Raven Travel Guides Europe

09/12/2025

A gigantic single boulder stands in a field across the road from Stanton Moor in the Derbyshire Peak District.

They call it the Andle Stone, a name strangely also given by the antiquarian Hayman Rooke to another stone close by, although it has been known as the Tuppeny Loaf in the past.

It stands in an enclosed "garden" consisting of a dry stone wall surround, a copse of horse chestnuts and some rhododendrons. This is Victorian and was probably the work of the Thornhills of nearby Stanton House, who also were likely to be behind the footholds carved into one face of the stone.

William Pole Thornhill also built the Earl Grey tower on Stanton Moor, but there are some carvings on the Andle Stone I found confusing. We see a set of dedications to the Battle of Waterloo, including the names of the Duke of Wellington and one LtCol William Thornhill, with a date of death of 1851.

William Thornhill died in 1876 and certainly never fought in France, but it turns out he carved the dedication to his uncle, a hussar who was wounded at Waterloo. There is a mass of graffiti on top of the stone including a pair of suspected Neolithic cup marks, so there is no telling just far back in time the Andle Stone has been important to the people of Stanton Moor.

08/12/2025

Amiens, just an hour north of Paris.
Canals and painted houses in Saint-Leu.
France’s largest cathedral rising above the city.
And boat gardens, the Hortillonnages, hidden right behind 🥰

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07/12/2025

How a northern cathedral spread the word – then became a centre for internal struggles.

Bremen’s cathedral St Petri Dom was the holy centre and a source of inspiration in an age when northern Europe was pagan. But it was also a battlefield.

07/12/2025

The Margravial Opera House

UNESCO World Heritage site located in the town of Bayreuth, Germany.

📸Pinterest

07/12/2025

Sorbonne University, in the historic Latin Quarter of Paris, is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. Founded in the 13th century, it has long been a centre of intellectual life in Europe, drawing scholars, philosophers, and students from around the globe. Its stunning architecture, particularly the iconic Chapel of the Sorbonne, reflects centuries of academic tradition and cultural influence.

Today, the university is known for excellence in the humanities, sciences, and medicine, continuing to shape thought and innovation on a global scale. Walking through its storied halls or sitting in a nearby café, you can almost feel the echoes of great minds. The Sorbonne isn’t just a university—it’s a symbol of Paris’s enduring legacy of knowledge, debate, and discovery.

07/12/2025

The circular lavatorium tower at Canterbury Cathedral is a fascinating feature of the medieval structure, designed for the purpose of washing hands before entering the sacred spaces of the cathedral.

Located near the cloisters, the lavatorium was an essential part of the monastic life during the Middle Ages, where cleanliness and ritual purification were seen as important aspects of spiritual discipline.

Monks and clergy would use the lavatorium to wash their hands and face as part of their ritual purification before meals, prayers, or other sacred duties.

In addition to its functional purpose, the lavatorium tower also played a role in creating a space for quiet reflection and ritual.

The act of washing before entering the cathedral was not only practical but also a reflection of the spiritual cleansing necessary for those who were about to engage in holy work.

So now you know!