Well it's come to that time of the year again when I'll be updating a few things on the site. BUT don't worry as the site won't change from what it is now, I'll just be tidying up a few things. I'll probably be doing the updates in a month or so, so I'll let you know before hand. Like I said, the site will look and function the same, but It should improve things speed wise etc.

Anyway, after the updates I was thinking of adding our very own Wiki to the site. A bit like Wikipedia, but created and updated by the members of the ASF. That way, we can keep everything factual and it can hopefully become a source of knowledge for everyone.

So far we have our very own Media section, an English directory, the ASF (including blogs, gallery, chat and downloads), free artwork, which makes this site a great resource site. A wiki should indeed add to this.

So what are your views?

Also, do any of you bother with the English Directory, and indeed the main Englisc Gateway pages, or do you all just jump straight into the forums? I'd be interested to know so that I can look into improving areas of the site if needed.

I'd like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the ES for their recent donation which is outlined below. This has already been put to good use towards the running costs of the site for the next year. So once again, you have my thanks.

Please accept this donation of two hundred pounds from the English Shieldwall.

We appreciate the constant, often unrewarding work you do through the Englisc Gateway and the Anglo-Saxon Foundation, and felt it was time that your work and effort was recognised. As we don't produce awards or medals, we have done the next best thing - a donation towards a website that we wouldn't exist without.

We will also take this opportunity to update you on our aims and objectives for 2012.

Our current aim sees us working towards encouraging folk to set up English Community Groups, such as the piloting group in Leicester, as well as promoting and celebrating English festival days. We will be promoting and where possible, supporting groups and organisations that we feel represent the best of English tradition, culture and heritage, as well as presenting opportunities for folk of English ethnicity - especially with regard to the traditional family setup.

As ever, we stay away from political matters, English religious debate and the monarchy, leaving these issues to the individual. Our focus is bringing the folk together in traditional ways.

We hope that you agree with our aims as we do yours, and look forward to the rest of 2012 and its many events and gatherings.

Regards,
English Shieldwall

Charity Commission update

The Steadfast Trust has added an additional classification to its registration details to help expand the scope of the charities activities.

The classification added is as followed…
• HUMAN RIGHTS / RELIGIOUS OR RACIAL HARMONY / EQUALITY OR DIVERSITY

This is particularly useful in enabling the charity to assist in organisations that are trying to re-address the imbalance in equality with regards to cultural events. One such group is the English Community Group (Leicester) who challenges any institutionalised discrimination and Anglophobia aimed at the English, specifically in the Leicester area.

The level of institutionalised Anglophobia and what many would deem racism against our community should never exist, and the consequences of such sustained anti-Englishness directed against the English can led to English folk feeling persecuted, demonised, marginalised and in some cases self loathsome.

The Steadfast Trust will help provide funding for such groups with particular encouragement towards those promoting learning on English culture and heritage.

http://www.steadfast...p?stnews_id=184

Ok so I'm going to be selling off most of what I have in stock. This is down to two reasons. One, the equipment I use has some technical problems so I have yet to see if that can be sorted. Secondly, I'm left with items that aren't being sold.

So I'll start by listing the stickers I have left, so if you're interested send me a PM with sticker A, B, C etc and I we can sort out payment etc. Please note I will only accept payment via Paypal.

All prices include P&P - Items are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

All stickers are vinyl with a permanent adhesive, and are ideal for outdoors or indoors.

Sticker A

Price: £ 1.50 - SOLD OUT

Approx size 8.5 inches x 1.5 inches



Sticker B

Price: £ 1.50

Approx size 4 inches x 2.5 inches



Sticker C

Price: £ 3.00

Approx size 5.5 inches x 4 inches



Sticker D

Price: £ 2.50

Approx size 5.5 inches x 3.5 inches

I'd like to take this opportunity to raise some money for the Steadfast Trust. Firstly, I'd like to point you in the direction of the following site http://www.englandre...com/e-shop.html. Penda (the site owner) has some canvas prints for sale with 10% of each sale going straight to the Steadfast Trust. So if you're looking for something original and Englisc, please head on over there and have a browse.

Penda is also organising a Yule pub crawl in order to raise even more money for the Steadfast Trust. For more information please send him a message.

Anyway, I've now decided to also raise some money for the Steadfast Trust. I'm putting up a White Wyrm flag, which will be given to the highest bidder. All proceeds will go to the Steadfast Trust. The flag itself costs over £60 if memory serves me right, so hopefully we can raise a bit more than a fiver for this. The flag is identical to the one that was flown by the Steadfast Trust at Battle this year. It's 5ft x 3ft and has been printed in England.

WhiteWyrm

Album: White Wyrm

Uploaded 24 Aug 2011 - 15:03

So a small group of us managed to pay a visit to Stamford Bridge, although sadly we couldn't make it for the actual anniversary. It took us a while to get into Stamford Bridge due to the congestion over the narrow bridge. We stopped off at a pub called The 3 Cups which was apparently the camp site for the soldiers before the battle. It doesn't state whether it was the Vikings or the English that camped there, which was a shame as I'd have liked to have known a bit more. After our meal we headed into the centre of Stamford Bridge and headed straight for the memorial stone. It was nice to see that someone had already paid their respects by laying a wreath, and the flag of Stamford Bridge was still flying. After we had paid our respects and taken some photos we had a look around the shops and pubs. Apart from the memorial stone and the information board near the car park, there wasn't really much else relating to the actual battle, which was a shame. I was expecting souvenirs, but sadly other than the odd cup, there wasn't much else.

So my verdict is that if you do plan a visit, it's worth noting that there isn't really much to do other than to stop off at one of the pubs for a few celebratory drinks. It's also worth noting that there didn't appear to be any B&Bs in the immediate area, so if you plan to stay over, it looks like York will be the place to stay.

Still, don't let any of this put you off for next year, as I'm sure we can all meet at one of the locals for a good old natter.

On an end note, it really did put it all into perspective, and I can't contemplate what it must have been like to win at Stamford Bridge and then have to cover the vast distance to defend England yet again down at Battle. Our ancestors truly were as hard as nails.

Album: Stamford Bridge 2011

6 images

15 comments

So I hope most of you are able to get to Battle this year to pay your respects to the fallen. Sadly I can't make it this year, but I can promise those that haven't yet been, that it's a great day, or indeed weekend out. If you plan to stay over, you'll need to book your hotel as soon as possible.

Battle itself is rather small, but you'll find plenty of places to chat, eat and drink. My advice is to get there on the Friday and to meet in the Abbey Hotel for a chit chat with fellow ASF / ES / Steadfast Trust members. They're all friendly, and if it's your first time, you'll be made to feel more than welcome. Try not to get too drunk though, as it'll be an early start on Saturday for the entrance into the grounds followed by the memorial service to King Harold and all those that died to defend England from foreign invasion. After the ceremony you'll be free to visit the stalls as well as watch the re-enactment. Just make sure you fly the white dragon and heckle the Norman orcs on their way past.

Afterwards you'll be able to make your way back to The Abbey Hotel for the feast of the fallen (more info can be found by clicking here). If that doesn't take your fancy, don't worry as you can still socialise with the rest of your kin in the bar. Hopefully the Mead horn will be passed around giving you the opportunity to say a few words for England.

Sunday will be a day to relax and socialise some more.

If you enjoy the weekend, please make a donation to the Steadfast Trust.

Ok to stay consistent with the site and to save confusion, I'm currently doing a trial with the new web address.

www.englisc-gateway.com

uepengland.com still works and links to forum articles etc will still work as intended, but when you browse the site it will be using the new web address.

If you have any issues with the site then make sure you log out and clear your browser history / temp files etc and then try www.englisc-gateway.com again. If you're still having problems, let me know.

I will be keeping uepengland.com so you can still type that in, but it will redirect to the new web address.

If the trial is successful and there are no major problems, you'll all have to update your bookmarks etc.

We've added a new item to the shop. This time it's a St Edmund's day t-shirt, yes the same one that was on sale at the Folcmoot. The front logo consists of a crown with the word 'English' above it, and 'King Edmund - Patron St of England' below it.

Wear it with pride, wear it everyday, but don't forget to wear it on November 20th. What will I be doing on St Edmund's Day? I'll no doubt be stuffing my face with English pork followed by horns of mead and flagons of ale.

Waes Hael!

Sounds interesting. Shame I can't get down. So I hope at least one of you can get down to sample some Saxon ale on my behalf.

September 8, 2011 11:00 am - September 10, 2011 11:00 pm

Tamworth’s annual Beer Festival organised by CAMRA, this year has a real Saxon flavour with many local micro breweries providing Saxon titled real ales.

Taste the award winning ale ‘The Hoard’ produced by The Backyard Brewhouse. You can also purchase bottles of Saxon titled ales from Tamworth Castle.

Link

Also The Backyard Brewhouse also has another ale called Penda. Interesting.

Nordic Names is a great site to browse if you're planning on starting or extending your tribe. It's a great reference site to give you some ideas, and let's face it, what proud English boy wouldn't want to be called Wulfgéat the warrior? Not too sure about the name Egg, but saying that, it has a great meaning - edge of a weapon.

Anyway, have a browse and see what you can dig out.

http://www.nordicnames.de/

Well lo and behold, another gateway concerning England.

I've just stumbled across this little gem of a site that lists national and local records of England's historic sites and buildings. If you click on the search link you can search by area or building type. So if you want to know the whereabouts of secret military bunkers or old English buildings or Saxon remains, go and have a look. Plenty of old English goodies to unearth.

http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/

So another year goes by, and yet again we sit and await the arrival of the expected crime reports for the Notting Hill Carnival. Day one reports over 50 arrests. That figure slowly crept up to a total of 214 arrests by the end of the weekend. As usual, the crimes we're talking about here aren't related to dropping litter. No this is the NHC, so the reported crimes are as follows. Theft, criminal damage, stabbings, GBH, possession of class A and B drugs, handling stolen goods, robbery, assault, driving whilst disqualified etc etc. The police naturally class this as very peaceful and go on to state that there have only been a small number of isolated incidents. Now don't forget, this is with 5,500 police officers deployed.

Previous years were no different, and there have been a total of 5 murders (yes murders) since the first carnival. 2008 resulted in 488 arrests, 222 for 2009, 101 for 2010. How has the carnival of "all that isn't English" managed to avoid a ban? Money? It's obvious it will produce a large income for the coffers of London. Political correctness? fear of upset? I assume it's all three.

http://news.bbc.co.u...i/uk/911242.stm
http://news.bbc.co.u...don/8230984.stm
http://www.met.polic...val/updates.htm

Ok so I'm 98% complete with the change over from Saxon North to the Englisc Gateway. For those that missed the announcement, Saxon North is now the Englisc Gateway. It's more than just a name change as we now plan to update the Englisc Gateway side of the site weekly with news and other bits and pieces.

The Saxon North web address will still work, as will the Saxon North e-mail addresses. I will slowly be phasing them out over the next year as they will be replaced by the Englisc Gateway equivalents.

The front page has been revamped, but it isn't yet complete. As you can see, there is room for more information on one page. I will also be making some cosmetic changes here and there. The English Directory will also undergo further updates.

So I hope you like the new changes and hopefully they'll make the website a lot more informative.

I've just added the first White Wyrm sticker pack (4 stickers) to the shop. Use the White Wulf menu at the top to visit the shop for more information.

Don't forget to leave any feedback.