Question Author
If, like me, you still find the "link" still pointing to last week's puzzle and you don't have today's newspaper - here is a copy of the relevant details:-
The gatehouse is the most impressive part of this ruined castle. In the 15th century, it belonged to a poet's son, five time Speaker of the House of Commons and sometime chief butler of the country.
Walking south, I cross the river and soon reach a battlefield. Here one October 27th, more than 25,000 men fought for three hours or so. A second, earlier battle was fought two miles south-southwest - this time by almost 30,000.
Returning north, I retrieve the jalopy and continue my journey. Thus, in heading south, I pass through the town on whose outskirts the battles were fought. A former rector of the town was the first graduate ("the class of 1642") of a famous university, founded in 1636. Two miles southeast, I stumble across something about which I had quite forgotten. Dating from 1941, it was regularly in the news. That particular story started in 1981 and what a colourful place it was. First yellow, then turquoise, blue, orange, green, red and more. Now it's all history.
Next I head five miles southwest to an 18th century country house. It was refaced during the 19th century by an architect who was knighted in 1852 and is the ancestral home of a well-known family (motto: one I will serve). Its earldom was created in 1793; the best known of the earls was born here in 1866.
I, though, make my way a mile southeast, where I take the steep climb to the top of an 856ft hill. Said earl was buried here, having died overseas in 1923 and it is the site of an Iron Age hillfort. The earl, I might add, was associated with something every bit as ancient.
Questions:
Who was the poet's son?
What is the name of the town?
The prize = A trip to Disneyland Paris!