Mono Monday Challenge: Heritage

Milton Keynes? I thought that was a new town?

Well strictly speaking it is, but it is celebrating it's 50th birthday next year.

Still got the concrete cows?

Actually, they aren't just concrete but fibreglass on a metal frame, but yes, they're still there. They're just one of over 220 public art and sculpture installations across the city.

What about roundabouts? I heard you can't move for them in Milton Keynes!

Actually, you can move because of them. Unlike other towns they keep the traffic flowing so you rarely get a traffic jam. And if one road is a bit slow, you can just use another because of the American style grid system.

Ah, but it's all about roads, isn't it? You have to have a car to live there.

Not really. There are 170 miles of traffic-free redways designed for walkers and cyclists.

Anything to do if you live there? Any culture?

Only the most successful theatre outside the West End, the bi-annual Milton Keynes Festival, The Stables, a great music and arts venue set up by Cleo Laine and her late husband John Dankworth, two multi-plex cinemas, lots of smaller music venues, real snow indoor ski-slope, the National Bowl……..

OK, OK. But everything's new isn't it? This is supposed to be about heritage; there's no heritage there.

Depends on what you call heritage. There's the Roman Villa at Bancroft, the site of a 12th century Benedictine Priory, the oldest iron bridge in the UK, mediaeval villages and churches and a museum. The Aston Martin factory, Bletchley Park, the Cock and the Bull that originated 'Cock and Bull stories'. The Grand Union Canal, 19th century quarries and brick kilns, Alms Houses, old thatched pubs, and a Manor House. Although the man who owns that has a recording studio and also owns a football team so you probably think that doesn't count.

Quite. I knew there was nothing there. And who's this geezer then?

It's John Dankworth.

Not sure why you've bothered to enter this to a heritage challenge.



Thanks to Nickimags888 for hosting the challenge!