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June 2018 Number 185
An Association of
National Trust Members
and Supporters
York AssociationNewsletter
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Contents Page
Chairman’s Letter 3 “Streets of York Event” 3 Data Protection and Privacy Policy 4 Membership 5 Christmas Holiday 5 Social and Fundraising Events 6 Day trips 7 Country walks 10 Editor’s Note 14 NT Chippendale at Nostell 15 Holiday Reviews 17 Dates for your Diary Back Cover
Enclosed with this Newsletter are Minutes of the 2018 AGM and booking forms for Christmas Holiday (2 inserts), Streets of York, Day Trips, Mystery Tour, Full Day Walks and Social Activities (8 inserts). Please contact the Newsletter editor if any of these are missing.
Chairman: Roger King [email protected] 01904 761274
Secretary: Jean Haywood [email protected] 01904 702402
Treasurer: Roger Mortimer [email protected] 01757 268118
Membership: Elinor Bailey [email protected] 01347 821262
Day Trips: Colin Sherwood [email protected] 01904 640915
Walks: Alison Rutter [email protected] 01904 703430
Holidays: Peter Drew [email protected] 01904 702285
Events: Christine Truman [email protected] 01937 541163
Website: Mike Morrow [email protected] 01904 654546
Talks: Roger King [email protected] 01904 761274
Newsletter: Catherine Brophy [email protected] 01904 331273
Cover: Goddards: Furniture & Curtains bought from YANT fund raising ©National Trust Images
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Chairman's Letter
The weather is a perennial favourite topic of conversation but hopefully we will have good weather for the Summer Garden Party, Day Trips and Walks. One forever-memorable occasion to the contrary was the trip in 2011 to Tynemouth Priory and Seaton Delaval Hall! I am pleased to report that the average attendance at the 2017/18 talks season was significantly higher than in recent years. This encourages the Programme Committee and although the reason for the welcome increase may be down to most talks featuring local topics, this will not always be possible nor, in my opinion, should it be a prerequisite. The 2018/19 programme is already complete and the previews of the October and November talks will be in the next newsletter. A disappointment is the decline in membership from 1,012 when I became a member 10 years ago to just under 600 now. We have produced what we believe is a very attractive recruitment leaflet, the distribution of which includes York central library and all the branch libraries. Please see if you can recruit from family, friends and neighbours. For members who attended the AGM I set a target of one recruit per member. My challenge to all of you is to try and achieve it.
Roger King
"The Streets of York: Four Centuries of Change"
In the autumn, York Civic Trust is holding an exhibition with the above title in aid of York Against Cancer, York Minster Fund and York Civic Trust City Enhancement Fund. The exhibition displays artwork and photographic images capturing the streetscapes of the historic city through the last four centuries. A book containing most of the images on view will be on sale and serves as a catalogue. YANT has arranged a private viewing and reception on Thursday, 22nd November from 12.30 pm to 2.00pm in the Maclagan Hall, St. William's College, College Street. Booking form enclosed, deadline 31st July.
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General Data Protection Regulation 2018
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office has made it clear that no charity, or not for profit organisation, may assume automatic permissible use of contact details that you may have provided in the past. This regulation will remain part of UK law after we leave the EU. Despite being affiliated to the National Trust, we (YANT) are responsible for our own Data Protection matters. We use the personal data you provide to administer your membership. The main committee are currently reviewing how we protect personal information and we will in future require specific permission from individuals to publish, in print or online, photographs or personally identified information. There will be further updates in future newsletters. Our updated Privacy Statement, in line with the new European General Data Protection Regulation, coming into force in May 2018, is printed on this page and available on the YANT website. Please note that the York Association of the National Trust does not share members’ details with any other organisation.
Privacy Notice May 2018
Your personal data is held and used by York Association of the National Trust (YANT) in accordance with current data protection legislation. We will only use the personal data you provide to administer your membership of the Association, including use by sub-committees. We do not share your information with any other organisations, or YANT Members. You have the right to review, amend or have your data deleted. This can be done by emailing the [email protected] or by telephoning the Secretary on the number given in the latest newsletter. Contact information will always be deleted, from all records, one year after membership has ceased i.e. membership ends in March 2018, information deleted in March 2019.
Website Reminder More information and reviews are on the website at www.yant.org.uk Username is: member Password is: yantmember
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Membership We are very pleased to have welcomed the following new members to our Association in the last three months. The total membership at present is 593. We look forward to meeting our new members at one or more of our various events. Rosie Armistead Michael & Ann Grills Dawn Potts Dorothy Watkinson Winifred Derbyshire Hilary Watkins Linda Cieslik Barbara Courtman Eileen Dickinson Valerie Elliott Robin and Janet Jenkins
Elinor Bailey, Membership Secretary
Holidays
Our final holiday this year is to Edinburgh to see the National Scottish Ballet’s “Cinderella”. It includes a Christmas lunch and a visit to the former Royal Yacht Britannia; a separate flier and booking form are enclosed. They are available on the YANT website, along with details of the other holidays which are still available for this year plus lots of other information. At the Tours Advisory Group Meeting 17 members discussed 15 holiday opportunities before deciding on the following holidays for 2019:- March: Sorrento, Capri, Naples and Amalfi Coast May: Brittany (follow on to Wessex) July: Isle of Wight (200 year celebration of Queen Victoria) Sept: Hereford & Welsh Marches Oct: Sweden & Denmark Dec 2019 Christmas Special, to be offered in June Newsletter each year to ensure that any Concert dates are confirmed before booking.
YANT Tours Organiser, Peter Drew
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Social and Fundraising Events Sadly, the “Afternon Tea with Music” planned for April had to be cancelled as we had too few bookings to ensure that the event was viable. However, we have had a good response to The Summer Garden Party, which will be held on Monday June 25 at Beningbrough Hall gardens at 2.30pm. We will have sole use of the gardens and have arranged for the Head Gardener to be available to answer questions about the planting. The gardens are being redeveloped and in June we will be able to see them at their best. A delicious picnic tea will be provided in the gardens, if fine, or in the restaurant if wet. We will also be providing a coach to and from York. Booking form was enclosed with the March newsletter. Anthony Thwaite, Chocolatier, will be demonstrating his chocolate arts, with samples for guests, on Tuesday October 2nd at St Edwards Church Extension, Dringhouses from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. Anthony is highly recommended and we are sure this will be a very enjoyable and tasty afternoon. Booking form enclosed with this newsletter.
Image credit: Beningbrough Gardens ©National Trust Images/Chris Lacey We do hope to see many of you at future events.
Christine Truman, Chairman Projects Group
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Day Trips
Wednesday 18th July 2018: Visit to Haworth and The Piece Hall, Halifax. Our July trip takes us westwards to the picturesque village of Haworth. Located on the edge of stunning Yorkshire moorland, the Brontë Parsonage was the former home of probably the world’s most famous literary family. Today a museum, the house offers an insight into the daily lives and interests of the three Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne. The rooms used by the family are largely unchanged and contain furniture, clothes, personal possessions and even a range of domestic artefacts. There will be an opportunity to visit the adjacent parish church where most of the Bronte’s are interred in the family vault. The village itself has a number of other places of interest associated with the family, not to mention a number of quirky and unusual shops. In the afternoon we shall continue our journey to Halifax to visit The Piece Hall. Located in a former textile town, this unique monument served as a central market place where buyers and sellers could meet to exchange goods. The name refers to the lengths of cloth that were sold; “a piece” being 30 yards long. Built on four sides, the colonnaded galleries originally housed 315 rooms, which are now filled with shops, cafés, bars and a heritage centre. The site also hosts a number of events throughout the year such as musical concerts, street theatre and food and drink festivals. The Piece Hall recently underwent a £19 million conservation and transformation programme. Calderdale Council funded the work with a £7 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Now operated by an independent body, the Piece Hall Trust, this fascinating example of industrial heritage has been brought back to life as a vibrant community hub. Our first stop of the day will be in Haworth. On arrival, light refreshments will be served at The White Lion, after which there will be the included visit to the Brontë Parsonage. This will be on a free flow basis. Please note that the rooms and exhibition space are on two floors and there is no lift. There are no toilet facilities at The Parsonage. There will then be free time to explore the village before lunch is served at The White Lion. This one-course lunch consists of braised blade of beef, mashed potato, root vegetables and
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onion gravy. The vegetarian option is spinach and ricotta cannelloni with mixed salad and garlic bread. If choosing the vegetarian option, please make sure you tick the relevant box on the Booking Form. Please note that there is a short distance to walk from the coach park into the village centre and that the streets are cobbled with a lot of uneven ground. Sturdy footwear is recommended. The coach will depart at 2.15pm for the short drive to Halifax (about 25-30 minutes). On arrival at The Piece Hall there will be a guided tour of the building for about one hour, after which there will be some free time to explore the shops. There are toilets and cafes on site; any refreshments taken will be on an individual basis. Please note that The Piece Hall is on several floors but lifts are available. Ingleby’s coach will pick up at Memorial Gardens, Leeman Road, York, at 8.30am and Middlethorpe Drive, Dringhouses, at 8.45am. The journey time is about 1.5 hours. The coach will depart from Halifax at 5.00pm and estimated arrival time back in York at 6.30pm. This is an estimated time as traffic on the M62 can be heavy in the early evening. Cost £36. The day trip leader will carry mobile phone no. 07960 710975. Please call this number on the day if you are delayed or cannot attend. We have tight schedules and we try not to delay our departure. Tuesday 21st August 2018: Visit to Hexham Abbey and Vindolanda This month we will be journeying north to Hexham Abbey and the Roman Fort of Vindolanda on Hadrian’s Wall. In the morning we will visit Hexham Abbey, one of the earliest seats of Christianity in England. There has been a church on the site since AD674 when Queen Etheldreda granted land in Hexham to Wilfrid, Bishop of York. Remarkably, the original C7th Saxon crypt still survives and can be accessed via a narrow staircase. Wilfrid established a Benedictine Abbey, which became one of the most prosperous in England. Superseded by the Augustinian Order in the C11th, the priory church, built between 1170 and 1250, still survives today. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537, the church continued as the parish church for Hexham and remains today as a centre for community worship. In 2014 a £3 million
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project was carried out to restore the medieval monastery complex and to create a visitor exhibition centre, function and meeting rooms. In the afternoon we will visit the Roman Fort of Vindolanda, which was an important Roman base during the time of the construction of Hadrian’s Wall. Dating from between the late 70s and mid 80s, this site continued to be occupied long after the Romans left Britain. It was finally abandoned in the C9th. Archaeological excavations have yielded some of the most exciting discoveries from Roman times. These include thousands of artefacts such as shoes, textiles, wooden goods and, most importantly, writing tablets. Writing tablets were small postcard sized pieces of wood, which were covered with writing. They are some of the earliest examples of written material from Western Europe. The tablets reveal Roman life in all its glory; demands for beer, invites to parties, requests for holidays and even rude names for the Britons. During the course of our visit, there will be an opportunity to see these tablets displayed in “Vindolanda Museum” along with other fascinating finds from the fort. For the last forty-five years, Vindolanda has been a ”live” archaeological site during the summer months and 2018 is no exception. You will have a chance to watch this year’s archaeologists at work and see what interesting discoveries are being made. Our first visit of the day will be to Hexham Abbey. On arrival, we will have a guided tour of the church and exhibition, which will last about one hour. This will be followed by lunch in the Priory Buildings. Lunch will be a selection of sandwiches and cakes, plus tea and coffee. Please note that, whilst the church is fully accessible, should you wish to visit the Saxon Crypt, there is a very steep stairway. The coach will depart at 1.45pm for the short journey to Vindolanda (about 20-25 minutes). On arrival, there will be a 20-minute introductory talk after which you are free to explore the remains of the fort, archaeological dig and museum. There are toilets and a café on site – any refreshments to be taken on an individual basis. Please note that the site is mainly on the flat but there could be uneven ground and slippery surfaces. Sensible footwear is recommended. Vindolanda is owned by a Private Trust and is not part of English Heritage.
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Ingleby’s coach will pick up at Memorial Gardens, Leeman Road, York, at 8.00am. The journey time will be around 3 hours with a comfort and coffee stop. The coach will depart from Vindolanda at 4.30pm and estimated arrival time back in York at 7.30pm. The cost of the trip is £36, which includes the coach hire, entrance and guided tour of Hexham Abbey, lunch, entrance and introductory talk at Vindolanda and coach driver’s gratuity. The day trip leader will carry mobile phone no. 07960 710975. Please call this number on the day if you are delayed or cannot attend. We have tight schedules and we try not to delay our departure.
Mystery Tour
Tuesday 11th September This year’s Mystery Tour is another interesting route through beautiful countryside, which includes coffee in an historic setting at 11am and lunch in a scenic village at approximately 1.15pm.
Cost £35 and booking form with details is enclosed. Ingleby’s Coach leaves Memorial Gardens at 9.20am and Middlethorpe Drive at 9.45am. Return to York by 4.30pm approximately.
Elisabeth Hjort
Country Walks Programme Social Evening and Quiz Night. Another very pleasant evening was enjoyed by all, on the 16 March, at the New Earswick Bowls Club. Roger and Alison teased our brains with a variety of questions and the Bowls Club fortified us with a tasty and varied buffet. We’ve made a provisional booking with the Bowls Club for Friday, 15 March 2019. Further details will be in future Newsletters. Saturday 16 June CWP 2018/3. Caistor to Barnetby – Lincolnshire (shown in March Newsletter as ‘South Cave area’) Distance 8 miles. Standard moderate. Leader: Dorothy Pope (07985 553523)
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We start with a short tour of Caistor before beginning our walk along the Viking Way. We pass through several villages ending in ‘by’, denoting the Viking influence in the area. We also pass some fine churches, built with money from the wool trade in the 12th and 14th centuries, and follow the spring line of the northwest escarpment. It will be possible to rejoin the coach at Bigby, after about 6 miles. Some stiles and a steep ascent and descent at the beginning of the walk, then gentle undulations. We finish the walk at Barnetby station, where we meet the coach to take us to South Cave for tea provided by the local WI. This will include a ham salad. Please indicate any dietary requirements, e.g. a vegetarian option, on the booking form. Ingleby’s coach leaves the Memorial Gardens, Leeman Road, at 8 30am and Rawcliffe Bar Park and Ride at 8 45am. Cost per head is £23, which includes coach travel, tea and all gratuities. For this walk please send the relevant booking slip, with payment, by Saturday, 9 June, or phone Eileen Wishart on 01904 633705. Saturday 7 July CWP 2018/4. Roseberry Topping/Captain Cook’s monument/Great Ayton. Distance 5 ½ - 6 miles. Standard fairly strenuous. Leaders Alison and Nigel Rutter (07523 944065). The walk starts near Great Ayton, where Captain Cook was educated. Starting at Roseberry Topping, North Yorkshire’s own Matterhorn, there will be a choice of either taking the steep path to the summit for magnificent views North or walking around the perimeter of the hill to avoid the climb. The path will then follow the Cleveland Way along the top of the escarpment to Captain Cook’s monument, with views along the Cleveland Hills and towards the Pennines in the West. Finally we shall descend the steep path to Great Ayton station, where the coach will be waiting to take us to tea, provided by Great Ayton WI – salad with pies, sausage rolls etc. followed by cakes and lashings of tea. Please indicate any dietary requirements, e.g. a vegetarian option, on the booking form. This is quite a short walk so we can take our time on the fairly steep ascents and descents. The views from the tops of these hills will make the effort worthwhile! Stout boots and walking poles are advisable. Ingleby’s coach leaves the Memorial Gardens, Leeman Road, at 9am and Rawcliffe Bar Park and Ride at 9 15 am. Cost per head £22, which includes
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coach travel, tea and all gratuities. Please send the relevant booking slip, with payment, by Saturday, 30 June, to Celia Rutt (address on booking form). NB. As in the past few years we have not arranged a full day walk with coach transport for August. Instead, there will be a medium length walk using own transport. Details are given under Circular Shorter Walks below*. Saturday 15 September CWP 2018/5 Fewston/Swinsty reservoirs. Distance 7 ½ miles. Standard easy. Leaders Alison and Nigel Rutter (07523 944065). A walk through the woodland around Fewston and Swinsty Reservoirs on an excellent track. There is interesting bird life and the path is in constant close proximity to the water all the way round. There will be a ham salad tea, followed by cakes, at Brearton WI. Please indicate any dietary requirements, e.g. a vegetarian option, on the booking form. Ingleby’s coach leaves the Memorial Gardens, Leeman Road, at 9am and Rawcliffe Bar Park and Ride at 9 15 am. Cost per head £22, which includes coach travel, tea and all gratuities. Please send the relevant booking slip, with payment, by Saturday, 8 September, to Celia Rutt (address on booking form). NB. Walkers participate at their own risk and must be capable of completing the distance in open countryside over uneven ground, with some ascents and descents, in a variety of weather conditions. Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn and a packed lunch and drinks carried. It is worthwhile contacting Celia Rutt (01904 627384) after the closing dates for the July and September walks, and before the walk dates, to see if places are available.
*Circular shorter walks using own transport Tuesday 19 June, Blue Bridge/Hob Moor/Railway Museum. Distance approximately 4 miles. Leaders Andy and Keren Burnard (Tel. 01904 651218 or 07505293781). A walk around the east side of York, leaving cars in St George’s Field car park. Meet at Blue Bridge at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss at 10 am. We walk along the east side of the Ouse, across the Millennium bridge, go around the Race Course and across the Tadcaster Road to Hob Moor, where
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temporary buildings were once erected to quarantine plague victims. We cross the moor to Holgate, go over the pedestrian railway bridge and continue to the Railway Museum, where those who wish to do so may have lunch and/or look at the Museum*. We complete the walk via the path at the side of the Royal Mail building to the Ouse, going along the riverside and over Skeldergate Bridge to return to St George’s Field. *Those who do not wish to stop at the Railway Museum could continue to the end of the walk and perhaps eat at the Castle Museum. All surfaces should be good but Hob Moor may be muddy in the event of heavy rain. Tuesday 17 July Allerthorpe, 5 miles. Leader Sue Pearson (07702455160) A walk through a delightful wood and heath area of Allerthorpe Common, part of which is now a nature reserve. We hope the woodland will be dry in July but, as usual, there is always the risk of mud and uneven paths. The walk takes us through Allerthorpe village, where there might be time to visit the delightful church of St Botolph. If not, there is the chance to return to the village after the walk to have lunch at the Plough Inn, or there are several places for lunch in Pocklington. From York, on the A1079, take the turn on your right to Sutton-on-Derwent. Take the first left turn on that road and follow it until you reach the Forestry Commission car park on the right. There are several gateways into the Common but keep going until you reach the proper car park. Meet there for a 10am start. *Tuesday, 14 August. Birstwith. Distance 6 miles. Leader Dorothy Pope (07985553523). A pleasant walk along the banks of the river Nidd and across fields, following part of the Nidderdale Way. Includes some steps and stiles and moderately undulating. Meet at the car park in Birstwith, grid ref. 2407 5953 for a 10 30am start. Please bring a drink and packed lunch (to be carried on the walk). To get to Birstwith take the B6165 from Ripley to Pateley Bridge: turn left at the crossroads at Burnt Yates, approximately 2¼ miles from Ripley and follow the signs to Birstwith.
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Thursday, 6 September, Ripley and Cayton Gill. 5 miles/9km. Leader Ruth Davies (01904 763248) A circular walk through part of the Ripley Castle estate which then follows the Nidderdale Way up to Low Kettle Spring, before branching off to Bedlam and returning across fields to the Park Wall. Meet for a 10am departure in the large free car park in Ripley Village, off the A61 Harrogate/Ripon Road. Grid ref. 284604: Maps: Explorer 26, Pathfinder 653 (SE26/36), Landranger 99. 2½ hour walk on tracks and paths with some stiles. Refreshments are available in Ripley. Details of the walks for the remainder of this year will be in the next/future Newsletter(s). Please park with consideration where roadside/ village parking is involved. NB. Walkers participate at their own risk and must be capable of completing the distance in open countryside, over uneven ground with some hill ascents, in a variety of weather conditions. Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn and light refreshments carried. If you would like a lift for any of these walks or can offer one to others, please contact Colin Sherwood (01904 640915). A £1 administration charge will be collected on each walk.
Eileen Wishart (Secretary)
Editor’s Note The Newsletter Editors have had an excellent proof reading service for many years from Mr Brian Knowlman and we wish to record our thanks to Brian for the detailed and thorough way he has supported the production of the newsletter. All reviews are available online in full, however, because of space limitations, they may be edited for inclusion in the printed newsletter. There are also many photographs of holidays and day trips on the Members’ area of the website at www.yant.org.uk
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News from the NT in Yorkshire Nostell Priory: Interior worlds: Thomas Chippendale by Simon McCormack*
To celebrate 300 years since the birth of the influential designer Thomas Chippendale, Nostell invites visitors to step into the world of interiors he created for the treasure house and discover the man behind the famous brand. Through a new exhibition, an immersive experience in the staterooms and contemporary art collaboration, visitors can explore a world of fashion, luxury, innovation and the rollercoaster life of a top-end designer. The Chippendale collection at Nostell is of world-class significance. The “Shakespeare of furniture” supplied over 100 items for the Winn family, many of which are documented within a unique archive of Chippendale’s letters, invoices and drawings, revealing an insight into the man himself, the inner workings of the Chippendale firm and the client-supplier relationship. Now open to visitors, our new exhibition “The Man and the Brand” unravels the story of Thomas Chippendale, his special connection to Nostell and the legacy he left behind. Visitors can see his correspondence on display alongside key collection pieces and tools, showcasing the range of objects and services he supplied. A new series of creative workshops entitled Dovetail, Biscuit, Splat offers families the chance to make their own masterpieces inspired by Chippendale. Chippendale created a one-stop-shop for his 18th century clients – from fixing jammed doors to creating grand showrooms in the latest fashions. The new exhibition sets this scene for visitors, before they explore Nostell’s magnificent first floor rooms. On Friday 13 July the property will launch “Interior Worlds” in the first floor staterooms. Visitors will unravel the secrets of individual items that Chippendale designed, created and supplied for Nostell’s grand spaces, through new ways of storytelling and interpretation. By shining a light on this world-class collection like never before, visitors will explore the vibrant 18th century world of ruthless social ambition, dynamic entrepreneurship and global trade. Inspired by the marbled paper that Chippendale sourced to line drawers and historic book covers, artist Giles Round will create and install “Obelisk
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Marbling”, a company producing marbled masterpieces using traditional techniques. This programme will continue until Sunday 4 November. It is part of “Chippendale 300”, a nationwide celebration, taking place in 2018 to mark the tercentenary of Thomas Chippendale’s birth in June 1718. For more information, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nostell
Chippendale at Nostell ©National Trust Images/Chris Lacey
* Simon McCormack, Curator, is the YANT guest speaker on Saturday 17th November at 2.30pm in The Friends Meeting House, York.
Talk Reviews
Due to limited space in the printed newsletter the following two reviews are available on the YANT website; do have a read of these lively accounts: “York Archaeological Trust” by Dr. Peter Addyman, AGM, March 24th Review by Catherine Brophy Russell Marwood, “1644 and All That: The Siege of York”. April 21st Review by Jenny Nicholson
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Holiday Reviews Holiday Review: Mallorca, 12th - 17th March Our holiday began with a visit to Son Morroig on the northwest coast, the former residence of Archduke Luis Salvador where his photographs, paintings and books are displayed alongside historical furniture. The terraced gardens, set against a breath-taking backdrop of mountains, feature a beautiful white temple which commands dramatic ocean views. The Italian style villa of Raixa was our next stop. The terraced gardens on a hillside overlooking the house date from the 19th century when the estate fell into the hands of the church and was owned by a Cardinal. Connected by a flight of steps these feature pine, cypress and orange trees and a large water reservoir. We returned to Palma by narrow gauge railway from Port Soller. The slow pace of the train as it followed the twists and turns of the mountains gave us plenty of time to relax and enjoy the views.
On the next day we visited the Jardines de Alfabia in the heart of the Tramuntana mountain range. The structure of the house has Roman-Andalusian roots with elements of different styles including Arabic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Roman in the decoration of the rooms. The lush gardens have a somewhat tropical flavour with jungles of palms, bamboos and bulrushes, contrasting with vistas of orange and olive trees and a small pond with water lilies. The most emblematic feature of the garden is the pergola with its water fountains reconstructed in the 18th century. Later we visited the monastery of Real Cartuja de Valledemossa high in the mountains where Frederic Chopin and his mistress George Sand spent the winter of 1838-9. We viewed various items relating to their time here and were treated to a piano recital. The cells, once occupied by the monks, now contain museums on various themes.
The following day we began a tour of Palma at the 14th century Castell de Bellver built as a royal residence then long used as a military prison. It is now a museum and offers superb views over the city and the bay of Palma. Our next stop was the magnificent Gothic cathedral (La Seu) with its golden sandstone walls and flying buttresses. The rose window is one of the world’s largest, 12m across and studded with 1,236 pieces of stained glass. We
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toured the adjacent Palacio Real de la Almudaina built as an Arabian Fort until the crown claimed it as a royal residence in the early 14th century and now used for ceremonies and State receptions. We finished our day with a visit to the 10th century Arab Baths found in the beautifully tended orchard of the Can Fontirroig manor house which are virtually all that remain of the Arabian city of Medina Mayurqa.
On our final day we travelled to the Albufera Nature Reserve an extensive protected and bird-rich wetland park with a visitor centre, bird hides and observation platforms. We continued to Sa Torre Cega, a recreational villa on the coast built in the early 20th century on the site of an ancient watchtower. The gardens are home to modern sculptures, with both figurative and abstract works. We concluded with a visit to the Museu su Bassa Blanca, a foundation dedicated to the conservation and restoration of Spanish heritage, where we saw a selection of works of contemporary art and photographic portraits of fundamental artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. Located in the gardens are large granite stone sculptures of diverse animals inspired by archaeological pieces to be found in several museums around the world. The holiday was made all the more enjoyable by the good company of the group and the excellent tour manager Michael Gill.
Anne Richardson Holiday Review: An Archaeologist’s View of Wessex, 10th – 14th April On a cool morning in April we travelled to Salisbury breaking our journey at Highclere Castle in Hampshire. This country house built in the Jacobethan style by the architect Charles Barry, with a park designed by Capability Brown, is best known as the fictional Downton Abbey in the award winning period drama. The seat of the Earl’s of Carnarvon, it was the 5th Earl who with his colleague Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922 and the Castle houses an interesting Egyptian Exhibition in the cellars. Our archaeological tour began in earnest the next day with a visit to Stonehenge, one of the most famous prehistoric monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage site believed to have been constructed between 3000 and 2000 BC. We visited the exhibition centre and stepped inside Neolithic houses to discover the tools and objects of everyday life before exploring the standing stones equipped with audio guides. We returned to Salisbury to view the archaeological collections in the Museum situated in the medieval
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Kings’ House, followed by a guided tour of the adjacent Cathedral which boasts the tallest spire, largest cloister and cathedral close in the country as well as containing one of the world’s oldest working clocks and the best surviving of four original copies of the Magna Carta. The following day we visited Silbury Hill, which loomed mysteriously out of the mist. This man-made prehistoric chalk mound was probably completed around 2400 BC and is roughly contemporary with the Egyptian pyramids. In the nearby village of Avebury we explored the three stone circles of the Neolithic henge monument, which partially encompass it. The archaeologist Alexander Keiller excavated here in the 1930s and we visited the museum bearing his name. Avebury Manor reflects the period styles in which the residents once lived from the Tudor age to the eve of World War II and here we were encouraged to touch the objects, sit on the furniture, play snooker in the Billiard Room and even lie on the beds. We returned to the ancient landscape where a hardy few navigated a muddy path through a waterlogged field to climb the hill to West Kennet Long Barrow, a most impressive and accessible Neolithic chambered tomb built around 3650 BC. The next day we visited Maiden Castle, a fortified Iron Age hillfort the size of around 50 football pitches. Mostly built in the 1st century BC with huge multiple ramparts designed to protect its residents it would have towered over the surrounding landscape. We continued to the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester where the collections include fossils from the Jurassic Coast and original Thomas Hardy manuscripts although the main attraction on the day was Dippy the Dinosaur, a 26m diplodocus skeleton cast on tour from the Natural History Museum. Fishbourne Roman Palace, the largest residential Roman building discovered in Britain was our next stop. The exceptional mosaic floors date from around AD75 and are preserved in an on-site museum. On our final day we visited The Vyne, a 16th century country house in Hampshire built for Lord Sandys the Lord Chamberlain to Henry VIII. The Tudor chapel with its beautiful stained glass windows dates from this time. The house itself was sheathed in scaffolding as a £5.4m roof project nears its end, but the sun was shining and we enjoyed the beautiful gardens with their many spring flowers.
Anne Richardson
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Printed by Print Solutions, Audax Close, Clifton Moor, York, YO30 4RA. (01904 690090)
JUNE11-15 Holiday: Guernsey16 Full-day walk: Caistor to Barnetby, Lincolnshire19 Short walk: Blue Bridge, Hob Moor & NRM25 Summer Garden Party, Beningbrough Gardens26 Visit: Barnsdale Gardens and Rutland Water27 Drop-in lunch, Walmgate Ale House & Bistro from 12 noon
JULY 7 Full-day walk: Roseberry Topping, Captain Cook’s Monument, etc.17 Short Walk: Allerthorpe18 Visit: Haworth & The Piece Hall, Halifax25 Drop-in lunch, Walmgate Ale House & Bistro from 12 noon
AUGUST7-14 Holiday: Bulgaria14 Short walk: Birstwith21 Visit: Hexham Abbey & Vindolanda29 Drop-in lunch, Walmgate Ale House & Bistro from 12 noon
SEPTEMBER6 Short Walk: Ripley and Cayton Gill11 Mystery Tour15 Full-day walk: Fewston and Swinsty reservoirstbc York Food Festival
OCTOBER2 Andrew Thwaite Chocolatier at St Edwards’, Dringhouses13-18 Holiday: Scottish Steam
More October events in the September newsletter
Please send contributions for the September Newsletter to Catherine Brophy [email protected] by Wednesday August 8.
