Well summer has arrived in North Yorkshire and long may it last. The last few weeks have been balmy and whilst not quite a heatwave (a la the Southern Hemisphere) we have enjoyed above average temperatures for this time of year. Allied to the fact that, in Camelot like fashion, the rain seems to have been largely at night, we really have little to complain about.
In fact a few weeks ago we embarked upon one of our favourite walks from Whitby to Sandsend and back.
Checking the tide times (Whitby has a 6 to 10 foot tidal swing)meant that if we were to catch low tide we would have to set off along the beach at about 3:00. Well if one was looking for paradise this was it. The temperature was warm, no wind and the only regret we had was that we were not equipped to go for a swim. Swim? In the North Sea? I hear you say. Few will believe how warm the water was (we waded out a few yards). We finished off with fish & chips from the Magpie in Whitby and ate them on the pier. A magical afternoon and evening - an something we can recommend.
On the one day it did rain we decided to visit Brodsworth Hall. This is now owned by the National Trust and is a monument to how a family's fortunes can ebb. Built in 1863 is was the quintessential Victorian country mansion. Over time however the family's fortune diminished and in 1992 the family could no longer maintain it and handed it over to English Heritage. It was given on the proviso that all the furniture was bought by English Heritage. This netted the family a fairly tidy sum of about £2 million. What English Heritage has done is not to renovate but to conserve and thus it is seen in all it's faded "glory". Really quite poignant.
Incidentally for those who are Dicken's fans and who have read Bleak House, the case Jardyne vs Jardyne is based upon the will dispute of the heirs to the Thellusson estate. When the House of Lords eventually ruled in favour of Charles Thellusson in 1859 he inherited the property, demolished the existing house and built Brodsworth Hall.
Elaine & I made a real discovery in the house. As many of you will know when we refurbished Feversham Lodge we searched the Victorian "paint pallet" so as to decorate Feversham in authentic Victorian colours. Well you can imagine our sense of satisfaction when, on entering the Dining Room, we discovered it to be painted in the Victorian colour Promenade. A visit to our website (www.fevershamlodge.co.uk) and a click on our Victorian Room will enable you to see the colour (Promenade is the bottom colour).
Incidentally, as befits a refurbished room, the paintwork in our Victorian Room is far nicer.
Brodsworth Hall is well worth a visit and we have resolved to return an explore the gardens at a later stage (when it's not raining).
That's about it for now. If you are planning a visit to York over the summer, remember to book early as York gets pretty busy in August and September. We end as usual with our "What's On" diary.
‘The Railway Children'
Thursday 23rd July - Saturday 5th September 2009
E. Nesbit's - ‘The Railway Children'
Tickets are £10 - £18
Family Tickets (at least 1 adult & 1 child) £40 - £50.
Public contact: For tickets please contact the Box Office 01904 623568 or book online at www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk For general enquiries call the theatre reception on 01904 658162.
Festival of British Archaeology 2009
18th July - 2nd August
Free Admission to Young Archaeologists
18th July - 2nd August
Free admission to all 3 YAT attractions (JORVIK, DIG and Barley Hall) for the duration of the Festival of British Archaeology for anyone holding a current Young Archaeologists' Club membership card. Club members should be accompanied by a paying adult. Maximum of three free children per paying adult. A Young Archaeologists' Club card should be presented on admission to the attraction.
Kids Go Free at Barley Hall
18th July - 2nd August
Barley Hall, Coffee Yard.
Maximum of three free children per paying adult. Make yourself at home at Barley Hall and get hands-on discovering more about medieval life. Our Barber Surgeon will be on hand with gruesome tales of surgery in our new exhibition, 'Plague, Poverty and Prayer', on 18th and 25th July and on 1st August.
Hungate tours
20th July - 2nd August (excluding 26th July)
10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm
Meet at DIG, St Saviour's Church, St Saviourgate. Free. Pre-booking required (01904 615505).
Free visits to the Hungate excavation to find out more about the history of the city from this fascinating site.
Hands on Finds
21st / 23rd / 28th / 30th July, 11am - 12pm / 2pm - 3pm.
DIG, St Saviour's Church, St Saviourgate.
Your chance to find out more and handle finds excavated by York Archaeological Trust not normally on display. Places are limited at these sessions. First come, first served! Suitable for ages 9 and over. Normal admission charges for DIG apply.
Hungate Open Day
1st August 2009,10am - 3pm
Free.
Visit York's largest archaeological excavation for 25 years for free! Meet the archaeologists and find out what they have uncovered about the history of this important area of York, from modern times back to the Roman era. The visit to site includes the chance to see recently unearthed finds.
Public contact: Visit www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk or call 01904 543400 for more information.
York Castle Museum: NEW EXHIBITION!
York Castle Prison
Opens 17th July 2009
Rouges, thieves, killers, debtors, revolutionaries - York Castle Prison once was home to them all. From July, York Castle Museum is using its authentic cells to show what life was like in an 18th Century prison. Experience a brutal and crooked prison system and meet the unfortunate people imprisoned there - inlcuding the infamous highwayman, Dick Turpin.
Public contact: Visit www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk
National Railway Museum
Duchess of Hamilton ‘Streamlined' Exhibition
Opened 20th May 2009
Free Admission
Discover the magnificent Duchess of Hamilton restored to her streamlined form. The locomotive is a stunning piece of Art Deco opulence built in 1938 that wowed design critics on both sides of the Atlantic. The streamlined Duchess was a modern machine for a modern age and can now be viewed at the NRM as she takes pride of place in this new exhibition exploring the links between 1930s fashion, engineering and design.
York Minster
4th-26th July 2009
Henry VIII: Man and Monarch on location - British Library Touring Exhibition
2009 marks the 500th anniversary of the accession of Henry VIII. Henry is not only England's best-known king, he is also our most important single ruler.
This touring display is being hosted at eight heritage sites from 13th May 2009 - 17th January 2010 as part of the wider programme surrounding the major new exhibition Henry VIII: Man and Monarch at the British Library in London, from 23rd April to 6th September 2009.
Clifford's Tower
Time Travellers Go....Medieval
Sat 25th July - Mon 31st August 2009
From 11am - 5pm
Admission: £3.50/ £3.00/ £1.80/ £8.80
English Heritage Members free.
It's Medieval Makeover time. Medieval dressing up costumes for children. Come and try on, and mix and match colourful medieval costumes. Learn about medieval costumes from Lords and Ladies to Peasants and Peddlers. Learn how to meet and greet and to bow and curtsey. Bring a camera for your own souvenir.
York Art Gallery
St Ives (Arts Council)
2nd May - 27th September
Free
Featuring works of art from the Arts Council Collection and York Art Gallery, this exhibition looks at some of the artists working in and around St Ives from the 1930's until the 1960's, when it was a centre of the avant garde in Britain. Includes work by Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Terry Frost, Roger Hilton, Alfred Wallis and Patrick Heron.
Public contact: Visit www.yorkartgallery.co.uk Tel: 01904 687687
Quilt Museum
Wednesday 29th July
Embellishing with the Experts! - Half Day Workshops
Quilt Museum and Gallery, Education Room
10am-12.30pm (Adult's Workshop) 1pm-3.30pm (Children's Workshop 7-16 years)
Museum Admission Prices Apply
A full day of workshops with VSM, sewing machine and equipment specialists. Join us for an adults only session in the morning and learn how to embellish with felt and then bring your family along for the childrens' session in the afternoon! Everyone will get to have a go on the latest embellishing equipment and make a project to take home.
Please book early as spaces are limited - call 01904 613242 or email info@quiltersguild.org.uk Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Yorkshire Air Museum
19th July 2009
‘Battle of the Bombers' Veteran Signing Day
A unique signing event to be attended by up to 20 Bomber Command veterans representing the two famous bombers of WWII - the Halifax and Lancaster. Which was the best - the debate continues! Additional fee for items to be signed with proceeds supporting the Bomber Command Association and the Allied Air Forces Memorial (Yorkshire Air Museum). We can now confirm that the Dakota from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has been allocated to perform a flypast for this event. A spectacle not to be missed.
Admission to all these events is at standard entry rates of £6 Adult, £5 Senior Citizens and £4 Children and include full admission to the museum and the event.
Public contact: Visit www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk For further information, please call the Museum on 01904 608595 or e-mail: museum@yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal
Wednesday 1st - Friday 31st July
Abbey Tours, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Normal admission prices apply
Join us for a free tour to discover fascinating facts and stories about the Abbey and monks.
Wednesday 1st - Friday 31st July
A Grand Tour of Studley Royal, 2pm
Normal admission prices apply
Free tour taking in the grand design of the Georgian landscape including Deer Park and Water Garden. Meet at the Visitor Centre.
Saturday 18th - Friday 31st July
School Holiday Fun - Walk on the Wild Side!
11am - 4pm
Normal admission prices apply
Free trails and drop in self-led activities in Swanley Grange.
Wednesday 22nd July
Taster Tour, 10.30am
Normal admission prices apply
As the name suggests enjoy a taste of everything this World Heritage Site has to offer.
Meet at the Visitor Centre.
Wednesday 22nd - Friday 31st July
It's A Monk's Life, Every Wed, Thurs & Fri Only, 2pm.
Normal admission prices apply
Join us for a family tour of the Abbey. Dress in monks' robes and learn about their daily life. £1.50 plus normal admission. Suitable for 7s and over. Meet at the Visitor Centre.
Saturday 25th July
Fountains in Summer, 10.30am
Normal admission prices apply
A gentle walk for anyone wishing to begin to discover the delights of nature in summer. Meet at Swanley Grange.
Sunday 26th July
Songs of Praise in the Abbey, 3pm
Normal admission prices apply
Ecumenical service in the Abbey. Everyone welcome.
Wednesday 29th July
Mowgli Stories at the Abbey, from midday
Normal admission prices apply
A magical afternoon for kids: Face painting, games, story telling, fancy dress parade and a children's trail all inspired by the tales from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. Free admission for children in fancy dress.
Wednesday 29th July
Children's Open Air Theatre - Mowgli Stories
5.30pm Gates open, 6.30pm Play Begins
Illyria bring to life the stories of the man-cub Mowgli who was raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. Bring a picnic, rugs and chairs and enjoy this classic tale performed in the Abbey ruins. Limited seat hire available. Adult £12 Child £10 Booking essential. Tel: 01670 773939 Online: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events
Thursday 30th July
St Mary's Church Tour, 11am
Free tour of the richly decorated Victorian High Gothic church designed by William Burges. Meet at the Visitor Centre.
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Admission Prices:
Adult £8.25
Child £4.40
Under 5 FREE
Family £22.00
National Trust and English Heritage Members FREE
Open daily 10am-5pm
Further information, Tel: Estate Office, 01765 608888 / www.fountainsabbey.org.uk