God's Own County

Seven Man Made Wonders of Yorkshire – Fountains Abbey

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Hortoris

Our World Heritage Site at Fountains Abbey is the UK’s largest monastic ruin and a fine start to our seven wonders of Yorkshire. It is the most complete example of Cistercian abbey remains in the country.

A riot at St Mary’s Abbey in York led to the founding of Fountains Abbey in 1132. After pleading unsuccessfully to return to a more devout form of worship based on 6th century Rule of St Benedict, 13 monks were exiled and taken into the protection of the then Archbishop of York. He provided them with a site in the valley of the little River Skell described as a place “more fit for wild beasts than men to inhabit”.

Fountains Abbey thrived and the economic power was felt far and wide with activities including farming, lead mining, quarrying and horse breeding. I bet the monks never thought of tourism that is today’s main activity alongside a herd of deer. Then a series of mishaps including bad harvests, Scots raids, and the Black Death exacerbated by the effects of financial mismanagement saw a significant downturn in the abbeys fortunes. By the time of Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th Century the abbey started to loose its power.

Studely Royal

In 1767 the ruins were sold to William Aislabie, who landscaped the site and added a folly and improved water gardens that form the basis for Studley Royal.
The man made building and rebuilding over the centuries has resulted in a mosaic of architectural styles.
To become a world heritage site Fountains abbey displayed the criteria of being ‘a masterpiece of human creative genius, and an outstanding example of a type of building or architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates significant stages in human history’.

Also See 7

All the posts on seven Wonders of Yorkshire

Bird Watching another Seven Wonders of Yorkshire

The walls of its ruins act as a cliff face for a colony of nesting Jackdaws. Fountains is also one of the best spots in the North of England for some of our song birds smallest birds. Hawfinches can be seen in winter months and waterfowl on the lake all year round.
Between April- July Find yourself a quiet spot just beside the Abbey and watch out for Goldcrests, Coal Tits, and Great Tits.’
Studely park is owned by the National Trust and contains mature parkland and deciduous trees and the water features.

Photo credits
Fountains Abbey (44) by roblz.com CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Fountains Abbey by flying_tiger CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Octagon Tower at Fountains Abbey by and in 9th place.CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
churches by dvdbramhall CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ‘By St. Mary’s, Studley Royal, in the Deer Park adjacent to the grounds of Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire. The church was built between 1870 and 1878, The architect – as at Skelton on Ure – was William Burges.’

20 mph Speed Zones Fast for Yorkshire

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Hortoris

A section of Pateley Bridge is restricted to a 20mph speed zone. It would be hard to go faster in the town and why would you want too anyway?

20 mph zones are becoming increasingly popular with local residents because statistics seem to suggest 20mph zones are effective in reducing fatalaties. It also makes for a more pleasing environment with parents happier to let children play on the roads. York and Sheffield are amongst Yorkshire towns and cities that treat 20mph speed zones as the default speed limit in built-up areas.

Background to Speed Zones

Evidence suggests that if people are hit by a car at 20mph only 1 in 10 will die as a result. If the speed is 30mph it jumps to 5 in 10. At 40mph most die.

20 mph speed limits also encourage more environmentally friendly methods of transport such as cycling and walking.

20 mph speed limits are not always popular with motorists who argue it is unnecessarily strict to keep speed down to 20mph. Also, the difficulty of 20 mph speed limit zones is that most drivers ignore them anyway. To be effective 20mph speed limits need to be enforced with speed cameras or road calming methods introduced – such as narrowing roads.

Evidence on 20mph Speed Zones

• 20mph zones have made a major contribution to London’s road
safety record. In areas where zones have been introduced there has
been a 42 per cent reduction in casualties.
• The estimated benefit to London from casualty reductions in its
400 existing 20mph zones has a value of at least £20 million per
year.
• There is some evidence to suggest 20mph limits may make a
positive contribution to encouraging walking and cycling,
improving traffic flow and reducing emissions but insufficient
research has been done on these potential wider effects.

20 mph speed limits at DFT

Campaigner Myths against 20 MPH Speed Zones

The safety organisations 20 is Plenty and Environmental Transport Association ask “Why we can’t” rather than explore “How we can” when it comes to 20’s Plenty. Here are some false road blocks which may be put in your way :-

Speed Bumps

You can’t put in 20 mph without physical traffic calming. That is both unpopular and expensive. No-one will want it. NOT CORRECT

Slower journeys

If you slow traffic down to 20 mph then it is obvious that journeys will take 50% longer. This will cause delays and is not acceptable. NOT CORRECT

Police won’t enforce it.

The police will not enforce 20 mph. Therefore it will be ignored by motorists. NOT CORRECT

It increases Pollution

If you put in speed bumps and drivers accelerate between them, then this constant acceleration and braking does increase fuel usage. But where 20mph limits are put in place then this encourages steadier driving using less fuel with less pollution. It also encourages people to walk or cycle and therefore reducing their car-created pollution entirely. Hence it is NOT CORRECT that 20mph limits increase pollution.

All of these are myths which can be shown to be false. Click on the buttons on the left to see why they are false and the argument against them.

Support your local campaign for 20 mph speed zones – it makes sense!

Posted in Transport and Travel | Comments Off

Newby Hall Gardens for Cornus & Interesting Plants

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Hortoris

Back in 2009 I took a trip to see the Gardens and plants at Newby Hall. This photograph fails to do the gardens justice but see them in full flower on their web site. Sylvia’s garden area was in fine form except for the walkway. Until recently the walkway was flanked by special beds of red Roses of Lancaster opposite the White Roses of York to commemorate the Wars of the Roses. Sadly these Roses got rose sickness and had to be replaced. Why on earth Olive trees have been selected to replace them I do not know (it still isn’t time to offer an Olive branch to our old foes.) It also seems to follow that children visiting in future will not be taught (by sight smell and notice board) about our traditional ‘Roses rivalry’.

Following the Rose theme there were some sculptures around the garden and I called this Dog Rose.

Whilst this was called ‘No Bark or Rose on Addingham moorside.’

It is fitting that a National Collection of Cornus is held at Newby Hall as they are also called Dog Woods or Flowering Dogwoods. These trees and shrubs were worth visiting on their own and I was taken with the whole garden and would recommend a mid week visit. I guess the children’s attractions including a miniature railway will make it a busy spot at weekends.
There is a leaflet about the Plant Heritage National Collection at Newby Hall & Gardens called Cornus Trail. It highlights 15 specific trees and shrubs from over 100 individuals in 5 different beds.

This fine specimen was at least 40 foot tall and was covered in white floral bracts down to ground level. Many of the feature dogwoods were tiered like a wedding cake and looked in great form in the middle of May 2009. An interesting place to visit with something for everyone. I didn’t go inside the house so can’t comment on Georgian elegance of the Christopher Wren Richard Adams combo.

2012 is the time to visit or in my case revisit to see the gardens and plants at Newby Hall near Ripon.
27 May 2012 as threatened I revisited and despite the strong sun that burned out some of the colour here are some more photographs from Newby Hall Garden.

Newby Gardens flowers on a Strawberry

Scented Azalea Lutea in Newby Gardens

Primula by the pond Newby Gardens.

Posted in Photos, Yorkshire Trips and Places | 1 Comment

The Shepherd Lord Fact or Fiction

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Hortoris

A Bank holiday read or a book for Fathers Day, this Faction is an interesting cross between fact and fiction. The historical embellishments are entertaining.

Product Description from Amazon
‘Young Henry Clifford, heir to vast estates in the North of England, is spirited away after the Battle of Towton for fear that the Yorkists will take his life in reprisal against his father’s actions. He is brought up as a simple shepherd boy so that his noble background does not betray his true identity. Narrated by the shepherd that raised him until it was safe to reveal his true identity and reclaim his birthright, this is a riveting tale contrasting a life on the run against an idyllic pastoral backdrop. It is a tale of identity, roots and nurture one of an unbreakable and everlasting bond that develops between two people from very different backgrounds. A true story, that has been all but ignored for centuries and is now bursting to be told.’

From the Publisher
The Shepherd Lord is a fascinating, but largely forgotten episode from medieval English history, rummaged from the shadows of two dusty poems and brought back to life. Set in the 15th century, against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses, it is the story of Henry Clifford, the aristocrat who was raised as a shepherd.

This is a work of fiction but set on a firm basis of well-researched historical fact. The important issue in this type of novel is how well the author has rendered the tale as a dramatic adventure. The answer, in this case, is very well indeed. It’s an involving and deeply human story of danger, companionship, high emotions and all the other elements required of a gripping tale.

Posted in Books Club & Literary Work, Yorkshire History and Heritage | Tagged Novel | 3 Comments

More Books than Bookings for Mike Pannett

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Hortoris

He may have been a great copper for 20 years until he took up writing, about the police, about his life and crimes in the Yorkshire Countryside. However his books are coming to book shops thick and fast and he is likely to publish more titles than criminals he booked.

I have just taken ‘Just The Job, Lad’ from our local library and notice that ‘Up Beat and Down Dale: Life and Crimes in the Yorkshire Countryside’ by Mike Pannett will be out in Paperback on 19 Jul 2012. At least he is getting away from being a ‘Lad’ with this new title.
This new book features a night-time operation in an empty museum and the harrowing business of taking three children into care against their mother’s wishes. I am sure Mike’s loyal fans can hardly wait.
Previous titles by Mike Pannett include ‘Now Then, Lad,’ ‘You’re Coming With Me, Lad,”Not On My Patch, Lad’ and ‘Just the Job, Lad.’

Quotable Quotes from ‘Just The Job, Lad’

….three young looking lads who seemed to be wearing identical light-coloured wooly hats. ‘They look well dodgy. Lets get after ’em!’
Sommat I picked up in the Met.
They’re getting a tune out of that old banger (when chasing a stolen car)
Lissen you numpty, long-haired, idle, cack-handed pillock.

Not the Only Bobby on the Beat

What’s Tha Up To?: Memories of a Yorkshire Bobby by Martyn Johnson

Also by the same retired copper, Martyn Johnson, are similarly entitled volumes:
What’s Tha Up To? Memories of a Sheffield Bobby
What’s Tha Up To? Memories of an Attercliff Bobby
It is great that Yorkshire has produced two literary bobbies come authors who have opted for such variety in their choice of book titles.

Fictional Heartbeat at least manages a weak pun but then tends to wear out its story lines. Still you can join our pressure group to ‘Bring Back Heartbeat’. We want to know what has happened to David, Ginna, Bernie and even Oscar.

Posted in Books Club & Literary Work | Tagged Biography | Comments Off

What is it about Scarborough and Fiction

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Hortoris

The Last Train to Scarborough is a Jim Stringer Steam Detective novel by Andrew Martin.

Hot on the heels of our review of the murders in Scarborough in ‘The Other Child’ by Charlotte Link is another book in Andrew Martin’s railway detective excursion into the Edwardian past. The Last Train to Scarborough has his ex-railway-worker-turned-detective Jim Stringer tackling an uncomfortable assignment from lodgings in a wet and gloomy off-season Scarborough.

Andrew Martin’s following is growing as his obvious love of the period and trains becomes clear to his loyal and new readers alike. Not everyone’s cup of tea you either fall for the books or not but give one a chance as they are worth reading on a long holiday train journey. Martin’s ability to summon up the Edwardian era provides an interesting atmosphere ‘as if you have gone back in a time machine and you are actually there’.

Some of the other titles in this 8 book series include The Blackpool Highflyer, The Necropolis Railway, Murder at Deviation Junction and The Baghdad Railway Club which is the latest Jim Stringer Steam Detective novel due to be published this week (June 2012)

Credit The Bristolian near Woodley by NH53 CC BY 2.0

Also on the Scarborough theme we shouldn’t forget Scarborough born lass Susan Hill CBE who has been riding high in the best seller lists with The Woman in Black.
Scarborough Fair by Chris Scott Wilson is a fictionalised version of the Battle of Flamborough Head explored from the American and British perspective. (not quite what I had in mind.)

Posted in Books Club & Literary Work | Tagged Novel | 1 Comment

Original Boundaries of Yorkshire

Posted on March 26, 2017 by tejvan

Association of British Counties Map of Yorkshire. Published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 UK

On a map of Yorkshire from the Domesday book the ‘county’ was a significantly larger region taking in parts of Cumberland Westmoreland and Lancashire.

Yorkshire stretched from Hull in the East Ridings to Sedburgh in the north West.

Lost parts of Yorkshire

Yorkshire’s boundaries were changed in 1974. It abolished the shires and implemented the much disliked new county’s of Humberside (east Ridings).

Some parts of Yorkshire were given away to:

Cumbria – Sedburgh district
Durham – Stratforth district
Lancashire (shame!) – Bowland, Barnoldswick, Earby.

Instead of the Ridings, Yorkshire was split into North, South and West. There was no East Yorkshire except the disgrace of Humberside!

Posted in Our Yorkshire | 9 Comments

Marine Conservation in Yorkshire

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Hortoris

‘You can please some of the fish some of the time but not all of the piscene critters all of the time.’ Of the original 27 conservations zones none were on or near the Yorkshire coast. The nearest is the Aln estuary.

Defra’s new areas for marine conservation do include the Yorkshire locations of Holderness from Skipsea to Spurn Point and Runswick Bay both of which are important for various species including starfish and crabs. However Compass Rose, 20 miles off the Yorkshire coast, which is an important place for plaice, herring, lemon sole and sand eels, is one of 14 sites that has been dropped from the new consultation.

New Marine Conservation Zones

Runswick Bay north of Whitby to to Staithes boasts a highly productive seabed. It has important spawning and nursery grounds for many fish, including herring, sprat, cod, whiting and plaice. Harbour porpoises are regularly recorded here alongside foraging seabirds, such as kittiwakes. The Wildlife Trust says one reason to nominate this area as a Marine Conservation Zone is the ‘Shallow rocky areas here are dominated by kelps and red seaweeds whereas deeper areas are encrusted in a living faunal turf of sponges, sea squirts, sea urchins and starfish. Interspersed with sand and gravel, this area is also important for burrowing creatures such as worms…. ‘

Holderness from Skipsea to Spurn Point is another proposed Yorkshire MCZ. ‘The seafloor here boasts a wealth of diversity, including habitats of cobbles, mixed sediment, sand and chalk, alongside patches of peat and clay. This mosaic supports a dense coverage of hydroid and bryozoan turf, sponges and ross worm reef as well as many fish, including tope and smoothhound. Over 8 different types of crabs have been seen at Holderness Inshore as well as the purple bloody henry starfish and common sunstars. Harbour porpoises and minke whales are often spotted from the shore passing through this area.’wildlifetrusts.org

Sea birds are also set to benefit -‘Holderness Inshore is important for foraging seabirds as well as migrants. Within the southern region is ‘The Binks’, a geological feature forming the seaward extension of Spurn Point. This site also protects the geological feature, Spurn Head, which is in the south of the MCZ. It is a unique example of an active spit system, extending across the mouth of the Humber Estuary.Fulmar MCZ well off the Northumberland coast is as the name suggest an important area for seabirds, black-headed gull, northern fulmar, Arctic skua and black-legged kittiwake use this area, whilst breeding common guillemot and Arctic skua use this site during winter.’

Are Marine Conservation Zones Strong Enough?

MCZs are ‘multi-use areas’ and not the far stronger no-take marine reserves. Multi-use will allow many activities to continue within them with their own set of restrictions and management.

Professor Callum Roberts, at the University of York a noted conservationists warns that missing key sites are still putting habitats and wildlife, ranging from large seagrass meadows to the spiny seahorse, at risk.

Professor Roberts is also reported to say “….. the UK’s rich marine life has very little protection. That may sound paradoxical, but six years after the Marine Act was passed, MCZs are still ‘paper parks’. They have no management at all, so life within them remains unprotected. They will be worse than useless, giving the illusion of protection where none is present.”

Picture under Creative commons http://www.flickr.com/people/sherseydc/

Posted in Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire Business and Money, Yorkshire Environment | Comments Off

Jump on a Yorkshire Bus

Posted on March 22, 2017 by tejvan

Pictures of some older Yorkshire buses run by Yorkshire bus companies have been preserved by Ingy the Wingy and others for us to enjoy.

Even more important is the buses themselves are being preserved!

Others are still in service. Use them or loose them as the saying goes. Watch out as politicians line up to cut ‘the pensioners perk’ our metro card for free bus travel out of rush hour. The rail concession in West Yorkshire has already been reduced this year from a 50p fare to 50% of a full price ticket.

I couldn’t resist adding these two extra photos to this selection.
Thanks to all who allow the use of their photographs under a creative commons license. I hope I give you fair credit.

See Twirlies on Trolley Buses
Wallace Arnold Coach Holidays
Charabanc or Charabang
Vintage Transport in Yorkshire

With my metro pass I can still ride all over on the bus but unfortunately I can’t ‘leg-on’ for two reasons. One is the old legs don’t work as quickly as they used too and the other reason is the flipping doors get in the way. Bring back conductors and the platform entrance.

Credits
Yorkshire Rider 7006 SUA 6R by Ingy The Wingy CC BY-ND 2.0 Yorkshire Rider Limited (originally West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) 7006 SUA 6R, a Leyland ‘Fleetline’ FE30AGR built 1976 with a Northern Counties H43/31F body stands in Todmorden bus station on a 592 service to Portsmouth. Sunday 23rd October 1988

Mulley’s Motorways 354 KWX 14 by Ingy The Wingy CC BY-ND 2.0
‘Mulley’s Motorways Limited former Calderdale Joint Omnibus Committee (originally Todmorden Joint Omnibus Committee) 354 KWX 14, a Leyland ‘Titan’ PD2/12 built 1951 with a Leyland L27/26R body stands in Stowmarket bus depot yard. Tuesday 23rd September 1975
KWX 14 was transferred from the Todmorden Joint Omnibus Committee to the Calderdale Joint Omnibus Committee in 1971 (the completion date for the transfer was 6th September 1971) but was withdrawn before the end of the year. It then passed to Mulley’s Motorways’

Yorkshire Traction 34583 YN04 YXS by Ingy The Wingy CC BY-ND 2.0 Yorkshire Traction Limited (originally East Midland Motor Services Limited) 34583 YN04 YXS, an Alexander Dennis ‘Dart’ SLF built 2004 with an Alexander Dennis ‘Pointer’ B38F body on North Bridge Road, Doncaster with the 12:50 Doncaster Frenchgate Interchange to Scawsby Circular 42 service. Wednesday 13th October 2010

“West Yorkshire, 811BMR by Steven’s Transport Photos CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Yorkshire Heritage Bus Company by Danny’s Bus Photos CC BY-NC 2.0

Posted in Our Yorkshire | Comments Off

Bluebells of Yorkshire

Posted on March 21, 2017 by tejvan

In your garden bluebells are fine in April and May and disappear underground for 8 months of the year. However the leaves can be a soggy mess for one month after flowering.
If you want tips on how to keep garden bluebells tidy see Gardeners Tips

Our Favourite Bluebell Locations

Middleton Woods Ilkley – divine scent drifting above the river Wharfe
Nostell Priory – bluebells line the old paths.
Hardcastle Crags- the woodland floor is covered with bluebells in spring.
Newton Woods and Roseberry Topping for a wilder environment
Freeholders’ Wood Wensleydale

Bluebells also come in white perhaps in tribute to our own Yorkshire Rose!
If you know of any other Bluebell walks or interesting locations please let us know.

Posted in Yorkshire Trips and Places | Comments Off