Historical Stones of Existence

“Three hundred years ago a prisoner condemned to the Tower of London carved on the wall of his cell this sentiment to keep up his spirits during his long imprisonment:

'It is not adversity that kills, but the impatience with which we bear adversity”

 ~ Father James Keller 

Tower of London

Back in May, during my time in London, I was granted the opportunity to see historical places, architectural designs and wonders of the world that I had once only imagined.

One of the tours that Paul and I took while visiting his family in England, was the Evan Evans Sightseeing Tours. They are the oldest and largest tourism company in London, proudly showing visitors London and its surrounding countryside since 1930.

Highlights we saw included Oxford University, Windsor Castle and Stonehenge. As the tour bus drove along, I was captivated by the sprawling fields of oilseed dusting the greenery. Encased by wooden, hand-made fences, the bursts of yellow swaying in the English breeze, made me smile as I gazed upon its simplistic beauty. 

Our first stop was Oxford and I was eager to hear about Theodor Geisel’s stay at the University, where he met his wife, Helen Palmer. Amongst my collection of favourite books are the treasured rhyming poems and stories written by the man we all know as Dr.Seuss.

I was deeply fascinated with the intricate creations of bricks amassed in perfect setting and order that have withstood wars, plagues and time itself. For me, to view Oxford in its glorious surplus of original design was to stand in awe of its magnificence.  The building which held my interest was The Radcliffe Camera, which was built in 1737–1749 as Oxford's science library. This stunning building now houses literature from the collections of History, English and Theology.

Next, our full day tour led us to Windsor Castle. I had with me several pebbles that I wanted to place and soon my exploring led me to the gardens of Windsor. Though I was unable to enter the area, I could easily lean over the stone wall and toss into the small pond, one of the pebbles. I stood in amazement as it landed directly in the waters and made ripples in the well-known gardens created and designed by Chelsea Gold Medalist Tom Stuart-Smith. His inspiration came from Windsor’s renowned parkland landscape and the Castle’s amiable qualities.

Last on the tour was one of the legendary World Heritage Site- Stonehenge. As it was our last stop and late in the day, we almost missed our one in the lifetime chance to stand before the prehistoric monument. Everyone had to run to the area- in front of the structure- with blustering winds surrounding us and quickly stand for photo opportunities. Even though no source of water was around me, I knew I had to leave behind a tiny pebble to honour my daughter, who would have fallen in love with London…like I have. Additionally, I wanted to allow the stone I offered, as a symbol of grace and peace in a place known for unsettlement and sacrifice. 

In one day, I had been privileged to walk amongst parts of history I had only read about in school. My fingers touched the grooves in between the bricks of Oxford, while my hands caressed the blades of grass at Stonehenge. As we departed, I reminisced about how my feet had walked the paths of those whose shadows and legends are entrenched in the pebble lanes. For a moment, I engaged in the thrill of discovering amongst the stone work designs… words of mankind spoken...  that can be found, if one is willing to listen. 

By T.L. Alton