Hope & Glory

A new day. A new blog.

This one is about heritage, which implies history.

A heritage is something we inherit from others.

And a Kingdom is a realm ruled by a King.

The United Kingdom

There are three parts to the United Kingdom. And 4 nations.

England & Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Each nation has its own history, heritage and flag. But the flag shown above is the flag of the 4 nations together.

England & Wales

This is not a history blog; rather it is about inheritance or heritage.

And I am not qualified to speak about Scotland or Northern Ireland because I have no connection with those nations.

I was born in Wales, but have lived most of my life in England.

Now I live with my husband Roger in Clun, Shropshire, England about 6 miles from the border with Wales. It’s a soft border. We can all move seamlessly from England to Wales and vice versa.

Clun in the valley

This is Clun. Nestled in a river valley, surrounded by hills. Just look downwards from the grazing sheep! Spot the castle in the lower right.

Clun Castle is a Border Fortress. It was built just under 1000 years ago when a hard border was intended to keep the Welsh out of England. But that’s another story.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/clun-castle/

It is extraordinary to me that the ruins of this ancient castle still remain standing. I can touch the stones that others shaped and built together 10 centuries ago.

So, here we live, surrounded by beautiful natural countryside landscapes and with an ancient castle visible from our garden.

What is our message today?

Valuing beauty and heritage

We value the beauty of the landscapes in which we live. Others have shaped them for our enjoyment today. The farmers who cultivate the fields and manage the trees and hedges. The wildlife and nature organisations who care for and protect the rivers, wild animals and plants. And the people who care for their homes, neighbours and the communities and places where they live.

We value the heritage that has been preserved for us by those who do not want us to lose our national history.

Preserving an inheritance

These things matter to our identity and value as nations. And to the people who live here.

Our message today is – what do we want to preserve in our nations for the generations to come?

We want beauty to endure. We want the values of love, goodness and righteousness, truth, justice, mercy and kindness to endure for those who live here after us. So how do we play our part in that?

And that is what this blog is intended to be about.

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