Yorkshire 3 - the second day at York - bacon butties - ham egg and chips


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Europe » United Kingdom » England » North Yorkshire » York
July 10th 2013
Published: July 11th 2013
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Our campsite is an adults only one and Suzy is parked up near to the duck pond. They quacked away all night but that is the only noise we heard all night. We got up early and caught the bus again into York paying up our £3 return tickets. This time we got off the bus in the heart of the city rather than the railway station. So much for a United Kingdom as the pensioners got on and showed their bus passes and we parted with our money. It is an asset to the campsite that the bus stops outside.

We walked to the Minster and paid our entrance fee of £9 each, reduced by £1 as we were seniors. The cathedral was beautiful inside,high and lofty and light. The roof covered in gold bosses. The stain glass was interesting and in some parts black glass was used which made it look rather unusual inside. A medieval clock , a huge screen complete with sculptures and war memorials within chapels set the scene. It wasnt too busy and we managed to have a good look around the side chapels and the altar area. It is possible to climb the tower but we did not do this. An extra small charge is required. We went down in to the undercroft where items of church silver were kept and it as possible to see the foundations of the great building.

Outside we headed for a local cafe for bacon butties and a cup of tea. It felt continental with tables and chairs spilling into the street. The only difference from abroad was that the sun wasnt shining and it was cooler than yesterday.

After filling our faces with the bacon butties we moved on to the Treasurers House a National Trust property just hidden behind the Minster. Behind the high wall and the imposing gates was a Tudor medieval town house and its garden. The garden grass covered but full of the most vividly blue Delphiniums. Entrance was free for us being members of the National Trust. In medieval times it was the home of the Minsters treasures hence its name.. It served in this capacity until 1547, after which it passed through a number of private owners. The present house bears little resemblance to the original structure as there has been much rebuilding. The house was restored to its present state by Frank Green a wealthy local industrialist, between 1897 and 1930. The house and its contents were given to the National Trust in 1930, when its owner retired and moved away from York. The house is very much a hotch potch and a rabbit warren. It is free flow and we were given a small map which showed us the rooms downstairs and upstairs. For an extra charge it was possible to go down the cellars and see where the workers had seen ghosts of Roman soldiers marching. And for another small fee it was possible to climb up into the attics and see the servants quarters left in much the same way as they were when they were used. We missed these tours as they were running later in the day and we had much more to do and didn’t want to be standing around waiting all day for the tours. All the rooms apart from two were predominately green and rather gloomy. The great Hall was a delight – light and airy. For us it was the nicest room of the house with its high ceilings and oak furniture. One small room had painted Chinese
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War Memorial
wallpaper and another red walls. There were two great staircases – one heavy dark wooded mahogany Jacobean affair and the other a lighter oak Tudor style much more to our taste. Kings, Queens and Princes had visited and beds commemorated the fact. Upstairs were dressing up rooms for the kids and I have to say we did try a few hats on.

After walking up and down the stairs we headed off in search of lunch and ended up in Browns. I wondered if this was the same Browns I was used to visiting in Chester. I never did find out. The cafe itself was a touch dingy and dark and had a limited lunchtime menu. We ordered ham, eggs and chips for one, a pot of tea for one and a bottle of Coca Cola. We sat and waited. Several couples came in and ordered lunch and were served. So still we waited. By this time the cup of tea was dry and the coke was empty. I asked " Where was dinner?" A rather miserable young lady was clearing the table next to us and she just about acknowledged our question. She mumbled and disappeared into the
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Garden at the Treasurers House
back room. We sat awhile and still waited in the vain hope that she would come out and tell us how long we would have to wait for our dinner. After a while the plates arrived. The chips and egg lukewarm, the ham cold and miserable and the best bit the bread and butter. You do get to a point where you cannot be bothered to complain so we ate up and moved on into the sunlight of York and headed for the Jorvik Museum

This is Horrible Histories crossed with the London Dungeon, smells and muck combined with fun and games . Brilliant for the kids. We had a free ticket and could have gone in for half price but decided against it and passed by.

There is so much to see in York, the Shambles with its medieval street. Rather disappointed with it as I was thinking back to Chester with its Rows which are far more interesting and better preserved. There is the York Museum which cost another £9 each to go in. We left this as we felt a little museumed out if there is such a word. Lots to see but sometimes you
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Cliffords Tower
get to the point where money seems to fritter through your fingers and you have to say no to something.

Our final stop of the day was the site of Cliffords Tower part of York castle a fortified complex comprising over the nine centuries of a sequence of castles prisons law courts and other buildings on the south side of the River Fosse The now ruined keep is called Clifford Tower. It was built by that man again William the Conqueror and it dominated York. Over the years the castle was built and rebuilt by various monarchs. It is clear to see that the castle started off its life as a motte and bailey structure and we reached thet top via some very steep steps. . We climbed up but did not go to the top to the walkway when you suffer from vertigo it is not a good idea. The view from the top was very pleasant. Parts of the internal walls were reddened from the fire damage which destroyed much of the building. A nice freebie for us as its part of English Heritage and we were able to use our Cadw card.
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Sion on his big gun
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We walked back up to the Railway museum to see if there would be less visitors and more of a chance to see the engines in all their glory. Yes it was more empty than yesterday but no we still couldn’t get close enough to Mallard and her friends. So giving up we walked over to the bus station and waited for the bus home.

A lovely weekend, hot and sunny and with a mixture of things to do and see that kept us busy all weekend.

















































And then there was Cliffords Tower.

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