Gillamoor and Lastingham - The Moors

Today was another exploring day through the village of Gillamoor and onto Lastingham. Not sure what we will see but as we have time on our hands ,and a full tank of petrol, off we go!

Gillamoor is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of the county of North Yorkshire. It is situated about three miles north of Kirkbymoorside on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. 

Once there, the first thing to catch our eye was this sundial. An unusual, complex, four-faced sundial (pictured above) surmounted by a finely carved stone globe, a Grade II listed structure. It stands by the roadside in the centre of Gillamoor. It was erected August 27th 1800 by John Russell by public subscription

The small attractive village church of St. Aidan stands right on the edge of a moorland escarpment, dropping sharply for 150 feet to the River Dove and the southern entrance to Farndale. It was rebuilt single-handedly in 1802 by local stonemason James Smith of Farndale using stone from the dismantled medieval church in Bransdale. The building was restored in 1880, and furnished by Temple Moore in 1908.

A church has occupied the site since as far back as the twelfth century. The present church consists of a simple rectangular structure with a nave and chancel and a porch at the western end of the south wall and an attractive bellcote at the western end of the building. The church is windowless on the north and west sides, reckoned a necessary safeguard against the prevailing winds.

View from the village toward the moors before we drove onward toward Lastingham and a brief look at the church

Simon Jenkins, author of England's Thousand Best Churches, calls the Norman crypt of St Mary's church in Lastingham 'one of England's special places'. It is certainly amazing that it has existed for so long and just standing there and thinking of the generations of people who have knelt here, it is awe inspiring!

Around AD 725 the first stone church was built on this site n 1228 the former monastic church became the parish church for Lastingham village. A north aisle was added, followed by a south aisle in the 14th century, and a west tower was added in the 15th century. The church was in poor condition by the 17th century, until it was rebuilt by Thomas Ferres, a native of Lastingham who rose to become Mayor of Hull.

One interesting footnote in the history of Lastingham church comes from the 18th century when a curate named Jeremiah Carter was employed by an absentee vicar. Carter was married, with 13 children to support, so he supplemented his family income by fishing, while his wife kept the local Blacksmith's Arms pub. 

Carter was known to play the violin to entertain visitors to the pub. When questioned by the archdeacon on the propriety of his actions, Carter replied that his parishioners enjoyed three advantages, being instructed in religion, fed and entertained all at once. He argued that this method spending the Sabbath was so agreeable that his charges were 'imperceptibly led along the paths of piety and morality...'

Interior highlights include a 12th century font, a medieval floriated grave slab, and a free-standing 15th century water stoup.

The main attraction for many people is the Norman Crypt.

And so onto Lunch which was greatly enjoyed at the Moors Inn. The Moors Inn has been trading as an inn since the 17th Century in the beautiful village of Appleton- Le Moors.

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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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