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THE JUBILEE RUN
THE JUBILEE RUN - In aid of Hospice in the Weald
Sunday 12th June 2005
Built originally as a country home in the mid-15th century, Herstmonceux Castle embodies the history of medieval England and the romance of renaissance Europe.
In 1066 the grounds was owned by Edmer, a priest.
In 1200 the owner Indonea de Herst (Herst is a Saxon word which suggests "a clearing in the wood") married Ingelram de Monceux (pronounced Mon-Soo).
Other owners of note were:
1402, Sir Roger Fiennes, builder of Herstmonceux Castle.
1533 Sir Thomas, Third Lord Darce, Hanged at Tyburn in 1541 for murdering gamekeeper John Busbridge while poaching with some friends on land belonging to Sir Nicholas Pelham of Laughton. Sir Thomas was imprisoned in the Tower of London before being publicly hanged at Tyburn.
1708 Herstmonceux estate brought by George Naylor for £38,215 and more up to date in 1946 brought by the Admiralty for the Royal Oservatory.
The Royal Greenwich Observatory from Greenwich to Herstmonceux. When the Royal Observatory was first founded in 1675, Greenwich was a small village outside London. As time passed and London grew. The pollution was rapidly increasing and the skies were becoming unsuitable for astronomical observations. The condition were so bad that moving the Observatory became an unavoidable solution.
It took nearly ten years to complete the move to Herstmonceux. In 1966 the Isaac Newton Telescope was completed. This 5 metre telescope is amongst the largest of its day.
In the 1970's the neighbouring towns of Eastbourne, Bexhill and Hastings, who were rapidly expanding began to bring up the familiar problem of light and air pollution.
In 1978 the Isaac Newton Telescope was dismantled and rebuilt on the westren-most coast of the Canary Islands, La Palma
In 1989 the estate was purchased by a developer, a year later the Observatory moved out after a stay of nearly 40 years.
The estate fell into receivership. It remained un sold until early 1993, when it was announced that it had been Purchased by Canada's Queens University at Kingston, Ontario.
The Herstmonceux estate was a brought by millionaire Alfred Bader (a former Queens student) and given as gift to Queens University who own the estate today. We were lucky, as the day of the Run was the last day of term and all the students had left that day for Canada, and so our guided tour took in all the Castle. Which included the stories of Headless Drummers and Women in White, being seen in the Castle!
With stomachs full and watered, We set off on the final leg of the journey to Herstmonceux Castle. I took the lead and Sarah had to navigate the 41.9miles and 27 instructions, which she did with out a fault (well done on your first attempt)
We arrived at Herstmonceux Castle around 3pm, time to have a coffee and then take the Specially arranged tour of the Castle.
After being watered and refreshed, Pauline volunteered to navigate the next part of the route to our lunch stop at Leonardslee Gardens
It was only when we turn over the page we found out why!, Their were only 5 instructions to follow to complete the 7.5miles
As we were directed to park up ,once again Selwyn being placed in the hedge out the way. Leonardslee Gardens near Horsham is one of the last great private gardens in England, owned and maintained by the Loder family since 1801, and it is where Tony spent some of his family weekends walking around the beautiful gardens where rhododenrons, azaleas and camellias flourish, admiring the award-winning collection of bonsai (one of which is 175 years old), and visiting the Victorian Motor car collection.
So after picking up your pre-ordered hamper or as in my case unload the picnic, we sat around and enjoyed the sunshine and view, and took a look at interesting cars in the run.
The cars once again assembled in the Paddock at the famous Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey.
As previous years we booked in and picked up our run packs, and after purchasing a raffle ticket we enter the museum for breakfast and open the pack to read the instructions. Inside the pack is not only the Breakfast roll and drink voucher for Brooklands. Their is also the Route Book,pass for Leonardslee Gardens and map of gardens, pass for Herstmonceux Castle, drink ticket for George and Dragon (our Tea Stop) and to keep the brain thinking two quiz sheets. One for the Ladies titled KNOW YOUR UNDIES, was a multi-choice answer questions like: What is Rumoured to happen to an inflatatable bra of the '50s if the wearer flew at high altitudes?
Choice of answers were (A), it squeaked, (B), it disintegrated, (C) it exploded. Answer was (C)
The second quiz was 20 black and white photographs of classic cars and you had to name the make model and year of the car you can see part of!
We started our run around 9.30am after tea/coffee and Bacon/Saugage rolls, taking the start flag and being filmed (for the free DVD of the run) we did our team pose for the start picture. I have edited out the Ford !
For the first 28 tulip directions in the road book and what should have been 33.9miles to tea stop,Tony and Sarah took the lead, and a brave decision, as we lost them for part of last years run. We were on track until instruction (13) which read "In about 200yds, fork left (straight on). The Parrot Inn on the your left. (SP:signpost) Walliswood, Horsham.
Tony reported later that Sarah did not read out the "unlucky 13" direction. But every one else had read it , even my NEW navigator who was doing it for the first time!. The detour only added 1.5mile to our planned route, and I have it all on video !
A Tea Stop (and toilets) was arranged at the George and Dragon Pub, on entering the car park Wayne, who was in front of me was directed to park up on the grass, but the paving slabs ramp was to steep and the Alpina grounded, so we made the decision to park on the tarmac.The Model Tees and other Vintage cars took it in their stride
The Jubilee Run aims to raise funds for the Hospice in the Weald. 2005 sees the Hospice celebrate its Silver Jubilee, hence the name of the run and they made this years run an extra special event. As it cost approximately £3 million per annum to run the various services provided by Hospice in the Weald, and the support at this event by BMW Car Club members is greatly appreciated.
Once again the BMWCC SE region entered a BMWCC Team for the 3rd year running. This years team included Tony and Sarah in his ZM roadster, Wayne and Julie in their Aplina B3, My Coupe with Glens Daughter Sarah as my navigator and Selwyn with Pauline as his navigator
You will see from the photographs that the day was sunny and hot and the venues where we stopped for Tea, Lunch and finished the run were interesting and made the day. The only thing you will not see in the photographs is the car that Selwyn had to do the run in. As his 7 series is in the shop awaiting the correct heater core, three times BMW have sent the wrong one, so he turned up with a battered Mondeo "courtesy" car, with dents on the offside. Every time we parked up the "Run marshalls,and their Sunflowers" placed his car away in the bushes where it belonged!
The Run winners at Herstmonceux Castle
BMW Car Club Team at Herstmonceux Castle
The Tour took just an hour and so the prize giving and raffle draw took place by the drawbridge to the Castle. So after collecting the Limited edition Finishers Medal for every driver, it was time to head home after a great day out and wait for the Run DVD to drop though the letterbox, so we can relive it again.
Some interesting details of cars on the rally.Run plate No 26: is a 1914 Stellite E2A. This car was made by English Electric & Ordnace Accessories Co for Vickers Ltd who were eventually taken over by Wolseley Co. Made at Aston, Birmingham,
Run plate No 31: is a 1927 Alvis 12/50 which has been owned by Peter Thompson for 45years and has travelled throughout Europe and USA.
Run plate No:40 is a 1965 Jaguar E Type. This car was built for Phil Scragg (F1 driver) in 1965. Sold to Herbert Sheppard who won 344 awards with this car. And the present owner David Render is the 3rd owner of the car.
Run plate No:41 is a 1966 Aston Martin DB6 with a Vantage engine
Run plate No:47 is a 1913 Buick Sports , only of only 6 reg with VCC
Run plate No:51 is a 1927 Rolls Royce 20HP
This is just a few of the cars entered in the run, as you can read their were some interesting cars on the run.
The Run car park at Leonardslee Gardens