Pete Hartley: sometime dramaturg, perennial scribbler
One of the most perplexing aspects of Hoghton Tower in Lancashire is the question of where is the building from which it takes its name? The original tower has been missing for 376 years. There were theories as to where it was, but no one was sure until now.
A seasonal ghost story I am well aware of the dangers of walking alone late at night. I do so by choice, frequently, most nights. This is because I cannot sleep. And I’m looking for someone. If you are tempted to walk home after the bars close my advice is always call a cab, but … Continue reading To whom it may concern
A seasonal excerpt from Will at the Tower, a novel exposing William Shakespeare's secret seventeenth year.
Did the teenage William Shakespeare spend time with England's most wanted religious fundamentalist at Hoghton Tower in Lancashire?
. . .and one way to prevent it Parlick Pike dominates the landscape north of Chipping in Lancashire. It does so for two reasons. Firstly, because it protrudes south from the bulk of the Bleasdale fells, and secondly, as a consequence of its distinctive profile. It is that peculiar form that, according to tradition, gave … Continue reading Going Pear-Shaped
You are what someone else drank Today you will swallow at least 500 molecules of water that passed through Napoleon. Strange but true. Oh, and you’ll swallow a similar amount from Hitler. And from Boadicea, Cleopatra, Napoleon’s lover Josephine, and anyone else you care to name who has been dead for some time. People dismiss … Continue reading Ah Oui! Tonight and every night Josephine!
A ramble through tumbled trees The so-cold ‘Beast from the East’ has left its mark on the woods of Beacon Fell. That bitter airflow, along with recent storms, has toppled a number of trees that crown the much-loved Lancashire landmark. The culling was by airborne natural selection, with the easterly wind finding weaknesses and slicing … Continue reading Beacons Felled
The opening of Preston’s new market A reflection on the first morning A round of applause is always encouraging, and that, along with a choral cheer that didn’t so much lift the roof as reverberate reverently beneath it, heralded the latest regeneration of Preston’s Tardis of trade when it opened today. Sadly, it’s smaller, rather … Continue reading Take off and stalling
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