Our guest for this episode is Amie Liebowitz, an Australian broadcast journalist living in the UK, who first met Ben a decade ago. Amie talks to us about learning British history in a Commonwealth country, her trip with Ben to Ely, its 'English Braveheart' and a cheese-inspired alternative landmark.
You can now buy us a coffee if you enjoy our episodes - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/benjaminsbritain
We'd love you to subscribe and rate us on when you listen to your favourite podcasts. Follow us at @benjaminsbritainpod on Instagram for social content and updates.
Our guest for this episode is Amie Liebowitz, an Australian broadcast journalist living in the UK, who first met Ben a decade ago. Amie talks to us about learning British history in a Commonwealth country, her trip with Ben to Ely, its 'English Braveheart' and a cheese-inspired alternative landmark.
You can now buy us a coffee if you enjoy our episodes - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/benjaminsbritain
We'd love you to subscribe and rate us on when you listen to your favourite podcasts. Follow us at @benjaminsbritainpod on Instagram for social content and updates.
00:00:00 Ben
Welcome back to the Benjamin Britten.
00:00:01 Ben
Podcast The podcast where we.
00:00:03 Ben
Explore British history through its landmarks. I'm Ben Solomon and for the last five years I've been visiting every site in Clivus. Let's landmarks of Britain or 500 places that made our history, and on this blog asked me invites those who visited some of these sites with me to.
00:00:20 Ben
Have a chat about them.
00:00:21 Nicky
And I'm Nicky Pavitt. I am Ben friend. I've been to something like 75 landmarks.
00:00:26 Nicky
Someone other Kenos Ben, have we had any reviews of our last episode which we did with Sam Horton about Saint Pauls.
00:00:34 Ben
Yes, we have Nicky 1 review.
00:00:36 Ben
Yeah, had a funny moment at your expense Nicky.
00:00:40 Ben
We know that Sam had done his homework on Staples.
00:00:43 Nicky
He did not.
00:00:43 Ben
Key on that and someone told us they laughed out loud when Nicky said that Saint Paul said was never bombed but then got immediately contradicted by Sam and.
00:00:54 Ben
Back to it and stats and told you exactly why you went right?
00:00:57 Nicky
Didn't my defense of what I meant was it never really got like exploded properly?
00:01:03 Nicky
And yeah, I just muddled my words.
00:01:07 Speaker 4
What?
00:01:07 Nicky
It was funny.
00:01:07 Ben
We all wore podcast stripes for historical accuracy, so.
00:01:11 Speaker 4
Of course.
00:01:11 Ben
Thank you Sam.
00:01:13 Ben
Simon, who was a guest on our previous pods, was quite upset for Sam because it did more landmarks in a single day than he's visited in five years, and.
00:01:24 Ben
Yeah, and we got another with you asking us Nicky if we knew where the 2nd St Paul's Cathedral in London was.
00:01:24 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:01:24 Speaker 4
00:01:32 Speaker 4
Oh
00:01:32 Ben
And then did you, did you know, did you?
00:01:33 Nicky
Know about this?
00:01:34 Speaker 4
Some.
00:01:34 Nicky
No, I didn't.
00:01:35 Nicky
I'm not aware.
00:01:36 Speaker 4
Well.
00:01:37 Ben
Listeners and Nicky on Vauxhall Bridge in London.
00:01:40 Speaker 4
Miller
00:01:42 Ben
Crossed by thousands of commuters every day there is South.
00:01:43 Nicky
Including myself.
00:01:44 Ben
Well, next time you're there, look over the side.
00:01:46 Speaker 4
Awesome.
00:01:46 Ben
Mission and you will find a.
00:01:48 Ben
Miniature scale St.
00:01:50 Ben
Pauls Cathedral on the side of that bridge.
00:01:52 Ben
Really apparently so.
00:01:55 Nicky
Would realize that a lot of a lot of listeners come from America, and we've got a few scattered.
00:02:00 Nicky
Around Europe as well and we're kind of fascinated to know like how you found us, what it is that is intriguing you about British landmarks.
00:02:09 Nicky
So if you've got something, say or you'd like to let us know where you heard us from, then drop us a message on our Instagram or Facebook page and we'd love to hear from you and we can read those out in a future episode.
00:02:20 Nicky
Then since the last episode, I went on a very short walk down offers dich, which was one of our episodes of season one.
00:02:30 Nicky
And I was wondering if you Sir been to any.
00:02:32 Ben
Yeah, I have of course I, I'm just.
00:02:34 Ben
I'm just so pleased to hear our podcast continues to inspire people to visit somebody.
00:02:38 Ben
Historic landmarks including.
00:02:40 Ben
1/2 an.
00:02:41 Ben
Hour walk up and down off his bike, but sorry Nicky, you if you're with me I'm not sure you could tick off offers like it.
00:02:48
No.
00:02:48 Ben
You need to spend at least at least a day on it I reckon.
00:02:52 Nicky
OK, OK, I understand.
00:02:53 Ben
No, I I took someone for their first ever landmark the other week.
00:02:56 Speaker 4
Go.
00:02:57 Ben
Relate birthday treat and with Martin Louder if he's listening we went to visit the Castle in Pembrokeshire, Manorbier Castle, a lovely Castle.
00:03:06 Ben
Lovely ruined Castle on the Pembrokeshire coast.
00:03:07 Speaker 4
So.
00:03:08 Ben
Beautiful sunny.
00:03:08 Ben
Say, uh, what I didn't know is that when we arrived, Martin pulled out for me a Golden Crown, a red robe, and a plastic sword, and which she made me.
00:03:17 Ben
What if you made me wear not really historic black, but a King never lived in this Castle, but I actually won't walk around this Castle and pose for a photo shoot looking like like a King from a a primary school Christmas concert.
00:03:32 Ben
Build budget medieval King.
00:03:33 Ben
The crowd will be coming with me small castles.
00:03:36 Nicky
Excellent, that's good to hear.
00:03:38 Ben
Thank you, Martin.
00:03:39 Nicky
OK, I think we should introduce our next guest.
00:03:42 Ben
Well, yeah, this is. This is an episode with Annie Leibovitz who was our first ever Australian guest on the pod. And yeah, fun episode. I was quite excited by where she was recording the episode from, which which you'll hear about shortly. So without further ado, let's go over to Amie's episode. Hope you enjoy.
00:03:54 Speaker 4
Huh?
00:04:01 Speaker 4
2nd.
00:04:04 Gav Penn (Music)
Many, many years ago, then bought a book.
00:04:08 Gav Penn (Music)
Landmarks of history and the challenge he up took, visit all the sides, tick off everyone, learn about the history and where it all begun.
00:04:18 Gav Penn (Music)
From England to Scotland, Irelan to Wales.
00:04:21 Gav Penn (Music)
You can count the Benjamin to know the facts and tales.
00:04:27 Gav Penn (Music)
So come and ride along with Benjamin Britain and get to know the places in the spaces around you.
00:04:36 Gav Penn (Music)
And also there's Nicky Pavitt.
00:04:39 Ben
This week on the pod is our first ever Australian guest.
00:04:43 Ben
She's a journalist for the BBC, a real life actual professional, podcast producer, a connoisseur of Korean food in London, and someone I've known for almost a decade.
00:04:54 Ben
She's only done two historical landmarks, but don't hold that against her.
00:04:59 Ben
It's a little.
00:05:00 Ben
It's Amie.
00:05:01 Ben
Welcome to the pod.
00:05:02 Speaker 4
Hey hey.
00:05:03 Nicky
2nd.
00:05:06 Ben
Thanks for joining us.
00:05:07 Amie L
Thanks for having.
00:05:09 Ben
Amie, are you allowed to say where you're recording the podcast right now?
00:05:12 Ben
Or is it topsy?
00:05:13 Speaker 4
Correct?
00:05:14 Amie L
No, I I I can tell.
00:05:16 Amie L
You where I am recording from. I'm in Workshop 32 on Level 3 at the BBC World Service Area in new Broadcasting House.
00:05:28 Speaker 4
Maybe?
00:05:30 Speaker 4
Oh
00:05:31 Ben
Yeah yeah, I mean, in terms of all of our guests, yeah, that's the best location that anyone recorded.
00:05:36 Ben
One of my episodes, yeah?
00:05:37 Ben
Uh, I think it starts saying.
00:05:39 Amie L
And actually, isn't this on the?
00:05:41 Amie L
List so am I the 1st guest that has?
00:05:43 Speaker 4
Oh
00:05:43 Amie L
Reported from a landmark.
00:05:44 Nicky
Yeah.
00:05:46 Ben
Yeah, I guess it is.
00:05:49 Nicky
O'clock that they're not disappointing.
00:05:53 Ben
Hey mate, you got so many landmark.
00:05:56 Ben
Brownie points right now.
00:05:57 Amie L
I notice.
00:06:00 Nicky
So Ben, I think you should also know that this was going to be a potential alternative.
00:06:04 Nicky
Landmark 'cause it would have been perfect.
00:06:06 Gav Penn (Music)
Oh, I see.
00:06:08 Ben
I see that's how you know it's in the book.
00:06:10 Nicky
Amie, am I right in thinking you said there's like a new and an old Broadcasting House?
00:06:14 Amie L
Yeah, the old Broadcasting House is the original building, and that's where Winston Churchill in World War Two used to do some of his radio recordings to the people.
00:06:14 Speaker 6
Yeah, the.
00:06:14 Speaker 6
00:06:19 Amie L
Right?
00:06:19 Amie L
00:06:24 Speaker 4
Nearly.
00:06:26 Amie L
But then you Broadcasting House with extended.
00:06:28 Amie L
Did and that's where most of our production is now.
00:06:31 Nicky
Kaucher
00:06:32 Ben
Didn't we do BBC Broadcasting House?
00:06:34 Ben
On a rainy evening one day, Nicky.
00:06:36 Nicky
Yeah, it was.
00:06:37 Nicky
We didn't even go inside or anything it was.
00:06:38 Nicky
It was a passing by rainy moment who really could have.
00:06:41 Speaker 4
Ah yeah.
00:06:42 Nicky
We could have done a lot more I think.
00:06:44 Amie L
I mean, to be fair security.
00:06:45 Amie L
Out front, when they've let you in so.
00:06:48 Nicky
That's true, yeah.
00:06:51 Nicky
Lately, some studios it's.
00:06:53 Amie L
Do you play your cards right?
00:06:55 Amie L
Then maybe once we can have some visitors, I'll let you in, I'll give you.
00:06:58 Ben
The tour Oh my gosh yes please what.
00:07:03 Ben
I really want to do.
00:07:03 Ben
Is record an episode of Benjamin Britten?
00:07:05 Ben
Of course in the BBC Studios recording booth.
00:07:09 Ben
So Amie, if you can.
00:07:10 Ben
Make that happen, you know.
00:07:12 Ben
It would be appreciated.
00:07:14 Amie L
See what I can do is.
00:07:15 Amie L
Didn't dare.
00:07:15 Amie L
00:07:16 Amie L
Smuggle you in all right.
00:07:20 Ben
OK, good right Amie.
00:07:22 Ben
I'm suitably impressed.
00:07:23 Ben
You wanna say from your perspective?
00:07:25 Ben
How we know each other?
00:07:26 Ben
Because by.
00:07:27 Ben
My calculations it's been almost 10 years since we met.
00:07:30 Amie L
Route.
00:07:31 Amie L
Taking me back alright and my first year of University in 2011 by GI know I joined the Australasian Union of Jewish Students and was president on my campus and then I was taken on a program.
00:07:38 Speaker 4
He's so old.
00:07:49 Amie L
Called LDP.
00:07:50 Amie L
Hey and I went to the States, London and Israel and in London that's where I met Ben because he was one of the professional staff members of Ujs Union through students.
00:08:00 Speaker 4
Yes.
00:08:04 Ben
Professional.
00:08:06 Amie L
Yeah, and that's how we know each other.
00:08:10 Amie L
Understand that we know each other quite well.
00:08:10 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:08:13 Ben
Yeah, well, we we.
00:08:14 Ben
We we met up since in Israel didn't we?
00:08:16 Ben
Our World Union of Jewish Students Conference and.
00:08:19
Yes he did.
00:08:21 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:08:21 Ben
Yeah, we see the world and then a few years ago you moved to London.
00:08:25 Ben
Yourself, didn't you, Amie?
00:08:27 Amie L
Yeah, so in September 2017 I moved to London. Now I've been here.
00:08:32 Amie L
3 1/2 years already you believe it?
00:08:35 Ben
Yeah, I mean you can apply to be a citizen soon, sooner or later.
00:08:38 Ben
Amie.
00:08:39 Ben
This is a British history podcast, but you of course grew up in Australia.
00:08:44 Ben
I went through the Strait Australian school system, so I'd love to know what bits of British history do you end up learning about in Australian?
00:08:52 Speaker 4
Cool.
00:08:52 Amie L
I we learn quite a lot as a part of the Commonwealth if besides Australian history we learned English history.
00:08:58 Speaker 4
Course.
00:09:02 Ben
To me in British history.
00:09:03 Amie L
British history
00:09:05 Speaker 4
Thank you.
00:09:05 Nicky
And they care about the.
00:09:06 Amie L
Well, I mean I didn't learn anything about Welsh citizens, I'm sorry.
00:09:11 Nicky
July in England.
00:09:14 Ben
Dude.
00:09:16 Amie L
Rude, but no.
00:09:18 Amie L
Actually we learned about like United Kingdom in general, so it would be very much a standard World War One World War Two.
00:09:26 Amie L
I did a bit on royalty.
00:09:27 Ben
Over.
00:09:28 Amie L
Me because we still have a quaint representation.
00:09:33 Amie L
We did a lot on British colonization and how the United Kingdom sucked up to developing wells.
00:09:42 Speaker 4
Talks.
00:09:43 Nicky
Price.
00:09:45 Nicky
Not Paul.
00:09:45 Ben
Yeah, we skip over.
00:09:48 Nicky
We have to work that one out for ourselves.
00:09:51 Amie L
We did a lot of that and we also did.
00:09:53 Amie L
Of course in how the British treated Indigenous Australians.
00:09:56 Speaker 4
Fights.
00:09:57 Amie L
Terribly so yeah.
00:09:59 Amie L
We actually learned a lot of.
00:10:01 Amie L
About British history, but was quite negative.
00:10:03 Nicky
I think that's fair enough to be on.
00:10:05 Nicky
Right, and that's probably how everyone else does perceive it.
00:10:08 Nicky
We just don't.
00:10:09 Nicky
We just don't get to all those those parts in the whole, or didn't.
00:10:13 Nicky
At least, you know, no.
00:10:14 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:10:15 Ben
Way my school curriculum skipped, skips well and truly over the bad parts.
00:10:20 Nicky
Yeah, it was always like Henry eight.
00:10:22 Nicky
What a dude.
00:10:24 Nicky
Yeah, that's pretty much it, wow.
00:10:28 Ben
Yeah, so Amie.
00:10:29 Ben
So so were you aware of figures like Henry the Eighth, William the Conqueror you know?
00:10:34 Ben
Although Elizabeth the 1st?
00:10:36 Ben
These were these names on your radar tool.
00:10:38 Amie L
Yeah definitely.
00:10:39 Amie L
I mean, as a student I was very much interested in modern history, but we did learn about them through English texts and literature.
00:10:47 Amie L
But those names definitely were on my radar growing up.
00:10:51 Ben
I can say with confidence that we didn't study a single bit of Australian history.
00:10:56 Ben
Battle at primary School high school, not even University.
00:11:00 Ben
The word Australia wasn't even mentioned.
00:11:02 Nicky
I watched a TV show a couple of years ago that was based on the 1st prisoners that went to Australia and it was quite bleak.
00:11:11 Nicky
To be honest it wasn't.
00:11:12 Nicky
It was meant to be like a drama because I watched that.
00:11:15 Nicky
I then went back and read a bit about it and was like wow, Oh my God I know nothing.
00:11:19 Nicky
About this
00:11:20 Speaker 4
Yeah right yeah.
00:11:21 Amie L
The first lyrics that came to Australia uh super interesting there's a lot of written history about it.
00:11:29 Amie L
I think one of my favorite parts in Sydney Cove which was one of the first parts that were discovered by Cook.
00:11:35 Amie L
Let's be clear about that
00:11:36 Amie L
When you go into Sydney Cove.
00:11:39 Amie L
The first pub is next to the first hospital.
00:11:43 Ben
Oh wow.
00:11:45 Amie L
Yeah.
00:11:45 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:11:45 Speaker 4
00:11:46 Nicky
What more could you want?
00:11:49 Amie L
And it's still operating.
00:11:50 Ben
Well, a purple hospital.
00:11:52 Amie L
Pods
00:11:55 Ben
Australians have their priorities, yeah?
00:11:58 Amie L
100%.
00:11:59 Nicky
I do have an interesting well, I don't know if this is fact or whether it's just a fiction, but I like it anyway, so I work at Chelsea College of Arts which is on the Milbank area in London, and there used to be a prison Millbank prison there which is knocked down.
00:12:14 Nicky
And that's where the college has now been built.
00:12:16 Nicky
Apparently the prisoners of Millbank were one of the first sets.
00:12:20 Nicky
The prison is to go to Australia and that's why people call English people palms.
00:12:22 Ben
Wow.
00:12:25 Nicky
POM prisoner of Millbank oh what yeah?
00:12:30 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:12:30 Speaker 4
00:12:30 Amie L
I'm gonna have to look that up.
00:12:32 Nicky
I like to think that is definitely true and I can understand why it would be true so.
00:12:36
Wow.
00:12:38 Ben
Good good knowledge Amie.
00:12:39 Ben
There's a historical landmark in London.
00:12:40 Ben
You go and visit ASAP.
00:12:42 Nicky
Well, it's not there anymore, really.
00:12:45 Nicky
There's a Blvd with a little plaque on it.
00:12:46 Speaker 4
Earth.
00:12:48 Nicky
To be honest, it's about as good as some of.
00:12:50 Nicky
Your landmarks then.
00:12:51 Ben
Yeah, hold black wow.
00:12:54 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:12:55 Nicky
That's something you can actually see.
00:12:57 Ben
Wow, I'm jealous actually.
00:13:00 Ben
Well, the only other thing to ask you, Amie, is what?
00:13:03 Ben
What do you think of the Benjamin Britten project?
00:13:07 Ben
What were your impressions of what I'm trying to do?
00:13:09 Nicky
So.
00:13:10 Amie L
I think it's really.
00:13:11 Amie L
Great, and finally enough, during lockdown it's the time when I saw the UK the most.
00:13:19 Gav Penn (Music)
How come?
00:13:20 Amie L
It's expensive to travel around the UK.
00:13:23 Speaker 4
Trip.
00:13:23 Amie L
You know, without a car in it, I mean with car, you still gotta pay for petrol and stuff.
00:13:27 Amie L
It's quite expensive when you can just like hop on a Ryanair flight 20 pounds and go to like run 12 Poland.
00:13:34 Amie L
I don't know like.
00:13:35 Nicky
So true, yeah.
00:13:36 Amie L
It's really expensive.
00:13:38 Amie L
I really enjoyed traveling around the UK in 2020 and hope to do a lot more of it in 2021, but I like this project for its.
00:13:47 Amie L
Originality and I guess going back to a sense of profound.
00:13:53 Amie L
History that we do generally see in a negative light, but there's so much positivity in really like interesting stories that should be told.
00:14:04 Ben
I agree, I also agree.
00:14:07 Ben
It's expensive to travel inside the UK and I never want to know how much money I've spent on Benjamin Britten.
00:14:14 Speaker 4
Yep.
00:14:15 Ben
Member, I'm not interested in working out.
00:14:18 Ben
Because I think I might cry as a result.
00:14:20 Nicky
All that petrol money.
00:14:22 Ben
Train tickets overnight state.
00:14:24 Speaker 4
PayPal.
00:14:25 Speaker 4
2nd.
00:14:26 Gav Penn (Music)
But it's worth.
00:14:27 Amie L
It it's 100% worth it.
00:14:29 Ben
Yeah, everyone has a hobby that we spend loads of money on and.
00:14:33 Ben
This is mine.
00:14:34 Amie L
I mines jewellery so I get it.
00:14:40 Ben
Amie, we have invited you to come.
00:14:43 Ben
Well, you've.
00:14:44 Ben
Only been to two.
00:14:46 Ben
Historical landmarks with me, which is something we have to change for us, but of those two we asked you to choose one of them for us to chat about today.
00:14:50 Speaker 6
Obviously.
00:14:56 Ben
And which one have you chosen me?
00:14:58 Ben
And tell us why?
00:14:59 Amie L
A healing cathedral and I chose it because one, the cathedral is great and two the town is really cute.
00:15:08 Ben
It's a good reason.
00:15:14 Nicky
Love that is it in Norfolk or Suffolk.
00:15:17 Ben
It's it's actually in Cambridgeshire.
00:15:20 Ben
Ah, around that it's a little bit.
00:15:20 Speaker 4
Oh
00:15:22 Nicky
OK.
00:15:23 Ben
Outside Cambridge but yeah in East.
00:15:24 Ben
Anglia Amie we visited that in October 2018.
00:15:28 Amie L
Did we? Are you serious?
00:15:30 Ben
I'm serious, I looked up earlier.
00:15:31 Amie L
Oh yeah, this is.
00:15:32 Amie L
Definitely pre kovid that's so wild.
00:15:35 Ben
Yeah, it was quite a bit before covid.
00:15:37 Ben
And did we?
00:15:38 Ben
Did we drive or take the train?
00:15:39 Ben
I can't remember.
00:15:40 Amie L
We drove and when I say we, I mean you, you drove.
00:15:44 Amie L
You had Diana in the car and we had Andrew in the car.
00:15:47 Ben
Diana, who's been on a previous episode.
00:15:49 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:15:50 Ben
And and if I remember, it was a day which was pouring with rain.
00:15:54 Ben
It was a miserable wet weather day.
00:15:55 Amie L
I'm right.
00:15:57 Ben
Good day for that month.
00:15:58 Speaker 6
Yeah, I mean at the.
00:15:59 Amie L
Start though it was all right, but then the weather turned like Super South and I believe all of the photos of us are just in like massive raincoats and like walking through mud.
00:16:10 Amie L
But it was good.
00:16:10 Amie L
Like I had a good time.
00:16:12 Nicky
That's a classic British look, right?
00:16:14 Ben
Yeah yeah zipster all.
00:16:15 Ben
The way up to the chin.
00:16:18 Ben
Big big smiles for the photo and then.
00:16:20 Ben
Trounson easily afterwards.
00:16:22 Nicky
Stays out in England.
00:16:23 Nicky
Look just like that and it's always.
00:16:25 Speaker 4
All.
00:16:25 Ben
Yes, well yeah.
00:16:27 Ben
In the cathedral I have to say there are a lot of cathedrals in Plattsburgh and no complaints from me because I absolutely love exploring a good different role.
00:16:37 Ben
And I think you do too.
00:16:38 Ben
Darling Nicky.
00:16:39 Nicky
Yeah I do.
00:16:40 Nicky
I like it for like the more the architecture than the religious part of it though.
00:16:44 Ben
Ah, nice.
00:16:46 Nicky
Yeah, I'm all about like stained glass and like funky columns.
00:16:51 Nicky
Big towers flat surface.
00:16:53 Ben
I think that's.
00:16:54 Ben
A great flying buttress and well, you know Ely is one of those this absolutely massive massive medieval cathedral which just dominates the town and except on Ely.
00:17:05 Ben
It's at the top of the Hill so it literally it's you're like in the cathedral shadow at all times you can't lose sight of it.
00:17:11 Ben
It's it's quite amazing.
00:17:12 Ben
Do you remember that Amie I?
00:17:14 Ben
I mean, we really explored the chlidren not much else in dealing today.
00:17:18 Amie L
Ah no, I think I could grab food.
00:17:20 Amie L
I remember there being some sort of like folk dancing in the street.
00:17:27 Amie L
I don't know what was going on.
00:17:28 Nicky
Sound off.
00:17:28 Amie L
It would be whole mini.
00:17:31 Ben
Right, right?
00:17:33 Speaker 6
Yes, yes it was that it was bad.
00:17:33 Ben
In some kind.
00:17:35 Speaker 6
Of nerd.
00:17:35 Speaker 6
00:17:38 Speaker 4
Yes.
00:17:40 Nicky
That is authentic experience.
00:17:42 Nicky
You know you're out in the sticks and some weird town.
00:17:45 Nicky
But if that's what you come across, as long as it's not racist, which sometimes it is.
00:17:47 Amie L
It was so weird.
00:17:51 Ben
Yeah, they can be a bit racist.
00:17:53 Ben
You know what?
00:17:54 Ben
Well, we we offended by these guys.
00:17:56 Amie L
And no, I don't remember being offended, but I did take some sweet video and they were out there out a lot.
00:17:56 Amie L
Ah no.
00:17:56 Amie L
00:18:04 Amie L
Believe he also went shopping.
00:18:05 Ben
What or a landmark trip?
00:18:07 Ben
I would never have allowed such such activities.
00:18:11 Amie L
I mean, I went shopping and I made you go into the shops with me.
00:18:15 Amie L
That's essentially what happened.
00:18:16 Ben
That sounds more like it.
00:18:17 Amie L
If we're like super clear, yeah, but no.
00:18:19 Amie L
We did check out the cathedral.
00:18:21 Amie L
We had a good time.
00:18:22 Amie L
Really big and we weren't the only ones in there I believe.
00:18:24 Speaker 4
Reading this.
00:18:28 Amie L
They were going through.
00:18:30 Amie L
Mass or something.
00:18:32 Amie L
So we had to wait for them to finish up.
00:18:34 Amie L
Actually no, we went in whilst people were praying.
00:18:39 Amie L
That's right and we just hung out at the back.
00:18:39 Speaker 4
Oh
00:18:41 Ben
Yeah, we we did.
00:18:43 Ben
Yeah is.
00:18:43 Ben
That it's actually worse than that.
00:18:45 Ben
Amie and we actually discussed this Nicky on a previous podcast episode, but we discussed sleep.
00:18:49 Ben
Also fiegel, but the cathedral was.
00:18:51 Ben
Really expensive because it is to turn out too.
00:18:53 Nicky
I'm.
00:18:54 Ben
But I mean.
00:18:54 Speaker 4
After that.
00:18:55 Ben
But but we found out, like insane pools, you can actually get into free.
00:18:59 Ben
They're turning up for service, so we snuck in when there was a service happening and.
00:19:02 Nicky
It's just a bunch of Jewish people.
00:19:05 Ben
Four Jews turned up, turned up for service.
00:19:07 Speaker 4
And even could be drawn.
00:19:09 Nicky
Love it.
00:19:10 Amie L
It looks great.
00:19:10 Amie L
Looks great.
00:19:10 Nicky
It's like a interfaith meeting.
00:19:12 Ben
Dead cat.
00:19:13 Nicky
You know you're you're going to understand and explore other.
00:19:17 Nicky
You know other religions?
00:19:20 Amie L
I see, yeah, that's what you came forward.
00:19:20 Nicky
It's off.
00:19:22 Ben
I I know I felt extremely guilty because the guy leading the service was only the Bishop of Ely and he blessed us.
00:19:30 Nicky
Call the big man.
00:19:32 Ben
We bought jeans were blessed by the Bishop of Ely.
00:19:35 Ben
Sitting at a bit awkward leading up to.
00:19:38 Nicky
I would feel exactly the same as someone known as a non religious person.
00:19:42 Nicky
I think I'd feel exactly the same.
00:19:43 Amie L
I don't know, I quite enjoy it like actually combust or something when that kind of thing happens.
00:19:49 Ben
Well, we weren't struck down by lightning.
00:19:51 Nicky
So what I want to know is why it's in the book?
00:19:54 Nicky
What is the significance?
00:19:55 Nicky
It's not just 'cause, it's a nice cathedral, is it?
00:19:57 Nicky
There's something something went on there.
00:19:59 Ben
Like Amie said, it's nice to be going there.
00:20:01 Ben
Nice town.
00:20:01 Ben
What more do?
00:20:02 Nicky
You want Nicky, yeah sure.
00:20:04 Ben
Any kid can you?
00:20:05 Ben
Remember, any of history whatsoever?
00:20:08 Ben
I'm.
00:20:08 Ben
Sure, I would have talked about it on the day.
00:20:10 Amie L
You did, you definitely told me things 2 1/2 years ago. Do I remember detail about a cathedral in the middle of nowhere 2 1/2 years ago?
00:20:22 Ben
Yes, yes.
00:20:25 Amie L
No.
00:20:26 Amie L
I'm even surprised I remembered the maristan.
00:20:30 Nicky
There, Sir.
00:20:30 Amie L
Yeah, enlighten us.
00:20:32 Amie L
Ben tell us what's up with this Pedro?
00:20:34 Ben
Well, I'll tell you first of all and but this is not why it's in the book, but you two are like this.
00:20:39 Ben
This cathedral was founded by a woman.
00:20:40 Amie L
Well, hey.
00:20:41 Ben
Yeah, I think it's quite unusual in terms of big old cathedrals kinda man game Cathedral founding.
00:20:44 Nicky
Definitely.
00:20:47 Ben
This was founded by a woman named Anglo-Saxon made Etheldreda in the six hundreds.
00:20:54 Ben
She was a daughter of a local King and she got married to a guy, but she wanted to remain a Virgin against her husband's wishes, which I think you can read that, but she just didn't want to sleep with him.
00:21:06 Amie L
Yeah, yeah.
00:21:07 Ben
So she ran away, became a man, and with all the money she has as a Princess or founded a monastery on the site of the present day Cathedral.
00:21:15 Ben
In 673, doesn't a bit of a cool intro to the building, but the actual story that Clive throws is a bit a nice bit of English history, which I have absolutely no idea of whatsoever. Quite quite fun story. It's a, it's a bit of a.
00:21:30 Ben
It's about like a Robin.
00:21:31 Ben
Hood esque English.
00:21:32 Ben
Folk legend named Hereward the wake.
00:21:35 Ben
The condensed story is.
00:21:37 Ben
The time period within is 1070.
00:21:39 Ben
Which is just.
00:21:40 Ben
After William the Conqueror has invaded England.
00:21:44 Nicky
OK, yeah.
00:21:45 Ben
And he's killing off all the Saxon Anglo-Saxon leaders is replacing them.
00:21:51 Ben
There's people were bearing against him.
00:21:53 Ben
Basically, Williams just stamping his authority and building massive castles everywhere and easily became the center of Anglo-Saxon resistance against William the Conqueror.
00:21:57 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:22:04 Ben
But this is a film.
00:22:06 Ben
And the third act would be nearly where it was.
00:22:08 Ben
The last stands the Anglo Saxons against the Mormons.
00:22:11 Ben
That one last chance had pushed them out, and that Amie can you wanna join her, say the next big story?
00:22:17 Amie L
Uhm?
00:22:18 Amie L
I think you should continue since you're such a good storyteller.
00:22:21 Ben
Thank you baby.
00:22:23 Ben
So in comes the hero of our story is his name.
00:22:26 Ben
Harold is an Anglo Saxon guy.
00:22:28 Ben
He was in France.
00:22:29 Ben
He came back to England and then new.
00:22:32 Ben
The movie Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves from the 90s.
00:22:35 Nicky
Yes, Kevin Costner.
00:22:36 Ben
Worked with Kevin Costner, Kevin Costner's, Robin Hood comes back at the beginning of the film. Is like it's like villages burnt and he's really ****** That's like Harold here so he's like lands being seized. His his sisters being raped, his brothers being killed and his brother heads being stuck on the gate like.
00:22:54 Ben
It's bad her words.
00:22:57 Ben
The legend years doesn't bit of revenge killing spree.
00:23:00 Ben
Kill some Mormons chops off their heads.
00:23:02 Ben
He's angry and he sets himself up in Ely Monastery and gathers, loaded Saxon leaders around him and they have one big final fight against William the Conqueror.
00:23:13 Ben
Ely Cathedral isn't actually technically behind markets.
00:23:16 Speaker 4
The book.
00:23:16 Speaker 4
Book.
00:23:16 Ben
The crystal the Isle of Ely.
00:23:18 Ben
Because back then he was an island in the middle of marches, mid of the fence.
00:23:21 Nicky
Really.
00:23:22 Ben
Yeah, it was just surrounded by marshes.
00:23:25 Ben
It was practically an island, so to get them actually had to sail it through the marches and let him know exactly where you were going and as a result, William the Conqueror and his troops, they just didn't stand a chance.
00:23:33 Ben
So harrowed kept coming out and raiding them and burning their boats and killing them.
00:23:38 Ben
You know the films coming to a climax, a lot of dead Normans all over the place and so eventually he's the trade.
00:23:43 Ben
Per month is betrayed by a monk and has to run away and he runs away from the story and out of history.
00:23:48 Ben
And as we know William the Conqueror very much conquers comes in ultimately destroys the cathedral, fills with Anglo-Saxon resistance, and carries on happily as the King of England and English history.
00:24:00 Ben
That's what Clive loves.
00:24:02 Ben
Is this story of this English folk hero who's kind of passed into legend.
00:24:05 Speaker 4
Is it?
00:24:06 Nicky
Into bit Braveheart etomi.
00:24:08 Ben
It's like the English.
00:24:09 Ben
Braveheart and England needs a breaker and it's it's heroin.
00:24:11 Nicky
Did we?
00:24:13 Ben
Ever worth the wait?
00:24:14 Amie L
Yeah, I don't know.
00:24:15 Nicky
Yeah, I think we're OK.
00:24:16 Nicky
We've got enough going on, haven't we?
00:24:19 Ben
You put local people are really proud of them.
00:24:20 Ben
So when we ask.
00:24:22 Ben
One of the priests who commands Cathedral about this guy.
00:24:24 Ben
I don't Remember Me, but he was getting visibly emotional and this this this prayer this priest told us yes, this cathedral is the last piece of England.
00:24:28 Nicky
Really.
00:24:34 Ben
That's what he called it.
00:24:35 Amie L
Yes, yes, I do remember this.
00:24:38 Nicky
As in how it was before?
00:24:40 Ben
Basically yeah, thousand years ago.
00:24:42 Nicky
Right, but didn't.
00:24:43 Nicky
They didn't.
00:24:44 Nicky
You say you destroyed the cathe?
00:24:45 Amie L
Jobs.
00:24:46 Ben
Yeah, they so when you destroy the cathedral and the cathedral we see today is, you know it's Norman successor.
00:24:51 Ben
They built this massive Wapping Diffusional to show their power on top of the Anglo-Saxon site.
00:24:56 Ben
That's that's the people.
00:24:57 Ben
At least that's that.
00:24:58 Ben
It's not.
00:24:58 Ben
It's not with story time about heralded the wake.
00:25:00 Nicky
Story time with Ben.
00:25:04 Nicky
So there were there were four of you on this trip.
00:25:06 Nicky
If it is that right, was it just like drive?
00:25:07 Ben
For all of us, yeah.
00:25:09 Nicky
They have a little look around, have some lunch, go home.
00:25:12 Amie L
Well, there were markets on their markets.
00:25:14 Speaker 4
Huh?
00:25:15 Speaker 4
List.
00:25:17 Amie L
We had some food.
00:25:18 Ben
He has stood by the.
00:25:19 Ben
Visitor's uh oh nice.
00:25:21 Amie L
It was really not.
00:25:22 Nicky
Even not raining at this time, I'm assuming.
00:25:25 Amie L
No, this is pre rain.
00:25:27 Ben
The train is still to come, yeah?
00:25:29 Ben
He's he's got lovely cobbled historical streets to have a have a good wander around, doesn't Amie?
00:25:33 Amie L
Yeah, and I'm definitely took some really nice photos and just so like quaint shops.
00:25:35 Speaker 4
Phone.
00:25:40 Amie L
And yeah, it's.
00:25:41 Amie L
It was really enjoyable.
00:25:42 Amie L
It was just for the day.
00:25:44 Ben
I don't know if you remember.
00:25:44 Ben
The cathedral itself, Amie, but.
00:25:47 Ben
The thing that I remember.
00:25:48 Ben
Substance inside the cathedral and look up the ceiling is covered in paintings.
00:25:53 Nicky
I think so.
00:25:53 Ben
Yeah, yeah, they're really impressive and they like they depict 12 different biblical scenes.
00:25:59 Ben
It was I think we have an attempt to try to guess which biblical scenes they were.
00:26:02 Ben
They were re enacting starting and Adam need the easy one when it gets to Jesus.
00:26:06 Ben
So my guess is users where we let the less knowledgeable yeah.
00:26:09 Nicky
Yeah.
00:26:09 Nicky
00:26:10 Ben
I think this whole time Amie was just kind of getting lost in the.
00:26:13 Ben
Cathedral, which as well as getting.
00:26:14 Ben
Blessed by the Bishop, there was there was lots of scene.
00:26:16 Amie L
Yeah.
00:26:19 Nicky
How do you go about getting blessed by the bishops?
00:26:21 Amie L
Polifly didn't actually like do anything necessarily, but he cannot fly.
00:26:26 Nicky
Ah.
00:26:26 Ben
Today he could tell there were full Jews in his presence for non believers who needed a good blessing.
00:26:33 Nicky
Out of all the Jewish people in the world, I feel like you must be up there in terms of how many Christian places you've been to.
00:26:41 Speaker 4
Right?
00:26:41 Ben
Yeah yeah yeah, thank you.
00:26:42 Ben
Thank you.
00:26:43 Nicky
What's your what's your church to synagogue ratio?
00:26:43 Nicky
I'm not sure.
00:26:43 Nicky
00:26:47 Ben
Oh, I think I've been to way more churches.
00:26:50 Ben
I've got a lot more.
00:26:52 Amie L
I like thinking about it.
00:26:53 Amie L
I think also the same with me in terms of like in terms of travel.
00:26:55 Ben
Oh
00:26:58 Amie L
Although I do love a good like Sephardi like Middle East and synagogue or get me wrong but I do love going to churches and hanging out.
00:27:04 Speaker 4
2nd.
00:27:11 Nicky
So Amie, we ask every guest to rate the landmark they visited and there's three categories and the first category is the historical significance.
00:27:22 Amie L
Considering the female participation.
00:27:25 Amie L
And leadership, so look I would give it like a strong nine.
00:27:29 Ben
Wow wow hot higher than I was expecting.
00:27:33 Nicky
Yeah, I think when you when you throw William the Conqueror in there, that's quite big riffee.
00:27:37 Ben
I think if you if you beat him, William the Conqueror, fine, but ultimately didn't so.
00:27:43 Ben
But you know what it means you're generating?
00:27:45 Amie L
Wow, the amount of shading when it comes out of bends now.
00:27:49 Nicky
I know it's very very just.
00:27:50 Amie L
All right Bud all right.
00:27:52 Nicky
Very very subtle.
00:27:53 Nicky
Are you then?
00:27:54 Ben
I can't when it comes to landmark.
00:27:56 Nicky
I've got this horrible feeling.
00:27:57 Nicky
Ben is going to in our final bonus of the series is going to come back to this, but you know.
00:28:04 Nicky
Luckily it's not his rating, it's yours.
00:28:06 Nicky
So anyway, yes, second rating is its fun factor.
00:28:11 Amie L
I mean, I'd probably give it like a 5.5 to 6 nice, yeah?
00:28:18 Amie L
As in there were things to see.
00:28:21 Amie L
I did enjoy the food, but in reality.
00:28:25 Amie L
If it was like.
00:28:26 Amie L
It was very much like 1/2 day.
00:28:29 Nicky
Yeah.
00:28:29 Nicky
00:28:29 Nicky
Yeah, you know, it sounds like the markets.
00:28:31 Nicky
Are fun, the cathedral is quite nice, but uhm.
00:28:34 Amie L
Yeah, like the townie bit is not yeah exactly.
00:28:36 Ben
There was Boris Johnson.
00:28:37 Ben
You don't get Morris dancing at every landmark.
00:28:40 Amie L
Nice.
00:28:41 Nicky
Maybe that would push up to six and then the final category we have is it's in store worthiness, which is something a word that we obviously made up basically saying is it picturesque?
00:28:54 Nicky
Is it something you would take a nice photos at?
00:28:57 Amie L
Inciweb is definitely a word I probably like between A6 and A7.
00:29:03 Amie L
You know when it wasn't raining towards 7?
00:29:08 Amie L
When it was raining more like a sick.
00:29:08 Nicky
But it was, yeah.
00:29:08 Nicky
But it yeah.
00:29:12 Ben
I would I would agree with that.
00:29:14 Nicky
Then have you been hearing the math?
00:29:14 Amie L
Then the Max, yeah well.
00:29:14 Amie L
Then Max yeah well.
00:29:16 Ben
There's lots of them, kind of half points and rounding up there, but I reckon I reckon on by the averages you've given that 21 and a half at 30 it's I think any big cathedral.
00:29:27 Ben
Look would look like this.
00:29:28 Ben
It's definitely worth a visit, it's a.
00:29:30 Ben
Nice day trip from London.
00:29:31 Ben
I'd recommend it.
00:29:32 Ben
Would you recommend to visit me?
00:29:35 Amie L
Yeah, I'd recommend it.
00:29:36 Amie L
For like half a day, yeah.
00:29:39 Nicky
OK, let's move on to our final section, which is the bit that Ben doesn't know about.
00:29:42 Speaker 4
Ooh.
00:29:45 Nicky
I think secretly he really loves this section because it's a surprise.
00:29:49 Ben
It's it's good fun.
00:29:50 Nicky
Yeah, and as you know, we did originally discuss Broadcasting House, but as it's already in the book, we've gone for something else.
00:29:58 Nicky
So Amie, what have you chosen as your alternative landmark today?
00:30:02 Speaker 4
Thus.
00:30:03 Amie L
All right, I thought of Gordon's wine Bar in London because it is London's oldest wine bar.
00:30:11 Ben
Oh cool, I'm missing you.
00:30:15 Ben
You are a frequent customer Amie.
00:30:17 Amie L
Oh yeah, Oh yeah.
00:30:18 Amie L
Even though I don't drink alcohol.
00:30:20 Amie L
I'm just there for the cheese.
00:30:22 Nicky
Oh the cheese.
00:30:23 Nicky
Yes of course.
00:30:24 Amie L
He he.
00:30:25 Nicky
Then have you been?
00:30:28 Ben
I've never even heard of it. Where is Gordon's grinder?
00:30:30 Nicky
2nd.
00:30:32 Amie L
You've never been on a date Gordons wine bar.
00:30:34 Nicky
Oh my God I used.
00:30:36 Speaker 4
Hello.
00:30:36 Nicky
It in a day in Blindfire.
00:30:40 Ben
No where is it?
00:30:41 Amie L
It's riots establishment.
00:30:43 Amie L
It's across from you, know heaven, the club.
00:30:46 Ben
Wow.
00:30:47 Speaker 4
Wow, wow.
00:30:49 Nicky
Hello she how long did you live in London?
00:30:54 Ben
You know, uh, well.
00:30:56 Ben
Heaven wasn't my scene.
00:30:57 Ben
Clearly I was.
00:30:59 Nicky
Adjusting is your thing.
00:30:59 Ben
I was more.
00:31:02 Amie L
And I mean, it's a really fun guy club.
00:31:02 Speaker 4
Thank goodness traveling.
00:31:04 Amie L
But
00:31:05 Amie L
Yeah, it's like establishment charring cross.
00:31:08 Nicky
Yeah it's right by the tube station.
00:31:09 Ben
Gotcha gotcha, gotcha.
00:31:10 Nicky
So good.
00:31:12 Ben
That feels like historical London nice.
00:31:15 Nicky
Shall I give you a bit of a background on Gordon's wine car?
00:31:18 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:31:19 Ben
How old is?
00:31:20 Ben
How old is this place?
00:31:21 Nicky
So technically, the bar itself was started in 1890, so it's not super super old, the bar itself, but bearing in mind it's the first wine bar, but the actual building itself has been around for a very.
00:31:34 Nicky
But I'm very brief. History is that Angus Gordon, hence Gordon's wine bar set off, and he was a free vintner, which I'll come back to. Which is basically I could kill one of the oldest Guilds of London, dealing trading and wine. They set this set up this bar, and it was.
00:31:41 Ben
Sound Scottish.
00:31:54 Nicky
Basically passed down through generations of gordans and then.
00:31:58 Nicky
When they stopped being the owners of the bar, someone called Lewis Gordon purchased it completely randomly, had the sense he he felt no not related, he thought, oh that's funny that that's my name. I'm going to buy that so it then went through another cycle of Gordon's as well. There's quite a lot of history here, but one of my favorite things.
00:32:06 Ben
So not related.
00:32:09 Speaker 4
Right?
00:32:18 Nicky
Uh, historically about it is that.
00:32:21 Nicky
When you go to Gordons wine bar one of those sort of famous things about it is it's basement of the of the building.
00:32:28 Nicky
Is that right Amie?
00:32:29 Nicky
If I remember rightly it's like you go down the steps and there's like an alley that you can sort of drinking and.
00:32:35 Amie L
Yeah, it's underground.
00:32:36 Amie L
It's super cool.
00:32:37 Nicky
Yeah, and the front of it is where you can talk, sit and have drinks outside as well. 'cause it's not very big inside and it's approximately 100 and 150 meters away from the River. But back in the day it was actually on the riverbank. There's like a big stone gate there, which is called the Watergate.
00:32:57 Nicky
Which is in the park.
00:32:59 Nicky
And that would have been the way to get onto your boat so you could get onto the boat and sort of sail away. But when they built the embankment, hence it's around the corner from Embankment tube station. It then took away this kind of marshy, watery bogginess and the push the buildings 150 meters away.
00:33:02 Ben
Nice.
00:33:05 Ben
Wow.
00:33:15 Ben
No.
00:33:19 Nicky
In the River, Sir.
00:33:20 Gav Penn (Music)
Ah, how how good?
00:33:21 Ben
Would a date be you, could you know?
00:33:23 Ben
Get on a little boat with your wine and just see all the way off the.
00:33:26 Amie L
Bar, no idea.
00:33:26 Amie L
Bar.
00:33:27 Amie L
I had no idea.
00:33:28 Nicky
Navid and I until I started researching it.
00:33:31 Nicky
But now if you go on Google Maps and you look at it, you're like oh that's the gate and it's still there.
00:33:35 Nicky
You can see it.
00:33:36 Nicky
It's like right next to the bar at the bar.
00:33:39 Ben
Wow, Amie, I want to know why why you chose this site?
00:33:42 Amie L
I think because I've had so many good times.
00:33:45 Amie L
At Gordon Weiner.
00:33:47 Amie L
Essentially, and whenever I have Australians.
00:33:49 Amie L
Come visit, I always take them there.
00:33:52 Speaker 6
'cause when you walked in right, it's just filled with newspaper clippings.
00:33:52 Ben
Yeah, nice.
00:33:56 Speaker 6
Also, something to do with World War Two.
00:33:59 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:33:59 Speaker 6
It's got some really cool stuff.
00:34:01 Nicky
Yeah, there's like memorabilia all over the place I think isn't there?
00:34:03 Amie L
Yeah, yeah yeah, this is memorabilia everywhere.
00:34:07 Amie L
And yeah, I've just had some really good memories like lots of farewells, states bringing people over.
00:34:14 Amie L
A man you could just like become absolutely ill with how much cheese you consume.
00:34:20 Amie L
Like you could like cheese like I have like.
00:34:20 Speaker 4
Thanks.
00:34:23 Amie L
Fresh bread and then salads and smoked salmon.
00:34:26 Amie L
And like all this kind of stuff.
00:34:27 Ben
As as a me as someone who doesn't drink Amie when when you're in a wine bar you need to, you have to be creative with what you order.
00:34:34 Amie L
Oh yeah, that's why I like lots of people like.
00:34:36 Amie L
Have a good luck.
00:34:37 Amie L
I mean I could complete burning Golden swine, but I'm like, I know.
00:34:40 Amie L
But the cheese is lazy.
00:34:42 Nicky
Yeah.
00:34:44 Nicky
I'm looking at the menu actually at the moment it looks pretty good.
00:34:44 Speaker 4
What?
00:34:47 Amie L
It's so incredible, honestly.
00:34:48 Nicky
I've only ever had wine.
00:34:50 Amie L
And you can like if you 2 full, you've ordered too much cheese.
00:34:54 Amie L
They like pack it up for you and you can.
00:34:55 Amie L
Take it away. Oh wow.
00:34:56 Gav Penn (Music)
Oh gosh.
00:34:56 Gav Penn (Music)
Gosh.
00:34:59 Speaker 6
Hey.
00:34:59 Ben
Hey, how much how much we talking about?
00:35:01 Ben
You know how much?
00:35:02 Ben
How much is a glass of wine at Gordons wine bar?
00:35:04 Ben
It's I mean I guess it's on the expensive end of the scale.
00:35:07 Amie L
I have no idea.
00:35:09 Amie L
I'm the one that sits at the table and make sure no.
00:35:11 Amie L
One steals our spots.
00:35:12 Amie L
That's my job orders.
00:35:14 Ben
That is useful.
00:35:15 Nicky
That is needed as well, because if you go there, it's like the space is a premium and if you've got a table you're like a King basically.
00:35:22 Amie L
Oh yeah, Oh yeah, it's so difficult.
00:35:26 Amie L
And you should never go to the big group, but you can book.
00:35:30 Amie L
And that helps yet that you can book, and there's a couple of spaces that are like cornered off or bigger bookings which I've seen people do and I think that's something I'm going to do once we keep.
00:35:31 Speaker 4
I will text you.
00:35:31 Speaker 4
I will text.
00:35:43 Ben
Amie Amie, there's the secrets.
00:35:43 Ben
It at it.
00:35:43 Ben
00:35:44 Speaker 6
Oh yeah, oh.
00:35:46 Amie L
Yeah, and then after Gordon's you either go to bar salsa.
00:35:50 Amie L
Or you go to Madison's. It depends on your vibe.
00:35:54 Ben
I've been, I've been medicines.
00:35:56 Ben
The ones that.
00:35:56 Ben
Overlook Saint Paul's right, yeah?
00:35:57 Amie L
Yeah.
00:35:57 Amie L
00:35:58 Nicky
We talked about that in our last full class episode.
00:36:01 Ben
Keeps coming up.
00:36:02 Ben
Hey Amie, what I like about your historical knowledge is you know about the first pub in Sydney and you know about the first wine bar in London I mean, this is clearly what interests.
00:36:13 Ben
You, it's terribly.
00:36:13 Amie L
Oh yeah, 100%, considering I've never consumed alcohol, yes.
00:36:18 Nicky
Mine is quite funny man.
00:36:20 Nicky
It's just that atmosphere.
00:36:21 Amie L
It is I love going out. I love having a good time. I'm the last one on the dance floor while everyone's locked up.
00:36:27 Amie L
Fast, you know.
00:36:30 Speaker 6
Suits me.
00:36:31 Ben
I also love.
00:36:32 Ben
Nicky Nicky and I both enjoy historic landmark, where you can eat and drink because because of the history of the place scene.
00:36:36 Nicky
Hey hey.
00:36:38 Nicky
That was in my favorites.
00:36:39 Nicky
Yeah, yes, agreed.
00:36:42 Nicky
So I've got the history open here and the history that they have on their website, which is really quite detailed for so you know just.
00:36:50 Nicky
Uh, a wine bar
00:36:50 Ben
Trimba
00:36:52 Nicky
But according to this Samuel Pepys used to live in the building above.
00:36:57 Gav Penn (Music)
Woah woah woah woah.
00:36:59 Nicky
I don't know how.
00:36:59 Nicky
00:36:59 Nicky
I don't know how true that is and I I couldn't find any other reference to it, but he did live in lots of places and so he probably you know the bar wasn't there at the time, but you know we've had a had a glass himself.
00:37:10 Nicky
Wrote it about, wrote about it in his diary.
00:37:13 Ben
You know London, London must have, you know at 10,000 pubs, even by this one or something. So being the first wine bar, you must have stood out quite considerably, you know? Because.
00:37:23 Ben
There are a lot of.
00:37:25 Ben
Pubs, probably 10 within 100 meters.
00:37:26 Speaker 6
Yeah.
00:37:28 Nicky
So the the bar is in an area that was well known for being like the.
00:37:33 Nicky
It's called the Vintry Ward.
00:37:36 Nicky
Which I guess the name comes from Vin like the the Latin and it was set up by this guy or whatever his name was someone Gordon who was part of the worship full company of vintners.
00:37:36 Ben
OK.
00:37:40 Ben
Abline
00:37:50 Ben
Good company to be a positive.
00:37:51 Nicky
Which dates back to the 12th century and is one of the great 12 livery companies.
00:37:59 Nicky
And in London, so it's wine. It was a big deal back in like the 12th century and they it was essentially their Guild and they had a Royal charter from like the 1300s where they had a monopoly over wine imports from us from certain regions so.
00:37:59 Speaker 4
The question.
00:38:05 Speaker 4
Wow.
00:38:14 Ben
I can't believe it took them so long to set up the first wine bar.
00:38:18 Nicky
I think I think the reason is because you didn't.
00:38:21 Nicky
If you were in this livery company.
00:38:24 Nicky
You didn't have to have a license to just sell wine wherever you were up until 2006. They retained the right to sell wine without a license. In certain areas, such as the City of London and all the the route along the Great North Road, which runs all the way from like London up to the North of England.
00:38:28 Speaker 4
Be nice.
00:38:42 Nicky
So thank you.
00:38:42 Nicky
Recently stopped.
00:38:42 Nicky
Stopped
00:38:43 Speaker 4
Stopped
00:38:43 Speaker 4
00:38:44 Ben
Me if you remember more history about Gordon Wine bar then you do Ely Cathedral.
00:38:50 Ben
I'm going to be based off.
00:38:53 Ben
Second, I mean. I mean, I'm gonna wait 2 1/2 years and then ask you about about why not.
00:38:55 Amie L
I mean.
00:39:01 Amie L
Alright done, done.
00:39:03 Nicky
The most recent facts they have about their history was from 2020.
00:39:09 Nicky
Very very cool and it they cut titled it Calamity Strikes Again.
00:39:09 Speaker 4
OK.
00:39:13 Speaker 4
Oh dear.
00:39:13 Nicky
The border risks losing its license and the outside terrace and a new agreement is struck with Westminster Council to allow seated customers outside.
00:39:22 Nicky
'cause when I went there I don't know when you at last went Amie but when I went there.
00:39:26 Nicky
And last, and you could sort of stand outside and sort of mill about.
00:39:30 Nicky
In the end the outside bit, but apparently you can't anymore and you have to be seated, but you can get table service, so that's a real new piece of their history.
00:39:31 Amie L
Yeah, yeah.
00:39:40 Amie L
Yeah, last time I went you still hold where you sit but you don't go up to the bar and water and then come back it's table service.
00:39:50 Amie L
So someone comes to you and they bring the food to you and that was to stop people from like just creating absolute chaos.
00:39:58 Amie L
I really enjoy it.
00:40:00 Amie L
To have table service, I like the change.
00:40:03 Nicky
Yeah, I think that would be good.
00:40:05 Amie L
Yeah, but I do think you should be able to stand outside so I'm never that.
00:40:09 Amie L
Yeah.
00:40:09 Amie L
00:40:10 Amie L
But after you know when all the things open and spend I could take you.
00:40:15 Ben
OK yeah, I was thinking why hasn't?
00:40:19 Ben
Amie goes there with her friends all the time and she's never invited me.
00:40:22 Ben
How rude.
00:40:23 Amie L
I mean, you did **** *** to white.
00:40:26 Ben
Yeah, that is true.
00:40:28 Speaker 4
While
00:40:29 Nicky
You did our whole summer.
00:40:30 Ben
Yeah, I mean, I'm sure Cardiff has some old wine bars, maybe not old.
00:40:34 Speaker 6
Actually, to be fair.
00:40:36 Amie L
Ben, you did visit me on my birthday.
00:40:38 Amie L
We went to the beach.
00:40:40 Amie L
Hang on, Oh yeah, right right, right.
00:40:45 Ben
Wait, that wasn't.
00:40:49 Ben
So yeah, I came. I came and met you, that's right. Was your birthday in Devon? Amie, there's there's. There's one question there which you're adding Gordon's wine bar to a list. It'll turn it historical landmarks, which is great.
00:41:00 Ben
But if we went there to take a picture of Benjamin Britten style picture, what would we be doing?
00:41:05 Ben
And I think I know what the answer should be.
00:41:07 Amie L
Oh, we definitely.
00:41:09 Amie L
Well.
00:41:09 Amie L
You'd definitely be drinking, and I'd definitely be eating.
00:41:14 Nicky
I don't think you could.
00:41:14 Speaker 4
Love it.
00:41:15 Nicky
Go wrong with that to be honest, that's what it's for.
00:41:17 Ben
Let's let's make that happen when.
00:41:19 Amie L
Yes.
00:41:21 Ben
Ban restrictions allow us.
00:41:23 Amie L
Be great.
00:41:23 Nicky
That's definitely one you can do for sure.
00:41:26 Nicky
Yeah.
00:41:26 Ben
Amie, thanks so much for joining us this evening chatting about history.
00:41:31 Ben
Ili wine bars.
00:41:32 Amie L
Thanks for having me.
00:41:33 Ben
Come on me.
00:41:34 Ben
You only need two landmarks.
00:41:35 Ben
Where in the UK which you've never been before, do you want to go potentially for your next landmark?
00:41:40 Amie L
So I've been to say, Scotland.
00:41:43 Amie L
And I've done South England, but I haven't really done anything North England.
00:41:44 Speaker 4
Lasted.
00:41:48 Ben
Now are not let's let's make that happen.
00:41:51 Amie L
Yeah, like I would like to at some point hang out in Manchester and just have a really sloppy night.
00:41:57 Amie L
So if there's any landmarks around there
00:42:00 Amie L
That would be great.
00:42:01 Ben
Yeah, yeah yeah we can make that happen.
00:42:03 Amie L
Excellent.
00:42:04 Ben
Thanks Sam, thanks so much for joining us Amie.
00:42:07 Ben
Thanks Amie
00:42:09 Speaker 4
2nd.
00:42:18 Speaker 4
2nd.