…Courtroom Museum
There has been a castle in Knaresborough for over 900 years. Over the centuries there have been significant periods of building and repair work as the castle was adapted to meet changing military requirements, fashions and historic events.
The early castle
We know very little about the castle’s origins but there may have been an Anglo-Saxon fortification in ‘Chednaresburg’. Burg is an Old English word for a defended enclosure, and could refer to a bank and ditch surrounding a settlement here.
The earliest castle was built by the Normans who recognised the superb natural defences of this rocky promontory high above the river Nidd. We find the first written evidence of a castle in Knaresborough in financial records called the Pipe Rolls dating from the reign of Henry I (1100-1135). These show that £11 was spent in 1129-1130 on strengthening the ‘King’ Works at Knaresborough’ by custodian Eustace Fitz-John.
Some years later, the castle played a part in one of the more infamous stories of the medieval period. In 1170 the Constable of Knaresborough Castle Hugh de Morville and his followers took refuge there after they had murdered Thomas Becket , Archbishop of Canterbury.
Tags: Courtroom Museum, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Knaresborough Castle, Vacation, Yorkshire
The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, commonly known as Ripon Cathedral, and until 1836 known as Ripon Minster, is a cathedral in the North Yorkshire city of Ripon. Founded as a monastery by Scottish monks in the 660s, it was refounded as a Benedictine monastery by St Wilfrid in 672. The church became collegiate in the tenth century, and acted as a mother church within the large Diocese of York for the remainder of the Middle Ages.[2] The present church is the fourth, and was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. In 1836 the church became the cathedral for the Diocese of Ripon.[3] In 2014 the Diocese was incorporated into the new Diocese of Leeds, and the church became one of three co-equal cathedrals of the Bishop of Leeds.
The cathedral is notable architecturally for its gothic west front in the Early English style, considered one of the best of its type, as well as the Geometric east window.[3] The seventh-century crypt of Wilfrid’s church is a significant example of early Christian architecture in England.[3] The cathedral has Grade I listed building status.
Tags: Ripon, Ripon Cahtedral, There's Always One, Vacation, Yorkshire
I gave Mr C the choice of walk for today’s excursion. He chose to walk to Hadley Locks via Hurley Brook.
I started the walk along a bridle path near to our house which connected to a walking route published by Wellington Walkers are Welcome. Part way around we struggled to find the pathway between the houses that led to the former water mill. After retracing our steps, we found the pathway and the mill. I prefer my usual route to Hurley Brook, it is prettier, does not involve walking through houses and it is only a few steps away from the path to see the mill.
When we arrived at the locks they were much more visible than earlier in the year. What a difference when autumn strips the leaves from the trees and bushes. They are guillotine locks which means they were opened by raising and lowering rather than a hinge.
Shortly after the locks, there was another point in the route instructions that was unclear. We set off on what we thought was the right path and ended up at a T junction that did not fit with the leaflet directions. I had a gut feeling of which direction we needed to go, however Mr C checked his mobile phone for directions and took us in the opposite direction. This took us down a derelict road near to a factory eventually emerging a short distance away from where we should have been according to the route instructions.
Mr C was not particularly enjoying his urban walking experience so although we were back on track I decided to flex the route so that it was slightly less urban. I set off on a route to Leegomery pools, at this point Mr C stopped to consult his phone. I told him he didn’t need it because I knew where we were. He sceptically put his phone away. When we emerged by the pool he exclaimed I didn’t realise we were here! This shows how different things can seem on foot rather than in a car.
Back at home we watched a movie before enjoying another fine dining experience, the last of my lockdown birthday celebrations.
Tags: #walk1000miles, #walk1000miles2020, Hadley Locks, Hurley Brook, Lockdown Birthday, Shropshire, Walks from my doorstep
We had a day chilling. Mr C was trying to fix his PC and I was setting up my new iPad mini, a gift from Mr C. The new iPad is super whizzy compared to my previous version which had become slow and difficult to use.
We popped out for a few food supplies and even ordered a Turkey for Christmas dinner. Christmas will happen in some shape or form.
In the evening we visited my mum, who is part of our bubble, for a catch up and a celebratory drink.
Tags: Gift, iPad Mini, Lazy Day, Lockdown Birthday
I sat in bed with a cup of tea and opened my birthday presents and cards. I have to confess I was struggling for enthusiasm to go on the walk we had planned which is most unlike me. This was only because we had had to cancel our planned trip to Sherbourne at the last minute.
Mr C ploughed ahead with our plans and, once out of the house, my enthusiasm returned. We stopped off at Tesco to pick up some items for a picnic lunch before driving to the start of the walk at Lee Brockhurst. Initially, we struggled to find the starting point but once there we enjoyed our picnic lunch overlooking Lee Brockhurst’s war memorial before setting off in glorious sunshine for our walk. The walk took us along part of an old Roman road, through woodlands and fields. The autumn colours were glorious, as was the sunshine and we had the route almost to ourselves. I decided along the way that I need to acquire some lighter boots with more flexible soles.
Just as we arrived home one of my nephews phoned to wish me a happy birthday and we had a lovely long chat with him before it was time for me to get refreshed for the evening.
Whilst Mr C was preparing dinner I had a Zoom meeting with a few lovely WW ladies who wished me Happy Birthday after which I had a brief chat with my mum. I was shoed away from the kitchen and dining room so I sat in the living room with a glass of Ruinart Champagne. When I was allowed in the dining room I found confetti, candles and sparklers. The menu was; salmon pate in leaves, Catania style haddock and then boozy pears, chopped hazelnuts, melted chocolate and a scoop of ice cream.
Thank you Mr C, it was a fabulous day.
Tags: #walk1000miles, #walk1000miles2020, Cherie's Place, Cherie's Place Thought, Chez Nous, Fine Dining, Lee Brockhurst, Lockdown Birthday, Shropshire, There's Always One
We decided to pick up lunch to eat in Telford Town park before setting off on a walk. Buying the sandwiches from M&S was a bit tedious due to the anti-COVID one way system around the Town Centre. The sandwiches, however were delicious. We enjoyed them whilst looking out over Southwater lake. A duck waddled up to our feet hopeful for a tasty morsel, but we had nothing to share. At one stage I thought he was thinking about jumping on the bench in between us so I put my leg in-between him and the bench to deter him. Nearby there was a seagull that also had its beady eye on our food. If any other seagulls got close he aggressively chased them off.
After lunch we set off on a walk along one of the trails. As we were walking we saw the unusual sight of a man carrying a hawk. Later on, we saw a sparrow hawk land close to us before taking flight again and disappearing into the tree tops.
We left the Town Park via the War Memorial. It was lovely to see the newly painted remembrance poppy on the ground in front of the memorial. There were also a few lovely painted memorial rocks placed on the benches.
We had covered 5.5 miles so I used this walk to earn my ‘Armistice Day 2020 Challenge’ medal.
After we returned home my mother and father in law called by with a present for me. Later, whilst enjoying ‘fine dining’ at home, we chose a suitable walk to enjoy on my birthday from the book ‘20 walks in and around Shrewsbury’.
Tags: #walk1000miles, #walk1000miles2020, Lockdown Birthday, Shropshire, Telford Town Park, War Memorial
