Why not enter into the spirit of the occasion?

Travelling I
light
PEOPLE often say they like catching up on their reading while on holiday. They may not have considered that numerous hotels around Britain have fascinating historical associations which, if known about in advance, could inspire or influence their choice of
holiday reading.
I have already mentioned in this column that many of Britain's frusthouse Forte hotels have retained much of the historical atmosphere attaching to the country houses they once were.
The following hotels, each of which might suggest the kind of books to be borrowed from your local library before visiting them, are all in the THE' range.
If you are planning to stay at the Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury bear in mind that Charles Dickens stayed there on many occa sions. So — but less frequently — did Disraeli, Paganini and Jenny Lind.
Naturally Stratford-UponAvon reeks of Shakespeare. But how many people actually sit down to read his plays? (They miss a lot by hot doing so.) Next time you are staying in Stratford's excellent Alveston Manor Hotel — across the river from the Shakespeare l'heatre — take along a copy of Midsummer Night's Dream and read preferebly aloud, in the garden, some of its incomparably poetic text. The
play was first performed on that very site.
In Grantham there is a charming hotel called The Angel and Royal. It is hard to believe, looking at it now, that it was once the court of King John.
How much do we really know about that "bad" King? Your next bargain break at the Angel could provide the answer.
If you want to more than just read and dream, why not join an organised weekend discovering some of Britain's architecture and art treasures? There are hotels from which trips can be made to such outstanding "stately homes" as Blenheim, Castle Howard, Broadlands, Harewood,
Woburn, Beaulieu (pronounced Bewley), and Warwick Castle.
Trusthouse Forte is at 71 Uxbridge Road, London W5 and don't forget that Milbanke Travel Shops, as well as specialising in THF bookings, are highly skilled in all kinds of holiday travel.
Peregrinus