Greatness
Greatness
Standing on the first landing of the much loved oak staircase in the high Victorian Saloon,, John Gundill - the Castle manager - and I take it in turns to welcome guests to the guided tours. Apart from all the housekeeping messages about fire alarms and so on, there are several key stories about history or Downton Abbey to share. John tends to focus on some amusing anecdotes around life with a film crew. whilst, for my part, I also like to think about how long guests may have stood on this very spot, contemplating supper, music, reading or conversation: nearly 1,300 years.
Asking guests to think about life at Highclere in the 8th and 9th century gives visitors an extraordinary sense of continuity and of “place”. For all the number of Kings and Queens of this country, however, only one was named “Great” - King Alfred. His sobriquet, however, was bestowed in later centuries rather than at the time, perhaps in the Middle Ages but certainly by the time of the Tudors.
One reason for this was his successful defence of the Kingdom of Wessex against the Viking invasions and the subsequent peace that followed. The other was his extraordinary (for the age) style of government. He instituted political and legal reforms, established the first English navy, promoted education amongst ordinary people not just the church and was the first person to translate books into the English vernacular so that they would be accessible to all. Up to that point they had only been written in Latin.
Kingdoms and empires rise and fall but learning, books and education live on. It was at Alfred’s court that the original manuscript of the annals collectively termed the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was written for the first time, collating sources that dated as far back as the 7th century. This so-called ‘common stock’ version of the chronicles covered English history with increasing accuracy and detail from the time of Caesar’s invasion (55/54 BC) through to the later years of Alfred’s kingship.
A contemporary biography of the king by the scholar and later bishop, Asser, details Alfred’s propensity for learning and there are various translations and redactions of religious texts commissioned at Alfred’s court, work in which the king purportedly involved himself. His focus was good governance and learning and, the quality of his text translations. By the late tenth century Æthelweard was already describing Alfred as ‘learned in speech’ and sacred literature and he was therefore a man worthy of the epithet ‘the Great’.
Books and reading struggle today – it is increasingly challenging to persuade people to buy books and to value them. Yet visitors walk into the library here at Highclere and declare it is their favourite room. Once a month, I hold a book club from the Library welcoming a diverse range of authors to chat about their work. Those attending to listen are welcomed to a cosy evening around the red sofas with cold champagne and delicious food as well as a chance to see some of the rooms as my guest. It is free for all Friends of Highclere and is about being part of our community. Whilst a book club may sound rather learned, of course it is not – how can it be if you are drinking champagne?
Studies have shown that reading for as little as six minutes can decrease stress up to 68% and that it has the same effects on our brain and body as meditation. The brain is in a focused state, very similar to a mindfulness practice, reducing stress levels and promoting relaxation. In addition, reading makes you store information, expands knowledge, and helps improve memory retention as you visualize scenes, characters, and details from the story. It is very different from watching a film which is more passive and provides you with all the details without requiring any input from your own imagination.
When you read, you are introduced to different perspectives, finding yourself thinking about the characters in the book as if they are real people, with views of others and life possibly very different than your own. You build background knowledge and, almost without being aware of it, you find you have a new “language” to try out conversations of your own.
Courtesy of our partnership with Viking cruises, we even have prizes for summer reading, but maybe we should expand our remit and institute some writing prizes as well. Perhaps it’s time to forget the email and practice that other dying skill, the handwritten letter. How important they are for research, telling their own story with uneven pen strokes full of emotion or hasty notes about a quick idea... a note to reassure in grief or a love letter to keep, in cases keep writing and reading !!!
30 Comments
I'm impressed that you read to a horse, though I'm a little fearful for that lovely carpet!
Seriously though - why are some things / people great, and others not? A thought provoking post as usual!
Happy New Year
Thank you ! The carpet was safe...
As I often tell family and friends, for me, reading equals breathing!
We have a snowy day here near Toronto ON, Canada, so a good day to curl up with a beloved book.
Thank you, Lady Carnarvon.
Books are everyone's best friends. I'm part of a book club: Sister Pages. Once a month we meet at the bookstore and discuss the book we've read. It's magical and fills the soul.
Wonderful and dare I say might you consider mine?
Aaaaw...love the last photo of you reading to the beautiful horse! And yes - I heartily agree, sending a handwritten note
is the best. It's becoming so rare to recieve a letter penned in ink.
A very good point and lovely suggestions that I share with you as a reader and calligraphy enthusiast !
It's always a great pleasure to read your posts every week.
Thanks a lot Lady Carnarvon.
Many of your reading statements are why so many of us like to read your Blog!
So surprised also that you had a horse inside Highclere and in that lovely room.
Sometimes is good to be a bit bonkers!
Happy New Year. King Alfred and I go way back. The people at the Latter-day Saints Library believe I am related to him. Sadly, none of Alfred's 'greatness' has passed to me. After our marriage at All Saints Church in Hursley, where Richard Cromwell is buried, we had our wedding reception at the Winchester Guildhall, next to Alfred's statue.
If I'd have had a teacher of History and English at my senior school who was as articulate and interesting as you, Lady Carnarvon, I am absolutely sure I would have done much better in these two subjects.
I wholeheartedly agree with you Gill. Lady Carnarvon does weave very interesting spells about many things including history and english.
Some lovely photos of the rooms at Highclere. I do love reading a good book
Yes! The written word, whether it be in the form of a letter, newspaper, or book is something I have come to value as I watch it disappear. At first the convenience of everything being online seemed to be the smart way to go until I realized that those concrete pages were disappearing. Now I renew magazine subscriptions, buy books and newspapers, write letters and notes, and give books as gifts. As a genealogist I realize how important those documents, newspaper clippings. written resources, etc., are. Thank you for reminding me about Alfred. Now, I think I'll go read my book..
Hello Lady Carnarvon - as always, I love your Blog and realised that, if my teachers of History and English at senior school
made things so interesting like you do, then I would have done a lot better in my G.C.E. exams. Happy New Year to you and
your family from sunny Blackpool.
I think it is often enjoyed after school days
Thank you for sharing about reading. I love to read and just yesterday I was putting your books I purchased on shelves in my study. Books are so lovely - both the exterior, and, most importantly, reading the words written inside. Thank you for the books you've written and what you share with all of us. Have a wonderful day! .
GREAT shot of you with your horse!
And a lovely 12 Day of Christmas to you with Drummers Drumming n and about today.
This evening (here in Southern California) being 12th Night we celebrate with my English Grandmother’s traditional 12th Night tart, a yummy tradition.
A wonderful 2026 to you!
And a lovely 12 Day of Christmas to you with Drummers Drumming n and about today.
This evening (here in Southern California) being 12th Night we celebrate with my English Grandmother’s traditional 12th Night tart, a yummy tradition.
A wonderful 2026 to you!
Lady Carnarvon,
You made some excellent points for self-improvement today and I agree with your observations. It is lovely to hear that you have a venue and make time for sharing authors and their thoughts with people. Alas I do not live close enough. Thank you for taking your valuable time to keep us informed. Best Wishes for the New Year.
Your "talk" about Alfred the Great was super! I remember watching a very old movie called, ta dah...Alfred the Great and it was so inspiring. Because of that movie I gained a love for the early history of England. And yes, we all should try to write more. It is certainly a lost art for a few generations.
Keep reading and writing! That should be everyone’s resolution ! I have become lazy with responding to birthdays, anniversaries, illnesses and deaths in the family with the quick text or thumb action. I vow to write a real letter to someone at least once a month ! I so much enjoy seeing a letter in my mail box and am sure my letters would have the same effect. I love reading your blogs.
Sacred words, dear Lady! I wish boys and girls today read at least ten Minuten a day, instead of living attached to their mobiles.
And don't let me speak about AI, that Is Killing all their Imagination.
Love from Rome
AI can help with data but it leads to a failure to think
Lady Carnarvon,
Englishmen such as Alfred have left succeeding generations with legacies of which to take advantage. Our time now will be history 100 years from now, and i pray that it will be of times we had to muddle through without faint hears. The Prayer of Confessions helps. I hope 2026 brings you more stories that will cheer us! They all do.
Thank you!
Martha
I didn't know that about reading as a stress reduction. Makes sense. Happy New Year Lady Carnarvon.
One of my favorite photos ever, Horse in the house!
I requested as a Christmas present " A Year at Highclere" and have just finished reading it.Fantastic.I also received "Christmas at Highclere and I am really looking forward to start reading
Would like to be able to see and buy items from your shop.
I am from Queensland Australia.
Does reading this post count toward the 6 minutes per day? 😁
Lady Carnarvon. Thank you for the wonderful blog post and the pictures. One question: in the picture with you and ?the horse, above the gallery in the middle relief, what is it suppose to be
Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president, once said: "I cannot live without books." Neither can I!
Beautifully written, as always, with many important points. Also loved the photo with Dr. Colleen Manassa Darnell, also an elegant and accomplished writer. I am fortunate to have most of the books by both you. Thanks for this essay.
Happy new year, and thank you for this lovely post reminding us of the value of reading actual books and the precious gift of personal letters! Looking forward, as always, to more of your messages of beauty, history and legacy in the coming year!
I am a big proponent of the hand written letter - especially thank you notes, and try always to acknowledge hospitality shown to me after a visit, or a gift received.
And I am a member of two book clubs, a neighbourhood one which is a little more focused on non-fiction, and one with the name Wine & Worms!!! I leave you to figure out our true reason for being, but we have been meeting for almost 25 years now.
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Lovely the pictures of greatness and did you and lord Carnarvon have a wonderful weekend and lam fan of highcelere castle and Downton Abbey