Ingleton, Jervaulx Abbey and Ribblehead Viaduct

A mixture of images from more of our Dales exploration starting with a visit to a ruined abbey. Yorkshire certainly has its fair share of these! 

Jervaulx Abbey is the country's largest privately owned Cistercian Abbey, most others being in the hands of English Heritage or National Trust. It is situated in East Witton near the city of Ripon, was one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, England, dedicated to St. Mary in 1156. It is a Grade I listed building. 

At the height of its prosperity the abbey owned half of the valley and was renowned for breeding horses, a tradition that remains in Middleham to the present day. It was also the original home of Wensleydale cheese. In 1279 Abbot Philip of Jervaulx was murdered by 

one of his monks. His successor, Abbot Thomas, was initially accused of the crime, but a jury later determined that he was not to blame, and another monk fled under outlawry. 

Like many of the 900 or so religious building in Henry VIII time, it declined dramatically, as the state reclaimed some of the fabulous wealth the Church had amassed.

The Ribblehead Viaduct or Batty Moss Viaduct carries the Settle–Carlisle Railway across Batty Moss in the Ribble Valley at Ribblehead, in North Yorkshire, England. The viaduct, built by the Midland Railway, is 28 miles north-west of Skipton and 26 miles south-east of Kendal. It is a Grade II* listed structure. It is made up of twenty-four arches of 45 feet (14 m) span, with foundations 25 feet (7.6 m) deep. You just have to take the photo!

And another image this time with a train crossing!

So onto a walk around Ingleton Waterfalls Trail.The Ingleton waterfalls walk in the Yorkshire Dales is one of the most spectacular waterfall and woodland walks in the UK - according to the hardcore walkers! 

The walk is easy to follow and passes Pecca Falls, Hollybush Spout, Thornton Force, Beezley Falls, Rival Falls, Baxen Ghyll Gorge and Snow Falls. The trail leads through ancient oak woodland and typical Yorkshire Dales scenery via these stunning waterfalls and other geological features

Malham Limestone pavement, on the top of Malham Cove. It was as well that we returned here to get a more extensive range of images, because this is an amazing area. See here for our later visit and better images.

Arncliffe village stocks, renovated / rebuilt in 2003. These stocks were built to comply with the law of 1490 requiring every village to have a set of stocks in which those who missed church would be placed to reflect on the error of their ways.

This is a wonderful part of the UK and I can see why people return time and time again. No doubt we will return.

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Richmond, Mukka Meadows and The Buttertubs

On the way to our holiday cottage in Marrick, we stopped at Richmond where we visited the castle and toured the town before doing some shopping. Richmond Castle is the best-preserved example of an early Norman castle in England apparently. Probably begun in the 1070s by Alan Rufus, who had fought at the Battle of Hastings, it was expanded in the 12th century by his great-nephew Conan, who built the keep. By 1540 the castle was derelict, but it later became a popular tourist destination. During the First World War it was used as a prison for conscientious objectors, including the Richmond Sixteen.

Who? - The Richmond Sixteen were a group of "absolutist" British conscientious objectors during the First World War. Conscripted into the British Army in 1916, they refused to undertake even non-combatant military duties. Brought together at Richmond Castle, Yorkshire, most not knowing each other previously, they were transported to France, where they were court-martialled and formally sentenced to be executed by firing squad, but this sentence was immediately commuted to ten years' penal servitude. They were released in 1919.

The view down toward the river from the castle

Looking from the castle toward the town of Richmond

Arriving in Marrick, we found the cottage easily enough, although it was off the beaten track. It was very cosy. This being the view across the garden to the Dales beyond.

Loved these walls just down the road from the cottage.

The washing has to go somewhere to dry! Not ours, I would add.

So, one of the first places we planned to visit was the famous Muker Meadows, which we visited twice in fact, on Sunday, and again on Thursday. 

These meadows are very famous with people coming many miles to see them - well deserved too.

Great sign on a wall near the village pub!

What about this for a narrow bridge?

The Tan Hill Inn is the highest inn in the British Isles at 1,732 feet (528 m) above sea level.

The building dates to the 17th century, and during the 18th century was used as a hostelry by workers digging coal pits, which is reflected in its earlier name, The Kings Pit. It is unusual for its isolation, but it was previously surrounded by miners' cottages. After the closure of the last mine in 1929, and demolition of the associated cottages in the early 1930s, the pub remained open due to the patronage of local farmers and the development of the motor car.

From 1974, boundary changes moved it into County Durham, but this was reviewed in 1987 after much protest, and it reverted to within the Yorkshire boundary. In 1995, the Tan Hill Inn became the first public house in the UK to be granted a licence to hold weddings and civil ceremonies, after new laws were established to allow couples to marry in places other than churches or register offices.

A pretty Dales village nestled in the countryside.

The Dales are certainly a beautiful part of the world. Stone walls and rolling countryside with little villages dotted here and there.

Another place which took our fancy was the Buttertubs which have been formed by water continually running over the rocks. Onto Hawes and a quick visit to the Wensleydale cheese experience. (We will go back here to do the full tour). 

The Buttertubs are a group of fluted limestone potholes, just off the roadside near the summit of the Buttertubs Pass. Why are they called that?

One theory holds that the Buttertubs were so named because travellers over the pass used to lower butter churns down them to keep produce cool while travelling to market, though it is possible that the fluted potholes were just called Buttertubs because they simply look like - er - buttertubs.. 

A stop at Aysgarth Falls proved a bit disappointing as there was very little water flowing through. However, a pleasant place to stop for a while.

Another quaint place we stopped at was Grassington (above) - I loved the cobbled streets!

While wandering the streets we came across this sand sculpture, which I believe was to be part of a competition. Pretty amazing I thought.

View across the beautiful Dales

The oldest sweet shop or candy store in the world. It is the aptly named "Oldest Sweet Shop in England", situated in Pateley Bridge in Yorkshire, UK. It first opened its doors in 1827 and has sold sweets continuously right up to the present day. It also occupies a building dating back to 1661. And yes, that is Rosey - but no sweets!

Foster Back Water Mill. 

Near by, we came across this distinctive water wheel, previously Foster Beck Water Mill. Now disused, it was an old water mill. Once housing a popular pub and nightclub, the old hemp mill has now been converted in to a residential development.

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The City of York - Day two

Today our aim is to explore more of York, using a bus ride, a walk on the wall and just walking! York has, since Roman times, been defended by walls of one form or another. To this day, substantial portions of the walls remain, and York has more miles of intact wall than any other city in England. They are known variously as York City Walls, the Bar Walls and the Roman walls (though this last is a misnomer as very little of the extant stonework is of Roman origin, and the course of the wall has been substantially altered since Roman times).

To see York it is a great idea to follow the wall trails, somehow you get a different perspective other than walking at street level.

So, to the walls we went.

The Minster from the wall walk. You certainly get a different feel of the place as you are above the general traffic.

Not sure how old this advert is but I expect quite a few years!

The walls are punctuated by four main gatehouses, or 'bars', (Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar and Micklegate Bar). These restricted traffic in medieval times, and were used to extract tolls, as well as being defensive positions in times of war.

Monk Bar is the largest and most ornate of the bars, it dates from the early 14th century. It was a self-contained fortress, with each floor capable of being defended. On the front of the bar is an arch supporting a gallery, including 'murder-holes' through which missiles and boiling water could be rained down upon attackers. But not today thankfully.

Monk Bar has the city’s only working portcullis, in use until 1970. Like the other main gateways, Monk Bar originally had a barbican on the front - demolished in 1825. 

The rooms above the gateway have had various uses over the years, including as a home and as a jail for rebellious Catholics in the 16th century.

A Medieval Oven I believe.

What can one say? Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate is one of the smallest streets in York, if not the smallest. It is between Colliergate and Fossgate and intersects the Pavement and the Stonebow in York city centre. It is currently a length of raised pavement between St Crux church hall and a small road junction. First recorded in 1505 as Whitnourwhatnourgate, literally "Neither whit nor what street" (with archaic English gate, meaning street), the name could mean either "Nothing at all" or "Neither one thing nor the other. Take your pick.

The butchers of the Shambles have gone, to be replaced today by stores such as this - note the wide shelving/window sills from times past.

Cliffords Tower, York

Inside Cliffords Tower

One of the worst anti-Semitic massacres of the Middle Ages took place in York in 1190. The city’s entire Jewish community was trapped by an angry mob inside the tower of York Castle. Many members of the community chose to commit suicide rather than be murdered or forcibly baptised by the attackers. See HERE for a fuller version.

Although Walmgate is the only bar to retain its barbican, portcullis and inner doors, it has had a more torrid history than the other bars. It was burned by rebels in 1489 and battered by cannon during the siege of 1644. Until the late 19th century each of the 4 main bars had a barbican (an outer wall and gateway) just like this one that survives at Walmgate.

Micklegate Bar was the most important of York’s four main medieval gateways and the focus for grand events. The name comes from 'Micklelith', meaning great street. 

It was the main entrance to the city for anyone arriving from the South. At least half a dozen reigning monarchs have passed through this gate and by tradition they stop here to ask the Lord Mayor's permission to enter the city.

The lower section of the bar dates from the 12th century, the top two storeys from the 14th. The building was inhabited from 1196. Like the other main gates, Micklegate Bar originally had a barbican built on the front, in this case demolished in 1826.

For centuries the severed heads of rebels and traitors were displayed above the gate, the many victims include Sir Henry Purcey (Hotspur) in 1403 and Richard, Duke of York in 1460. The last of the severed heads was removed in 1754. Barbaric days!

A street view of the Minster

The famous Stonegate Devil 

Number 35 Stonegate is an historic building with an interesting heritage. The timber frontage dates back to the 15th century. In 1682 Francis Hilyard opened his famous bookshop The Sign Of The Bible there.

The building became known as the House of the Bible, with a distinctive wooden bible still hanging over the front door.

Outside York Minster is this famous statue. Constantine, a usurper from York, was a man who went on to change the world. Constantinople, or Constantine's City (Istanbul) was his new and Christian Rome. His support for Christianity led to it becoming the religion of Western Europe.

Yet Constantine is also an unlikeable man. A marble head of Constantine found in Stonegate (now in the Yorkshire Museum) contrasts sharply with the modern statue outside York Minster. Rather than an effete and relaxed fop as he is portrayed today, the Roman version shows him with alert staring eyes - the military leader and far seeing reformer, the man who would later have one of his own sons executed.

The site of Constantine's elevation was long remembered and two centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, in AD627 King Edwin of Northumbria, newly converted to Christianity from paganism, built the first church dedicated to St. Peter on the ruins of the Roman principia. That seventh-century church was the first Minster, the forerunner of the great cathedral that dominates York today. Such a choice of site was surely no coincidence and later legends built on York's Constantinian connection.

Another great day and still plenty to see in York - well worth a second visit sometime?

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