Real World References

 

The Alfred Jewel : A description of the Jewel (with links to photos) with a discussion of various replicas, by Prof. Simon Keynes.

 

The Annandale Arms: AMA's coat of arms (Azure, a saltire gules fimbriated Or, a chief paly of 13, gules and argent) is based on the 13th century arms of Robert Bruce as Lord of Annandale, Or, a saltire and chief gules, and the arms of the United States, Paly of 13, gules and argent, a chief azure. The ancient Annandale arms used by Robert Bruce lie behind the modern arms of the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Annandale and Hartfell, Chief of the Name and Arms of Johnstone, as well as those of the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, Chief of the Name and Arms of Bruce.

 

Annandale, Indiana, and John Marshall Glenarm are the creations of Meredith Nicholson in his 1905 novel, The House of a Thousand Candles. The link will take you to the on-line version of the novel at Project Gutenberg. Click here to go to a picture of the actual cottage in which Nicholson wrote the novel: note the candles on the gateposts.

 

The Barker Mansion, Michigan City : Not, in fact, the palace of the Bishops of Michigan City, but Michigan City's Civic Center. The web site includes a variety of photographs.

 

Hoghton Tower, Lancashire : The model for Preston Tower, actually visited by James I and Charles Dickens (separately) and perhaps a hideout for Shakepeare as a young man.

 

The Lancashire Witches: The trial of these ten people-- also known as the Pendle Witches--was part of one of the most noted prosecutions for witchcraft in England.

 

The Mears Family in Hampshire: The writer William Cobbett described meeting members of the real Mears family on August 6, 1823. Scroll down the linked page to the entry for the sixth.

 

Pau-Koo-Shuck : The retelling of this "ghost story" by the pioneer historian of Marshall County, Indiana, Daniel McDonald.

 

The Rectangular Survey System : The Bureau of Land Management's explanation of the US survey system of townships and sections, including, at the bottom of the page, a helpful diagram of the numbering system.

 

St. John's, Lateran : An English account of the basilica, with diagram, located on the server of the Catholic Church in Norway. See also the article in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

 

Titchfield Abbey: A short description, with picture, of Titchfield Abbey at the official Hampshire website.