Why? TOO MANY LINKS BUT…

I spent years researching George Villiers, F1RST Duke of Buckingham, for my book. And – obviously(!) – came across his gardeners.

John Tradescant was probably born in Suffolk. He began his career as head gardener to Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury at Hatfield House, who initiated Tradescant in travelling by sending him to the Low Countries for fruit trees in 1610/11. He was kept on by Robert’s son William, to produce gardens at the family’s London house, Salisbury House. He then designed gardens on the site of St Augustine’s Abbey for Edward Lord Wotton in 1615––23.

Later, Tradescant was gardener to the royal favourite George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, remodelling his gardens at New Hall, Essex and at Burley-on-the-Hill. John Tradescant travelled to the Nikolo-Korelsky Monastery in Arctic Russia in 1618 (his own account of the expedition survives in his collection), to the Levant and to Algiers during an expedition against the Barbary pirates in 1620, returned to the Low Countries on Buckingham’s behalf in 1624, and finally went to Paris and (as an engineer for the ill-fated siege of La Rochelle) the Île de Ré with Buckingham

Funny how life always returns to the before.

Joolz wrote this. Not Me. There is a Tradescant in the middle there. Something about pineapples and James Bond!!!

MILL BANK

Mill Bank thus named because there used to be a big mill at the Westminster Abbey 19th Century – Millbank penitentiary. Star Shaped based on ideas of Jeremy Bentham’s panopticon. Biggest prison in Britain designed so prisoners could be observed by a single watchman. It famously held prisoners for transportation to Australia. After it was knocked down it became Tate Britain built on the fortune made by Henry Tate from sugar cubes of Tate And Lyle. Henry Tate was a famous Philanthropist and donated his own paintings. Lambeth Bridge London’s Horseferry 1513 between Westminster and Lambeth Palace. Only place in central london to cross with your horse. Mary of Modena, James ii’s catholic wife escaped after the revolution dressed as washerwoman and waited under the tower for carriage to Gravesend. It closed when Westminster Bridge opened. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the triple decker night bus shrinks to get between 2 buses. Harry is on his way to Leaky Cauldron after a terrible holiday with the Dursleys In Fast and Furious 6 it’s used as Moscow!! Captain Bligh is buried in Church of St Mary Lambeth. The Pineapples or corns on top of monuments are for John Tradescant, Charles I’s gardener who grew first pineapple in England and is buried in church. Lambeth Palace House of the Archbishop of Canterbury since 12th century. The 15th Century brick gatehouse is the finest Tudor example in England. Ann Boleyn was interrogated here in 1536 and forced to confess to Bishop Cranmer. Elizabeth i’s bishop was Mathew Parker. Queen called him nosey because of his big nose and his taking interest in others business. He was dug up and thrown in a heap in the garden during the commonwealth but then reburied after the restoration. Gloves worn by Charles I are kept in here. St Mary at Lambeth They’ve renovated the garden John Tradescant brought the tulip, plane tree and Pineapple to the UK. Millbank No.4 Millbank Studios is where the BBC make their political programmes. Richard the lionheart was crowned in 1189. He was in charge of his own army by the age of 16 and led a couple of rebellions against father Henry ii and spent most of his time on crusade. He slaughtered prisoners on crusade Only spent 6 months of reign in England and is the 21st great grand uncle of Elizabeth ii Big metal doors on Millbank are – MI5 Intelligence agencies went up to 19 originally. Mi 1 – Codebreaking 2 Russia and Scandinavia Mi 3 Eastern Europe 10 weapons specialists. All got mixed into those two