The year after I did the Mummy I played the Count on our front porch to thunderous screams from the kids on the block. Yes I played all the great monster roles before I hit 13.
Where did you get that picture of me on the steps of my house?You have been prying Vickie.Well I did say that I lived in an old stone house so I suppose I invited your curiosity.
One day I might tell you about some people I knew whose house actually was built over the ruins of an old tower and had a huge circular space underneath complete with iron rings set in the walls and a supposed smuggers escape route.
They were an eccentric couple of indeterminate age.She was older than him and called Beryl and he was Vincent.Beryl whatever her age belonged without doubt to the age of the flappers and dressed that way.Vincent was tweedy,bearded, large with a boominging voice and a very short temper.It did not take very much to set him off even when he was obviously wrong.Such as driving on the wrong side of the road when others honking their horns would throw him into an instant rage and he would wind down his window red faced and shout-whats wrong with you fools dont you know how to drive.For a defrocked monk he did not seem to have much spiritual serenity.
This unlikely couple lived in an Art Deco flat in a British seaside retirement town complete with furnishings of the period.It was always very cold and smelt of must.
They both played the piano and would entertain me with duets on Double Grands whenever I visited.It quite entertained me whilst I shivered slightly and ate one of Beryls vegetable burgers that seemed their sole foodstuff.
They also owned a school where they taught music to a range of young children.The school had formerly been a large old house which I judged to be of Edwardian vintage.
I only ever saw the school once after a somewhat nightmare trip through town in Vincents battered van and his usual trading of insults with bemused drivers who clearly should not be on the road{ at least according to him}.
They both declared that they had something to show me and upon entrance to the somewhat imposing pile.Opened a door under the stairs,lifted a cover that revealed a wooden flight of stairs,snapped on a light and led me downwards.
I was amazed as underneath their house was a huge circular space constructed of cut stone blocks.Set into the walls were a number of large iron rings.There was a blocked in space that they told me they thought was a smugglers escape.
We did not stay long and although the experience was brief it has always stayed with me.
There was nothing usual about Beryl and Vincent and I suppose that it made a sort of sense that they should own such a house.I can say that I treasure every moment I ever spent with them as they were truly unforgetable.
The mystery of the great space under their house was eventually solved by me to my satisfaction at least.
At one time in order to meet the threat of Napoleonic invasion of Britain defences known as Martello Towers were built along the seacoasts to deter and defend.These would be manned and complete with seafacing cannons and round in form.They were constrached of stone with hugely thick walls.
Today may are still around,some in ruinous states,some still belong to The MOD,whilst others have been turned into homes.A few have been demolished ot taken by the sea.One in the seaside town in which I have written is recorded as being lost.How does anyone lose a Martello Tower?I dont know.
I have since visited a few Martellos and it became clear to me that the remains of the missing tower were under my friends house.How that came to be I have no idea.Fitting however in some way that such improbable people should have another improbablity such as a huge tower disappear and be under their property.
Vickie,hope you get to read the above.Its a rather delayed reply to your invitation to write some more.I hope you enjoy and are amused by my account.I certainly enjoyed recounting it.Sadly both of them are long gone now.
Thanks Vickie,although its hardly Hollywood. B and V however could easily have stepped off the screen from one of UKs once famous Ealing Comedies{done at Ealing Studios}where perhaps even in that context they may have seemed improbable.
The year after I did the Mummy I played the Count on our front porch to thunderous screams from the kids on the block. Yes I played all the great monster roles before I hit 13.
Where did you get that picture of me on the steps of my house?You have been prying Vickie.Well I did say that I lived in an old stone house so I suppose I invited your curiosity.
One day I might tell you about some people I knew whose house actually was built over the ruins of an old tower and had a huge circular space underneath complete with iron rings set in the walls and a supposed smuggers escape route.
Satellite! 😉
Please do.
They were an eccentric couple of indeterminate age.She was older than him and called Beryl and he was Vincent.Beryl whatever her age belonged without doubt to the age of the flappers and dressed that way.Vincent was tweedy,bearded, large with a boominging voice and a very short temper.It did not take very much to set him off even when he was obviously wrong.Such as driving on the wrong side of the road when others honking their horns would throw him into an instant rage and he would wind down his window red faced and shout-whats wrong with you fools dont you know how to drive.For a defrocked monk he did not seem to have much spiritual serenity.
This unlikely couple lived in an Art Deco flat in a British seaside retirement town complete with furnishings of the period.It was always very cold and smelt of must.
They both played the piano and would entertain me with duets on Double Grands whenever I visited.It quite entertained me whilst I shivered slightly and ate one of Beryls vegetable burgers that seemed their sole foodstuff.
They also owned a school where they taught music to a range of young children.The school had formerly been a large old house which I judged to be of Edwardian vintage.
I only ever saw the school once after a somewhat nightmare trip through town in Vincents battered van and his usual trading of insults with bemused drivers who clearly should not be on the road{ at least according to him}.
They both declared that they had something to show me and upon entrance to the somewhat imposing pile.Opened a door under the stairs,lifted a cover that revealed a wooden flight of stairs,snapped on a light and led me downwards.
I was amazed as underneath their house was a huge circular space constructed of cut stone blocks.Set into the walls were a number of large iron rings.There was a blocked in space that they told me they thought was a smugglers escape.
We did not stay long and although the experience was brief it has always stayed with me.
There was nothing usual about Beryl and Vincent and I suppose that it made a sort of sense that they should own such a house.I can say that I treasure every moment I ever spent with them as they were truly unforgetable.
The mystery of the great space under their house was eventually solved by me to my satisfaction at least.
At one time in order to meet the threat of Napoleonic invasion of Britain defences known as Martello Towers were built along the seacoasts to deter and defend.These would be manned and complete with seafacing cannons and round in form.They were constrached of stone with hugely thick walls.
Today may are still around,some in ruinous states,some still belong to The MOD,whilst others have been turned into homes.A few have been demolished ot taken by the sea.One in the seaside town in which I have written is recorded as being lost.How does anyone lose a Martello Tower?I dont know.
I have since visited a few Martellos and it became clear to me that the remains of the missing tower were under my friends house.How that came to be I have no idea.Fitting however in some way that such improbable people should have another improbablity such as a huge tower disappear and be under their property.
Vickie,hope you get to read the above.Its a rather delayed reply to your invitation to write some more.I hope you enjoy and are amused by my account.I certainly enjoyed recounting it.Sadly both of them are long gone now.
Loved it! And a series on English Eccentrics is very intriguing.
Thanks Vickie,although its hardly Hollywood. B and V however could easily have stepped off the screen from one of UKs once famous Ealing Comedies{done at Ealing Studios}where perhaps even in that context they may have seemed improbable.