[HN Gopher] Eleanor Cross
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       Eleanor Cross
        
       Author : Thevet
       Score  : 42 points
       Date   : 2023-12-11 05:47 UTC (17 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (en.wikipedia.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (en.wikipedia.org)
        
       | ChrisMarshallNY wrote:
       | That's pretty cool.
       | 
       | Edward I was the "bad guy" in _Braveheart_. As always, things
       | tend to be more complex than we want to believe.
       | 
       | My father[0] was a really interesting chap. He was deeply steeped
       | in diplomacy and foreign relations, and would gently correct me,
       | every time I made some absolutist statement ("They should
       | just..."). He'd point out that, in _our_ culture, it 's OK for us
       | to say this, but when we say the same thing in _their_ culture,
       | it actually means... etc.
       | 
       | [0] https://cmarshall.com/miscellaneous/MikeMarshall.htm
        
         | pdonis wrote:
         | _> Edward I was the  "bad guy" in Braveheart. As always, things
         | tend to be more complex than we want to believe._
         | 
         | Braveheart was criticized for many historical inaccuracies (my
         | personal favorite is the scene near the end when Isabella of
         | France tells Edward I that the child she will have, who will
         | inherit the English throne, is by Wallace, not Edward's son--
         | which couldn't possibly be true since, first, Edward II didn't
         | even marry Isabella until after his father Edward I was dead,
         | and second, Edward III, who succeeded Edward II, wasn't born
         | until 1312, seven years after William Wallace died). However,
         | it is true that Edward I had William Wallace hanged, drawn, and
         | quartered for treason against England. (Which, since Scotland
         | was a separate kingdom from England at the time, does seem a
         | bit much.)
        
           | ChrisMarshallNY wrote:
           | I think that Longshanks' claim to fame, is that he united a
           | much larger part of the British Isles, than anyone before.
           | 
           | That is usually done with a fair bit of brutality, as anyone
           | that has looked past the rose-colored glasses, at the Roman
           | Empire, can tell you.
        
             | pdonis wrote:
             | Quite true, but it's worth noting that Longshanks did _not_
             | succeed in unifying Scotland with England. (He did conquer
             | Wales before he invaded Scotland, which was certainly a
             | significant unification.) What eventually unified Scotland
             | with England was dynastic turnover (James VI of Scotland
             | succeeding Elizabeth I to the throne of England), not war.
             | (Although the unification did end up being enforced by war
             | in the 1700s.)
        
             | 1-more wrote:
             | > That is usually done with a fair bit of brutality
             | 
             | Kicking out the Jews as an example. I know you probably
             | know I just feel like it's worth having down in print here.
        
       | thriftwy wrote:
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struve_Geodetic_Arc
        
       | webwielder2 wrote:
       | If you like semi-ancient pillars
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_and_Holy_Trinity_column...
        
       | vr46 wrote:
       | The Charing Cross, erm, cross is marvellous and yet so badly
       | situated, the mind boggles. My ex-girlfriend was a tour guide and
       | filled me in on it about twenty-five years ago and NOTHING has
       | improved.
       | 
       | Look at where it is on the satellite image:
       | 
       | https://maps.app.goo.gl/A7ZF3acr35XnN1AX7?g_st=ic
        
         | OJFord wrote:
         | I'm not sure what you mean, but it's not the original location
         | (or design) according to the OP.
         | 
         | It has been there since 1865 though, so if you think it's
         | awkward wrt the infrastructure that's developed since then
         | really it's the other way around and I'm not sure who you
         | expected to do what over the last 25y? Or am I missing a joke?
        
           | vr46 wrote:
           | It's a replica, for sure, but it is still a commemorative
           | monument, and it was specifically commissioned by the railway
           | company and restored about fifteen years ago, with some
           | bollards added to protect it from cars, but it's forlorn and
           | feels neglected sat shielded by the railing and then across a
           | car park. I was leaning against it a few months ago waiting
           | for a friend, lamenting that so much of London's heritage and
           | history gets so much attention and this poor thing is almost
           | designed to be ignored.
        
       | pugworthy wrote:
       | TIL how "Charing Cross" got its name. I always just thought
       | "Cross" as in crossing - as in lots of streets crossing.
        
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       (page generated 2023-12-11 23:01 UTC)