United Kingdom - The Twin Monastery of Wearmouth Jarrow

"Description

The twin Saxon monasteries at Wearmouth and Jarrow - 'one monastery in two places'- were the creation of one man, Benedict Biscop, who had travelled abroad (to Rome and elsewhere) in the 650s and had returned determined to build a monastery 'in the Roman manner'. The historian Bede was a member of the community from the age of seven, having been entrusted to Benedict Bishop c. 680. Wearmouth The church of St. Peter was founded in 674 on a site that had already been a lay burial ground. It is the earliest documented stone church in the north. It had a simple narrow chancel, possibly with narrow aisles; the western porch became the basis for the late Saxon tower, and the east end was used as a porticus where the abbots were buried. Benedict imported specialist Gaulish masons and glaziers to do the work. Fragments of the contemporary coloured window glass have been excavated at both Wearmouth and Jarrow. Excavations have shown that the buildings of the cult centre were joined by a corridor that extended south from the church and were enclosed by a wall in an orderly layout. This layout is unique in excavated monasteries in Europe and demonstrates the survival of a Roman style of layout..." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

7th Century Glass Window of St. Paul's Church, Jarrow. Thnaks to Brian of UK.

United Kingdom - Turks and Caicos Islands

"The Turks and Caicos Islands are a group of more than 40 islands and cays. The extremely hot, dry conditions led to natural salt production in the interior wetlands of the islands, leading to one of the first and major international salt industries in the Americas. The smaller cays are important for breeding seabirds, and endemic reptiles, invertebrates and plants. The wetlands are globally important for shorebirds.

The Turks and Caicos have a high number of endemic species and others of international importance, partially dependent on the conditions created by the oldest established salt-pan development in the Caribbean. The property has a high number of endemic species of lizards, snakes, insects and plants, showing genetic differences between the different islands. The islands are also important as a breeding area for seabirds - one of the three most important in the Caribbean - and is a wetland site of international importance containing a variety of marine and coastal habitat types and complex natural transitions. There are also shallow inland ponds of various sizes linked to the sea in times of storm and/or via subterranean channels..." Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

Beautiful tranquil beach of Turks and Caicos Islands. This is a less travelled destination and hard to get a postcard from. Two 60 cents coral stamps used with Queen Elizabeth head. Thanks so much to Chris of UK who was island hopping from Saint Pierre & Miquelon to Bermuda and to Turks and Caicos.

United Kingdom - Island of St Helena

"Saint Helena lies in the South Atlantic over 1,200 miles from the nearest landmass. Previously uninhabited, it was discovered and occupied by the Portuguese in 1502. From 1659 it has been a British possession, apart from a short Dutch interlude in 1673.

The island is ringed by precipitous cliffs whilst the interior is an island of contrasts, including barren deserts, pastureland and cloud forest. In 1502 Saint Helena was a pristine wilderness, with six endemic land birds and extensive forests of endemic plants. Although, within a century much of it had been denuded by settlers and wild goats, it was recognised by Darwin as having no biological parallel anywhere in the world. The long period of isolated evolution has led to over 400 endemic plants and invertebrates and the Wirebird, with many higher taxa (genera and above as well as species) which are also unique to the Island. The past three decades have been marked by concerted efforts to conserve the remaining endemics and restore tracts of native forest." Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

R.M.S. St Helena at anchor off Jamestown in St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Special cancellation of RMS St Helena - Posted at Sea. Postmarked at St. Helena Office on February 23, 2011 and arrived in Penang on March 19, 2011. Thanks to Bruce.

United Kingdom - Chatham Naval Dockyard

"Chatham Dockyard is the supreme example of a Royal dockyard largely unaltered from the age of sail, at a period when the Royal Navy was instrumental in Britain's global influence and when, before the full impact of the Industrial Revolution, dockyards were the largest industrial centres in Europe. The dockyard contained all the facilities necessary to build, repair, maintain and equip ships of the fleet, and was supplemented by facilities for the Ordnance Board, responsible for the supply of guns, ammunition and powder to the navy and army. Nearby were barracks for the army and marines, and around these and the dockyard grew up the village of Brompton, serving this major concentration of military personnel. Installations such as dockyards were considered vulnerable to attack by land or sea. Hence at various periods Chatham was provided with permanent fortifications..." Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

Multi-view of the historic dockyard of Chatham. Thanks to Dawn of UK.