Halloween Wedding

A bridal display to gladden the heart of any Goth!

Citadel

The Salvation Army was founded in 1869 by William Booth and his wife Catherine. It follows a Methodist Christian doctrine and was intended to deliver the three S's to the poor - Soup, Soap and Salvation. Church officials wear a military looking uniform hence the name. This is the York Citadel on Gillygate.
Taking part in Ruby Tuesday

Autumn Gardens

A recent view across the Museum Gardens towards the Hospitium. On the ground are lots of lovely leaves to kick your way through!

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!

Horses in the City

Directly opposite this peaceful scene is the multi million pound National Science Learning Centre. Horses are not an uncommon sight in and around York, and a piece of spare ground like this will often have a horse or two grazing the grass.

Windows or Walls

A riverside view can be a selling point for a modern city apartment. Although clearly that has not always been the case!

St Nicholas Fields

This site used to be a rubbish tip, and is now a local nature reserve. It is one mile from York city centre and sited between a housing estate and and an industrial estate. The standing stones are stone that was dumped here when it was a landfill site.
The earliest records of St Nicholas Fields come from the 12th century when the land was leased to the nearby hospital of St Nicholas. The hospital was founded in the reign of Henry I to accommodate up to forty patients, mostly suffering from leprosy. 

Long Shadow

Presentiment is that long shadow on the lawn
Indicative that suns go down;
The notice to the startled grass
That darkness is about to pass.

Emily Dickinson

Minster Gate Bookshop

Minster Gates bookshop is situated close by the South door of York Minster. This small street has enjoyed a long association with books. Formerly known as Bookland Lane, the street was later known as Bookbinder's Alley. .The inventory for the stock of John Foster who operated as a bookseller from Minster Gates 1580-1607 still survives.
The current  bookshop is spread over 3 floors and stocks a mix of new and second-hand books, it is well worth a visit.

Hips and Haws

Lots of free food in the local hedgerows this time of year, rose-hip syrup anyone?
Taking part in Ruby Tuesday

Autumn colours

The leaves are just starting to turn to autumn colours on this lovely old tree in the centre of St Mary's square.

From the sublime....

This is another new building on York University East Heslington site. To me the metal box and green chopsticks say 1960s rather than 2010s. It is a very noisy building too, as I stood under the box I could hear it creaking and popping as the morning sun warmed the metal. Love it or hate it?

Old Window

This window is part of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall which was built built in the 14th century. I just love the jumble of patterns and textures with the mix of brick and stonework.

Paint the Town Pink!

York is taking part in the Breast Cancer Campaign 'Paint the Town Pink' and pink objects are turning up around the city. This event aims to raise awareness of breast cancer and raise funds for cancer research. See here for further details

The Catalyst

This 5.5 millon pound building was funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The Catalyst is designed for use by new Creative, IT, Media and Digital companies on York University East Heslington campus. It is a striking building with two huge fronts of blue and green glass panels separated by a centre area of orange louvres. It rather divides local opinion too. I have heard it described as an abomination and a revelation. I rather like it, how about you?

Merchant Adventurers' Chest

This oak evidence chest dates from the early 1300s and was used to store the title deeds to the many properties owned by the The Company of Merchant Adventurers' of York. Founded originally as a religious fraternity they developed into a trading association or 'guild'. I imagine it crammed full of rolled parchment scrolls covered in wax seals.
Taking part in ABC Wednesday

Virginia Creeper

The autumn leaves are starting to turn and one of the most colourful plants in the UK is the Virginia Creeper. This particular plant is a newly planted baby on York University Heslington East campus.
Taking part in Ruby Tuesday

Backies Pond

I cycle past this small urban pond on the way to work each morning and usually only give it a quick glance. I passed through on a Sunday recently and had time to stop and appreciate the view.

Benchmarking

This is the cap of a tube set in the floor of the Nave of York Minster as a level mark to show if the building is shifting. It was placed here after extensive restoration work to find out if it had been successful in halting the subsidence that threatened the fabric of the Minster. 
Benchmarking is a variation on the geocaching phenomenon in which individuals actively seek out these marks using a hand held GPS and log their finds on line. Who knew? Not me until I looked up from taking this picture to be congratulated by a couple of young lads on finding a 'passive station bolt'

Runes

This is the word Northumbria written in Viking runes. Before English kings took over this part of the country and made it part of the kingdom of England, calling it "Yorkshire", the county was part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria. York (or Jorvik) was the capital city.

Windy Day

A dramatic sky is forming behind this wind turbine. It led to some pretty dramatic weather too. Taking part in Skywatch Friday

Harvest

Just before all the rain and the subsequent flooding we had a dry few days. Hopefully many farmers took advantage as this one did and made hay..........

Last Supper

St Martin le Grand on Coney Street is an 11th century church so this very modern depiction of the last supper inside the church was rather a surprise. Dating from 1967 it is  by Frank Roper. Designed as a reredos for the altar it is made from gold-painted aluminium. What do you think of it? It is a little too 'home made' for my tastes and was originally hidden away at the back of the church but is now on display under a modern stained glass window. The church suffered badly from bomb damage during WW2 hence the modern interior.
Taking part in ABC Wednesday

Cafe society

Well York with a little touch of France anyone? You can sit in the window and watch the world go by, or be watched by the world as they pass by.
Taking part in  Ruby Tuesday

That Old Lion Again

Regular readers of this blog (discerning folk one and all) might just recognise this lion as it has featured before. It is one of a pair guarding the entrance to the garden of Greys Court, and it rather obligingly  posed for this silhouette!!
Taking part in CDP theme day for October