Today was another reflection on summer and the forecast is for it to continue almost forever, well at least for another week.
Caught the train to York which is about a 23 minute trip. Nice compact town and one of the many attractions is the remains of a Roman wall that surrounded the town and is walkable for about 2 miles.
Have been pleasantly surprised with Leeds city. Very tidy with a combination of old Victorian buildings and modern shopping arcades with very upmarket shops. Nothing like window gazing when the price tags hit the 5 digit plus mark....
A quick look....
The Corn Exchange...1864... now retail....
Nearby.....
Leeds City Markets... 1875.. largest covered market in Europe.. 800 stall holders.. over 100,000 visitors a week... 1894 the founding location of Marks & Spencer stores....
Over the road....
Part of the Victorian Quarter...
Amazing architecture in the arcade..
And colours...
This large arcade has 100 per cent occupancy... very rare in this day and age...
Not far away is a large modern shopping complex...
Covered with a plastic type roof... wasn't dark enough to show the effect of the lights on the roof...
Up in York...
The York Minster Cathederal.. earliest construction of current building 1220... declared complete 1472.... a lot of the rear section is scaffolded undergoing restoration....
A couple of old buildings...
In the grounds of the Museum Gardens stands the ....
Ruins of St Mary's abbey.... adjacent to the River Ouse....
Constructed 1088..... destroyed by order of HenryV111 due to the "Dissolution of Monasteries"...
At the rear, over a road, of York Minster is Treasurers House.
This has a history dating back to roman times and actually has remains of a Roman road running through the foundations of the cellar..
It was the home of the Treasurers of York Minster until 1547 then had private owners.
Industrialist Frank Green lived here and carried out improvements from 1897 until 1930 when he gave it to the National Trust becoming the first property in National Trust ownership.
Frank was very eccentric and very dapper... fastidiously tidy everything had to be "My way or the Highway"...
This was how he left the home...
"Trendy" colours ??...
This clock had the Pendulums swinging through a hole cut in the flooring...
This is an interior window looking down from the 1st floor.. The clock pendulum can be seen between the centre and RH pillars...
There is a well known "Ghost Story" that a tradesman was working in the cellar, about 1950s, on some heating pipes. Up a ladder lent against the wall he heard some noises then looking down he witnessed Roman foot soldiers carrying shields and dressed in traditional gear emerge from the wall he was leaning on and cross the small cellar room over a trench in the floor then disappear through the other wall.
He actually jumped off the ladder and try to hide terrified in the opposite corner.
His story didn't stack up because he said they were wearing green kit and carrying round shields when history showed Romans wore red and shields were oblong. ...Wrong...
Recent finds from local excavations. in the 60s.. 70s, have found traces of Green fabric and round shields.. Plus there were ruins of a Roman road in the cellar on which they were marching...
We took a 40 minute tour...
Down a low tunnel to the cellar... health and safety said we all had to wear hard hats....
And here it is...
The wall they emerged from....
Frank Green had all the wooden floors "Adzed" to give them the look he wanted....
A home well worth a visit...
Past a shop that appeared to have some nice edible treats so ventured inside..
Well this would be the ultimate....
"Wash Your Mouth Out with Soap"....
Yep..
They are all soap... 6 quid a slice.... 300 quid a tier cake....
70% of soaps made out the back room...
My favorites........
