About 13 years ago, I spent a lot of time in Greenwich. A publisher had been farsighted enough to commission me to write a book about it, predicting that, in 2000, the Millennium Dome would be a triumph. Oh dear-how unwise to second-guess the British public. The soufflé of expectation collapsed. But our boys, young then, did get to know Cutty Sark.
We went back to Greenwich at the weekend. Cutty Sark, apparently destroyed by a fire in 2007, has been miraculously restored. Miraculously, because far more of the original fabric of the ship has survived than one would have thought possible.
Everything above deck was away for restoration when the dust extractor overheated; the fire, although immensely hot, roared upwards, leaving the hull intact. It's now what they call a state-of-the-art visitor attraction, meaning that, only days after the opening by The Queen, some of the touch screens are already out of order. But look at the blade-like sleekness of the hull, now that you can walk underneath it. It appears to have been covered in gold plate.
Behind the National Maritime Museum, they're erecting the stadium for the Olympic equestrian events. All eyes will be on Greenwich. I shan't risk a prediction. But the auguries look good.
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A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in yearsThe ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
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A bridge just far enough: Country Life Quiz of the Day, July 4, 2025Lions, castles and even a couple of US-themed questions for the 4th of July in Friday's Quiz of the Day.
