Admire

Whatever the weather St Martin's Little Admiral  on Coney Street is always at his post, and always on time.

Streamlined on road and rail

Two art deco inspired vehicles at the National Railway Museum. For another angle on this blog, go here where you also find informative links on the Duchess of Hamilton and the Chrysler Airflow. The picture is rather dark; I don't know how to deal with this kind of lighting with the relatively simple equipment I use.

Museum Gardens lodge

Directly opposite Lendal, the Museum Street lodge by the gate to the gardens is not to be confused with the much older gatehouse on the Marygate entrance.

St Sampson's in the snow

The rear of St Sampson's church on Patrick Pool at the beginning of the month, showing signs of failed snowball attempts to get the snow to slide. The church closed for worship in 1969 and is now an over-60s day centre.

Wintry Wormald's

Wormald's Cut is the short stretch of water on the right where the banks of the Foss were excavated in the 1790s to facilitate commercial river transport. Flour milling became more important from the mid-1800s and in 1888 or thereabouts, Henry Leetham and Sons built a mill and silo here, significantly increasing the traffic on the Ouse and Foss. See here for more.

Lady in Red 8

As a change from frost and snow, here is an exhibit from the huge York site of the National Railway Museum. The sister-site, Locomotion, is in Shildon, County Durham, about an hour and half further north by car. 

The premier ( Shildon) railway museum contains many exciting exhibits. It is located on a 6 hectare site incorporating historic monuments and buildings full of interactive displays and an eco-friendly building 'Collection' which houses up to 60 vehicles, many from the National Collection. The museum also includes a play area, picnic area, modern art monument, gift shop and cafe.

Pleased to meet you …

meat to please you, as the old butchers' joke goes. This is part of the Christmas or St Nicholas Market on Parliament Street about two weeks ago.

Bridge over untroubled water 3

Fowl on the frozen Foss with this blue bridge in the distance. Season's greetings to all!

Red brick art

More detail of the building seen a few days ago which forms this corner of Parliament Street and High Ousegate, withAll Saints Pavement just squeezing into the frame. 

Groves grooves 4: too late?

Houses playing in a Groves street a few days ago, with a wall-mounted post-box. You are probably too late if you want it to arrive before Christmas.

Frozen Foss

Yesterday started at minus 10 and rose to minus 5ºC. This is the River Foss looking downstream towards Foss Bridge which provides the link between Fossgate and Walmgate. 

Snow slide

There is usually some kind of children's ride in Parliament Street during the holiday period. The distant tower is York Minster, and this is snow from the beginning of the month. 

River reflections

A long view downstream to Ouse Bridge, York, from the City Screen boardwalk. 

Unfair competition?

This is last week's snow; so far York has escaped the new wave of wintry weather. City Screen versus St Martins le Grand - no contest, even at Christmas.

Bow, bottles, box

A display of bottles in the bow window above Pandora, a well-established gift shop in Stonegate, two minutes on foot from  York Minster.

All Saints' too

A wintry view south-west across the river to central York's other All Saints' church on North Street. This one has a spire, All Saints Pavement a lantern tower.

Little and large

The affectionately named St Mike's beside his (or her)  big sister, York Minster. This is a wintry version of this photo.

Bridge over untroubled water 2

The River Foss flows gently by a few pretty tame geese on Huntington Road, just before Monk Bar roundabout. The bridge carries the A1036 to Heworth Green, then on to the A64 to Malton, Whitby and Scarborough.

Groves grooves 3: Grade II

According to this site, Groves Chapel on Clarence Street, no longer in use as a place of worship, now houses NHS offices. The ground floor windows are boarded up and painted. Folk who know their architectural terms will enjoy this extract from the aforementioned site:

… pediment has oculus in tympanum, acroterion
and antefixae.

Try York Stories here for more on York's former non-conformist chapels.

Christmas market 2

Getting ready for customers on Parliament Street. Enlarge to see what's on offer. 

Stonegate 1: black and white

This striking building is in Stonegate, the street that runs directly from St Helen's Square to York Minster via the very short Minster Gates. The picture needs to be enlarged to appreciate the detail in the woodwork and the glazing.

All Saints' lantern 3, York

Taken from the Marks and Spencer corner of Parliament Street, this shot shows the lovely All Saints lantern tower and some of the ornate brickwork on the bank opposite.

Signs in the snow

This is High Petergate, showing signs for Café Concerto, Monkey Puzzle Jewellery, The Three-Legged Mare and The Little Apple Bookshop.

Groves grooves 2: sweet sounds?

A studio hidden away on the Groves. I like the pun, simple though it is and find the poster neat and effective. Lots going on here, especially for the younger age bracket. Now in its 10th year, the centre is on MySpace and hosts York's Access to Music programme.

For the benefit of non-native speakers:

 jam (n.) = sticky fruit and sugar-based product to spread on bread, toast and scones

jam (v) = to play or practise music with other musicians

Gillygate 1: prickly pop

Gillygate should have featured on this blog before now; this busy street runs just outside and roughly parallel to the north-western section of York city walls and houses several nice cafés and restaurants. This is The Cactus Trading Centre which sells what it says on the sign; you should be able to make out enough to give you the idea.

Hopeful chairs

Too early for much custom in York's Christmas (St Nicholas) Market on Parliament Street. This was just after nine in the morning.

Groves grooves 1

So reassuringly British, these bay-windowed terraced houses on the Groves lie just to the north-east of York city centre, bordered by Lord Mayor's Walk, Clarence Street, Haxby and Huntington Roads and Monkgate. Being very close to York St John University, the Groves is a popular student let area. I think this is Neville Street. 

Five million bricks

The luxury Cedar Court Grand Hotel and Spa stands just inside the city walls a few minutes walk from York Station. Formerly the headquarters of North Eastern Railways, building commenced in 1902 during a recession, and was completed four years and five million bricks later.