Return to the Yorkshire Moors

The Yorkshire Moors have always been popular places to visit as they are beautiful and full of history. There are many novels also written about them which give them a dark and foreboding character - places of mystery! We found a beautiful place to stay in Pickhill, (which was far from `dark and foreboding`) near Thirsk, Yorkshire. The bungalow was on a farm, and was like home from home - Amazing!

One of the first places that we visited was through Thirsk, and was called Sutton Bank. 

Sutton Bank is a hill in the Hambleton District of the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire in England. It is a high point on the Hambleton Hills with extensive views over the Vale of York and the Vale of Mowbray. 

At the foot of Sutton Bank lies the village of Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe; at 27 letters long, it has the longest hyphenated place name in England - how about that! 

The A170 road runs down the bank with a maximum gradient of 1 in 4 (25%), and including a hairpin bend. Vehicles have to keep in low gear whilst travelling up or down the bank, and caravans are banned from using the section. Luckily the weather was good the few time we drove it during the week, which made life a bit easier. 

Because it faces the prevailing westerly winds, Sutton Bank has been used by Yorkshire Gliding Club, based at the top of the hill, since the 1930`s I believe. 

Ampleforth Abbey is a monastery of Benedictine Monks a mile to the east of Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, England, part of the English Benedictine Congregation, and also a College for 6, 7 & 8 year old children. It claims descent from the pre-Reformation community at Westminster Abbey through the last surviving monk from Westminster Sigebert Buckley (c. 1520 - c. 1610). Unfortunately, the Abbey has recently been embroiled in a sexual abuse scandal. (2017)

Monks are known for living peaceful lives with plenty of time dedicated to study and prayer.

But the Benedictine monks at Ampleforth Abbey have also found another way to fill their days - brewing beer. It is something they have not done for more than 200 years. 

It appears to be a very successful venture!

The place is in magnificent surroundings which were highlighted by the autumn colours. 

Byland Abbey was described in the 12th century as one of the shining lights of northern monasticism. Its beginnings were unpromising – it was only after 43 years and numerous moves that the community of Byland found a permanent home – yet the abbey rose to be one of the largest of the Cistercian order in Britain. The remains of the buildings, particularly the great church with its magnificent west front, are important in the development of northern monastic architecture in the second half of the 12th century.

A good summary of the long history can be found here.

Although there appear to be a large number of ruined abbeys spread around the countryside, their downfall may well have started in the reign of Henry VIII.

After Wolsey's downfall, Thomas Cromwell became Henry's chief minister and earned the confidence of the King by helping him to break with Rome and establish Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. This act also brought him much needed wealth through the dissolution of the well-funded monasteries. Over four years Cromwell ordered that 800 monasteries be disbanded and their lands and treasures taken for the crown.

I believe in fact, that the `church` had owned as much as a third of all the land in Europe!. 

The cultural and social impact of this action was significant, as much of the land was sold to the gentry and churches and monasteries were gutted and destroyed. Henry's personal religious beliefs remained Catholic, despite the growing number of people at court and in the nation who had adopted Protestantism. 

The church of St Michael's, Coxwold, sits at the western end of the village. The current church was built in 1420-30 and is an unusually elegant church for the area, with a most impressive octagonal tower.

The first documented reference to a church at Coxwold came in 757, when Pope Paul I ordered King Eadbert of Northumbria to repair it. This early Saxon church was replaced by a 11th century Norman church, which was in turn replaced by the current elegant building, built in the perpendicular style in 1420-30 and left largely untouched since.

Day two of our holiday we intend to make our way toward Gillamor, and then onto Lastingham.

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Let's do some cooking Nana

Today I am helping Nana make some apple things - not sure what they are called but never mind!

As you can see, after Nana has put the ingredients into a bowl, it is very easy for me to mix them all up with my hands - without much mess either!

Then we take an apple and give to Nana, who will chop it into small slices.

I will then put the slices into the dishes like this.

 Perhaps I will do more than one at once.

Next, (and I like this messy bit) I will put some of that hand mixed mixture, on top of the apple slices, and fill up the dishes to the top.

Then I get another apple and start all over again - easy really!

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Dorset for a week

We had wanted to visit Dorset for some time, so this cottage was a perfect choice for a weeks holiday with Hayley and Izobelle. It was close to Portland Bill and not too far from Lulworth, in an area called Fleet. 

Fleet is a small, scattered village and civil parish in south Dorset, approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) west of Weymouth, and close to the shore of The Fleet, a brackish lagoon behind Chesil Beach. 

The Great Storm of 1824 caused waves to breach Chesil Beach, and many of the buildings in the village were destroyed. An eye-witness described the event:

At six o'-clock on the morning of the 23rd I was standing with other boys by the gate near the cattle pound when I saw, rushing up the valley, the tidal wave, driven by a hurricane and bearing upon its crest a whole haystack and other debris from the fields below. We ran for our lives to Chickerell, and when we returned found that five houses had been swept away and the church was in ruins.

It was much calmer on our visit!

Our end-of-row, former coastguard cottage had panoramic sea views looking out to the Fleet, Chesil Beach, with views from Portland Bill to the Devon coastline. Down a track in front of the property, and we were on the sea`s edge.

One short shower, and we had a rainbow over Chesil Beach. Not a bad start to the week.

Obviously a good spot to launch a boat from, and this old rusty shed, I assumed, was housing a boat

The lighthouse at Portland Bill.

Nearby to our holiday cottage was Weymouth and to the south, the small promontory of Portland Bill. Having heard the name numerous times on the shipping forecast, this was a place to visit obviously.!

Portland Bill is a narrow promontory (or bill) at the southern end of the Isle of Portland. One of Portland's most popular destinations is the lighthouse. Portland's coast has been notorious for the number of shipwrecked vessels over the centuries. The dangerous coastline features shallow reefs and the Shambles sandbank, made more hazardous due to the strong Portland tidal race.

The Bill is an important way-point for coastal traffic, and three lighthouses have been built to protect shipping. The original two worked as a pair from 1716, and they were replaced in 1906 by the current one.

We did not go into the lighthouse but it made a good image I thought.

A wander around the shore line near the lighthouse revealed this rocky foreshore..

Later in the day as we drove back, we came across this monument to the 2012 Olympics overlooking Weymouth harbour. As far as I can remember, most of the Olympic sailing events took place here.

Another place we visited, on the 19th, was Lulworth Cove, and very pretty it was too. Not many people about and rather plesant weather.

A couple more images from Lulworth Cove.

Then onto Durdle Door to see the much photographed rock formation which has featured in thousands of photographers portfolios! I have seen some beautiful sunrise and sunset images from roughly this spot. However, not for me today as we were here late afternoon. We did visit again.

The far side of Durdle Door.

An morning wander down the lane to the water edge and a couple of images of boats drifting at anchor, peacefully in the early morning light.

And then onto West Bay, a little way along the coast. A lovely beach and just the place to spend the day.

...or climb that cliff and look at the view. Or watch Hayley as she descended in front of me!

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The week I took my first steps

This was a momentous week in the short life of Izobelle. It was the week she took her first steps and I managed to capture the moment on camera.

She was the gorgeous (I am biased I know) child who demonstrates her flexibility by putting her toes in her mouth ...

.... the inquisitive one who was intrigued by everything.

..... melted your heart when she looked at you ...

... demonstrated that `yes, I can make a mess`!

... to the occasion when she made those first magical steps for mummy, and then onto Nana!

Magic!

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Wells and Cheddar

Having been to Wells before and being fascinated by the clock, we decided to revisit as we were in the area. I think Wells Cathedral has the most magnificent frontage. The mind `boggles` at the `man - hours` spent on  constructing these monumental buildings.

Wells Cathedral - West Front 

I don't remember anything much about the town of Wells, apart from the Cathedral area. Mind you, it has such an impact when you first see it, like most of our Medieval Cathedrals. 

The present Cathedral was begun about 1175 on a new site to the north of an old minster church. 

Bishop Reginald de Bohun brought the idea of a revolutionary architectural style from France, and Wells was the first English cathedral to be built entirely in this new Gothic style. 

The first building phase took about eighty years, building from east to west, culminating in the magnificent West Front. About 300 of its original medieval statues remain: a glorious theatrical stone backdrop for feast day processions. 

The Clock!

The famous Wells clock is considered to be the second oldest clock mechanism in Britain, and probably in the world, to survive in original condition and still in use. 

The original works were made about 1390 and the clock face is the oldest surviving original of its kind anywhere.When the clock strikes every quarter, jousting knights rush round above the clock and the Quarter Jack bangs the quarter hours with his heels. 

The outside clock opposite Vicars’ Hall, placed there just over seventy years after is connected with the inside mechanism. 

Scissor Arches 

The scissor arches, which often visitors believe to be later, modern additions were constructed from 1338-48 as an engineering solution to a very real problem. 

By 1313 a high tower topped by a lead covered wooden spire had been constructed but as the foundations were not stable large cracks began to appear in the tower structure. 

In fear of a total collapse, several attempts at internal strengthening and buttressing were made, until the famous ‘scissor arches’ were put in place by master mason William Joy as a final solution.

A closer look.

Fan Vaulted Ceiling, Chapter House, Wells Cathedral 

Just loved the contrast - David and Goliath if you like! 

Vicars’ Close 

Vicars’ Close was built over 650 years ago to house the Vicars Choral and it has since been continuously inhabited by their successors. Vicars’ Close is unique; physically connected to Wells Cathedral and the most complete example of a medieval Close in the UK. It embodies an internationally renowned musical heritage. 

A survey in 2013 showed the pressing need for conservation to every building in the Close and that the current condition of the buildings is not appropriate for heritage of its significance. 

At the end of Vicars Close 

On the 10th July we had driven to Cheddar and decided on a walk along the top of the Gorge as something different. Not many images of the day, just a couple to remind us of the location. (Below)

From the top of the gorge looking toward the town 

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Bath in Somerset

We did not spend much time in Bath, more's the pity, but it is immediately obvious what a great area for photographs it is. Perhaps a revisit some time to do it justice.

It is a town set in the rolling countryside of southwest England, known for its natural hot springs and 18th-century Georgian architecture.The city became a World Heritage Site in 1987, largely because of its architectural history 

One of the most photographed examples of Georgian architecture in the city and one of only four bridges in the world to have shops across its full span on both sides, Pulteney Bridge was designed in 1769 by Robert Adam.

The bridge is named after Frances Pulteney, wife of William Johnstone Pulteney. William was an important man in Georgian Bath, owning a lot of land in the surrounding area. He had grand plans to create a 'new town' to rival that of John Wood's on the west side of the city. His grand scheme needed a new bridge and he didn't want just any old bridge, he wanted a spectacular bridge, one which everyone would talk about. 

The shops are small and the roadway is not wide, but when the bridge opened in 1770 it was a revelation. 

Unfortunately, my image of the bridge does not do it justice. I feel a return visit is in order! 

The Circus is a historic street of large townhouses forming a circle with three entrances. It must be one of the most iconic images of Bath. Designed by the prominent 18th-century Georgian architecture architect John Wood, the Elder.

View of the Abbey from Parade Gardens. Honey-coloured Bath stone has been used extensively in the town’s architecture, including at Bath Abbey, noted for its fan-vaulting, tower and large stained-glass windows.

Another images taken in Parade gardens

Copied from the official BathAbbey site: 

In 1088, John of Tours was made Bishop of Wells, which at this time was the seat of the Bishop and home to his cathedral. A few years later John was granted the city of Bath, the abbey and its monastic buildings and lands by King William Rufus and so was able to fulfil his desire to move the bishopric to Bath. As the Bishop of Bath, John by the early 1090s had set in hand an extensive building programme, which included plans for more monastic buildings, a Bishop’s palace, and most importantly, a vast new cathedral to replace the Anglo-Saxon abbey. By the time of John’s death in 1122 most of the lower walls of the new cathedral had been built; but the majority of the building work was masterminded by his successor, Bishop Robert of Lewes. The cathedral was probably completed and consecrated by the beginning of the 1160s.

The Norman cathedral would have been a very different size and shape from the Abbey as we see it now. The present building takes up the space occupied by just the nave of Bishop John’s cathedral. The building would have had a similar cruciform shape, but probably had a much more elaborate east end with additional towers and chapels which would have extended out far beyond the boundary of today’s abbey. Surrounding the cathedral would have been the monastic buildings and gardens, the Bishop’s palace and burial grounds.

The difference in floor levels between the Norman cathedral and the present building means that the evidence for the Norman building is to be found below the floor of today’s Abbey and the pavements outside. In the floor of the Alphege chapel there is a grille through which the remains of Norman pillars can be seen. In the Gethsemane chapel at the north east end of the Abbey, a rounded Norman window arch, built into the structure of the present wall, is clearly visible (depicted above). There are many other remnants of the old cathedral which are not so easily accessible, and can only be uncovered by archaeological excavation. Recent works revealed the remains of a Norman pavement around the south side of the Abbey.

During the 13th century Bath’s importance declined, as the Bishops moved their seat back to Wells. By this time the monastery in Bath housed about 40 monks, who made a living from the wool trade, but it was difficult to maintain the huge cathedral and all of the monastic buildings. After 1398 when the Black Death had halved the monks’ numbers the task became impossible. By the time Oliver King became the new Bishop of Bath and Wells in 1495, the splendid Norman cathedral was in a desperate state of decay.

The High Altar in Bath Abbey with its beautiful altar cloth

The Vaulted Ceiling of Bath Abbey

The stone vaulting above the Abbey's Chancel dates from the early 1500s. It was built by Master architects Robert and William Vertue and is considered one of the finest example of fan vaulting in the country. When the Abbey was restored in the 17th century work to the vaulting over the choir was paid for by the citizens and inhabitants of Bath.

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