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Places

Penny Hampson

An Abbey and a sad tale

October 7th, 2023

A brief break from my writing this weekend when I visited Dorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire. Dorchester-on-Thames is a small town situated on the confluence of the River Thames and the River Thame. The abbey is beautiful building with its origins in 12th century. Little did I know the sad tale that this visit would lead me […]

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A Scottish Adventure: Trains and Boats and Rains

July 3rd, 2023

Although I lived in Scotland for seven years I never made many trips to Edinburgh. That was rectified this year when my husband and I decided to have a Scottish adventure and get to know that city better. Our journey started with the overnight sleeper train from Euston. We travelled light with one small suitcase […]

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Action and Adventure in India: My Review of Sharpe’s Triumph

August 30th, 2022

A few days ago I went off-piste with my reading matter; instead of my usual Regency romances I decided to try a different genre set in roughly the same era. I’ve been meaning to read Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe Series for some time, having read and enjoyed Harlequin, an historical adventure set during the Hundred Years […]

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A Ruin with Royal Connections

May 11th, 2022

A couple of weeks ago I visited Bradgate Park. For those of you who don’t know, this is a wonderful 850 acre public park in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire. For hundreds of years it was held in private hands, but in 1928 it was purchased by businessman and philanthropist, Charles Bennion, who gave it to the […]

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Something to be Sniffed At? A Tiny Object of Desire

April 8th, 2022

On my recent trip to Bath I spotted something that set my pulse racing. No not George Clooney, but a delightfully tiny silver box. I recognised what it was immediately – a silver vinaigrette box. Now, if you read Regency novels you will probably know what these items were used for. In days gone by, […]

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A Curious Case

November 28th, 2021

It’s not long until my next paranormal mystery/romance, A Plethora of Phantoms, is released. Set in present day Bath, the story features a Regency period dressing case. The idea came to me when I spotted this beauty on the internet. As you can see, the case is cleverly designed to hold everything that a well-heeled […]

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Who Wants a Glass of Water?

October 9th, 2021

Today, I thought I’d take another look at Buchan’s Domestic Medicine. In my edition, there is a section that discusses mineral waters. Now, for anyone who is a fan of Regency novels there is often mention of ‘taking the waters’, and this was usually undertaken in Bath, a city still known today for its hot […]

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Foodie Heaven? Head to York

September 23rd, 2021

Last week I went up to York for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Afternoon Tea. It was an extra special occasion for me as I was one of the eleven finalists for the 2021 Joan Hessayon Award, for my book, The Unquiet Spirit. Deciding to make the most of things, the husband and I travelled up […]

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Finding the Right Spot

September 7th, 2021

A couple of weeks ago I made a trip to Falmouth in Cornwall; it was mainly for research purposes for my forthcoming book due out later this year, but I can’t deny that I also enjoyed my visit and it wasn’t all about work. It was sad to discover that, thanks to Covid restrictions, one […]

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