Roundabout of the Year

The UK Roundabout Appreciation Society(!) has recently declared this roundabout on Windmill Rise the best roundabout in Britain. I am not surprised, the windmill has been recently restored and looks splendid. Many years ago a good friend of mine lived on Windmill Rise and we used to congregate at her house every New Years Eve for a party. Directly midnight struck we all formed a conga line which skipped it's way out the door, up the hill and around this windmill to welcome in the New Year.
Taking part in  ABC Wednesday

Red Door

A bright red door with a cobweb window light above on one of the elegant town houses in Blossom Street.
Taking part in Ruby Tuesday

Boer War Memorial

Meant to post this yesterday, better late than never. Most of the war memorials in York are quite plain. The exception is the Boer War Memorial next to the Minster. It is an elaborately decorated column with niches near the top of the monument for statues representing the men and women who served. On this side of the memorial two soldiers and a nurse look down on passers-by. One of the niches stands empty save for a plaque stating that the occupant was struck by lightening!

Civic Buildings

On the right York Guildhall used by the City Corporation for official business... and the public performance of plays. Built between 1449-53 on land owned by the Guild of St Christopher and St George the building was badly damaged during the Second World War. It was restored to the original plans and reopened in 1960.
To the left the rather Gothic looking council offices built 1888-9. Recent floods have left a tide mark of mud along the base of both buildings.

Three Girls and a Bridge

With Lendal Tower in the background two girls and one angel look down from Lendal Bridge towards the River Ouse.

Chainsaw Massacre!

These logs have been left scattered around the garden at Goddards as a winter refuge for insects and other small scurrying creatures.

Lady Anne Middleton

Here is a closer look at the statue from yesterdays post. Skelderdale House is now part of a modern hotel but a much older building on this site was a  hospital was funded by an endowment given by Dame Anne Middleton in 1659, the wife of Peter Middleton, the then Sheriff of York. 
It was originally built as a refuge for twenty widows of the Freemen of the City of York. The hospital was later rebuilt and extended in 1829 at the expense of the Corporation of York as stated in the inscription. In 1906 there were 19 occupants and in 1908 each received a pension of £6 yearly, and the use of one room. The hospital was modernized in 1939 to house 10 people and a warden.