Osbaldwick, York

A ten to fifteen minute stroll east along the Derwent Valley cycle path brings you to this pretty village. The walk is a real treat at this time of year,  despite the disappointing temperatures; the blossom and birdsong are wonderful. See below for a view of a bridge over the beck.

Osbaldwick is a two-pub 11th century village about 2 miles east of York city centre, named after a Northumbrian earl. The suffix wick is Anglo-Saxon for an outlying farm rather than Norse for bay or creek.

Carolyn, thanks for your comments on yesterday's picture. I'm glad you enjoyed York so much. If ever you come again, be sure to let me know. We have been over The Pond but only to New York (city and state) with brief visits to Niagara and Toronto.

T. Becque, yes, it is still pretty cold here; I don't know if this word has crossed the Atlantic, but we were nithered! It seems to have originally been a Yorkshire term, but has spread throughout the north. 

Leif, thanks for your regular, faithful encouragement! I have some shots of the interior of the minster/cathedral on a CD somewhere, but can't find it! As soon as I lay my hands on it, I'll post a picture - I know you like an inside view.

Lunarossa, I wasn't expecting any comments on the Jewbury wall picture, so it was a pleasure to get yours. We too go into York this way and know the restaurant quite well. I quite often work freelance just off Peasholme Green in St Saviour's Place (see the York Associates link), so when the weather is good, take advantage of the public garden just behind Le Langhe to enjoy my pack lunch.

Bare Necessities, York

The icing on the cake of a day pottering around York was to enjoy this band playing a variety of pieces, from film scores to a medley of well-known hymn tunes. The latter includeed the Graham Kendrick composition, Shine, Jesus, Shine, apparently the UK's most popular modern hymn. The expertly performed tuba solo, The Bare Necessities, featured humorous interruptions from other soloists and sections of the band and a mock temporary walk-off by the tuba player.

As well as selling CDs and taking contributions, the band were promoting the Brass Goes to the Movies concert which is to take place in The Joseph Rowntree Theatre, 7.30pm, 12th June 2010. Two other bands will also be playing.

This end of Parliament Street (the Marks and Spencer end) is one of the most prominent street performance spots in York. Just a little further on, to the right of the All Saints Church window on High Ousegate, is another. 

As I missed yesterday, I'll squeeze in a second picture below, a bit of Georgian symmetry in St Saviourgate.

Two Towers, York

An photo of the walls on Jewbury taken a few months ago and showing the brick tower-like construction at the back of Sainsbury's on the inner ring-road. The young people in the distance are enjoying the skate park. 

Barnitts, York

The York home and garden shop, which began trading from here as an irongmongers in 1896, occupies a large part of Colliergate. If they don't stock it, you probably don't need it. Old-fashioned personal, friendly service, especially useful when you can't find your way out of this a-maze-ing store! 

This picture shows just a tiny part of the Colliergate frontage, and there's another entrance round the corner, and they are expanding into vacated premises next door, expecting to bring the workforce up to around 90. Bravo to the directors for staying in the city centre rather than moving out of town!

Daisy Taylor's, York

This inviting first floor window is on King's Court, just off Shambles. The ground floor frontage of the 15th century shop is also attractive, but it was past closing time when I went by. 

Assembly rooms, York

A dull view down Blake Street towards St Helen's Square. The building with the columns, right foreground, is the Assembly Rooms (1730-1735), probably the earliest neo-classical construction in Europe.

Originally built for high-class Georgian social gatherings, it is now home to Ask, an Italian restaurant, but remains open for viewing and hosts civic functions five times per year. It was bought by York Conservation Trust in 2002.  For excellent views of the interior, including a 360º tour, see the preceding link or this. 

St Martins le Grand, York.

Named after St Martin of Tours (France), the present church is a restoration of the one bombed in a 1942 air raid. For a detailed history, read this. St Martins is on Coney Street, a busy shopping thoroughfare; the sextant wielding "Little Admiral" on the double-sided clock is facing roughly east towards Spurriergate. 

Another not quite in the rules statue from the Rodin Museum, Paris, below.  Same photographic joke as last Saturday.