A treat if you are out west

A treat if you are out west

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Derek Smith

Original Poster:

45,654 posts

248 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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I took my wife away for a long weekend and she chose Bath.

As a special treat I took her to the Herschel museum/house.

I'm not one for genius loci but it got to me a bit.

The museum has a number of remarkable exhibits. Well worth a visit. I thought I knew a lot about him but the chap who showed us around was a fascinating source of info. Always willing to chat about any particular feature.

On another day went to the pad of Herschel's old chum, Fox-Talbot. There's an exhibit of his photographic process. Again, fascinating for both of us. Also if you, or you wife, has seen the brilliant BBC production of Pride and Prejudice you can walk around the village and put yourself in the place of the camera for one of the outdoor shots.

Jane Austin museum was a bit of a disappointment for both of us, and I thought it wouldn't be much good.

I've only ever been to Bath before to watch a rugby match. I had ignored two scientific greats.


Eric Mc

121,994 posts

265 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Been to both Herschel's house and the Fox-Talbot museum. Both excellent.

Only a few days ago I visited Jane Austen's house at Chawton (near Alton in Hampshire) and that was quite good.

Simpo Two

85,404 posts

265 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Rather too far for me. But if I had a pet fox I might call it Talbot smile

Eric Mc

121,994 posts

265 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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Not Samantha then?

Beati Dogu

8,888 posts

139 months

Monday 30th May 2016
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There's the American Museum near Bath as well, which I went to ages ago. It's also worth a trip if you're in the area.

Lacock Abbey, where the Fox Talbot Museum is is rather nice and it's used in a lot of period TV and film productions. Harry Potter for one.

Further afield in the west country there's the Norman Lockyer Observatory and planetarium at Sidmouth. I haven't been yet, but my folks went last week and said it was fascinating. The planetarium's projector is the old one from the London Planetarium apparently.

Eric Mc

121,994 posts

265 months

Tuesday 31st May 2016
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I thought the London projector ended up in the Patrick Moore Planetarium at Chichester - unless of course, they had more than one and both planeteria got one each.

I've been to Lacock Abbey a couple of times. As well as the abbey, the whole village of Lacock is owned by the National Trust. Every August Bank Holiday the village has a World War 2 festival with lots of vehicles and re-enactors and period style entertaining and stalls.- and sometimes an air display.

I've been a couple of times and it is a nice relaxed, low key type of event.

LordGrover

33,539 posts

212 months

Tuesday 31st May 2016
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I've lived in the area my whole life, but it took me best part of fifty years to 'discover' these are on my doorstep. Went a couple of years ago and rather bored the poor lass I'd taken there. hehe I enjoyed it though - learnt a lot.

jkh112

21,996 posts

158 months

Saturday 11th June 2016
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Great suggestion, but Bath is not really out West!