Two Images From An Open Prison
A Thing To Do In Portmeirion Village/Town Prison: Play Big Chess.
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Portmeirion Village in North Wales is the iconic filming location for the 1960s cult classic TV series The Prisoner. Designed by Clough Williams-Ellis, the Italianate village served as the surreal, isolated prison for Patrick McGoohan’s character, Number Six, during the show’s 17 episodes (1967-1968). Today, it is a major tourist destination, hosting a themed shop and annual fan conventions.
Key facts about The Prisoner at Portmeirion.
• The Village as Character: Portmeirion's uniqu, colourful architecture allowed it to represent a place that was both idyllic and menacing.
• Number Six’s Home: The building identified as Number Six’s house in the series is now the "Official Prisoner Shop," which sells merchandise including badges, books, and prints.
• Filming Locations: Numerous spots are instantly recognisable to fans, including the central piazza, the chess board (later recreated), and the hotel, which stood in for Number Two's house.
• Legacy: The show remains a cult classic, with fans ("Six of One" society) visiting annually. The village is largely unchanged after 50 years, maintaining its surreal atmosphere.
For visitors, Portmeirion Village provides a "Prisoner" tour experience, blending the site's history with its stunning, eclectic architecture.
The video provides a tour of the village, highlighting key filming locations from the series:
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Barnard Castle (/ˈbɑːnəd/, BAR-nəd) is a market town on the north bank of the River Tees, in County Durham, England. The town is named after and built around a ruined medieval castle. The town's Bowes Museum has an 18th-century Silver Swan automaton exhibit and paintings by Goya and El Greco.
More On Portmeirion with William Morris, Williams-Ellis & Me (William Evans)
Portmeirion's connection to William Morris exists primarily through modern product collaborations and a shared design philosophy, rather than a direct historical partnership.
The Pottery Connection.
The most direct link today is through the Portmeirion Group, which owns several iconic British brands.
Morris & Co. Collection:
The Portmeirion Group produces a licensed Morris & Co. collection featuring William Morris’s famous 19th-century patterns like Strawberry Thief and Willow Bough.
Spode Collaboration:
Many of these items are marketed as Spode x Morris & Co., combining Spode’s ceramic expertise with Morris’s nature-inspired textiles.
Retail Presence:
You can find these Morris-designed mugs, trays, and tea sets at the Portmeirion Online store and in the shops at Portmeirion Village.
Shared Design Philosophy.
While they lived in different eras, Portmeirion’s creator and William Morris shared a commitment to beauty and craftsmanship.
Arts and Crafts Influence:
Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, who designed Portmeirion Village, built the early parts of the village (1925–1939) in an Arts and Crafts style.
Rebellion Against Mass Production:
Both men rejected the "drabness" of industrialisation. Morris fought for traditional craftsmanship, while Williams-Ellis built Portmeirion as "propaganda for good manners" to show that development could enhance nature rather than destroy it.
Legacy:
Portmeirion Pottery founder Susan Williams-Ellis (Clough's daughter) continued this legacy by designing the famous Botanic Garden range, which mirrors Morris’s obsession with British flora.
My involvement with pottery STEMs from the fact that I've been officially declared Potty As A Hatter.
More Stuff Associated With Barnard Castle
The image features the official crest of Barnard Castle School, an independent day and boarding school located in County Durham, England.
Institution: Barnard Castle School, often colloquially known as "Barney".
Foundation Year: 1883.
Motto: "Parvis imbutus tentabis grandia tutus", which translates to "Having been steeped in small things, you will attempt great things safely".
Shield Details: The crest displays two shields; one is a plain red shield, and the other features four green eagles and a white rose.
All Currently Available On RedBubble
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He Has The Power.
This image depicts a satirical cartoon of Dominic Cummings, the former Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister, portrayed as He-Man.
The cartoon references the controversy surrounding his journey to Barnard Castle in County Durham during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
Cummings defended his actions by stating he drove to the town to test his eyesight before returning to London.
This phrase became a popular meme and has appeared on various merchandise like mugs and t-shirts.
The image humorously conflates the political scandal with the iconic "By the power of Grayskull" catchphrase from the He-Man cartoon.
Moron The DC Incident
The relationship between Dominic Cummings and Barnard Castle stems from a high-profile controversy in May 2020, during the height of the UK's first COVID-19 lockdown.
Cummings, then the Chief Adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, travelled roughly 260 miles from London to Durham while he and his wife were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. During this stay, he made a 30-mile round trip to Barnard Castle, a local market town.
The "Eye Test" Explanation
In a unique press conference held in the 10 Downing Street rose garden on 25 May 2020, Cummings defended the trip with several key claims:
• Testing Eyesight: He stated he drove to Barnard Castle specifically to test if his vision was safe enough for the long drive back to London, as his eyesight had allegedly been affected by the virus.
• Exceptional Circumstances: He argued the initial move to Durham was necessary for childcare security, later adding in 2021 that safety threats against his family were a primary motivator.
• Maintaining Distance: He claimed his family only walked a short distance (10–15 metres) from their car to sit by the riverbank for about 15 minutes before returning.
Investigation and Impact
The incident became a defining moment of the pandemic response, often referred to as the "Dominic Cummings effect".
• Police Findings: Durham Constabulary concluded that while the journey from London to Durham was not an offence, the trip to Barnard Castle "might have been a minor breach" of lockdown regulations. No retrospective action was taken.
• Public Reaction: The "eye test" explanation was widely mocked and led to a significant drop in public trust in government health messaging. A poll at the time showed 59% of Britons believed he should resign.
• Legacy in Pop Culture: The town became an unlikely tourist destination, with English Heritage reporting a 20% increase in visitors to the actual castle in 2021. The phrase "Should have gone to Specsavers" saw a 6,000% spike in mentions, and a "Barnard Castle Eye Test" IPA was even produced by BrewDog.
Recent Developments
In evidence given to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry in late 2023:
• Cummings admitted the handling of the incident was a "disaster" and an "absolute car crash," though he maintained his actions were technically legal.
• Former PM Boris Johnson described the scandal as a "bad moment" for the government's pandemic response.
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DC Comics first got involved with He-Man in 1982, shortly after the Masters of the Universe toy line was launched, marking the character's debut in a traditional comic format.
Key early involvement included.
DC Comics Presents #47 (July 1982): Titled "From Eternia—With Death!", this issue featured a crossover where Superman travels to Eternia to team up with He-Man. It is often cited as the first appearance of He-Man in a standard comic, as well as the debut of the Prince Adam identity.
1982 Mini-Comics: DC also produced the "Wave 2" mini-comics packaged with the toys, which introduced more sci-fi elements to the storyline and established the Royal Palace setting.
DC Comics held the rights to produce new Masters of the Universe comics between 2012 and 2020, publishing several series, crossovers, and collected editions. These comics blended the classic fantasy of Eternia with modern storytelling and high-stakes action crossovers with the DC Universe.
Here are the key details regarding He-Man and DC Comics.
Major DC Comic Series (2012–2020)
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2012–2013): A six-issue mini-series where Skeletor captures Castle Grayskull but faces a new, hidden threat.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2013–2015): A second ongoing series following the events of the first.
He-Man: The Eternity War (2015–2016): An ongoing series where He-Man and She-Ra lead a resistance against Hordak.
He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse (2019–2020): A six-issue limited series featuring various versions of He-Man teaming up against Anti-Eternia.
Key Crossovers
• DC Universe vs. The Masters of the Universe (2013): A six-issue series where He-Man and his allies must stop Skeletor, who is manipulating heroes in the DC Universe.
• He-Man/ThunderCats (2016): A crossover in which Mumm-Ra attempts to seize He-Man's Sword of Power.
• Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe (2018–2019): A crossover series featuring the Injustice: Gods Among Us storyline, where He-Man helps the insurgency against a totalitarian Superman.
Notable Publications and Formats
• Omnibus: A massive collected edition that includes the 2012–2013 series, Eternity War, the crossovers, and origin stories.
• Digital-First Series: A 2012 weekly series that explored the world of Eternia, written by Geoff Johns.
• First Appearance: He-Man first appeared in a DC comic in DC Comics Presents #47 (1982) in a team-up with Superman.
The DC series generally featured a more mature, action-packed take on the characters, often exploring darker themes than the 1980s animated series.
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