Surplus to Requirements

Who knew khaki came in so many colours?

Go away, I'm busy!

After giving me a very hard stare this cat made it quite clear I was surplus to requirements by turning her back and pointedly ignoring me. When I persisted in pointing my camera her way she pretended to have spotted something interesting in the distance and stalked off. I followed her around the gravestone only to find she had completely vanished from sight; a ghost cat perhaps!

New Dean

This imposing residence can be found right in the centre of York, it is the Deanery of York Minster. In a mighty break with tradition the Minster has just appointed it's first female Dean the Very Revd Vivienne Faull. By a twist of fate her last post was Dean of Leicester and she has suggested Richard III's remains (see yesterdays blog post) be buried close to where they were found in Leicester cathedral.
It was Richard's own wish to be buried in York Minster, a wish that is shared by many in York. A tricky political tightrope for the new Dean of York Minster to walk!

White Boar

A close look at a stained glass window on a recent visit to St-Martin-cum-Gregory in Micklegate revealed this white boar. This motif was the badge of Richard III King of England from1483-85, who was also known as Richard of York. Killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 Richard III was the last English king to die in battle. Always popular in York (he halved the cities taxes during his reign) it is no surprise to find his badge hidden away in a quiet corner.
Recent excavations in a car park in Leicester claim to have discovered Richard's remains (his body was disposed of secretly after the battle) and a debate is raging over where, if it proves to be Richard, he should be buried. Come back tomorrow to hear a twist in the tale!

Oldest object in the city?

In a place like York it can be difficult to know what is the oldest thing in the city. My suggestion is this stone. It can be found in the Museum Gardens and is just one in a line of stones marking the edge of the grass. I had to wait for a young family sitting eating their lunch on it to move before I could take this picture. What makes it stand out is those circles and hollows carved into the stone, a design known as cup-and-rings marks. A friend who knows about these things suggests that it may date from the Neolithic era 3.5 to 4 thousand BC. That makes it a 6000 year old picnic table!
Taking Part in ABC Wednesday

Red Tree

The leaves have just started to turn this week, and this Acer in the Museum Gardens was the brightest red in the city!
Taking part in Ruby Tuesday

Autumn Mist

The fog hardly cleared today in the Vale of York. Autumn is here!