Tag: Olympics

Magnificent Trees, Olympic Medallists, A Czar & Some Sheep!

Believe it or not, these are the grounds of our National Sports Centre at Lilleshall where Olympian gymnasts and archers, and professional footballers train. Not a bad place to work and train, eh?

It’s in a beautiful setting, I love the trees, especially this majestic cedar tree. It is stunning close up and the glade that it forms with the tall pines is home to lots of squirrels, rabbits, birds, pheasant and the odd fox and badger. We have brought friends and family, young and not so young, here to enjoy the peaceful surroundings in all seasons, even on Boxing Day!

The estate was originally in the demesne of Lilleshall Abbey but fell into private ownership during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monastries. For part of its history it was owned by the Dukes of Sutherland and the second duke’s wife played a large part in the architectural design and landscaping of the estate.

In 1949, The Central Council Of Physical Recreation bought the hall and several thousand acres of land and it has been used as a sports centre ever since. The future Queen Elizabeth II opened it in 1951. The entrance gates are replicas of those at Buckingham Palace.

The England football team trained there for two weeks before the 1966 World Cup – the fresh air and stunning views obviously did the trick!

I thought I would share a few photos from our recent visit.

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The view from the terrace

The water gardens are between the formal hedged garden and the woodland

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These water lillies looked like they were really enjoying the sun

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These are grapevines growing over the path

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There are several follies around the grounds.

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Count the chimneys – we got to at least 40! Imagine having to light all those fires and clean them after, not to mention the chimneys themselves. This is the side of the hall.

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At the far end of the estate there is a pet cemetery, one area for dogs, one for cats, some have their own headstones, some share them with others; there is even a memorial to a Russian wolfhound called Czar, who was given to the Marchioness of Stafford by Czar Alexander II in 1836 and lies buried alongside – but a little apart from – the other dogs and cats, as befits his aristocratic status!

I tried to take some video of our walk through the trees for a friend who could do with some sunny smiles, but finished up with a lot of footage of feet and pink knees! Apparently when I thought I was recording, I was in fact on pause and vice versa. Unfortunately when we tried to rectify this on a second visit, the rain came down and it doesn’t show the grounds at their best. Because we’d had storms in-between, the ground was too wet to retrace our steps (there used to be a canal system running through the estate, built to transport coal and limestone to and from local mines, and parts of it are very marshy, even in the summer). So I present to you some photos of sheep in a neighbouring field!

There is a lot of excitement around at the moment over the impending visit of the medal-winning gymnasts, who are currently having some much-needed chill-out time first.

Copyright: Chris McGowan

William Penny Brookes, Father of The Modern Olympics!

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(Image from Wikipedia)

Now I know what most of you are thinking: no, that was Baron De Coubertin, everyone knows that!

In actual fact, De Coubertin was inspired to hold the Olympics in Athens after visiting The Wenlock Olympian Society Games, an annual event founded by a local surgeon, humanitarian and PE enthusiast, William Penny Brookes, and held in Much Wenlock, Shropshire since 1850.

De Coubertin organised the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896 after visiting Britain in 1890 to find out more about sport in our public (i.e. private) schools the previous year. Dr Brookes invited him to visit the Much Wenlock Olympian Society Games where they competed in quoit-throwing, cricket, running, hurdles and football amongst other events. De Coubertin eventually employed many of Dr Brookes’ ideas including the opening ceremonial parade, holding the event in different cities and opening it to all sportsmen from around the world (women were not invited to participate!)

Sadly, Dr Brookes didn’t live to see the Games in Athens, he died a few months before at the age of 86.

Dr Brookes’ role in the founding of the modern Olympic movement was acknowledged by Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee, when in 1994 he came to Much Wenlock and laid a wreath in Dr Brookes’ memory.

Dr Brookes was keen to improve the education, health and opportunities of the working classes. He set up a library for their use and was particularly keen on promoting sport ‘for the development of the manliness of the human race’. He was active in local justice and administration and concerned for the welfare of his fellow citizens. He campaigned tirelessly for the introduction of sport into the school curriculum.

He is still much revered in his home town. There is a blue plaque to mark his lifelong home and a marble memorial in the local parish church of Holy Trinity where he and all his family are buried. There is also a Brookes’ room inside the entrance of the church which has a children’s area and a kitchen.

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The Games are still held annually in July in Much Wenlock. My son and his friends took part for a bit of fun in their student days, which nevertheless led to fierce rivalry. Last year, now in their 40s, they decided it was time to have another go. One of them came all the way from Dubai just to take part – with a torn hamstring! He spent the night before with ice packs tied to his leg in all sorts of pain. Nothing was going to stop him taking part! He came fourth in the pentathlon.

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You can follow The Olympian Trail around the town of Much Wenlock – there are plaques embedded in the pathways – you can also visit Dr Brookes’ grave which lies in a beautiful and peaceful setting in the grounds of the 12th century Holy Trinity Church, orginally the church of the nuns of the local priory.

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Children from Steiner Schools all over the country carry on Dr Brookes’ programme when every summer they gather in the grounds of one of their schools to take part in traditional Olympic sports – including wrestling – whilst camping out and making their own food.

One of the early winning Olympians was none other than W.G. Grace, the famous English cricketer.

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(Image from Wikipedia)

So, why is cricket – an original Modern Olympic sport – no longer an Olympic event? It is played all around the world on streets, in parks, on beaches, in back gardens as well as in much-anticipated international matches.  I think I know the answer, but out of courtesy to my US readers, my lips are sealed 😉

Copyright: Chris McGowan