{"id":404,"date":"2017-12-20T16:41:04","date_gmt":"2017-12-20T21:41:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=404"},"modified":"2018-02-19T16:41:45","modified_gmt":"2018-02-19T21:41:45","slug":"yes-nolan-old-england-does-eist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=404","title":{"rendered":"“YES , NOLAN, OLD ENGLAND DOES EXIST.”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

“YES, VIRGINIA, OLD \u00a0ENGLAND \u00a0DOES EXIST\u201d<\/p>\n

Title change to<\/div>\n
\u201cYES, \u00a0NOLAN, OLD ENGLAND DOES EXIST.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
Dec. 2017<\/div>\n
Jan. 2018<\/div>\n
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This is Nolan Skeoch who has just turned \u00a0fifteen. \u00a0Without her love \u00a0affair with horses \u00a0OLD \u00a0ENGLAND \u00a0would never have \u00a0been found. \u00a0She \u00a0was the \u00a0trigger for the search. \u00a0Not because she \u00a0was interested in the roads, pubs or folkways. But because \u00a0she owned \u00a0the \u00a0horses and \u00a0the foals for which we were searching. \u00a0This story is a birthday \u00a0gift to you Nolan. \u00a0Of course Your mom\u00a0is deeply involved in your life. \u00a0Not to be forgotten for she \u00a0found this little bit of Old England.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
SIX CANADIANS IN SEARCH OF OLD \u00a0ENGLAND<\/div>\n
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alan skeoch<\/div>\n
Dec. \u00a02017<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
SIX CANADIANS in search for Old England. left to right: \u00a0Marjorie Skeoch, Kevin Skeoch, Nolan Skeoch, Morgan Skeoch, Gabriela Skeoch and below them \u00a0Alan Skeoch ending a pint of \u00a0Old \u00a0England\u2019s best bitter.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Once upon a \u00a0time two \u00a0months \u00a0ago as 2017 wound down and \u00a02018 was about to be born six of us, Canadians, decided to see if Old England still existed. \u00a0 We had \u00a0criteria. \u00a0We had \u00a0doubts that Old England existed anymore.<\/div>\n
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1) Old \u00a0England had to be found within a two hour drive of London.<\/div>\n
2) Old \u00a0England would have ancient roadways \u2026 narrow and \u00a0deeply incised with towering oaks obscuring the sun.<\/div>\n
3) Old England had to have tiny villages with wood bedecked bars and easy access to ancient ales.<\/div>\n
4) Old \u00a0England had \u00a0to have slate or tile roofed barns with pigeon \u00a0roosts \u00a0and at least one large guard dog.<\/div>\n
5) Old England \u00a0had to have lots of horses of all ages<\/div>\n
6) Old England \u00a0had to have rain otherwise the deep green of the countryside could not thrive.<\/div>\n
7) \u00a0Old \u00a0England had to have wild creatures co existing with domesticated creatures.<\/div>\n
8) Old \u00a0England \u00a0had to have a sense of mystery, even tension.<\/div>\n
9) Old England must serve roast beef with Yorkshire Pudding and trimmings<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
So we drove westward from Muswell Hill and \u00a0Crouch End towards the hills of Surrey. \u00a0We passed \u00a0beneath the thundering jetways of Heath Row international airport which raised doubts that Old England could be found. \u00a0Not to worry.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The deeper we got into Surrey the narrower were the roads and the more mysterious the land appeared as large oak trees spread their branches. \u00a0These were the same oaks that were harvested as timbers for the British Navy and the clipper ships that took our kin to Canada long years ago.<\/div>\n
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The road became a time tunnel. \u00a0These were medieval roads unchanged save by a skiffle of asphalt.<\/div>\n
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This trip was becoming mysterious…magical. \u00a0 Our very own \u00a0time machine. These \u00a0same \u00a0roads had been travelled \u00a0by Romans long long ago and centuries later medieval carts \u00a0had rumbled along in those long ages when most people lived on tiny farms and never ever saw big cities.<\/div>\n
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Then we cut through a leafy laneway where an ancient farm was protected by this Rhodesian \u00a0Ridgeback, a dog whose breed \u00a0reputation was unsavoury \u00a0But<\/div>\n
this guy was lonely\u2026glad to see us.<\/div>\n
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Looks like a pigeon apartment building. \u00a0Likely is. \u00a0There was a time when the gentry enjoyed a plate of baby pigeons when fine \u00a0dining. \u00a0Probably why<\/div>\n
they drank so much and got that foot disorder called gout. \u00a0 Subnamed \u201crevenge of the pigeons\u201d<\/div>\n
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Now \u00a0this \u00a0is \u00a0really Old England. \u00a0Look at the \u00a0roof of the barn dead centre\u2026heavy red tiles sloping almost down to the ground. \u00a0Those white doorways were once homes \u00a0of \u00a0small domestic animals\u2026pigs perhaps. \u00a0The harvest barn designed for a \u00a0team of horses with a wood \u00a0wagon \u00a0piled high with air dried hay or hand tied sheaves \u00a0of grain ready for hand \u00a0threshing. \u00a0Old England. \u00a0Is that Thomas \u00a0Hardy peering through the title window on the left?<\/div>\n
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The intense \u00a0oak doors to the threshing floor are studded with heavy hand \u00a0made bolts (nalls>) . \u00a0Must be a reason. Escapes me though. \u00a0Maybe the doors<\/div>\n
were stolen from a moated castle long gone.<\/div>\n
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A couple of thousand red tiles \u00a0artfully arranged on the roof. \u00a0Only oak \u00a0framing could hold this roof in place.<\/div>\n
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Eureka! \u00a0The horses! \u00a0 Gabriela pulled aside a plank door incised \u00a0in a huge pilaff square hay bales. \u00a0And there they were. \u00a0the foals\u2026Five of \u00a0them. Tucked away a modern corrugated iron exercise barn. \u00a0Tow belonged to Nolan and Gabriela.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cWhy two? Was one foal not enough? Why buy a second one?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI was afraid he would be lonely.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u2018but there are five here\u2026all this years foals.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI did not know that at the time.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u2018Are they expensive?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThat tanned coloured one certainly is \u2026 worth 30,000 pounds\u2026$50,000 dollars.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cYou paid that for a foal?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNo mine were very cheap\u2026not everyone wants a foal.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat happens to unwanted foals.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not go there, Alan.\u201d<\/div>\n
(end of \u00a0conversation)<\/div>\n
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\u201cIs this the $50,000 foal\u2026colt is better name \u00a0now\u2026getting bigger.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cYes, beautiful. \u00a0Rare colour\u2026reason for price.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cIs he going to bite Marjorie?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know difference between nuzzling and \u00a0biting, Alan. These colts<\/div>\n
are all nuzzlers. \u00a0They like people. \u00a0They think they are people.\u2019<\/div>\n
\u201cBelieving that is akin to believing in UFO\u2019s, Gabriela. \u00a0He is eating Marjorie\u2019s scarf\u2026smells silk worms maybe. \u00a0Keep him the hell away from me.””<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis is \u00a0our colt. \u00a0Knows us and loves us. \u00a0From the moment he dripped from his mother we have been with him.<\/div>\n
Horses \u00a0are smart and \u00a0have wonderful memories. \u00a0Raise a horse with love and gentleness and he will respond \u00a0in kind.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhen can Nolan ride him?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThat is a slow process\u2026perhaps \u00a0a year or more.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThen what can you do now?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHug him.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHug?\u201d\u201d<\/div>\n
Here give him a hug.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHorses do not like me. Sorry, not a hugger.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHe knows that\u2026see how he looks at you.\u201d<\/div>\n
(end of conversation)<\/div>\n
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\u201cAlan, this is George\u2026a Spanish show horse\u2026fully trained\u2026has more dance steps in his head than Fred \u00a0Astaire had in his feet.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhy are you spraying him with cold water?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cCool him down.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhy would \u00a0he need cooling? \u00a0Is he hot tempered?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cYou can be a pain, Alan.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHow can I get out of this barn? \u00a0He may bite \u00a0or kick me. \u00a0Marjorie\u2019s horse tried to kick me one. \u00a0Jealous, \u00a0I think.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhy would \u00a0a horse be jealous of you?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHe had been gelded. \u00a0I had not.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cStupid comment.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cIs George a gelding or a stallion?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u2018Go take your pictures\u2026we are busy.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cBut how can I get by?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSit on a \u00a0bail of bedding and pout\u2026but stop your infernal chatter.\u201d<\/div>\n
(end of conversation)<\/div>\n
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This is me on George in the exercise ring. \u00a0He was trying to throw me off but I had a grip of steel. My knees pressed tight to his ribs. He got quite agitated.<\/div>\n
See that white rail fence? \u00a0Well, he got up to speed and \u00a0took a gallop right at the fence\u2026then flew in the air clearing all \u00a0three rails \u00a0and \u00a0landing on spongy creek bed just below. \u00a0Being an \u00a0expert rider I leaned forward when we cleared the \u00a0rails. \u00a0Then we splashed our way up a creek doing threes and \u00a0jumping boulders.\u00a0 George knew I was boss by then. \u00a0Fearlessly we climbed through the pastures \u00a0going at a clip so fast that it seemed we were doing the steeplechase at Epson Downs\u2026with the Queen watching and \u00a0Philip cussing. \u201cWho is that ass on George? Rides like a western cowboy\u2026giving George the Go Go \u00a0Go with his \u00a0knees in the ribs. \u00a0The bastard \u00a0might win for God\u2019s sake and my money is on another,\u00a0 damn it.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Imagination is a wonderful thing.<\/div>\n
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Really this is Kevin exercising George in the show ring. \u00a0I was safe cowering behind the fence.<\/div>\n
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All the horses on this \u00a0farm were cared for by a man and a \u00a0woman who rented the barns. They are not wealthy landlords more members of the horsy set at Epsom Downs. \u00a0They live in a small cottage beside the stables. \u00a0Really one big room. \u00a0A really comfortable room rich in colour and redolent with the aroma of horses. \u00a0Comfortable.\u00a0 Nice people. \u00a0\u2019Twas always thus \u00a0in Old England as well.<\/div>\n
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Then our visit came to an end. \u00a0Slight rain fell as \u00a0George went back to his \u00a0big room with new straw bedding spread and old straw had been \u00a0trundled to the manure pile. \u00a0Raising horses is not all riding and \u00a0jumping. \u00a0Most of the time<\/div>\n
Nolan spends with her horses is spent cleaning out the stalls so the \u00a0horses live in comfort. \u00a0Remember that if you buy a horse. \u00a0You need to like the smell of horse \u00a0manure.<\/div>\n
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So, this \u00a0part of \u00a0our search for Old England ended and we \u00a0\u2018saddled up\u2019 the Volvo, tightened the reins. hollered \u201cGo\u201d and we ambled our way out the farm laneway to the tunnel of time below.<\/div>\n
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Much of Old England \u00a0still exists\u2026if you have the time to ramble around. \u00a0It helps to own \u00a0a few horses.\u00a0 But Old England pub dinners\u2026a must. \u00a0So we galloped the Volvo to a nearby village with narrow \u00a0laneways and whitewashed walls. \u00a0And \u00a0shop\u2019s with quaint names like \u2018Mad Jak’\u2026see below.<\/div>\n
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What about the beef? \u00a0Coming below.<\/div>\n
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Plates piled high with slabs of well done beef slithering in fat accompanied by huge Yorkshire puddings and as many pints of ale that the police would \u00a0allow (one pint)\u00a0 \u00a0Old England lives!<\/div>\n
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Post Script: \u00a0Kevin giving George his exercise. \u00a0Seen it before. \u00a0But look beyond. Look at the tangle of trees\u2026places where the wild \u00a0animals of England can coexist with humanity and \u00a0domestic \u00a0creatures. \u00a0That is where a family of badgers lives right now in \u00a02018.<\/div>\n
For how long?<\/div>\n
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THAT FOREST IS ALIVE? \u00a0MAYBE NOT!<\/div>\n
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\u201cAny sign \u00a0of wild \u00a0animals around \u00a0here?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhole bunch of badgers.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\"Image<\/div>\n
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\u201cBadgers? How \u00a0do you know?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSee them sometimes \u2026 like when we came back suddenly one day \u2026 whole family of them right here at the stable \u2026 seemed to be \u00a0playing.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThey took off fast for the hill \u2026 \u00a0wooded \u2026 lots of badger holes up \u00a0there.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI thought they were nocturnal.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThey are\u2026it was \u00a0dusk when we saw them last.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHow many?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cmaybe six or seven\u2026more.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI read in the Guarsdian that they are dangerous.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNot to us. \u00a0Used \u00a0tp be dangerous\u2026blamed for spreading \u00a0bovine Tuberculosis\u2026whole milk right from the cow\u2019s udder was linked to TB in humans\u2026 milk was pasteurized by force in 1950 …Badgers linked to the spread of \u00a0bovine TB\u2026killing cows is \u00a0not popular\u2026better to kill badgers.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cAll the badgers?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cBig cull underway\u202620,000 to \u00a0be killed\u2026kiliing on right now right now\u2026\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNo kidding?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNope a few years ago \u00a0the plan was 5,000\u2026farmers \u00a0wanted more, conservationists wanted less. \u00a0Looks like<\/div>\n
the farmers won.”<\/div>\n
\u201cHoly \u00a0Smoke..how many badgers are there?<\/div>\n
\u201cWho \u00a0knows for \u00a0sure\u2026estimate is 40,000\u2026half of \u00a0them \u00a0to be killed\u2026gas and snipers.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cYour badgers?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNo the cull has not reached \u00a0us\u2026ours \u00a0are safe for now.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNo cows around here just lots of horses\u2026and badgers.”<\/div>\n
(end \u00a0of conversation\u2026beginning of deep thought)<\/div>\n
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\"Image<\/div>\n
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\u201cSad isn\u2019t it? \u00a0No one is even sure \u00a0bovine TB is spread \u00a0by badgers.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThey are secretive creatures\u2026mind there \u00a0own business.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cBut they do \u00a0carry the T.B.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cYou know, our world is \u00a0getting more \u00a0and more frightening.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cDo \u00a0you still believe Old England \u00a0can be found, Alan.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cOnly a tiny fragment\u2026like this horse farm.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNo room for the natural world \u00a0anymore.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNatural \u00a0world\u2026what do you mean \u00a0by that?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThe world of Old \u00a0England where there remained untended forest and moors and \u00a0miles and miles \u00a0of stone<\/div>\n
fences shielding \u00a0all kinds of \u00a0life not just badgers\u2026and thousands of \u00a0hedgehogs.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cRoom \u00a0for all kinds of creatures in Old England. \u00a0Not so many people back \u00a0then.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u2018Victims \u00a0of our \u00a0own \u00a0success are we not?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat do \u00a0you mean?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cIF \u00a0ALL THE LIVING CREATURES ON THIS \u00a0PLANET WERE PUT ON A PERCENTAGE \u00a0GRAPH, DO YOU KNOW WHAT PER CENT OF WILD ANIMALS REMAIN?\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cNo Idea, but lots I assume.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cWrong\u2026dead wrong.”<\/div>\n
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\u201cTHREE PER CENT\u2026AND GETTNG SMALLER\u2026a tiny diminishing fraction\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cWHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 97%?\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201c30% IS \u00a0HUMAN BIOMASS AND \u00a067% IS \u00a0DOMESTIC \u00a0ANIMAL \u00a0BIOMASS.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhere did you get that?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cread it the other day in Scientific American… magazine for \u00a0scientists and \u00a0people like \u00a0us.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cSo \u00a0what should \u00a0be done about the badgers?\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cVaccination\u2026some are being \u00a0vaccinated\u2026but thousands are being \u00a0culled\u2026nasty word \u201cCULL”<\/div>\n
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\u201cAre scientists sure \u00a0badgers \u00a0are at fault?\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cNobody is sure of anything.”<\/div>\n
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TEST QUESTION”: WHAT PERCENTAGE OF \u00a0LIVING THINGS ON EARTH ARE CLASSED AS WILD?<\/div>\n
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\"Image\"Image<\/div>\n
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\u201cI wonder \u00a0how Badgers were treated \u00a0in \u00a0Old England?\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cNot much \u00a0better than today. \u00a0People \u00a0would catch \u00a0badgers, put them in cages, then let them go in the middle of \u00a0a bunch \u00a0of dogs. \u00a0To see who would die first. \u00a0Betting money. \u00a0Outlawed in 19th century.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhat about those nice children\u2019s books about Billy the Badger?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cJust that\u2026children\u2019s stories such as \u00a0Wind in the Willows. \u00a0Children grow \u00a0up which \u00a0does not mean they necessarily get better.<\/div>\n
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Note: \u00a0The history of \u00a0badgers is fascinating\u2026I \u00a0have \u00a0barely touched the surface.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
Feb. \u00a02018<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“YES, VIRGINIA, OLD \u00a0ENGLAND \u00a0DOES EXIST\u201d Title change to \u201cYES, \u00a0NOLAN, OLD ENGLAND DOES EXIST.\u201d alan skeoch Dec. 2017 Jan. 2018<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=404"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":543,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404\/revisions\/543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}