The following are some of the landmarks in the area that that feature in The Kingdom by the Sea:
St Peter’s Church
There are a few remains of this building that was later moved to Balkwell Green. Known locally as the Sailors’ Church, this is the church Harry tells the man on Lindisfarne that he attends every Sunday with his mother.
Prior’s Haven
The small cove where Harry discovers the abandoned dog Don and then lives under an upturned boat.
Tynemouth Pier
Tynemouth Harbour is protected by two piers. It is under the arches of the North Pier that Harry hides from an air raid.
Marshall’s Fish & Chip Shop
Sited in Front Street, this is where Harry buys his tea in his first days on the run.
You can find out more about the
Robert Westall Walk at:
www.northtynesidewalks.co.uk
For a slightly different route, you can download
an audio tour to follow from:
www.westallswar.org/2007/10/robert_
westall_trail_audio_gui.html
Lindisfarne
Also known as Holy Island, Lindisfarne is a small island off the coast of Northumberland. A causeway connects the island to the mainland and is flooded by the tide twice a day.
Just like Harry, visitors are able to walk between the mainland and the island, following the marked path. Just like Harry, it is also possible to get caught by the rapidly rising tide, so it’s important to check the local timetables before attempting a crossing. And be warned - it’s three miles, so it’s probably better to go by car!
Although there is a small population on Lindisfarne, it is now largely a nature reserve. It is a haven for birdwatching and many rare breeds have been spotted in its quiet seclusion.
There’s also the ruins of a monastery, founded around AD635. Saint Cuthbert, the patron saint of Northumberland, was later an Abbot there, and also became Bishop of Lindisfarne.
The most distinctive landmark on the island is Lindisfarne Castle. Originally a Tudor fort, the ruins were restored by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1903. It stands on a rocky promontory overlooking the coast and is now owned by the National Trust.
You can find out more at:
www.lindisfarne.org.uk
Pillboxes
In The Kingdom by the Sea, Harry uses an old deserted pillbox as a temporary hiding place.
What is a pillbox?
A pillbox is a low concrete fort, built on the coastline of Britain, where soldiers would stand watch for enemy planes. They were built in a hurry prior to the invasion of Britain that was expected in 1940. They were positioned at strategic points around Britain, largely on the eastern and southern coasts, but also on some parts of the west coast.
Why are they called pillboxes?
The answer to this question can not be known for sure, but supposedly the name comes from the varying shapes of the forts and the fact that from above they look like the boxes used to store medicinal pills.
How were they used?
Depending on their size, they were intended to hold a garrison of up to ten men, armed with rifles, machine guns or small anti-tank weapons. Some were equipped with mountings for anti-aircraft fire.
How were they disguised from the enemy?
The army had different ways to hide the structures from view. One way was “merging”, which means they were built into the ground and hidden by the landscape around them. Another way (as in the case of the one found by Harry) was to disguise the pillbox as another kind of building. This was commonly some kind of house or cottage, but other types were used also such as barns, mills, haystacks and even cafes.
How many pillboxes were there?
During WWII over 18,000 pillboxes were built. It’s estimated that less than 7000 are still standing today.
Key Events in World War Two
1939
31st August: Evacuation plans announced in Britain in preparation for the outbreak of war.
1st September: Hitler invades Poland.
3rd September: Britain declares war on Germany.
1940
7th January: Rationing of basic food items starts in Britain.
10th May: Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister.
14th May: The Home Guard is formed.
26th May - 4th June: Evacuation of Dunkirk.
10th July - 31st October: The Battle of Britain. This was an aerial battle, the first major campaign to be fought entirely by the air forces.
23rd August: First all-night bombing raid on London, marking the start of the Blitz. Over next few months important industrial and military centres around the country were targeted, including Coventry, Bristol, Southampton, Plymouth, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and Tyneside.
1941
1st June: Rationing of clothes and furniture begins.
7th December: Bombing of Pearl Harbour in Hawaii by Japanese planes.
8th December: United States of America enters the war.
1942
January: The first American troops arrive in Britain.
23rd April: The Luftwaffe start bombing Exeter, Bath and other historic cities in Britain. These became known as the Baedeker raids because they were targeting cultural centres.
1943
18th January: The Luftwaffe resumes bombing London.
1944
6th June: D-Day, the Normandy Landings. The first operation in the Allied invasion of Europe.
13th June: First V1 Flying bomb lands on Britain.
8th September: First V2 Rocket lands on Britain.
1945
8th May: Victory in Europe (VE) Day. War in Europe ends.
15th August: Victory in Japan (VJ) Day. War against Japan ends.
Want to Know More?
Find out more about what life was like for
children in WWII:
www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2children/
WWII timeline:
www. worldwar-2.net/
Imperial War Museum:
www.iwm.org.uk
Beamish Museum online. An archive of life in
the north east, including an extensive range of
recorded recollections of wartime experiences:
www.beamishcollections.com
Pillboxes - photographs and information by region:
www.pillboxes.co.uk
Seven Stories
“Some people say there are only seven stories in the world, but a thousand different ways of telling them. Seven Stories is about the thousand ways.”
Seven Stories, the Centre for Children’s Books, is based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was opened in 2005, and was founded as a place to celebrate British children’s writers and illustrators. To date it still provides the only exhibition space in the UK wholly dedicated to children’s literature and displays original manuscripts and artwork from some of the nation’s best-loved books.
The Robert Westall Charitable Trust played a significant role in the establishment of Seven Stories and one of the galleries is named in the author’s honour. Westall’s archive is on permanent loan to the Centre and in 2006 housed a fascinating, interactive exhibition of his work: Westall’s Kingdom - A Writer’s Life.
The display included manuscripts and artwork from The Kingdom by the Sea, and a reconstruction of the secret den from The Machine Gunners, complete with machine gun, comics and other artefacts from the period.
The Centre has plenty to enjoy for visitors of all ages and a rolling programme of events throughout the year. From dressing up and drama, storytelling sessions, to creative writing, illustration and crafts. Plus there are regular events given by contemporary authors and illustrators. And there’s also a brilliant bookshop where you can top up your collection of books by your favourite authors.
If you want to visit Seven Stories or learn more about their current exhibitions, you can find out how at www.sevenstories.org.uk.
Want to Read More?
Non-fiction
The Making of Me: Robert Westall, A Writer’s Childhood
Scenes from the author’s childhood, in his own words.
Children of the Blitz by Robert Westall
A selection of letters and wartime memories sent to the author after the publication of The Machine Gunners.
Fiction
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
Anna’s family is forced to flee Germany in 1933 after her father has published anti-Nazi articles.
The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips by Michael Morpurgo
Lily’s adored cat goes missing when the US army requisitions her village for army manouevres in preparation for D-Day.
Billy the Kid by Michael Morpurgo
Billy might be 80 years old, but inside he’s still the eager youth who was lucky and talented enough to play football for Chelsea. Then war broke out and changed the course of his life forever.
Hitler’s Daughter by Jackie French
When Mark hears the story of Hitler’s daughter it haunts him. Could it have been true? Did Hitler’s daughter really exist? If Mark had a father like Hitler, could he love him?
A Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones
When Vivian is evacuated from war-threatened London in 1939, she expects to be staying in the countryside. Instead, she is whisked away to Time City, where rogue time-travellers are plotting to take control. If they succeed, Time City and History as will be destroyed.
Copyright
For Miriam, who understood
First published in Great Britain by Methuen Children’s Books Ltd in 1990
This reissued edition published by HarperCollins Children’s Books 2009
HarperCollins Children’s Books is a division of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd,
77-85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8JB
The HarperCollins website address is www.harpercollins.co.uk
1
Copyright © 1990 The Estate of Robert Westall
Why You’ll Love This Book copyright $$ Sophie McKenzie 2009
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition © SEPTEMBER 2010 ISBN: 978-0-007-37819-7
Author’s Note:
This is a novel: not a geography book. I have taken a few liberties with my beloved Northumberland:
most with the refuge towers at Lindisfarne.
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