Advantages: Perfect example of a great championship stadium with a great level of football! Disadvantages: Can get busy in eating area at half time
I am not personally a Southampton fan (and nor am I a Portsmouth fan), I actually support Southend United, but I recently moved down to this area and many of my friends support Southampton. Last Friday I was asked by my fiend, who is an avid Saints fan if I wanted to go with him to watch them play at home in a friendly against Celtic and so I said yes.
It was a great match and despite Celtic winning 2-0 the atmosphere was great and I really enjoyed myself.
I have now visited many different stadiums in my time from very small league 2 team grounds, some with standing sections and the great Nou Camp which I recently reviewed. However, I was pleasantly surprised by StMarys - the home ground for Southampton FC and really enjoyed my visit there.
Here are some facts:
Name: StMary's Stadium
Inauguration: 11 August 2001
First match ...
Advantages: Lots of history, free to visit Disadvantages: None for me
this was replaced in the 1820's with a new steeple, which was again struck by lightning in 1978. They say lightening never strikes twice but it did here. In more recent times part of the church was restored in 2002 with the help of National Lottery funding.
There are a couple of interesting facts about StMary's, one of which relates to the Quaker movement, which I will come to in a moment whilst the other involves the church house.
The church house was built around 1250 and stands directly in front of the church. Today the original building has been extended but it is now the Cross keys public house and a part of the former graveyard is now its beer garden. Much of the original building has been retained and there are low ceilings and miniature doors that would indicate that no one grew taller than 5 feet all those years ago. The interior ...
Advantages: Fantastic architecture, lots of history, free to visit Disadvantages: Limited opening hours
Any visitor to the East Yorkshire resort of Scarborough will know that its castle dominates its skyline but in my opinion, The Church of StMary adjacent to the ruins of the castle is almost just as impressive. Perched high on top of the hillside, like its more famous neighbour, the castle, this church is a landmark that can be seen from miles around.
The Church of StMary is the largest church in the town and it is the parish church of Scarborough. It is a large church and a grand one by any standards, indeed it is as large and grand as many cathedrals that I know. From the outside the first thing that struck me when I visited here a few weeks ago was how neat and tidy its church yard was. This might have something to do with the fact that the graveyard is the burial place of the 19th century writer Anne Bronte and in recent years ...
