God's Own County

North Yorkshire Flora & Rare Plants of Teesdale

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Hortoris

Upper Teesdale lies in four counties Cumberland, Westmorland, Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire.
On Widdybank Fell there are two plants not found anywhere else in Britain. The rock violet or Teesdale violet, Viola rupestris and Sandwort or Minuartia stricta.
On the Yorkshire side of the divide we have many rare plants and flowers. Mickle Fell contains examples of my Alpine favourites the Gentian verna although this photo is from Europe look out for the blue flowers.

On nearby Cronkley Fell is home to mountain forget-me-nots another blue mountain flower – it must be in the Yorkshire water. Perhaps it is more to do with the underlying limestone rock outcrops where Drays octopetala and rock roses Helianthemum canum thrive.
A UK exclusive is Yorkshire Milkwort that is a plant only found on the fell and in Wharfedale.
High Force has a thicket of Juniper and many rare Hawkweeds and botanically interesting Ladies’ Mantles.

Flower Lovers Wild Selection From Teesdale

Treasures of the dale are to be found in the meadows of North Yorkshire.
Look out for the Globe flower Trollius europaeus with its bold yellow flowers.
Dark purple marsh orchids, shrubby Potentillas and mountain Pansies would not look out of place in most gardens.
I will leave the Parsley fern and horse-tails out of my garden but in the wild dale they hold botanic interest.

“Wild Flowers of Yorkshire” by Howard Beck is a guide to the wild flowers most likely to be found in our county together with more details on some of the rarer species.

Credits
Viola rupestris_3 by amadej2008 CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna) Frühlings-Enzian by Werner Witte CC BY-NC 2.0
Trollius europaeus by Nick Turland CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ‘shot in Austria but growing in Yorkshire ed.’

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Pontefract Cakes are Yorkshire Delicacies

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Hortoris

$Haribo Liquorice Pontefract Cakes$

Pontefract Cakes are Yorkshire Delicacies that rank alongside or ahead of other sweets named after Yorkshire towns. Harrogate toffee may be a premium product but hasn’t got the tang of a good Pontefract cake. Doncaster butterscotch is hard to find now-a-days but it used to be a kids staple bought loose from an old sweet jar.

Pontefract grew liquorice plants potentially since Roman times although credit is give to The Black Friars for cultivation. The roots provide the raw material for your Pontefract cakes. Roots can be 4 feet long and by crushing and boiling the sweet juice is extracted. As discovered in 1760 by George Dunhill a local chemist if more sugar is added the sweet becomes a true Yorkshire delicacy.

Licourice is made into lots of other sweets such as boot laces, wheels, pipes and cigar shapes. For Pontefract cakes more liquorice liquor is added to the mix which also includes flour, treacle and glucose. The round cakes are then stamped or impressed with a seal. Such a seal from 1614 is kept in a local museum. All seals have a motif of a bird on a gate that represents Pontefract Castle.

Spain and Turkey have developed the growing of Licorice and UK cultivation has slumped. The plants are still used in the manufacture of tobacco.

Find out more about Liquorice and Yorkshires Sweet Tooth

Grow your own drugs and Herbals

Photo Credits
Haribo Liquorice Pontefract Cakes by hddod CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Great British Brands – Bassett’s Liquorice allsorts by brizzle born and bred, CC BY-NC 2.0

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Walk Around Harewood

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Hortoris

Harewood House is the focal point of Harewood Village and an attractive destination for a trip out. Set above the lower reaches of the River Wharfe there are woods and views to suit most folk. Do not let this signpost from the garden put you off. The charms of the house, bird garden, planetarium and even the special visiting events shouldn’t stop you exploring a bit further afield on foot. The Leeds Country Way skirts parts of the Harewood Estate and Harrogate walks also promote walking trips around Harewood.

Walking the Harewood Village by the ‘Walking Englishman’ offers one route and a chatty photographic record of his trip. For a rainy blog on a similar theme try Yorkshire Walks.org Ordnance survey Pathfinder map 672 covers the area at 2½ inches to 1 mile and I find this scale is easy to navigate at the slow pace I walk. Eccup reservoir and Golden Acre Park are all within walking distance and Harewood was the base for the recent 20 mile charity walk in aid of Breast Cancer. Ebor Way from Ilkley to York passes through the Harewood Estate and the Dales Way Leeds Link is close by.

For a walk of a length to suit yourself I would just recommend strolling around the gardens and grounds at Harewood House. There is an entry fee but that is much lower than going around the house itself and it if free for members of the Royal Horticultural Society and other organisations probably have similar arrangements. The new Himilayan garden the ponds and the bird garden are all worth exploring in some detail, yet you are never far away from a cup of tea.

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South Riding and God’s Own County Book Club

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Hortoris

Preface to Yorkshire Book Club South Riding (A6)

South Riding can now be seen as an old 20th century classic. It was written in 1936 and published posthumously after Winifred Holtby’s untimely death from Kidney disease at the age of 37.
Winifred was a university friend of Vera Brittain and they lived in the same house where Vera’s daughter, Dame Shirley Williams was being brought up.
David Holtby, Winifred’s father was Yorkshire Wolds farmer and her mother was the first female alderman on East Riding Council.

Yorkshire God’s Own County Book Club Opinion

South Riding as we know is a fictional place (who would want a third of our county in the south?)
Fortunately that is the main fiction and the book is based on acute observation of pre-war local government.
The humour and characterization is absolutely wonderful demonstrating insight across the social spectrum.
Winifred’s socialism is evident but never overwhelms the tales caused by the drama of a county council whose ‘apparently academic and impersonal resolutions daily revolutionised the lives of men and women….’

Book Club Type Questions for Consideration

One reviewer says ”South Riding’ is a novel which is deeply rooted in a particular time and place – a fictionalised version of the East Riding of Yorkshire in the 1930s – but its sensitive treatment of individual hardships, combined with its shrewd understanding of political manoeuvrings, make it still a moving and thought-provoking novel ‘ Dr. P. M. Stoneman “Patsy Stoneman” Hull, . Do you consider the book relevant to the current decade and if not where is it deficient?

Of the eight book sections which has influenced our current thinking the most. Education, Highways and Bridges, Agriculture, Public Health, Public Assistance, Mental Deficiency, Finance or Housing & Town Planning?

Footnotes

Vera Brittain was a British writer, feminist and pacifist, best remembered as the author of the best-selling 1933 memoir Testament of Youth. She was the mother of Dame Shirley Williams and best friend to Winifred Holtby.
Although Winifred Holtby passed the entrance exam for Somerville College she chose to join the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)and was posted to France 1918. On returning to England she then went to Oxford University where she met and befriended Vera Brittain.

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Room at The Top for Billy Liar

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Hortoris

Two of the greatest kitchen sink films were filmed in Yorkshire!

1. Room at The Top starred Laurence Harvey, Donald Wolfit, Simone Signoret and Heather Sears in the 1959 film of John Braine’s novel of lust and sex.
Set in fictional Warnley, Joe Lampton is set on making something of himself with the daughter of a rich industrialist.
Joe Lampton rises swiftly from the petty bureaucracy of local government into the unfamiliar world of inherited wealth, fast cars and glamorous women until he falls for a married woman, Alice Aisgil.
The film was shot in Bradford and made use of the industrial heritage in the local buildings and the pubs in the city centre.

DVD or Paperback Book from Amazon.

2. Billy Liar starred Tom Courtney, Julie Christe, Rodney Bewes and Wilfed Pickles in the seminal 1962 film set in a North Country industrial town.
Working in a drab undertakers called Shadrack & Duxbury, Billy Liar escapes, Walter Mitty like, into a world of fantasy. Keith Waterhouse’s 1957 tale tells the story of Billy Fisher a teenager anti-hero who is unable to stop lying especially to his girl friends.
The film was shot on Bradford most notably using the Victorian cemetery at Undercliffe and the city’s war memorial.

Kindle Edition

Keith Waterhouse was born in Leeds in 1929 and died 2009
John Braine was born in Bradford in 1922, worked in Bingley and died in 1986

Other films with a similar appeal include A Place in the Sun, Look Back in Anger, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and A Taste of Honey. Regrettably they have less obvious Yorkshire connections. They were created by group of young British writers were referred to as “angry young men”. They focused on their view that society was dominated by materialistic values (seems familiar).

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The Super Language of God’s Own Country

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Hortoris

The great language I refer to is that used in the first book by Yorkshire author Ross Raisin. He credits the Yorkshire Dictionary of Dialect, Tradition and Folklore by Arnold Kellett which is used to spice up the sense of place in this entertaining tale.

What the Papers Say

The reviewers and critics seem to take a shine to God’s Own Country.
‘Very Funny, Utterly Compelling, Masterful, Remarkable, Unforgettable and Beautiful’ are the word used by the Guardian, Sunday Telegraph, Observer. Sunday Times, Financial Times and Independent respectively.
No wonder the book was put up for many prizes.

Use of Language

This is not the use of faux Yorkshire or southern version of a bastardised northern accent. It is a funny way of turning a phrase sometimes with the use of a word that helps paint a picture without getting out of hand.
Here are just a couple of phrases I liked in the context; ‘Father grum as a miner’s arse’, ‘clagging wet’, ‘took another glug of tea’, ‘It was towns in giant tomato coats’.
I will always think of second home owners in the Dales as ‘Towns’ from now on.

God’s Own Country by Ross Raisin.

Sam Marsdyke (Lankestein) works alone on his father’s farm after being expelled ‘unjustly?’ from school after girl problems. Quite bright but lacking in social skills. A new family arrive for ‘welly weekends and a picture postcard view out the bedroom window’. The 15 year old daughter leads 19 year old Sam into temptation and eventually into a painful conclusion.

Read once for fun and then again with a highlight pen in your hand to capture the words and phrases that can become your own ‘trunklements’.

Ross was born in 1979 in Keighley although he now says he was born between Ilkley and Bradford where he attended Bradford Grammar School.

The Yorkshire Dictionary of Dialect, Tradition and Folklore by Arnold Kellett

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Barden and Burnsall Bridges

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Hortoris

“Barden Bridge by Andrew and Annemarie CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Barden Bridge

Approach Barden Towers from Appletreewick on the riverside path and the first thing you see is a graceful stone bridge of three segmental arches. The massive pointed cutwaters provide niches in the parapets.
The bridge is humpbacked and quite narrow at around 10 feet.
Whilst the first recorded bridge existed in the 14th century it was probably not the first.
In 1659 £300 was spent on the bridge but by 1673 it was washed away in a ‘great inundation of water’. A tablet on the approach wall records ‘This bridge was repayred at the charge of the whole west riding 1676’.
New parapets were placed in situ in 1856 and again in 1956 after heavy flooding.
Walkers can stand in the niches and admire the flowing Wharfe as it gurgles under the bridge towards Bolton Abbey, Ilkley and beyond.

It is said the bridge was crossed by William Craven a local farmers son who went on to be mayor of London.

“Barden Bridge by david_pics CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Burnsall Bridge

Burnsall Bridge. Photo Tejvan

Burnasll bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in the Yorkshire Dales and I make no apology for the photo below.
Returning to William Craven who left the dale, was apprenticed to a London mercer and became mayor of London in 1611. From his newly created wealth he endowed Burnsall Grammar School, restored the church and bore the cost of rebuilding the bridge.
“a good bridge and all paved” was a description of Burnsall bridge in 1752 which again needed rebuilding in 1884 following severe flood damage.
There are three segmental arches with small side arches and triangular section cutwaters which create pedestrian retreats.
This bridge carries now significantly more traffic than Barden bridge.

18 Burnsall Bridge by voithite CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Photo Burnsall Bridge Autumn

burnsall-autumn-1000

Burnsall Bridge Sumer

bursnall-bridge-summer

Credits

Related

Photos of Burnsall

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Ampleforth Church, Abbey and Stained Glass

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Hortoris

Ampleforth village is home to an abbey, college, school and the parish church.
The Saxon church of St Hilda at Ampleforth is believed to contain Medieval stained glass windows. Certainly the C.of E. church dates back to 1390 although the stained glass is said by some to be of a more modern design.

The Benedictine monastery or abbey and its church of Our Lady and St Laurence contains modern stained glass created by Patrick Reyntiens a former pupil of the catholic school.
‘The Lady Chapel is now a very intimate, reflective place in contrast to the Abbey Church which has very plain windows.’ see more from Christina White and the Catholic Herald

Reyntiens Family – Stained Glass Artists

Patrick Reyntiens is a former pupil of Ampleforth College. Patrick is a worldwide figure known for hand-painted stained glass that he has been designing and making work for over 50 years.
He is renown for his work in Churches and Cathedrals in the UK and Internationally. This includes the Baptistery Window of Coventry Cathedral where he collaborated with John Piper. His other famous works include windows at Liverpool’s Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King.
For Ampleforth he designed the new windows with his son, John, also an accomplished stained glass craftsman.
John Reyntiens designed and replaced many of the windows at St George’s Chapel Windsor after the destructive fire of 1992.

Ampleforth Abbey is only 1 mile away from the village. You can discover the Abbey as visitors are encouraged to attend church services or visit the grounds, lakes and woodlands. In these modern times there is now tea rooms, a shop and a visitors centre. You can even play a round of golf on the Monks course.

Our Lady and St Benedict’s church is served by the monks of Ampleforth and has been the parish church for the village’s Catholic population for many decades, often being considered a chapel-of-ease to the farmers of the area. Attached to the Roman Catholic parish is the co-educational primary school, St Benedict’s, which is run by the Diocese of Middlesbrough.

Footnote
The Church of England parish church is dedicated to St Hilda, an English abbess who founded Whitby Abbey. The church dates back to Saxon times, with elements from the 13th century. Attached to the church is a primary school run jointly by the Church of England and the North Yorkshire County Council Education service.

Credits
Ampleforth Abbey & Church by Lawrence OP Completed in 1898, the Benedictine monastery of Ampleforth with its church which dates to 1925.
“Let the oratory be what it is called, a place of prayer;
and let nothing else be done there or kept there.
When the Work of God is ended,
let all go out in perfect silence,
and let reverence for God be observed…”
– from the Rule of St Benedict.
Ampleforth Gnadenstuhl also by Lawrence OP
The Lamb is our Light by Lawrence OP all CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Stained Glass Windows by Jo Jakeman CC BY 2.0

Patricia Rogers’ weblog on Stained Glass

A Stained-glass Christmas by Patrick Reyntiens tells the Christmas story illustrated with a collection of stained-glass images dating from the 12th to 15th centuries. Each is reproduced as an acetate window which can be used as a christmas decoration.

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Trust Your Arboretum in York

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Hortoris

The Arboretum Trust is a joint venture charity between Kew Gardens and Castle Howard.
Set in 150 acres of fine Yorkshire landscape of tranquility and beauty, the arboretum is tucked away in the Howardian Hills. It is 15 miles north east of York just off the A64 and whilst opened to the public for only 13 years it has been a long time in the growing.

Where do the Trusts Trees Come From?

1. The earliest trees of rare and interesting subjects are either historically important, original introductions or propagated by cuttings or grafting from such plants. The site was first surveyed in 1563!
“In the first decades of the eighteenth century, it was a highly praised and very early example of a woodland garden, predating the English taste for the Picturesque by almost a generation. In 1710, it was described by Thomas Player as “a most natural wood, cut through with winding paths and decorated with summer houses, cascades and statuary……”

2. There are the many attractive plants that have benefited from the expertise at Kew such as the acid loving plants like the Red Maple, Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’. These trees look particularly pleasing and colourful in autumn.

3. The majority of trees have been raised from seed originally collected on numerous expeditions. They have been augmented by the Kew, Howick, Sunningdale and Wakehurst nurseries.

All of the collection including over 800 rhododendrons are documented on a detailed Plant Records Database. Like a similar list from Thorpe Perrow this document contains a vast amount of information for each individual plant.

Wild life benefit from the environment of mature and developing trees. There are thousands of butterflies, dragonflies and small mammals to look out for. Around the lakes are many species of birds that can also be watched from a special observatory.

Read more about competitive gardening in Yorkshire

Credits
Castle Howard arboretum. Autumn! by Philip Ed CC BY-NC 2.0
Arboretum by James Laing CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
The Arboretum Trust Kew at Castle Howard Patron: HRH, The Prince of Wales Link

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Keep Yorkshire Tidy Very Very Tidy

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Hortoris

Rubbish belongs in a bin not on a beauty spot or road side. Our local railway station has lots of these see-through litter bins but mainline stations like Leeds seem to have opted out of litter measures.

Fly-tipping is the ‘illegal deposit of any waste onto land or a highway that has no licence to accept it.’ Illegal dumps of waste can vary in scale and the type of waste involved. Conviction for fly-tipping crimes can lead to significant penalties under The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

Litter according to Keep Britain Tidy is ‘waste in the wrong place caused by a human agency’ but what this really means is that litter is caused be people. Put simply it is people dropping their waste in our parks, on our beaches, on our streets and in all our public places that creates the problem of litter in our communities. Littering from moving cars is a dangerous and unnecessary activity. The average fine is around £100 although a magistrates’ court can impose a fine of up to £2,500.

With dog fouling it is the the responsibility of the dog owner or the person in charge of the dog to clear up any dog foul left by their dog. If you fail to clean up after your dog you can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice, or if the case goes to court a fine of up to £1000.00.

Fly-posting is difficult and expensive to remove and can create a feeling of unease and fear. It costs council tax payers thousands of pounds a year to remove fly-posting which is defined as ‘the display of advertising on buildings and street furniture without the consent of the owner’.

Wish You Were Here

Blue Flag Beaches in Yorkshire 2012
Bridlington North Beach
Hornsea
Scarborough North Bay
Whitby West Cliff
Withernsea
Sadly Filey missed out this year on the Blue Flag awards given to coastal destinations with the highest standards of water quality, cleanliness, safety, and environmental management.

Leeds Liverpool Canal Shipley

The Love Your River campaign backed by Defra, the National Trust, the Environment Agency, the Wildlife Trusts, Keep Britain Tidy and Water Companies will promote the value and benefits of rivers to everyday life. Yorkshire has some of tthe best and cleanest rivers in the UK so lets keep them pristine.
Let’s not have anymore oil spills ‘About 5,000 gallons of diesel, worth thousands of pounds, leaked into the River Aire in Leeds on Saturday night. The Environment Agency said the oil had covered an eight mile stretch from bank to bank between Leeds and Castleford.’ more from BBC

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