The King's Manor, York 3

Just along the alley from the Museum Gardens, this higgledy-piggedly mixture of brick, timber and stone at the side of the King's Manor is a delight - if you like that kind of thing. I don't think the wheelie-bin enhances the shot much, even with the artwork.

Museum Gardens palm and tower.

A palm in the north of England! It is surprising what will thrive in this climate given a bit of shelter and a sunny spot. A friend a few miles away has a regular crop of succulent figs, thanks to a warm wall and a good position. 

Richard III museum

Monk Bar Tower (see Thursday's post) houses the Richard III (1452-1485) museum. Richard was defeated by the future Henry VII at Bosworth field in the last battle of the War of the Roses. King for only two years, he was the last of the House of York, the last of the Plantagenet dynasty, and the last English monarch to die in battle. 

History has probably not been fair to this king whose name used to be known by every English schoolchild, more because of the mnemonic for the colours of the rainbow,  Richard of York gave battle in vain, than for any of his achievements. 

Old and older

Opposite Marks and Spencer and Shambles, York's most famous street, is York's most haunted pub. Cute site showing off all features of the establishment, including an ensuite bathroom housed in a mystery space only discovered in the year 2000.

Monk Bar

For the benefit of new visitors to York, bar means gate and gate means street. St Cuthbert's church and Jewbury are a few hundred metres behind us, as is the Merchant Adventurer's Hall which has not yet been featured on JDP. Old brick and old stone look good together, I think.

St Cuthbert's from the walls

This is the other side of St Cuthbert's, taken from the city walls at Jewbury. The public gardens below are great for an outdoor lunch. The location also boasts a fine Italian restaurant, the Quilt Museum and an exhibition hall in the old school. Links to follow.

Spring is sprung, even in York.

St Cuthbert's crocuses:  the church lies just within the north city walls on Peaseholm Green, opposite King's Pool. It is the home of YoYo, the York Schools and Youth Trust, which seeks "to support and serve schools in the communication of the Christian faith." For a panoramic view of the exterior, go here.

Tornado 2

Tornado is based at the National Railway Museum, but is often out and about. This is Darlington, during trials, where she drew quite a crowd.

The Tornado …

before the paint job. Prince Charles came to the National Railway Museum last year to officially name this steam locomotive, the first to be built in the UK for 50 years. Follow the link to see it in its green livery. Another shot tomorrow.

The King's Manor, York 2

The main door swings open invitingly … see Saturday 13th March for more.

The King's Manor, York

Part of the King's Manor complex, Exhibition Square, which houses York University's Department of Archeology and the Centres for Medieval and 18th Century Studies. At various times it has been an abbots' house,  the seat of the Council of the North (from Henry VIII), rented property and  The Yorkshire School for the Blind. It is now owned by the City of York Council and leased to the university. The link takes you to a 360º view which shows off the unusual architecture. 

Music for your mouth …

at Café Concerto, on High Petergate. That's how it advertises itself, but there is also music for the ears in the form of ambient jazz, and for the eyes, as the decor is, well … musical. 

This shot is enhanced by the æsthetic lines of the wheelie-bin, but the people who put the must-see café website together weren't so lucky! The establishment also boasts a very classy holiday apartment with views over to the great west door of the Minster.

High Petergate and Bootham Bar

A view from High Petergate, within the walls, looking towards Bootham Bar, the western gate which we saw from the Art Gallery a few days ago. The Minster is about a hundred yards or so behind us. Yesterday's Wonkey Donkey or Three-Legged Mare is on this street of boutiques, restaurants and pubs.

The Three-Legged Mare 2

Thanks to Steffe, Gunn and Hilda for their responses to yesterday's photograph. Today's gives the macabre nexplanation of the name of this High Petergate pub. It not only has a gallows on its sign but also a scale model of the three-man gibbet in the beer garden. Locally known as "The Wonkey Donkey" (wonkey = crooked), it was the first York Brewery pub to be opened. That's one of the west towers of the Minster on the left.

The Three-Legged Mare

Strange name for a pub? An explanation will be provided tomorrow, along with an indication of the location. 

York Minster from Minster Gates 3

Well, from Minster Yard, actually, taken from opposite the south door. 

York Minster from Minster Gates 2

The stonework of  the Rose Window dates from the mid-13th century, but the stained glass was not added until after the War of the Roses, at the end of the 15th century, to mark the establishment of the Tudor dynasty (1485-1603). The Tudor Rose was a conciliatory combination of the red rose of Lancaster and the white rose of York.

The best-known of the five Tudor monarchs are Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, whose death in 1603 ushered in the reign of the Stuarts.

The window was restored after the 1984 fire which destroyed the south transept roof.

York Minster from Minster Gates

The first of a few shots of the Minster from Minster Gates and Minster Yard. The Minerva of a few days ago is just behind us on the left. This is the south doorway; Constantine is out of sight to the right. Follow the links to see him in his snow-cap. Lots of interesting shops here and behind us in Stonegate.

York passageway

or snickelway, to use the word coined by local author Mark W Jones. Follow the label or the link if you would like to know more about the origin of the word. This is the alley which links Bedern (Anglo-Saxon for house of prayer) to Goodramgate. The angle of the stone wall is not a photographic fault: it really does lean like that. 

For some macabre history try this YouTube link. If you don't have six minutes for the video, but are still curious, go here for tales of the Industrial Ragged School in the world's most haunted city.