Should have repped you long ago. I was counting in my mind all spring towards the anniversary, and then, I completely forgot about it. I was even at the archives that week and viewed a copy of the 1253 copy, which is the printing whereby the Magna Carta was passed around and started being acknowledged as "the law of the land".
My gf and I are going to London in three weeks, and we'll be stopping by Runnymede to see the memorial (put there by the American Bar Association). In the meantime, I'm taking the California bar exam. Wish me luck.
How did these events work for you? You must be a full fledged lawyer at this time. Remember. Everyone hates lawyers....until they need one! Something I remembered when I needed one.
lol thanks for following up. i passed the bar and practicing now. well, i say "practicing," more like learning the ropes... london was great, we had an awesome time. we did end up going out to runnymede. it took us forever (should have just rented a car), but once we were there, it was worth it.
Congratulations..!!! Great term "practicing" but I suppose it is at first. I've never made it to Runnymede but we'll be going back home again next year. My daughter and family are Kiwis they want me along with my Oregonian wife to meet them there and be their tour guides. My big thing last time over was to go to the British museum to see....well every thing but specifically the Rosetta Stone. That was fascinating. Hope your legal life is all you wanted it to be. Cheers!
Except that the Magna Carta is no longer at the British museum, it's at the National Library. Two trips to London ago, we had planned on our final day at the British Museum only to be disappointed. The Rosetta Stone is pretty cool, as well the Elgin marbles, which has long been my mother's favorite display, ever. But it was still a let down. I caught the Magna Carta three years later, though, so it's all good.
Elgin's Marbles are worth the visit. Piled up as a goat pen when Elgin "Acquired" them..! And the Greeks still want them back. Presumably because they have more goats these days. I saw the Magna Carta many decades ago on a school trip.
One thing about getting older is appreciating history and museums. Seeing things that you've only read about. Playing tour guide one year to Mrs Scouse and a couple of friends we took a trip down the Thames to see the navy museum. That year they had a big Nelson display. Next day was Windsor Castle, while wandering through I noticed at the back of a shelf the ball that killed Nelson. Fair made my arse pucker..! 3/4 inch diameter solid lead ball. Went into the top of his shoulder, through his body and lodged near the base of his spine. He lived conscious, for around four hours. Kiss me bloody Hardy...!!!
Thanks! If you make it out to Runnymede, it's definitely worth the trip. But, like Stonehenge, maybe just the one trip lol not much there, just cool to be in the place where it happened. Also, Windsor is out that way anyway, and that's a fun trip too. Any rate, thanks for the kind words! Now go to London! If you don't have time to check out the original copies of Magna Carta, in the meantime, the good ole USA has a 1297 re-issue (if you can call it that) on display at the National Archives. I think Australia has one too if your Kiwi family don't mind making that little journey.
. In my army ( British para) days, we'd do exercises on Salisbury Plain. At times for lunch we drive up to this pile of rock called Stonehenge and climb up on the stones. The land owners deeded the stones to, I believe the Nat. Trust. On condition that they remained open to the public. Which was taken to mean: Open for a fee. Should you ever get back to merry olde Engerland. Do... make time for a trip to Avebury ! It's well worth the trip. The standing stones, about 20 ton each, stand in a 1/2 mile circle with a deep ditch or henge surrounding it. You can walk among, or climb onto the stones if your so inclined. In the centre is a small village and a couple of English "unbiquitous" pubs as well as the interpretive centre. It's from 'about' the same period as the better known Stonehenge.
our next trip to england (she's never been anywhere, so it might be a while, after we've crossed off paris and other such places), i'd like to do a west country road trip, so yeah, i'll definitely keep avebury in mind!
West Country, Devon, Dorset, Cornwall. Excellent choices. Get a small car! Then we should have moved to Paris 10 years ago.
West is best! I think Americans would get a pretty good England experience doing London then the west. Somerset, Devon then Cornwall (where my family are from). West in the summer can't be beaten. Long lazy summer days in comically named villages having a pint outside a quirky 16th century pub while eating a pastie. Pretty much heaven.
we're planning on it. well, at least i am lol. we did the requisite trip to stonehenge and bath, but i'd still like to see gloucester, plymouth, and winchester (if that counts). she's a bit more outdoorsy than i am, but i would like to try surfing out in cornwall. haven't really surfed in years, not very good, but it'd be fun to do.
Plymouth? ? You wanna give that a big swerve mate. Spent a fair bit of time there and it's just a big ugly army town full of angry drunk squaddies. I would suggedt you head down further west to The Lizard. Pretty much anywhere down that way is nice and is traditional Cornish/English. I would stay somewhere coastal on The Lizard, head over towards Marazion so that you can walk to St Michaels Mount when the tide is out, then maybe visit nesrby Penzance for a more bustling town or Mousehole for a nice seaside village around a harbour. Newquay is the most well known surfing area but it will be rammed with holidaymakers and stag parties. Loads of others along the north Cornish coast to try
Salisbury and old Sarum are worth a stop. Winchester Cathederal is like a Esher drawing inside. Then keep heading west across Dartmoor. As biscuitman said the causeway walk to St Michael's mount to explore the island is cool.
laughed out loud here. actually met a guy from bristol tonight and he didn't have much nice to say about plymouth either
I know I am replying to a 7 year-old post but calling the magna carta a constitution is a very American viewpoint.