Where was the Beacon?
I recently wrote an article about the word Beacon and a sign close to my home that could prove dangerous. Of course, it was not a post to be taken too seriously.
But the article was based on historical fact, and I promised my friend R C Hammond I would write about it.
I live in the Village of Little Amwell.
The village is situated about 15 miles north of the outskirts of London and is part of an area known as Hertford Heath.
The whole area stands very high above sea level, and according to the coachmen from the horse-drawn days, Hertford Heath was mostly downhill towards York, some 200 miles away.
When England was being threatened by an Invasion by the Spanish using its famous Armada, in 1588, a series of beacons were built on the highest points across the land.
These beacons were to be lit if the Armada was successful and the Spanish army had landed.
One of these beacons was built somewhere in our village, but the location is vague.
But there is a Beacon Court some 15 yards in front of my house, and Beacon Heath cottage about 100 yards to the rear. So the beacon was built somewhere between those two points. It could have been where I am writing this post.
I think it would have been built on the village green.
Well, as you know (spoiler alert), the Spanish did not invade so, the beacons were never lit.
But we do light a massive bonfire on the green every November.
Thanks for reading.
More stories from my sometimes-addled brain.
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