2010 January | Yorkshire - God's Own County

Top Ten West Riding Churches

On January 31, 2010, In Books & Literary Work, Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire History and Heritage, By brian

To select but 10 churches for a ‘best of’ list was impossible so I tried to find 10 varying churches in each Riding and this is my effort for the West Riding of Yorkshire. I would be happy to consider for inclusion a readers top ten if you send me details.

St John Baptist Adel is one of our finest Norman churches and is a Grade 1 national treasure and an architectural gem. Internal decoration, chancel arch and carvings are of top quality. Through the church yard is York Gate a garden open for Perennial the gardeners charity
St Cuthbert Fishlake (above) is believed to have safeguarded the remains of Cuthbert from the Vikings. The priest’s doorway is Norman and the south doorway is one of the most decorative in the country.
Hatfield St Lawrence is a large cruciform church with a crossing tower externally perpendicular with some good windows and crenelations . Norman and medieval features include a fine clerstory, monuments and font.
St Mary’s Sprotborough like other churches had its tower heightened in the perpendicular period. Monuments from 13th century onward and an interesting rood screen make this an interesting church to visit.

Shipley St Paul’s (above) is the original 1826 parish church of Shipley. It has dark, soot blackened sandstone walls that befits a church from and set in the industrial West Riding.The building, an historic “Waterloo” or “Commissioners’” church also has a “listed” organ
Birkin St Mary’s is an impressive Norman church with a 14th century south aisle. Due to associations with the Templars there are items of quality in many areas of this fine church.
Halifax St John is the largest 15th century parish church in Yorkshire. Fine 17th century ceilings and communion rail, poor box and box pews are key features.
St Andrew`s Church Aldborough was partially destroyed by Scots raiders in 1318. The present building is the third church to occupy what is thought to be the site of a Roman Temple of Mercury in Roman garrison town of Isurium Brigantium. The north wall dates from around 1330, and carries a brass of William de Aldeburgh dating from around 1360.
Dewsbury All Saints or minster has been rebuilt in 18th & 19th cneturies but many sculptural pieces from the 9th century have ben reincorporated. There is also some stunning stained glass.
St. Mary Tickhill housed Austin friars and has north and south porches. There is also an important church organ from the mid 19th century

The Yorkshire Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne (1825-1874) Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record is available by clicking on the picture below but at a price of £28.50. You may choose to spend the money visiting or donating to the churches mentioned ABOVE.

The medieval review says this book (Editor L.A.S. Butler) has ‘effectively rescued Glynne’s Yorkshire Church Notes from merely describing a frozen moment in time into a valuable resource for those who wish to trace for themselves the 19th-century changes in church architecture’. ‘A major contribution to the study of Yorkshire church architecture at a time of change’. Leeds Civic Trust.

See also Ten Top North Riding churches and Top York churches on Gods Own County.

Tagged with: churches • locations • trips

Yorkshire Tennis

On January 24, 2010, In Wit and Humour, By admin

A recent post on the cost of hobbies got us looking at the game of tennis. Yes, tennis is played in Yorkshire, it just wasn’t the number one sport in the mining communities though…

Yorkshire Bank Funding National Trust

On January 21, 2010, In Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire History and Heritage, By brian

The UK’s biggest ever plant hunt is underway with a survey that will cover tens of thousands of plants at more than eighty significant National Trust Gardens. The project is sponsored by Yorkshire Bank, sponsors of the Outdoor Programme which also includes help to conserve and protect National Trust gardens through investment in greener gardening initiatives.

Using the latest technology including GPS positioning to record plant locations over 1,000,000 plants are being recorded to give an overview of the largest collection of cultivated plants in the UK. Many of these plants tell the history of a garden’s creation, people’s passions and changing fashions through the centuries.

During the three year sponsorship deal Yorkshire Bank is also supporting the Greener Gardens initiative to improve the way both the Trust and its supporters can maintain gardens in more environmentally sustainable ways. This includes composting on an industrial scale, rainwater harvesting and reviving old wells, to experimenting with drought-resistant varieties of plants and introducing solar-powered lawnmowers.

It is good to see a bank putting something into more than just executive bonuses.

Locations from the National Trust Yorkshire section that you might like to visit include

Beningbrough Hall & Gardens
This imposing Georgian mansion contains one of England’s best baroque interiors. Over 100 pictures are on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. Outside there is a delightful walled garden and a fantastic adventure playground.

(more…)

Tagged with: gardens • National Trust • trips

Sauce Sourced with Relish and a Joke

On January 21, 2010, In Food and Drink, Wit and Humour, By brian

You are unlikely to find this saucy little number in your local Chippy but you might overhear these old sores being repeated. ‘I have told you a million times not to exaggerate.’

So I went down the local supermarket, I said “I want to make a complaint, this vinegar’s got lumps in it”, The check out girl said “Those are pickled onions”.

The fast food shop at Windscale (you may call it Sellafield now but the name hints at how old my jokes are) is called “The Fission Chips.” It is called fast food so you eat it fast or otherwise you might taste it.

I’m in great mood tonight because the other day I entered a competition and I won, The prize, a year’s supply of Marmite……… one jar.
A friend got some vinegar in his ear, now he suffers from pickled hearing.

Another deaf friend had an ear transplant from a pig now all he can hear is crackling.

If a White Russian ruler is called t’Tzar and his wife is t’Tarina are his children t’Tardines?

Mummy tomato went for a walk with the baby tomatoes consistently lagging behind, so she turned round and shouted ‘Ketch-up’.

Being overweight is something that just sort of snacks up on you.

A friend was standing in line at a fast-food restaurant, waiting to place an order. There was a big sign posted that read, “No notes larger than 10 Euros will be accepted.” underneath was written “Believe me, if I HAD a note larger than 10 Euros I wouldn’t be eating here.”

Haworth no Bronte Publicity II PY

On January 19, 2010, In Books & Literary Work, By brian

When a Haworth based family buy a beautiful vintage Rolls-Royce, little do they know they would get more than they bargained for. Named after the car’s registration II PY this book by a local author is ‘Fast-paced and action-packed, II PY takes us on a rollercoaster ride through the landscapes of Britain and France, where the old world charm of nostalgic rallies and vintage shows collides with a ruthless, audacious underworld of gangland bosses. Part taut thriller, part homage to one of automobile history’s greatest cars, II PY will have you on the edge of your ivory leather seats!’

Defeating the ‘Crims’ time after time the plot is starting to wear thin as it takes the police such a long time to catch on. For a fast read and ‘the thrill of the chase’ this is an enjoyable read and cheap to borrow from the library.

Look out for this registration plate on a car near Haworth. That is where the author and his own car live and until this book is made into a film I guess they won’t be moving to Monte Carlo.

II PY by Edward Evans

These lesser known Haworth authors have had large parts of the county named after them and on that basis need no publicity from this web site.

Active Hobbies and Costs

On January 17, 2010, In Our Yorkshire, Wit and Humour, Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes, By brian

Yorkshire Bank are worried that we spend too much money on our hobbies. That is a bit rich coming from a bank now owned by the Aussies.

From last years figures and statistics they came up with the following list of hobbies, annual costs and number of active participants.

HOBBY	NUMBER OF ADULTS TAKING PART AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH	ANNUAL COST
Golf	1,457,347	£755
Gym (incl. exercise bikes/rowing machines)	4,722,762	£480
Tennis	874,040	£385
Badminton	900,332	£365
Cycling (mod intensity 30 + mins)	3,175,650	£330
Swimming	5,625,539	£176
Fishing	281,083	£148
Football	2,910,684	£88.95
Running	1,872,819	£70
Walking (mod intensity 30+ mins)	8,142,693	£0
Average Cost		£279.79

No mention of cricket, bowls, field sports, rugby, bouldering, table tennis, netball, fell running, sky diving or other Yorkshire based activities.
Fishing numbers seem too low and at the risk of offending many fishermen they are hardly very active. Yorkshire Bank must be thinking of the River bank.
Thank goodness shopping isn’t on the list of hobbies, I am sure it costs me most and I cut up her M&S credit card a long time ago.

‘Yorkshire Bank’s top tips for saving money for your active hobby:
1. Calculate how much your hobby is costing you every month – make sure this figure covers all your costs and use it in your household budget (but it won’t save owt)
2. Budget, budget, budget – include your hobby costs in your household budget to ensure you don’t have any nasty surprises at the end of the month. By writing down exactly what you are spending your money on, you might be able to cut down on things that are less important to you than your hobby (but it will probably save you nowt)
3. Assess the equipment you currently own – do you really need it all? Selling any surplus on the internet or trading it in for money off new kit could significantly cut your costs (or sell someone else’s equipment instead)
4. Shop around – if you hobby requires a particular venue or specific kit, make sure you have researched all the options and are sure you have the best deal before parting with your cash (play golf at the crack of dawn before the green keepers are awake).
5. Make ‘hobby’ buddies – club together with friends who share your passion and spilt the cost of everything from venue hire and membership fees to petrol and equipment. ( or better still find a rich buddy)’.

Do not forget, in competitive hobbies, it is not the winning that counts but how much you drink afterwards.
What do fish and women have in common? They both stop shaking their tail after you catch them.
The biggest fish ever caught in Yorkshire was 16 inches – Hmm not very big – well that was between the eyes.

Art Deco Collecting

On January 14, 2010, In Books & Literary Work, Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes, By brian

Art Deco is back in vogue with new twists or as collectables and memorabilia. Art deco was a design and art style from 1910’s until the 1930s taking over from Art Nouveau. As well as all the visual arts, it encompassed buildings and architecture plus interior design. Some iconic buildings still stand out like Odeon Cinemas the Chrysler Building in New York and the Midland Hotel Morecambe.

Art Deco is eminently collectible in may forms and a bit of know-how from the following books may help you to make sound investments whilst owning a piece of Art Deco art. Normally I would recommend you shop at Redbrick Mill in Batley or the Antique galleries in Harrogate but I am sure you will find your own favourite supplier.

Art Deco Architecture: Design, Decoration and Detail from the Twenties and Thirties by Patricia Bayer

Art Deco Interiors: Decoration and Design Classics of the 1920s and 1930s by Patricia Bayer
By the time of the Paris exhibition of 1925 from which Art Deco took its name, the idea that an interior and its furnishings should form a complete design – a “total look” – dominated the thinking of both designers and their clients

Art Deco Ceramics: in Britain by Andrew Casey Distinctive designers Charlotte Rhead, Clarise Cliff and Susie Cooper three great British potters.

Art Deco Jewellery and Accessories: A New Style for a New World by Cornelie Holzach Look out for the jewellery produced by Jakob Bengel it portrayed incredible creativity and an awareness of the new woman of the 1930s.

Art Deco: The Golden Age of Graphic Art and Illustration by Michael Robinson and Rosalind Ormiston. Posters and film promotion was all the rage and print media rose to the challenge.

Industrial Design Art Deco and British Car Design Barry Down In addition to cars there are many other industrial designs that reflect the era including radios.

Art Deco Textiles by Charlotte Samuels and 133 Art Deco Patterns The most innovative and vibrant periods of textile design, when sophisticated and exotic prints dazzled the world.

Art Deco Fashion by Pepin Press Contains more than 1000 fashion plates including designs from famous 1920′s Art Deco Designers and a CD-ROM with some 30 Art Deco Textile Patterns.

Art Deco Furniture at Midland Hotel

Art Deco The World’s Greatest Art

Tagged with: hobbies • nostalgia

Hebden Bridge a Weekend or 500 Years

On January 11, 2010, In Our Yorkshire, Villages and Towns, By brian

Happy 500th Birthday to Hebden Bridge.

The packhorse bridge over Hebden Water originated in 1510 and if you needed an excuse to visit this quirkly town in Calderdale the year long birthday celebrations may be what you were waiting for.

When the Industrial Revolution descended on Hebden Bridge the hill sides were too steep for the area to loose its identity. The domestic activity of cloth manufacture and early ready made clothing thrived. This can still be seen in a row of houses called Machpelah, named after the Baptist minister, with special small windows for fustian cutting.
Fustian is a thick, twilled, short napped, cotton cloth used mainly for men’s wear. The active historical society at Hebden Bridge has an interesting article about a Fustian factory strike at the turn of the 20th century.

Weekend Visit

There is a lot to see in the town but do not miss a trip up Hardcastle Crags a National Trust Property which they claim is a ‘Beautiful wooded valley with 19th-century Gibson Mill at its heart, an exemplar of sustainable energy’.

Heptonstall is linked to Hebden Bridge by the Buttress, a narrow pack-horse track paved with setts and as precipitous as any East cost village like Staithes, Robin Hood’s or Runswick Bays.

Midgehole is the start of several enjoyable walks and with a name like that who can resist.

In an evening there are many pubs including the White Lion dating from 1657 or the more modern art deco 1920′s Picture House.

Take a walk or evening stroll along the canal or alongside the river Calder.

When you are tired of walking there are mountain bike trails and some great hill climbs for the avid cyclist. perhaps your bbike was bought or hired from this cycle shop.

Tagged with: canals • trips

Yorkshire Snow

On January 7, 2010, In Our Yorkshire, By admin

snow

Yorkshire, like much of the rest of the country, has been hit be heavy snow falls which have left the county blanketed in snow.

snow

Gritters are struggling to keep roads open as stocks of salt run low. Scarborough Council was even forced to resort to using sand from the resort’s beach to spread on the roads.

Leeds Utd F.A. Cup Shock

On January 3, 2010, In Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes, By admin

Regular readers to this Yorkshire site will remember our recent post – The Rise and Fall of Leeds Utd

So it’s only fair to praise this pre-eminent team of Yorkshire for their magnificent win over arch-rivals – Manchester United at their own ground – Old Trafford. 1-0.

In the next round, Leeds United have been drawn away to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, but, now no team will be unbeatable for this promising Leeds team.

Yorkshire – God’s Own County

A tribute to Yorkshire Heritage