Exploring the Past Through Place, People, and Progress
Entertablement Abroad explores how the world we inherited came to work — not only through ideas and art, but through the systems and structures that made everyday life possible.
Through essays on people, places, and periods, the site examines how people thought, how ideas and systems travelled, what environments people lived inside and depended on, and how societies oriented themselves in time.
Taken together, these pieces suggest a simple inversion: culture does not precede stability; it grows from it.
Exploring the Past Through Place, People, and Progress
Entertablement Abroad explores how the world we inherited came to work — not only through ideas and art, but through the systems and structures that made everyday life possible.
Through essays on people, places, and periods, the site examines how people thought, how ideas and systems travelled, what environments people lived inside and depended on, and how societies oriented themselves in time.
Taken together, these pieces suggest a simple inversion: culture does not precede stability; it grows from it.
Ideas & Systems
National histories are tidy by design. They divide time into eras and suggest a largely self-contained story. Ideas and Systems begins where that neatness breaks down.
While Britain passed through its familiar periods, elsewhere ideas persisted, systems evolved, and practical answers to recurring problems moved across borders — often with lasting consequences. Roads endured where empires fell. Infrastructure outlasted ideologies. Knowledge travelled even when nations did not.
These essays follow that movement across place rather than period, showing how scale was learned, how complexity was managed, and how much of what later felt “modern” had long been worked out elsewhere.
Introduction to The Hidden Framework: The Engineers Who Built the Modern World
We tend to celebrate the inventors, visionaries, and charismatic statesmen—the Edisons, Franklins, and Churchills. But beneath the headlines and
Rome — Scale, Infrastructure, and the Relief of Decision
My first trip to Rome included our son Adam and his then-fiancée Annie. They had both been before—Annie in
Greece—When Life Moved Into the Open
My working impression of Greece was embodied in the Vatican’s fresco The School of Athens by Raphael. In it,
Turin—An Accidental Highlight
Turin was not supposed to be the point. This was a Northern Italy trip with friends — Bill and
Magna Carta and the Making of a Nation—Lincoln’s Legacy of Liberty
There’s something thrillingly unassuming about Lincoln’s copy of the Magna Carta. For such an iconic document, it’s not much
What Was The Enlightenment?
It’s hard to imagine now, but not too long ago, doubting religious orthodoxy could get you killed. In 1697,
Introduction to The Hidden Framework: The Engineers Who Built the Modern World
We tend to celebrate the inventors, visionaries, and charismatic statesmen—the Edisons, Franklins, and Churchills. But beneath the headlines and
Rome — Scale, Infrastructure, and the Relief of Decision
My first trip to Rome included our son Adam and his then-fiancée Annie. They had both been before—Annie in
Greece—When Life Moved Into the Open
My working impression of Greece was embodied in the Vatican’s fresco The School of Athens by Raphael. In it,
Turin—An Accidental Highlight
Turin was not supposed to be the point. This was a Northern Italy trip with friends — Bill and
The Castle That Contained a King—Lincoln and The Anarchy
It was quiet the day we visited Lincoln Castle. The sun bounced off the high curtain walls, the grass
Magna Carta and the Making of a Nation—Lincoln’s Legacy of Liberty
There’s something thrillingly unassuming about Lincoln’s copy of the Magna Carta. For such an iconic document, it’s not much
Medieval Justice — Blood, Faith, and Sovereignty
In medieval England, justice was more than a legal process—it was a performance of power. Punishment often took place
Lincoln Castle—Justice, Silence, and the Architecture of Control
Set high on the hill beside the Cathedral, Lincoln Castle has always loomed large—both literally and symbolically. ,
Power, Principles & the Trouble With Legacy
Henry II and Simon de Montfort Walk Into a Parliament… You know what’s tricky about history? The people who
Osborne & Chatsworth: Childhood, Empire, and the Architecture of Intimacy
Where Villandry and Cheverny reflected the Enlightenment’s faith in reason and domestic refinement, Osborne House and Chatsworth embody a
Places & Structures
Civilization is often described through what it produces — art, literature, architecture — but it is lived through what it provides: shelter, movement, water, order, and reliability.
Places & Structures focuses on the physical environments people inhabited: the buildings they entered, the routes they travelled, and the systems that quietly shaped daily life. Some of these places were meant to impress. Others were designed simply to work. All of them reveal how societies translated belief, power, and necessity into material form.
This section includes both visible landmarks and largely unseen frameworks — roads, aqueducts, sewers, timekeeping — because both determine how life feels from the inside. If an idea helps explain why something mattered, a structure shows how it was made livable.
The Pantheon — A Circle of Stone and Sky
From the outside, the Pantheon is frankly unprepossessing. A heavy cylinder with a classical porch awkwardly grafted on. It bears a striking resemblance to a hedgehog house with columns. And then there is the inscription on the portico—M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT....
Houghton Hall: A Masterpiece of Palladian Splendour
Nestled in the rolling countryside of Norfolk, Houghton Hall is a testament to the grandeur of 18th-century Palladian architecture. It’s easy to be dazzled by the symmetry, the scale, and the sheer elegance of it all. But behind every arch and column lies a mind—and a...
Stirling Castle
Castles have a long and complex history, much more so than stately homes. Fortified structures built during the middle ages by the nobility or royalty, their primary purpose was defence—keeping those inside the castle walls safe and keeping the violent attackers out....
Harewood House
"Where shall we go today?" was the question. Our three weeks in England were almost at an end, and we – Glenn, that is – had done a lot of driving already, so I hesitated to suggest Harewood House, nearly two hours from our self-catering cottage in Derbyshire. He was...
Haddon Hall, Derbyshire
If a thousand-year-old manor house could possibly be described as comfortable, Haddon Hall would fit the bill. Its history is mild; little violence, no Cromwellian slighting, just a Ducal manor passing gently down the centuries accompanied by only a bit of skirmishing...
Alhambra
After leaving Toledo, we made our way south towards Granada. Destination: Alhambra, a fortress and palace of breathtaking exterior austerity and interior intricacy. We stayed at the Parador Granada, one of the Paradores series established by the Spanish government to...
The Cathedral Project
A visual, mapped and narrated tour through England’s most storied cathedrals, each with its own spectacular architecture and all with fascinating stories to tell. We’ve provided 4 different paths to choose from. Happy Journey!
Cathedral Stories
Learn about Britain’s history by exploring any or all 43 cathedrals, presented in alphbetical order for easy browsing.
Cathedral Timeline
Through the lens of a cathedral timeline, you will see how world-changing history unfolded over centuries
Cathedral Map
Should you wish to visit the cathedrals, we’ve provided a map for each location, useful for in person or virtual explorations.
Cathedral Tapestry
England’s Anglican cathedrals are shaped by the nation’s history—built on power, faith, and artistic ambition. From medieval pilgrimage to Reformation upheavals and modern preservation, they reflect shifting political, economic, and social tides. Each tells its own story, yet together, they weave the fabric of England’s identity.
People & Ideas
People rarely live by ideas alone, but ideas quietly shape what seems possible, proper, or inevitable. Formed through particular minds — tentative at first, sometimes mistaken — they find expression in everyday life.
Some arrive loudly, as arguments or proclamations. Others seep in slowly, becoming habits or assumptions. How People Thought traces those influences, showing how individuals and ideas shaped one another, and how ways of thinking left lasting marks on homes, institutions, behaviour, and expectations — often only visible in retrospect.
Marcus Tullius Cicero — The Astounding Legacy of an Ancient Roman
Cicero is one of those names that once mattered enormously and now means almost nothing to most people. He
Andrea Palladio (1508–1580): The Master Builder Who Thought Like a Philosopher
You may not know his name, but you’ve seen his work—echoed in country houses, government buildings, and countless stately
Colen Campbell (1676–1729): The Quiet Revolutionary Who Laid the Foundation for Georgian Britain
You might not know his name, but if you’ve ever admired the cool elegance of a Georgian façade—symmetrical windows,
Christopher Wren (1632–1723): Visionary Architect of the English Baroque
Early Life and Education Christopher Wren was born in 1632 in East Knoyle, Wiltshire, into a well-connected and scholarly
Queen Victoria’s Nine Children: Europe’s Royal Dynasty
Queen Victoria was not just the ruler of Britain—she was the matriarch of a dynasty that spread across Europe.
Why “Living Ideas”? A Personal Starting Point
When I first began touring great houses, I was drawn, as so many are, to their sheer beauty, scale,
Marcus Tullius Cicero — The Astounding Legacy of an Ancient Roman
Cicero is one of those names that once mattered enormously and now means almost nothing to most people. He
Andrea Palladio (1508–1580): The Master Builder Who Thought Like a Philosopher
You may not know his name, but you’ve seen his work—echoed in country houses, government buildings, and countless stately
Colen Campbell (1676–1729): The Quiet Revolutionary Who Laid the Foundation for Georgian Britain
You might not know his name, but if you’ve ever admired the cool elegance of a Georgian façade—symmetrical windows,
Christopher Wren (1632–1723): Visionary Architect of the English Baroque
Early Life and Education Christopher Wren was born in 1632 in East Knoyle, Wiltshire, into a well-connected and scholarly
Queen Victoria’s Nine Children: Europe’s Royal Dynasty
Queen Victoria was not just the ruler of Britain—she was the matriarch of a dynasty that spread across Europe.
Why “Living Ideas”? A Personal Starting Point
When I first began touring great houses, I was drawn, as so many are, to their sheer beauty, scale,
Journey Through Britain's History
Please come along as we explore the fascinating epochs of Britain’s history. Whether captivated by the grandeur of medieval cathedrals or the transformative eras of the Tudors and Stuarts, we provide a comprehensive look into the past. Dive into the stories that have shaped a nation and find inspiration in the timeless elegance of English history. Navigate through our sections to find the period that most intrigues you. Entertablement Abroad is delighted to be your guide through an inspired exploration of history.
Exploring Britain's Eras
War & Peace
Trace the evolution of English history through this summary of Britain’s most history-changing events and milestones.
1066
Battle of Hastings
The Norman Conquest begins, reshaping the English landscape and governance.
1215
Signing of the Magna Carta
A pivotal moment in constitutional history, influencing legal systems worldwide.
1534
English Reformation
Henry VIII’s break from the Catholic Church, leading to profound religious and cultural changes.
1666
Great Fire of London
A devastating fire that led to the rebuilding of the city with innovative architectural designs.
1837
Victorian Era Begins
An era of industrial revolution and architectural grandeur, marked by the reign of Queen Victoria.
1939
World War II
Significant destruction and subsequent rebuilding efforts that shaped modern England.