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| Williamsburg Fifes and Drums |
Following the Historical Novel Society Conference at Denver (and apart from visiting my graphics designer Cathy Helms) the other reason for flying to the USA was to visit Colonial Williamsburg, a vast re-enactment come historical reconstruction site. In this 301-acre Historic Area there are hundreds of restored, reconstructed, and historically furnished buildings. Costumed interpreters tell the stories of the men and women of the 18th-century city—black, white, and native American, slave, indentured, and free—and the challenges they faced.
Apart from being interested in the history, my own Captain Jesamiah Acorne is connected to Williamsburg in the Sea Witch Voyages.
I particularly wanted to visit the Coffee Shop (its construction not finished when I was last there and for Cathy Helms to take some photographs for use in my forthcoming Pirates in Fact and Fiction non-fiction book which I have been commissioned by Amberley Press to write.
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| Refreshment and Gossip the ideal Coffee Shop |
What has Williamsburg to do with pirates? Well quite a bit as it happens.
Heard of Blackbeard? That dastardly pirate who met his end off the Ocracoke, North Carolina in 1718? (read my Bring It Close, the third Sea Witch Voyage for a good yarn about this historic event). Several of Blackbeard's crew were arrested and taken to Williamsburg gaol to await trial - and eventual hanging. Also, not many people are aware that the Williamsburg College of William and Mary was built funded by pirate loot.... but you'll have to wait for my book to read all the facts!
I was a little uneasy about my very British Accent being noticed on the Saturday. After all, this was the 4th July, the celebration day for when The Colonies officially became Independent from Britain. I couldn't resist a cheeky toast at the King's Arms Tavern though 'God Bless King George!'
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| God Save the King! |
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| The Governor's Palace |
Although I did admit I do not much care for the House of Hanover, and us Brits didn't want the Colonies anyway.... I mean, you drink your tea iced, eat strange things like corn grits and leave the 'u' out of so many words!
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| Colonial Hats |
(photos except for the gaol by Cathy Helms)
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Ah, Colonial Williamsburg. Such a lovely bit of history. Thanks for the pictures which remind me of my own trip there a few years ago. The Americans do such a good job of preserving their history!
ReplyDeleteI love C.W. - there are a couple of webcams which I occasionally visit when at home in the UK
DeleteYes, I've enjoyed those webcams myself! So did CW's historical interpreters have fun with you and your British accent? Cathy Helms takes excellent photos! And if I may be a grammar geek: I believe you mean "a vast re-enactment CUM historical reconstruction site" (cum is Latin for "together with").
ReplyDeleteYes I did toy with using CUM - but decided against as too many would think I'd made a mistake with 'come'! LOL
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