The George and Dragon at Wargrave; Montmorency burns his Snout; and Gretel heads for Essex

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Good morning.  Today Jerome K Jerome’s gentlemen (et chien) visit The George and Dragon at Wargrave and The Bull Inn at Sonning.  Both pubs are still open and thriving and I’ve popped photographs onto social media.  Isn’t it every English person’s dream to walk, row, cycle or chug along the Thames from source to tide?  

I’m heading to Kelvedon Hall today because I’m deeply interested in the life and times of Sir Henry ‘Chips’ Channon.  Reading his diaries have led me to read many more books relating to the inter-war years.  It was a fascinating time when society in England was undergoing a quiet revolution that (like all revolutions) had both its downs and ups.  Thank you for all your kind messages and suggestions.  I read them all and take on board all suggestions.  Best wishes, Gretel x

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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time.  She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.  

Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time;  the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free.

Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth.  Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts.

Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes.  I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴

Previous guests include  historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests.  

Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon.  

Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company.  Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature.  Please don’t expect to find a...