of St. Mawes on a breezy, sparkling morning. The seagulls were cawing as we walked along the cottage-lined road that leads into the village. The boat-filled harbour was in the distance and the water was just beginning to catch a few glints of sunshine. A dreamy, enchanting place. I bought a few novels set in this beautiful part of England which I am now reading. Can't wait to do a blog post on all the books I bought on this trip! And more on London, Cornwall, Devon, and the Cotswolds. To be continued...