Driving up to Yorkshire is only a matter of 4 hours (without stops) so we visited a couple of National Trust properties on the way.
The first was the birthplace and family home of Sir Isaac Newton. He was born here on Christmas Day in 1642. The premature and sickly baby was not expected to survive, but he grew into a thoughtful and solitary child unsuited to a farming life. He neglected his duties and even allowed animals on the family farm to wander off. Seeing Isaac’s intellectual promise, his uncle persuaded Isaac’s mother to allow him to go to King’s school in Grantham and he later went on to Cambridge University.
In 1665 Newton returned to Woolsthorpe in order to escape the plague in Cambridge. His discoveries at this time included revolutionary ideas in Mathematics, Optics, Gravity and formulating the Laws of Motion.
His theories and scientific methods underpin the world of science today.
You will see here the apple tree that Newton was said to be sitting under when the apple fell on his head which caused him to wonder what caused it to fall, which he thought was caused by a gravitational pull.
The tree we see here grew out of the stump of the original tree which fell in a storm.
Sorry it is blurred, I took it through glass
Scenes from his bedroom
Looking out of his bedroom straight at the apple tree
The working kitchen
See the servants sleeping cupboard
18 comments:
Thanks for the tour. I am seeing things on your blog of places that or wonderful.
Patsy
Doing a happy dance that your computer is fixed! It's not fun to be without one's computer!
Sir Issac Newton had a very dear uncle. An unsung one at that, but without him, where would the world of science be today? Appreciating another's abilities is every bit as important as having the ability in the first place. Love that part of the story!
Wow. Wonderful photos. Raf, who is a physicist, and he loved seeing the photo of the tree. Says he thinks he read that Newton was looking out the window at the tree when visiting his mother's farm and saw the apple fall.
Glad your computer is fixed!
wonderful tour! thank you. I didn't realise this place even existed. How enjoyable to go there vicariously, at least!
Hi Barbara,
I'm so glad the computer problems are behind you.
Thank you for the tour. I always enjoy coming by.
Oh Barbara, how very exciting about your computer; I am rejoicing with you because I so empathise with having a sick computer. It is NOT fun, so it makes the joy of having it repaired even more pronounced. I loved seeing Sir Isaac Newton's home... fascinating to see that apple tree where the "light bulb" came on.
Blessings,
Christi
Glad the computer is fixed!
Neat old house. Thanks for the tour. Reminded me of something out of a Jane Austen film.
I think I like the kitchen the best. Poor cooks didn't even have their own bedroom though.
I tagged you for the random meme. It's on my blog.
I'm joining Vee in the happy dance!
The outside of the Newton home looks rather plain and bleak, but I love all the light on the inside in the photos you showed us.
A sleeping cupboard, interesting! I see the servants got no vacation from work...sleeping right in the kitchen.
What a wonderful place to get to visit.
Susan
Hi Barb,
Glad your computer problems are fixed. Sorry I haven't been by as often. I hope to be better once school starts again!
Loved seeing Sir Isaac Newton's home.
I had to bring Bill in to read about this too!
hugs))
I loved this! Your country has such a wonderful wealth of history. Cute that the view out the window is straight at the apple tree! However many generations later! ;)
Oh, I'm glad you're back online!
I was a little surprised that Newton's house looks so isolated. It would be a good place to live through the Plague, though.
Newton's uncle should get more recognition for HIS contribution to the world!
Congratulations on the computer being fixed! Enjoying reading your posts and looking at the interesting pics!
Most interesting! Thanks for the tour.
Hello Barbara,
My name is Bulent Atalay, and for the past four decades I have served as a professor of physics in the United States. Like most others in my field, I have been awestruck by Isaac Newton’s accomplishments of almost 350 years ago. Although I lived in London as a child (in the late 40s), and returned to study and teach at Oxford (in the 70s), I never made it to Woolsthorpe Manor. I was ecstatic to come across your website that gives a fabulous tour of the site of Newton’s early life, especially since I am just beginning to write a book on Isaac Newton and the Scientific Revolution.
On the side, I am a practicing artist and an author. My books have seen unexpected success (my website, created at the behest of my publisher appears at www.bulentatalay.com. My book 'Math and the Mona Lisa, released by Smithsonian Books in 2004, is now in a dozen languages. Just recently, the National Geographic Books released my new book, Leonardo’s Universe, co-authored with my friend and former student, Keith Wamsley.
I am writing to thank you for sharing your photos from Woolstorpe Manor. You have provided the incentive for me to make a trip back to England, this time just to tour Newton’s birthplace.
Bulent
Hi Barbara, What a lovely blog! I found it whilst looking for some pics of Woolsthorpe Manor for my holiday itinerary. I hope it is ok to use some of your photos. It is just for my own personal holiday itinerary this year which I may at some point put up online as a pdf file.
A question I have is whether the NT allow photography in their properties now. Not sure I've visted any since 2008 but I know I had been told before that it was not allowed.
I am off with my partner to a cottage for a week in Grosmont, Yorkshire and planned a stop at Woolsthorpe to break up the journey on our way up there from London.
I love travelling in the UK and will follow your blog.
Lois.
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