Living as we do in Ovingham in Northumberland (UK) it is very near to the Military Road which gives direct access to Hadrian’s Wall. Consequently Ann and I were frequent visitors to the Wall and it’s forts with our children Alison and Ross, in fact it became a tradition to drive to the Wall every New Year’s Day, weather permitting.
I well remember a profound remark made by Ross aged six as I pointed out a fort with two entrances. The sign next to one entrance was labelled 'Infantry' and he proudly deduced that the other entrance would be for 'Outfantry'.
I myself walked the 84 mile Hadrian’s Wall Path in 2005, ably supported by my darling wife Ann. I did the walk to celebrate being cured of Prostate Cancer and to raise funds for Cancer Research, something I've continued to do ever since.
I well remember approaching what has become my favourite spot on the wall, Sycamore Gap, only to find a herd of black bullocks in attendance, but all went well. I videotaped the whole walk.
Fast forward, just a few years (!) and Ross and his Spanish husband, Manel, moved to live in Spain and eventually settled in their own property near the historic city of Seville. Now coincidentally, Emperor Hadrian, on whose instructions Hadrian’s Wall was built in AD122 was born in Spain at Itálica, about 6km from Sevilla in AD76. The Roman city of Itálica is now part of the town called Santiponce, again about 6km from Ross and Manel's house.
Connections with Hadrians Wall don’t stop there, contemporaries of both Alison and Ross have produced artwork of Sycamore Gap. I have Yvonne Bentley’s original painting of the well loved tree and Willa Storey’s production in glass of the same site.
Both are proudly on display in the family home.
So it was with extreme sadness that I learned of the atrocity concerning mine and countless other people’s beloved tree. It will certainly leave a gap in many people’s lives, mine included.
Now I learn that Ross and Manel are to commission a ceramic name plate for their property. This will name their home "Casa Hadrian" and feature Sycamore Gap in the artwork which will be painted by a ceramic artist in the Triana district of Sevilla.
How wonderful.
UPDATE
Now we can update the blog with photos of the ceramic name plate in situ and also some shots from Ross and Manel's first visit to Italica!
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