Beautiful Lancashire

[patsycat]

Still loving this thread and welcome to Roxanna, may her life be filled with joy.

[Mathos]

We had been promising a trip to Lancaster Castle for several months and this morning decided to take a drive up there.

There's a tremendous amount to write up on with regards to the same.

I'll see what I can do as time passes along.

The Castle which stands proudly on a hilltop
dominates the majority of the local area which in it's
own rights is of tremendous significance in the
history and social standing of this magnificent city.

For seven centuries after 1182 this was the headquarters of
The County's Local Government.

Initially under the Sheriffs, followed by the
Justices of The Peace (Quarter Sessions) and
much longer the administrative core for the
Justice Administration in
The County Palatine of Lancaster.

To this day, over 50% of the site is still occupied by one of
Her Majesty's Prisons.

Much of the remainder is in regular use as a court of Law.

The print copy below shows Lancaster Castle as it was in 1877.





As you can see it is indeed a most impressive and spectacular place.

It is still very much the same to look at today.

These are the massive doors in 'John Of Gaunts' Gatehouse.



It is proposed that the law courts are to be transferred to
Preston and that the prison will close in a few years time.





When that day finally arrives, the massive doors shown next
but one photograph above will be opened to reveal the
large central courtyard and all of it's surrounding buildings.



The above copy print is Lancaster Castle and the
Priory Church as seen from Cable Street
(Lancaster City Museum) in the 1840's

Spectacular.

[Mathos]

Nice view here from The Castle Prison area looking out towards the City itself.



Mustn't forget our stop for lunch either.




One of Flobo's favourite places.





Flobo went for the half portion Ham and Egg.



I fancied the steak and ale pie.



Both meals were really superb.

A handy map here from the internet page of the hotel.




A bit of history I obtained from the lady at the Cross Keys earlier today:-

Good reading as well.



There's a little more:-



Excellent link here with a great deal of information and some nice
photographs of the Cross Keys:- Rooms etc and more besides.

The Crosskeys Temperance Inn, Bed & Breakfast with farmhouse style ...
Cross Keys restaurant Sedbergh, Home cooked meals using fresh local produce, eat your meal in a relaxed atmosphere.
The Crosskeys Temperance Inn, Bed & Breakfast with farmhouse style meals - 5k - Cached - Similar pages



Back to The Castle:-

It's hard to believe that the dungeons below
and the basement area they were discovered in
under and adjacent to other sections of the
castle building were only discovered as
you can see them exactly in 1931.




We stood in this area and inside the small cells earlier today.

It was a different experience.

One thing leads to another as I will explain later.


It's a pity, but we were not allowed to take any
photographs inside the Castle.

Security reasons with the prison being part of the
building etc.

[Mathos]

However, talking with various people especially
regarding the history of the castle, took us to trials,
especially Witches.

As mentioned one thing does lead to another and
we got to talking about the way confessions etc were
obtained.



Lancashire of old and much much more besides.

Especially 'Lancashire Lasses'



Life never ceases to amaze me with the routes which lead to
information and some of the atrocities committed by mankind in general throughout the ages.


There should be some interesting information from the thread in
general over the next week or two or more, the way I meander.

It started raining quite heavily as we left the Castle.



But we had a great varied long drive home via beautiful countryside regardless of the rain.

Our really good friends, Joe and his wife Anne were with us.

We had a great day.




Hope it's enjoyed by all who read the same.

[TSR2]

Originally Posted by Mathos

Hope it's enjoyed by all who read the same

Certainly is

I visited the castle in the 60s, those dungeons are scary places, when the door is shut no light whatsoever, must have been a bit of a miserable life banged up in there,

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by TSR2

Certainly is

I visited the castle in the 60s, those dungeons are scary places, when the door is shut no light whatsoever, must have been a bit of a miserable life banged up in there,

I did the same TSR2.

Yes, it's a dark hole indeed. Everything about prison life appears to have been rather brutal as well.

Many after trial at Lancaster Castle suffered
the inevitable and barbaric punishment :-
the deliberate, horrendous and humiliating
death by hanging, drawing and quartering.
That's without even thinking of the torture
suffered by so many



This is my photograph of the 'Hanging Corner'

Prisoners were brought through the doors
which resemble windows.

There was a platform outside which
they walked onto, the gallows were
above the same.

The poor souls were hung in public.

Interesting link here:-

Lancaster Castle
After 1800 the executions at Lancaster Castle took place at "Hanging Corner", ... the murder of his wife, this was the last public execution at the Castle. ...
www.lancastercastle.com/html/history/executions.php - 12k - Cached - Similar pages

This one as well:-

Lancaster CastleFrom 1800 - 1865 executions were carried out at "The Hanging Corner”, .... The last woman to be hanged at Lancaster was 29 year old Mary Holden, ...
Lancaster Castle - 26k - Cached - Similar pages


There is some excellent reading in both links.




Quite a place though.

[Mathos]

As previously mentioned, it started raining shortly after we left the Castle.

Consequently it wasn't practical to take as many photographs around the City as we would have liked.




Super looking place though.



Nice buildings.



The trees and shrubs etc were budding up nicely.


The Royal Coat of Arms is impressive.




It is displayed in the Lancaster Priory and Priory Church

Churches in the Church of England may display the Royal Coat of Arms as the reigning Monarch is temporal head of the Church of England.

The Motto's :-

Dieu Et Mon Droit

Translated:- God and my Right

Honi Moi Qui Mal y Pense.

Translated:- Evil be to him, who evil thinks.

[Mathos]

It is an extremely beautiful Church.




Plenty of history as you may well imagine.

These are well worth checking out:-


Priory
Historic Lancaster Priory, Founded in 1094, in a Church existing from 630 ... This detailed study - "The Graveyard of Lancaster Priory Church" by the late ...
www.priory.lancs.ac.uk/ - 29k - Cached - Similar pages

Services

The Organ

Revd

Christmas Services

The Bell Tower

Time-Line

More results from lancs.ac.uk »

This is an interesting if not amusing little ditty:-

Here I lie at the Chancel Door
Here I lie because I am poor
The farther in the more they pay
But here lie I as warm as they

Lancaster Priory Gravestones

18 Jun 2002 ... The earliest record which can be attributed to some form of burial at Lancaster Priory Church is the seventh century Cross, ...
www.priory.lancs.ac.uk/tombs.html - 21k - Cached - Similar pages


I took a few photographs inside the Church which was allowed.



A beautiful brass Eagle Lectern.

Very impressive.




Well worth a visit.




We have some outstanding and very beautiful Churches in The UK.

[TSR2]

When I was a kid in the 50s we used to go Arnside via Lancaster, crossing Skirton Bridge, on the left was the Castle, my dad used to say that,s where they hang you, gave me the shivers,

Some of those "poor souls' as you say got hung for nothing, causing a riot, forgery, etc, sounds like the Taliban ran our judicial system.


But I suppose we and the Taliban evolve, Education being the main reason.

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by TSR2

When I was a kid in the 50s we used to go Arnside via Lancaster, crossing Skirton Bridge, on the left was the Castle, my dad used to say that,s where they hang you, gave me the shivers,

Some of those "poor souls' as you say got hung for nothing, causing a riot, forgery, etc, sounds like the Taliban ran our judicial system.


But I suppose we and the Taliban evolve, Education being the main reason.

You keep hitting the nail on the head TSR2.

Education, as long as it's the right education.

It is the only answer to decent levels of evolution and good beneficial progress.


I remember Tony Blair, making the speech about Education, Education,
Education.

He didn't explain exactly what he meant.

So I took the liberty of asking him, and pointing out if he was referring to the Thoughts of Chairman Mao for instance, it probably wasn't a very good idea.

Somebody from Downing Street, acknowledged my letter, telling me how busy Tony was, but how he appreciated contact with the general public.

[Mathos]

I have no idea, who or even how many may have
been camped in the field here amongst The Dales.





They had no need to walk across to me and tell me
how happy and content they were though.

It looked fantastic.



All of it does. There isn't a great deal
going on out here besides Sheep rearing.

Sheep took a hell of a knock with the foot and mouth
outbreak a few years back.

It never really recovered and might be considered
to be a dying trade so to speak in the UK

I hope not.

However, a lot of the old farms are vacant, many are being sold, refurbished
and fetching astronomical sums of money.

I'm talking a half million or more for a decently converted property.



The locations and originality are second to none.




Folk must be moving out of towns?

Not really no, not at all, there is a large demand for property such as those in The Dales.



Work being carried out all over the place.




Some Converted Barns being sold as a couple of terraced cottages and fetching good money.




Mind you, when you drive along stretches of road like this, it's understandable.

It's absolutely beautiful.

[Mathos]

This was a really super little village.




Hubberholme in The Dales.

Hubberholme, Yorkshire Dales
Hubberholme is featured on our 55-minute video Picture Postcard Yorkshire, and can be purchased on line. Click here to find out more. ...
Hubberholme, Yorkshire Dales - 20k - Cached - Similar pages


This link is very good:-


Photo of Hubberholme, Church and Buckden 1900 - Francis Frith
Read and share memories of Hubberholme and North Yorkshire inspired by Frith photos ... We married at Hubberholme Church in 1984 and moved to Horton. ...
Photo of Hubberholme, Church and Buckden 1900 - Francis Frith - 52k - Cached - Similar pages


If you go to the above link, scroll down,
there are some good personal tales and a
couple or more really old photographs.

Nice Church too.



A short link.

Hubberholme Church, LangstrothdaleHubberholme Church, Langstrothdale in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
The Yorkshire Daleshubberholme-church.html - Similar pages

Inside the Church.

NOT MY PHOTOGRAPHS



Isn't it spectacular.






Amazing.

I'm wishing I'd gone inside now.

Next time I will.


The local looked like it deserved a visit as well.



It was getting on, we had covered a lot of mileage in the day.

200 miles near enough by the time we reached home.

However, a nicer day and these locations will be getting a further visit.

The George Inn - Home Page
Listed in: The Good Pub Guide CAMRA Good Beer Guide CAMRA Pub of the season Winter 2007. The George Inn, Hubberholme, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 5JE ...
The George Inn - Home Page - 6k - Cached - Similar pages


Next time for sure.

[Mathos]

Quick one:-

Worth checking some of the property prices out on the site applicable to this company.





Interesting.


This village was spectacular.



I'll put some photographs up and write accordingly,

probably over the weekend.

[penelope]

Thanks for those pictures of Lancaster Mathos. We had a long-weekend in a hotel there about a year ago. The castle is splendid in parts but I did find it a bit discomfiting, know that it was still a prison.

On a happier note: Aren't there a lot of Italian Restaurants in Lancaster?

Every other restaurant seemed to be Italian and with the Italian flag emblazoned either on the roof, windows or walls. Not that I have anything against Italians, very loveable people, except for Silvio Burlesconi - not loveable at all him!!

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by penelope

Thanks for those pictures of Lancaster Mathos. We had a long-weekend in a hotel there about a year ago. The castle is splendid in parts but I did find it a bit discomfiting, know that it was still a prison.

On a happier note: Aren't there a lot of Italian Restaurants in Lancaster?

Every other restaurant seemed to be Italian and with the Italian flag emblazoned either on the roof, windows or walls. Not that I have anything against Italians, very loveable people, except for Silvio Burlesconi - not loveable at all him!!

I suppose the Prison factor can create a sinister maybe somewhat forlorn sense of being Penelope.

Thankfully though, the prisons we have in The UK are considered to be quite
decent, totally civilised, with a goal of being beneficial in rehabilitation.

Sometimes.

Obviously, I am aware of the young pregnant lady from England Samantha Orbator, twenty years of age presently languishing in a 'Hell-Hole' in Laos.
She could be put to death by firing squad following a 'hastily arranged'
hearing next week if found guilty of drugs charges.

She was arrested at Wattay Airport Laos, in August last year ALLEGEDLY in possession of 600g of heroin.

Since the arrest she has been detained at the notorious Phontong Prison, which is noted as a hell on earth or worse.

She became pregnant whilst in custody.


This link is regarding a Brit:- The late Michael Newman who died in custody there last year.

UK Prisoner dies in Laos prison
14 May 2008 ... UK Citizen Michael Newman was found dead in his prison cell this ... morning where he was detained in the squalid conditions of Phonthong .
newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.culture.laos/2008-05/msg00113.html - 11k - Cached - Similar pages






With regards to the Italian Restaurants, they are indeed popular throughout The UK.

Eat your Macaroni Joe, before it gets too late!

NO!

Give me a bash at the bangers and mash!

My Mother Used To Make.

[TSR2]

I know Lancaster fairly well, funny it,s lost it,s prominance over the last few hundred years, once the abode of the Heart of the Land ,now a backwater, Manchester , Preston , Liverpool taking the front seats, Same with York I suppose.

Just thinking on my remarks on the activities of the Judicary, re- the hangings at the Castle, I said education was the key to eliminate such draconian judicial responses to small misdemeanours, but really evolution of society towards a social just / conscience retifies this, wether this is down to education is a moot point, the Judiciary at that time were presumably educated !!

Comments please

[penelope]

TSR2 said:
[quote]wether this is down to education is a moot point, the Judiciary at that time were presumably educated !!

Comments please[/QUOT

We condemn the Talliban for barbarity but we, in the Western world, were just as cruel and barbarous a couple of hundred years ago.

I think perhaps that it is not so much 'formal' education which has changed our attitudes as a society, but the ability to 'communicate' in words. People have left personal records which can be read. Two hundred years ago very few people could read or write. Now, most people can read for themselves and form their own opinions (if they are not swayed by biased reporting in the media).

[penelope]

Education, used to be by hearing and repeating only, as is probably the case now in countries where regimes like the Taliban are in power.

Now, in the West, we can all read and write. Communication is at a peak. We are not so easily 'conditioned' to believe what those in power want us to believe.

We can read for ourselves, form our own opinions, and question and challenge the status quo. Except, that the media have become expert in biased reporting, and the clever use of language to 'manufacture our consent' to the unacceptable.

Like calling one set of behaviour 'Terrorism' on the one hand, but 'Freedom fighting' on another, where it suits the politics.

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by penelope

Education, used to be by hearing and repeating only, as is probably the case now in countries where regimes like the Taliban are in power.

Now, in the West, we can all read and write. Communication is at a peak. We are not so easily 'conditioned' to believe what those in power want us to believe.

We can read for ourselves, form our own opinions, and question and challenge the status quo. Except, that the media have become expert in biased reporting, and the clever use of language to 'manufacture our consent' to the unacceptable.

Like calling one set of behaviour 'Terrorism' on the one hand, but 'Freedom fighting' on another, where it suits the politics.

TSR2 replied:-

Well put Penelope, totally agree,

Considerations have to be given to the stages of beneficial evolution combining the betterment in levels of education.

Because all of the issues change accordingly.

[Mathos]

Back to the Dales village of Muker.



Beautiful little place.

Originally founded by Norse settlers.

It was a Viking stronghold once upon a time.

The fields contain flower-rich hay meadows.

The above photograph is NOT mine.

It was also a former lead mining community.

Check out the link.

Exploring the remains of lead mining || Walk This Way - The ...

... the Farmer's Arms in Muker is only about three miles away. ... Gunnerside was at the centre of the lead mining industry that made some families rich, ...
official.sportnetwork.net/main/s524/st97229.htm - 32k - Cached - Similar pages

It is indeed a very attractive little village.

The local church started life as a 16th century chapel
and used to receive the dead on wicker biers
after they had been carried
12 miles along the so-called ‘Corpse Way’.

This turned out to be a really first class photograph of the 'Swaledale Woollens'

Can you see The Badger?


Good link here.


Yorkshire Dales News: Demise of Dales hill flocks threatens ...
28 Nov 2006 ... Kathleen bought Swaledale Woollens in 1975 and to this day the shop is continuing ... swaledale woolens. Kathgleen with one of the Swaledale ...
Yorkshire Dales News: Demise of Dales hill flocks threatens traditional Swaledale Wool - 19k - Cached - Similar pages

Nice looking pub in town.

A remote traditional Dales pub with a strong local
following as well as thirsty walkers.

Its a simply furnished pub with a lot of character
with an open fire and stone flagstones on the floor.

It's the perfect place to relax after a hard days walking
maybe to the Tan Hill Inn a few miles to the north.
The pub is basically a large room with an 'L' shaped bar serving
Theakston beers as well as Nimmos XXXX (abv 4.4%) brewed by
Castle Eden in Hartlepool, County Durham.


Foodwise, they've a a good selection of snacks and meals
ranging from baps at lunchtime only to steak pies,
cheese and leek bakes and steaks available during
the evenings as well. All are very reasonably priced
and looked very tasty. If you want to stay near the
pub the landlord owns a self-catering studio flat that
you can book or they can point you in the direction
of a very reasonably priced campsite half a mile to the west.


There's also a number of holiday cottages and houses
providing bed and breakfast available locally.



Really is a clean and attractive village.

Note the little tea shop above.

That was cute.

You don't often come across so many places as attractive, every credit to them.



A really attractive looking property here.

Absolutely perfect for renovation.



Everything looked perfect, the main road and all of the village property.