Writer at Work:

Our research trip to England and Wales

We’re just back from a jam-packed two-week research trip to England, Wales, and France, so I thought this week and next I’d share a few photos with you. It was a working vacation, but we did manage to sneak in a few side trips “just for fun.” To be honest, the research is fun for me, too—and my extremely patient and supportive husband stuck with me through every random, untouristy stop. Here are a few highlights from the UK, and next weekend I’ll share a few more from France:

This ancient beech tree was just one of many gigantic old trees we encountered.

Many Sussex villages have a notable ironworking past. My ancestors were ironworkers in this region in the 16th century.

What’s the connection between trees and ironworkers? To make charcoal to fuel their forges, the ironworkers cut down entire forests —and then moved on.

We went in search of the sites of some of the old forges where my family may have worked. This is about the spot where a forge connected with an old abbey once stood.

My twelve-greats grandfather was baptized in this church in 1562. Note the wrought iron gate.

This region of Wales was once entirely forested. Now it’s mostly open farmland—and housing.

At the Big Pit National Coal Museum in Wales, we rode an elevator 400 feet down into an old mine to learn what it was like to work as a collier.