The so-called Green Man motif, like the one on the left, is often found in medieval grotesques. An ancient symbol of rebirth, the Green Man is linked to spring, and earlier gods of the forest. Most generally, the Green Man is surrounded by leaves or branches.

This Green Man lives in York Minster, beneath the kings on the Quire Screen. And though surrounded by what looks like foliage, his color is gilt, not green.

Nearby, there is a companion carving also covered in gilt. To my eye, this figure has a feline countenance. This type of grotesque has almond-shaped eyes, and an open mouth. It also has hands with which to grasp the foliage.

Unlike the grotesques in the Chapter House, and carvings elsewhere in the Minster, these figures give a glimpse of the original sculpted figures that were once brightly painted.

The Chapter House at York Minster

The Chapter House at York Minister is a unique structure for several reasons, one of which is its distinctive ceiling. In particular, there is no central column holding it up. The vaulted ceiling is supported by painted wooden timbers. How so? Timber is a lighter weight than stone, and can support the roof with the weight transferring to columns between seven stained glass windows. Exterior buttresses against the exterior walls help distribute their weight.

Beneath the stained glass windows, there are forty-four seats for the canons of York Minster. Each canon can look across the open space with an unobstructed view of their colleagues. [Whether he can actually see his fellow clergy is another matter.]

Medieval canons with wandering minds could look at the jeweled stained glass, or up to the vaulted ceiling. They could also look at the grotesque sculptures near each seat. Over 200 individual stone portraits of men, women, and beasts reveal a kaleidoscope of facial expressions and behaviors. The mouth on the woman above, for example, is covered. Did she talk too much? Or perhaps she had a tendency to gossip.

The Chapter House Grotesques

In many ways, grotesque figures are archetypes illustrating various themes. Scholars once attributed the fact that so many grotesques are clutching their mouths to mean toothaches and other dental problems were rampant. Given the state of dentistry, they probably were, but there are other possible explanations. The usual name given to these figures is “mouth-pullers.” And the behavior of the figure on the right with one hand tearing out his hair, and the other near his mouth is an illustration of Anger, or Wrath — one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

The chap on the left seems to have other issues. Note his look of consternation, or is it revulsion, with his the wrinkled brow, horrified eyes, open mouth, and a seemingly complete set of teeth.

There are also faces screaming in terror. This fellow on the right stares forward with horror, his mouth (with another set of good teeth) is open in shock or pain. And who can blame him for his surprise? He has a creature sitting on his head with its claws extended into his scalp. Ouch! Beastly grotesques are said to indicate a chaotic life energy which may explain why the winged beast looks as horrified as his host.

A wide open mouth with a protruding tongue is said to be a symbol of devouring giants. But who is the chap on the left consuming? He too has a good set of teeth.( At this point on my voyage of grotesque discovery, I did a search on the symbolism of teeth. One site suggested teeth can manifest “emptiness,” and transience. Not very cheerful, but I thought I’d share the possibility.)

Did the canons zone out from meetings by contemplating horror, doom, & gloom? Did they muse on the possibility of their dire future existence in hell? Were their thoughts consumed by worry about a mythical bird sitting on their heads, clawing out their eyes, and pecking on their respective noses? Was it always a case of man pulling himself out of the abyss? If so, perhaps the canons should pay attention to the topics under discussion and keep their eyes on heaven.

Happily, there are a few carvings of folks who experience some happiness, such as this couple on the right who seem nervous but content.

There are also monkeys who seem to giggle at whatever sight they are viewing. This is not a good sign, since monkeys symbolized man’s folly and vanity. Perhaps they are not the best figures to emulate, but compared to other sculptures, they have a certain charm.

Dogs also have a friendly vibe. I’m not sure what this one holds in his mouth. It looks a bit like a fish to me.

Dogs, monkeys, bears and other animals were viewed as lower than humans who were expected to exhibit a higher standard of behavior.

In the Chapter House, the sculptures may have been put above each seat to create an opposite to each occupant. In all things, there had to be a balance of good and evil. If one carving was a benign figure, there had to be an opposite carving to instill a fear of falling into evil.

So for every depiction of what might be innocence, such as the young man on the left, there must be another who will pay an agonizing price for choosing the wrong path. Indeed, the fellow on the right looks as if he’s repenting as the winged figure digs its claws into his scalp.

Incidentally, the grotesques were not the monochromatic figures they are today. Originally they were painted in colors as bright as stained glass which must have made them appear all the more realistic.

COMING SOON!

The Life & Times of Sarah Good, Accused Witch

Illustrations & A Few Sources

Chapter House Ceiling by Michael D. Beckwith. Chapter House Windows by Paul Hudson. Chapter House Interior by Tilman2007. All other photos by Author. “York Minster.” Britain and Britishness. “York Minster Chapter House.” Historiette. Feb. 17, 2022.

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There’s one last sight to see before crossing the Swing Bridge to the West Side of Whitby. If you take a left before crossing the bridge, you’ll be on Grape Lane, a narrow thoroughfare of some interest.

Some say Grape Lane was known of Grope Lane, a place where prostitutes plied their trade among the sailors and shipbuilders who frequented the area. In the 18^th century, Whitby was an important port for herring fishermen who followed shoals of herring down the east coast of England starting at the Shetland Islands in late winter and completing the cycle off East Anglia the following fall. In 1836, about 400 vessels engaged in the Yorkshire herring industry, many stopping in Whitby harbor.

The 18^th century also saw the birth of the Whitby Whaling Trade. In 1753, several merchants formed the Whitby Whaling Company with two ships. The fleet grew to 55 ships out of Whitby. It’s estimated that the industry harvested 2,761 whales, 55 polar bears, and 25,000 seals.

Fishing and whaling encouraged an extensive shipbuilding industry, as did alum processing which requires a large amount of coal. The coal came from Durham. The specially built colliers had flat bottoms.  Whitby had 11 shipyards and built 11,754 tons of shipping in 1790.

Captain James Cook, famous for his exploits in the Pacific, served his 3-year seaman’s apprenticeship under Captain John Walker. In 1755 Cook joined the Royal Navy. Walker’s house was on Grape Lane, and is today the Captain Cook Memorial Museum, an example of 17^th Century construction as well as Cook’s naval career.

On the other side of the River Esk, there is a replica of the HMS Endeavour, which Cook commanded on his first Pacific voyage.

The West Cliff towers above the the shoreline, but the good news is there’s a direct road called the Khyber Pass, built into the cliff. George Hudson, an entrepreneur and Whitby investor, built the road to provide access to the West Cliff estates he owned. Access is one way, going up. The Royal Hotel with its sweeping view of the East Headland is at the top.

Nearby are two maritime tributes. One is the famous Whalebone Arch, first erected in 1853. During the whaling boom, successful ships attached a whale’s jaw bones to the mast to show the ship was full. The bones for the present arch came from Alaska in 2003.

Captain Cook’s Memorial went up in 1912. There he stands, forever looking out to sea, with an occasional seagull on his head.

Whitby had always looked to the sea for its livelihood, but in 1839 the Whitby and Pickering Railway connected Whitby first to Pickering and then on to York. Initially, it was a single-track horse-worked railway with a distance of 24 miles. At Pickering, passengers had to take a stage coach the rest of the way to York.

But in 1845, the Whitby and Pickering joined the York and North Midland Railway. The connection was now a modern, double-track steam railway. Tourism was soon to follow.

Money once invested in shipping was diverted into the construction of large boarding houses and hotels on the West Cliff. Shipowners who held land outside the town, sold it to developers. One of the investors was George Hudson, briefly known as the Railway King. He formed a building company to construct a Royal Crescent. It was half complete when the company went bankrupt.

Today the hotels and guest houses continue in popularity. But it’s a long way down from the top of the cliff to the beach, and the weather is less than ideal. Enter the well-known colorful beach huts that rent for about £600 a year. There’s also an elevator built into the cliff, so beachgoers can avoid the climb.

The Western Headland is also part of the Cleveland Way that circles the North York Moors National Park from Helmsley to Filey. I declined to hike the entire 109 miles, but did enjoy a short jaunt.

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Grape Lane by Darren Haddock.

Captain Cook Memorial Museum by aude.

Captain James Cook by Thomas Wright.

All Other Photos by Author.

Captain Cook Memorial Museum.

The post Whitby: The West Cliff & Beyond first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Just below the Abbey and the last stop before leaving the Eastern Headland, there’s a squat church founded by monks from Whitby Abbey in about 1100.

Most of the present interior dates from the 18^th century, including heat derived from a cast-iron coal burning stove, and candle light from wall sconces and a bronze chandelier.

The original box pews remain in their places. The largest of these, and nearest the altar, is the Cholmley pew which not only blocks the view of the altar, but has an outside entrance so the Cholmleys could keep their distance from ordinary folk. Church members purchased their pews, providing needed funds for the church. Pews nearest the pulpit are larger with cushioned seats. Smaller pews with plain seats are further away. At the time, there were also pews set aside for the poor and for strangers.

The minister gave his sermon from the top of a three level pulpit which allowed him to see the entire congregation, except, possibly, the Cholmleys.

The church is surrounded by a graveyard with weathered headstones dating into the 19^th century when the graveyard closed to new occupants. There were two routes to get the coffins up from the town below. Wealthier families could load the coffin on a wagon and drive it up Green Lane. Those who couldn’t afford a carriage, or thought it was more impressive to use the 199 steps from Church Street to the church, engaged pall bearers to carry the coffin. While make the track up and down the steps, tourists welcome intermittent wooden planks. Their original purpose was the allow pall bearers to set down the coffin while they caught their breath.

The first steps were wooden, which probably required frequent replacement. In 1774 stone steps, now worn smooth, replaced them. In addition to Green Lane, there is a proper road that goes to the parking area in front of the Abbey. From there it’s a short stroll to the church which I suspect the road greatly improves attendance at St. Mary’s.

Erosion on the headland creates land slips that began occurring in 2012. Graves have slipped, and deposited human remains on the street below the graveyard.

Near the steps, but inside the churchyard is a large cross known as Cadmon’s Cross. In the 7^th century, Cadmon was a cowherd who composed a hymn now accepted as the earliest piece of Anglo-Saxon literature. Abbess Hild encouraged Cadmon to continue his compositions.

In 1897 there was a collection to create the present 20-foot cross as a monument to Cadmon’s contribution to sacred literature in English. Participants collected £250 and engaged a sculptor. The cross features the Four Evangelists and the Lamb representing Christ. The plinth supporting the cross depicts Christ, King David, Abbess Hild, and the poet Cadmon.

Church Street intersects with the bottom of the steps. The narrow streets once housed families of fishermen, and were known as a quick way for smugglers to make themselves scarce. Having reached the town, its time to cross the river.

The present 75-foot “swing bridge” across the River Esk was built in 1908 and can swing horizontally to allow boats to pass underneath, connecting the upper and lower harbor.

In addition to working boats, there are any number of pleasure crafts available to take passengers a short way out to sea to view Whitby’s shore. I took one of these, both because it was a nice day, and also to get a sense of how the area might have looked to those early Anglo-Saxon settlers.

Strange to think that at one time, the town was at sea level. The present difference between the height of the headland and sea level is a dramatic example of how much erosion can be caused by waves.

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St. Mary’s Church with Abbey in background by Keith Laverack.

Interior of St. Mary’s Church by minkey8885.

Interior St. Mary’s Church by Agnete.

199 Steps by Bob Embleton.

All Other Photos by Author.

St. Mary’s Church. English Churches.

The post Whitby: Crossing the River Esk first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Writing is an exercise in imagination. And one of my favorite places to let my creativity run wild is Whitby, on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk.

This is a photo from the west entrance to the ruins of Whitby Abbey, a Benedictine monastery from the 12^th century. With one important exception, the view encompasses layers of history. 

The monastery sits on the East Cliff. Next to it is Cholmley House, once the abbot’s residence. Looking further, the viewer sees St. Mary’s Church and graveyard, to the left of which are 199 steps down into the town.

In the distance there’s an expanse of sea and the West Cliff. Hovering over the scene are banks of white clouds which literally come and go with the wind.

The Benedictine Abbey captivated me the first time I saw it, as it does many visitors. But I’m far more interested in the original Anglo-Saxon abbey built in 657 in a place then called Streanaeshealh. What’s left of that abbey is a visually empty site. 

A woman named Hild built the original monastery, not the medieval monument. Hild’s name is not known today as a princess, or an abbess (both of which she was), but as the abbess who hosted a church synod in 664. The event marked the dominance of the Roman church in England, an obscure decision from our perspective. Church historians, particularly Bede, remembered Hild because the synod took place at her monastery. Through the ages, Hild became one of the few recognized women.

Legends surrounded Hild. It was said sea birds tipped their wings when flying over the monastery in tribute to the abbess. A more enduring story is about Hild and a plague of snakes. She ordered the serpants to leave or be turned into stone. Ammonite fossils are often found in the area. The  snakestones were said to be the remains of snakes too slow to leave. The genus of this particular ammonite is Hildoceras. The Whitby Coat of Arms incorporates the snakestones, keeping the story alive.

When Hild established her monastery on the headland near the mouth of the Esk River, the topography was entirely different. The land might have extended 200 meters further out. But the cliff edge suffers erosion at a rate of 10 meters every 100 years, vastly changing the landscape.

There’s an Anglo-Saxon plinth near the present parking lot, which might have been erected for an Anglo-Saxon marketplace. Anglo-Saxon graves near the present abbey ruins give some idea how large the Anglo-Saxon monastery might have been.

Viking raiders began attacking the Yorkshire coast in the mid-ninth century, and the Anglo-Saxon monastery faded into history. The invaders named the area Whitby, meaning “White Settlement” in Old Norse. 

Benedictine monks began constructing a monastery on the site in the 12^th century, and the Gothic structure presently visible was complete in the 13^th century. After Henry VIII suppressed the monasteries, the Cholmley family purchased the land, dismantled most of the buildings to reuse their materials, and adapted the former abbot’s residence for their own use.

The house is fronted by a cobbled courtyard with a bronze statue in the center. In 1682, one observer described the house as  ‘a most delicate and stately hall, supposed to be exceeded by few in England for the bigness of it, … the hall is of freestone, with large courts and walks with iron grates, and a curious statue in solid brass as large as life in the midst of the square, with a delicate bowling green, gardens, etc., which are extremely pleasant.’

The statue is a copy of a reproduction of a marble statue of gladiator that became part of Cardinel Borghese’s private collection during the 17^th century. Charles I commissioned a French sculptor to visit Italy to cast bronze copies of various marble sculptures. One of these the Borghese gladiator, which the Cholmley family reproduced and installed at the center of the front courtyard, perhaps to curry favor with the king.

Over the years, much of the Chomley family wealth came from mining and refining alum, which was used to fix dyes in cloth.

Next week’s blog will highlight other historic moments in Whitby history, including Captain James Cook’s apprenticeship and Dracula by Bram Stoker.

St. Hilda at Hartlepool by James Clark

Whitby Town Coat of Arms

“Whitby’s Borghese gladiator is a classical masterpiece.” Whitby Gazette. Nov,. 28, 2018

The post Whitby: The East Cliff Headland first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Over the years, countless English literature students have read plays by William Shakespeare and been told these plays were first performed at The Globe Theater.

The Globe was one of the first theaters in London. Initially, plays were performed on street corners and in the yards of inns which I’m sure served refreshments. In 1576 the City of London wanted its cut of the profits and required a license for theatrical events held in inn yards within the city limits.

Actor James Burbage decided to move performances outside of town, leased land in Shoreditch, and built The Theater on leased land. When the lease ran out, Burbage claimed the building was his to move. The landlord disagreed. Disgruntled actors, particularly members of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, waited until the landlord was away, dismantled the building in December 1599 and eventually ferried the timbers over the Thames to Southwark, an entertainment district with animal baiting, brothels, tanneries, breweries, lumberyards and several other theaters, including The Swan, The Rose, and The Fortune.

The Globe was the most elaborate theater yet built and owned by Burbage’s two sons and five actors, including William Shakespeare who had 12.5 percent of the shares. Much of Shakespeare’s eventual wealth came from the profits.

 The Globe was a round, wooden structure with a thatched roof. The covered galleries could seat about 1,000 viewers. The uncovered area included the stage and the pit below it which had space for 2,000 people. For a penny, these “groundlings” could stand on a rush strewn earthen floor. In summer the groundlings were called the Stinkards.

On play days, a flag flew above the theater. Red for a history play; white for comedy, and black for tragedy.

On June 29, 1613 actors fired a canon brought in for a scene in Henry VIII. The shot hit the wooden beams and straw thatch. The theater burned to the ground, but the only casualty was a man whose trousers caught fire. Quick-thinking bystanders doused the flamesGlobe beer.

In 1644 the Puritan government demolished all theaters. Academics and amateur theater lovers made the pilgrimage to the theater’s site. And in 1949 American actor Sam Wanamaker began a quest to rebuild a modern Globe. Twenty years later, Wannamaker began the project in earnest. As much as possible, the new theater is an authentic timber-framed reconstruction of the original.

One thousand green oak trees went into the timber frame that was cut and joined using 16^th century methods. Special permission was granted to create a modern thatched roof from 6,000 bundles of water reeds. The design is based on samples found during archeologial excavations and protected by fire retardants and sprinklers.

The uncovered pit remains with standing room for new generations of groundlings who pay £5 for admission. No umbrellas allowed. The theater has no heat or air conditioning. But it does have an on-sight restaurant and bar called The Swan. Visiting Shakespeare’s Globe is a great way to spend an evening in London.

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New Globe Theater from Thames side. By Aiwok

Exterior View of Globe Theater, 1612

Title page, First folio of Shakespeare plays. 1623

Other photos by Author.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theater.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theater Facts. No Sweat Shakespeare.

Rebuilding the Globe Theater. Inspired Diversions. April 11, 2006.

Bruce T. “History of the Globe Theater.” Theater Seat Store. Mar. 21, 2019.

Amanda Mabillard. “The Globe Theater.” Shakespeare Online. Aug. 20, 2006.

The post The Globe Theater, Then & Now first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Directly across from the Albert Memorial, on the other side of Kensington High Street, stands a solid brick building built in keeping with Prince Albert’s dream for a central hall and a district to promote the arts and sciences. 

The Great Exhibition of 1851 was the first step in making Albert’s vision a reality. When the exhibition closed, it had generated a profit of £186,000 [about £21 million pounds today]. The Royal Commission used £155,000 of the profits, with another £177,500 allocated by the government, to purchase a little over 86 acres of private land and markets to create the district then called Albertopolis. In 1857 the Victoria and Albert Museum opened, the first dedicated structure in the new district.

After Albert died in 1861, there were plans for both the Memorial and a Central Hall, but there wasn’t enough funding for both. The Royal Commission donated the land, and said if planners could raise £150,000 of the required funds, the Commision would donate the remainder. Planners sold seats to the opening for £100 pounds each. Queen Victoria purchased two boxes of ten seats each. These were later combined to make the Royal Box.

In 1867 Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone and announced the new building would be the Royal Albert Hall of Arts & Sciences. The Grand Opening took place in 1871 with Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales in attendance.

The building is an interesting feat of engineering. The main wall  is just over three inches thick and constructed of Cowley stocks laid in Portland cement, faced with six million red bricks ornamented by 80,100 terracotta blocks. Wrapped around the exterior is a terra-cotta frieze illustrating the Triumph of Arts & Letters.

The ceiling is an iron and glass dome that rests on a grooved iron plate on top of the wall. It’s the largest unsupported dome in the world. The dome was built in Manchester, then dismantled and brought down to London by canal. The dome is lovely and lets in good light, but it distorts the sound causing a 5-6 second reverberation. People in different seats experienced variable sounds. There were efforts to cover the glass, but to no avail until December 1968 when workers began installing fiberglass acoustic diffusers with their now well-known mushroom shape. In 2001 there were 85 diffusers in the ceiling.

Acoustical issues were fully resolved in 2019 with the installation of a £2 million single room speaker system providing uniform sound throughout the auditorium.

Behind the stage stands the famous pipe organ originally constructed by Henry Willis. At the time of completion, it was the largest organ in the world. It features 9,999 pipes, the largest of which is 42.5 feet long and weighs over a ton.

The Albert Hall is a multi-purpose venue that hosts multiple music venues, films, speeches, tennis matches, the Cirque de Soliel, and many other events. In 2018, there were 401 events in the auditorium. Many performers return. Eric Clapton has presented 200 shows, for example.

The PROMS, originally termed Prominade Concerts, are a series of concerts spread over eight weeks of summer. Henry Woods founded the event as a way to bring classical music to the masses by pricing tickets at 1 shilling. Today, patrons can still purchase standing tickets for the event. In 1927 the BBC began its sponsorship, and now broadcasts the concerts on BBC-Radio 3.

The most interesting piece of Albert Hall trivia I ran across concerns the Beatles. In 1967 the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. One of the songs, A Day in the Life, mentions the Albert Hall:

‘I read the news today oh boy 

Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire 

And though the holes were rather small 

They had to count them all 

Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall

I’d love to turn you on’

Ernest O’Follipar, Chief Executive of the Albert Hall, was not amused by the association and wrote to complain that the lyrics contained inaccuracies that could be catastrophic to the Albert Hall’s reputation, specifically, the lyrics implied there were 4,000 holes in the Royal Albert Hall, that the Hall was located in Blackburn, Lancashire, and that the singer wanted to ‘turn on’ the Royal Albert Hall.

John Lennon addressed his reply to “Prince Albert and friends.” He declined to make any changes to the song.

The Albert Hall Council voted to ban the performance of A Day in the Life in the Albert Hall.

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Royal Albert Hall by Bene Riobó

Opening of Royal Albert Hall, 1871.

Royal Albert Hall from center of gallery [mushrooms]  by © User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA-4.0

The Organ, 1871.

Other Photos by Author.

“Royal Albert Hall was Furious.” Royal Albert Hall. Apr. 1, 2015.

The post The ROYAL ALBERT HALL first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

At the edge of Kensington Gardens on the boundary to Hyde Park stands the Albert Memorial, an incongruous and massive example of the Gothic Revival Style popular during the Victorian Age.

The structure, built primarily by public subscription, honored Victoria’s consort, a man without a clear portfolio now credited with bringing the monarchy into the modern age. A man of many interests, Albert sponsored and accomplished the Great Exhibition of 1851. The international exhibition held in a temporary structure called the Crystal Palace built in Hyde Park was the first of what became known as world’s fairs. After the exhibition, the structure was dismantled and moved to south London, because permanent structures couldn’t be built in public parks.

In 1861 Albert died. At the time, the disease was diagnosed as typhoid. Currently, there is speculation that he could have suffered from an internal disease. He was 42 years old. Albert’s wife, Queen Victoria, wore black for the rest of her life. The queen commissioned a memorial for her husband.

The Albert Memorial is part mausoleum, part reliquary, and a tribute to the Prince Consort’s belief in progress and his broad support of arts and sciences. Sir George Gilbert Scott designed a structure in the form of an ornate pavilion that rises 176 feet. Construction took ten years at a cost of £120,000 pounds [the equivalent of £10,000,000 in 2010].

Sixty percent of the cost was raised by public donations. Queen Victoria paid half the cost for her husband’s statue.

The Memorial is surrounded by the Frieze of Parnasus depicting 169 individuals with musicians and poets on the south side; painters on the east side; sculptors on the west side, and architects on the north side.

An allegorical sculpture stands on each side to represent industrial arts and sciences. There are another four groups to represent the four continents, each including a large animal: a bull for Europe, an elephant for Asia, a bison for America, and a camel for Africa.

Above these groups are 8 bronze statues representing the sciences. Above them in the niches of the spire are 8 statues of the virtues. At the top are two sets of statues, each with four angels.

The mosaics cover the 1100 square feet of facing space, the largest exerior mosaics in Europe.

Inside this canopy sits the statue of Prince Albert scupted by John Henry Foley. The prince is dressed in regalia as a Knight of the Garter and holds a catelogue from the Great Exhibition in his hand. The statue wacast from 37 melted cannons and covered in gold gilt.

Victoria found the statue so life like, she couldn’t bear to look at it. Whenever she was scheduled to pass by, the statue was covered in a black drape.

The Memorial was a triumph of design and execution, but its interior suffered from slow rot. The builders used a combination of lead and cast iron that resulted in leaks. The leaks caused the lead to crack and the iron to expand which let in more water.

Meanwhile, in 1915 workers removed the gilding on Albert’s statue to prevent any glint reflected on the gilt from guiding German attack zepplins. The statue was covered in black paint. During World War II friendly fire from anti aircraft guns in Hyde Park struck the Memorial.

After the war, bits of mosaic stones began falling. In 1983, a large piece of lead fell to the ground, and the Memorial was closed. It was eleven years before the government committed funds for the $19 million restoration. 

Hundreds of sheets of 23.5 carat, double weight gold leaf returned Albert’s statue to its glory. The total cost of gilding on the monument came to $845,000.

On July 21, 2015, Queen Elizabeth unveiled the restored Monument in a blaze of fire works that culminated in a display of the words Albert Saved.

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Great Exhibition, 1851

All Other Photos by Author

Anon. “Albert Memorial To Undergo Restoration.” Los Angeles Times. Dec. 4, 1987.

Anon. “Memorial to Queen’s Lost Love Comes Clean.” BBC News. October 21, 1998.

Alan Baldwin. “Crumbling Prince Albert Bronze Stirs Controversy.” Los Angeles Times. May 16, 1993.

Sarah Lyall.” Icon of an Innocent Age Unwrapped Again.” The New York Times. Oct. 21, 1998.

Ray Moseley. “The Albert Memorial Gets a Princely Restoration.” Chicago Tribune. Sept. 28, 1998.

The post The Albert Memorial first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

When Victoria became queen in 1837, she immediately moved to Buckingham Palace and demoted Kensington Palace to a residence for members of her extended family and various retainers.

THE DUCHESS OF TECK

Mary Adelaide was George III’s granddaughter. Prohibited by royal protocol from marrying anyone who wasn’t also a royal, she was a spinster of limited means by the time she was thirty. Her prospects remained bleak until 1866 when Queen Victoria arranged a marriage between her cousin and Prince Frances of Teck. The couple made their home at Kensington Palace and had four children. The eldest, Princess Mary of Teck married Victoria’s grandson, King George V. Their marriage was apparently a happy one. George wrote his wife daily when the two weren’t together and, unlike many monarchs, did not take a mistress.

THE DUCHESS OF INVERNESS

The Duchess of Inverness occupied Apartment 1 while the Tecks were in residence. Her husband, the Duke of Sussex and sixth son of George III, contracted a previous marriage, subsequently annulled, in violation of the Royal Marriages Act of 1772.

The Duke’s second wife, Cecilia Underwood, was also inappropriate. The couple resided at Kensington Palace, but Cecilia was unable to attend any royal functions. In 1840 Queen Victoria created her the Duchess of Inverness. After her husband’s death in 1843, the duchess continued to live at Kensington until she died in 1873.

THE DUCHESS OF ARGYLL

Queen Victoria’s daughter Louise, Duchess of Argyll moved into Apartment 1 with her husband. When she discovered he was sneaking out the window to visit his lover, Louise ordered the windows bricked up. Louise was a well-known advocate of women’s rights and a sculptor. Her statue of Queen Victoria stands on the lawn in front of the main palace entrance.

Princess Beatrice, Louise’s younger sister, also had apartments in the palace. After World War I, so many royal widows resided at Kensington, Edward VIII referred to the palace as an ‘aunt heap.’ In 1955 Apartment 1 was divided into Apartments 1 and 1A and settled into its role as a place of retirement.

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

In 1960 Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister Princess Margaret married Antony Armstong-Jones. The couple moved into Apartment 1A after extensive renovations. Workmen gutted the interior and rectified what’s called ‘rising damp’. The new apartment had reception rooms, 3 bedroms with dressing rooms, 3 bathrooms, a nursery, 9 staff bedrooms, 4 staff bathrooms, 2 staff sitting rooms, 2 staff kitchens, a linen store, luggage room, drying room, glass pantry, and a photographic dark room for Lord Snowdon.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester moved next door to Apartment 1. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent  occupied Apartment 10. Alas, the Snowdons divorced in 1979, after Princess Margart’s affair with Roddy Llewellyn become public.

Diana, Princess of Wales

In 1981 Apartments 8 and 9 were combined to serve as the official residence of Charles and Diana, the Duke and Duchess of Wales. After their divorce in 1996, Diana and her sons continued to live in the apartment.

Six years later Diana died in a tragic car crash, but her presence at Kensington continues. On the annversary of her death, memorials appear at the South Gate. On the grounds of Kensington Gardens two memorials reflect Diana’s love of children: the Memorial Playground and the Memorial Fountain.

Diana’s son William and his wife, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, now reside in Apartment 1A with their three children.

Behind Kensington Palace walls, royal relatives have lived lives both public and invisible, both happy and tragic. I can’t help but hope the currant occupants of Apartment 1A are as happy as they appear to be.

Photo of Queen Victoria statue by Author.

Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck, 1860

Queen Mary, 1905

Cecilia Underwood, Duchess of Inverness

Princess Louise

Princess Beatrice

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Dutch National Archives

Princess Diana, 2007

Photo of South Gate, Kensington Palace by Author

Photo of Princess Diana Memorial Fountain by Author

Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, 2019 by Minerva97

Photo of Diana Memorial Walk Plaque by Author

Erin Blakemore. “The Torrid Affair That Torpedoed Princess Margaret’s Marriage.” History. 

Moniek. “The Women Who Weren’t Allowed to Become Duchess of Sussex.” History of Royal Women. May 19, 2018.

The post Kensington Palace: A Home for Princesses & Royal Duchesses first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

For more years than I’m going to mention, I’ve stayed in the Kensington area of London when I travel for my urban fix and British Library research.

If you’re familiar with London’s layout, you’ll quickly point out that the library is on the other side of the city. Thankfully, it’s a quick trip on The Tube.

Usually, I’m too busy frantically going through library material before I run out of time. That was especially the case when researching Two Coins. But my currant visit didn’t require so much library time, and the weather was conducive to spending time in one of my favorite spots, Kensington Gardens, attached to the palace of the same name.

If you follow royal gossip, and probably even if you don’t, you known Kensington Palace is the home of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge. But the palace history tells a much more interesting story — of kings, queens, and unhappy princesses.

Kensington Palace began as a two-story Jacobean mansion built in 1605. It took its name from what was then Kensington Village until 1619 when the first Earl of Nottingham bought the property which became known as Nottingham House. 

The house was nothing special until William and Mary assumed the English throne in 1689. William suffered from asthma. Whitehall Palace, the royal residence, was too close to the Thames River. He soon purchased Nottingham House for £20,000 and embarked on an extensive plan to remodel and expand the house to its present appearance.

In 1702 Mary’s sister Anne became Queen and lived at Kensington Palace with her husband, Prince George of Denmark. Anne endured seventeen pregnancies, but died without an heir. If you’ve seen The Favourite, you have some idea of life at Anne’s court. Though not entirely accurate, the falling out of the queen and her then favorite Sarah Churchill did occur. Anne died in 1714.

The throne passed to the House of Hanover. The marriage of George I and Queen Sophia was not a happy one. [One story says that when told who she would marry, Sophia declared, “I will not marry the pig snout!” But marry him, she did.]

George II was the last monarch to live at Kensington Palace. His wife Caroline, once dubbed “the most agreeable princess in Germany” tolerated her husband’s affairs, and had an apparently happy marriage. Queen Caroline died giving birth to her eighth child. Her husband didn’t remarry. When George II died in 1760, Kensington Palace ended its role as the monarch’s official residence while continuing to host royal family members, including young Princess Alexandrina Victoria who moved to Buckingham Palace shortly after she inherited the throne.

Next week’s blog looks at what happened to Kensington Palace after Queen Victoria moved out.

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Kensington Palace by Jan Kip.

Queen Mary II by Godfrey Kneller

Queen Anne I by Michael Dahl

Queen Sophia by Friedrich Wilhelm Weidermann

Queen Charlotte by William Beechey

Photo of Kensington Palace by Author

The post Kensington Palace: The First Occupants first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Although gardening takes place all year round, it comes to mind most readily in the spring. April is a good month for planting trees, shrubs, and annual flowering bulbs that bloom in summer. These might include dahlias and gladiolas. It’s also time to plant seeds for marigolds and zinnias. If you go to your local garden center, you’ll find all sorts of items to get your garden started, including plants, pots, seeds, soil . . . The list is exhausting.

But did you ever pause to wonder how this spring time ritual started? In many ways the man who started our desire for our own plot of grass and flowers was known as “Capability” Brown (1716-1783). The name “Capability” seems no more unusual than his given name of Lancelot Brown. He acquired the nickname because as he assessed large landholdings for their landscaping potential, he often informed his client that the land had capability for improvement.

Capability was the fifth child of Sir William Loraine’s land agent. His mother was in service at the main house. He worked as the head gardener’s apprentice in the kitchen gardens until he was twenty-three years old. He then joined Lord Cobham’s gardening staff at Stowe as an under-gardener, working under the direction of William Kent, founder of the English landscape garden. Tastes were changing. Formal gardens like those at Versailles had fallen into disrepair. Walls were missing. The strict geometric patterns had become a bit sloppy.

Capability’s style clicked. Three years after joining Lord Cobham’s staff, Capability was head gardener. He introduced a new approach to the land. No longer was the focus on dominating nature. Brown saw nature as a source of inspiration. His gardens were both appealing and practical. Common features included serpentine water features stocked with fish and inviting for boating. Trees at the outer edges were both aesthetic and a source of timber. Lord Cobham’s friends hired Brown to design their own landscapes.

In 1751 Brown got his first big commission. He redesigned Croome Court, a project that included remodeling the house, relocating the church, and draining marshy ground so the water could be utilized as a lake.

Brown saw his work like a sentence: “there I make a comma; and there, where a more decided turn is proper, I make a colon: at another part, a parenthesis—now a full stop; and then I begin another subject.” Brown shaped the landscape to his vision. Small brooks were damned to become lakes. Valleys were dug; hills, mounded. Trees placed at appropriate intervals.

Visitors to an estate didn’t go directly from the gate to the house. They took a circuitous drive through wooded areas, open fields, lakes, and controlled wilderness. Brown also gave the landscape a theatrical touch. As the carriage rolled on its way, passengers saw a glimpse of a folly, bridge, or other feature

Among Brown’s commissions are the gardens at Chatsworth House, Blenheim Palace, and Highclere Castle – known to many Americans as the site of Downton Abbey.

At the height of his career in the 1760s Brown earned about £6000 a year (£753,000—about a million US dollars—in 2016). His ideas tricked down to smaller landowners. Everyone wanted their house surrounded by undulated green lawns with artistic clumps of trees.

Landscape fashions have changed over the centuries, but the perfect green lawn remains a goal for many gardeners.

If you have about eight minutes to spare, this aerial video of Blenheim Palace’s 2,000 acres demonstrates Capability Brown’s landscape vision of a perfectly designed natural garden.

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Illustrations from Wikimedia Commons.

Aerial View of Blenheim Palace by Blenheim Palace. Creative Commons Attribution.

Capability Brown by Nathaniel Dance. Public Domain.

Stowe Gardens by David M. Jones. Creative Commons Attribution.

Chatsworth House View by Chris Page. Creative Commons Attribution.

Chatsworth House by Rob Bendall. Creative Commons Attribution.

“How to Spot a Capability Brown Landscape at 100 yards.” The Telegraph.

Eleanor Doughty. “Everything you need to know about Capability Brown.” The Telegraph. Aug. 30, 2016.

Ambra Edwards. “Gardens: How Capability Brown Transformed this Green and Pleasant Land.” The Guardian. July 23, 2016.

Laura Latham. “Capability Brown, The Master of the English Garden.” New York Times. April 14, 2016.

Mitchell Owens. “Capability Brown is the Landscape Designer Behind England’s Most Iconic Gardens.” Architectural Digest. April 5, 2016.

Vic. Maintaining the Grounds of a Landed British Estate: Georgian Gardening. Jane Austen’s World. August 30, 2012.

The post The Landscape Gardens of Capability Brown first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

You know it’s March when cherry trees prepare to bloom. It’s also a month of female-oriented events. In the U.S. the entire month carries the label “Women’s History Month.” Go to any library or school campus, and you’ll probably see displays of notable women. Visibility in a good thing, but is it enough?

Wednesday, March 8 is International Women’s Day. I blogged about this last year, and not much has changed for the better. You can see the blog here.

WOMEN & THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

This year I’d like to mention the effect Women’s Day has had on history, because this week also marks the anniversary of the 1917 February Revolution* in Russia. Events ignited on Women’s Day.

The march rose out of severe poverty and deprivation. The price for a one-pound loaf of rye bread rose from three kopeks in 1913 to 18 in 1917. Women worked twelve hours a day in factories and then stood in line to buy bread. The Russians were losing badly against the Germans in World War I. And the winter was brutally cold. In January a police report observed:

“Mothers of families, exhausted by endless standing in line at stores, distraught over their half starving and sick children, are today perhaps closer to revolution than [the liberal opposition leaders] and of course they are a great deal more dangerous because they are the combustible material for which only a single spark is needed to burst into flame.”

Women united around the issues of bread and peace. On International Women’s Day ten thousand women marched with banners proclaiming: “Down With Autocracy;” “Down With War;” “Our Husbands Must Return from the Front;” “Peace and Bread.” Their call for a General Strike succeeded. The revolution quickly spread to Moscow and other cities.

THE AMERICAN RESPONSE

For many years mainstream Americans shunned the very idea of International Women’s Day as a day observed by Socialists, Communists, and other extreme political activists. During the 1960s feminists revived the day which was recognized by the United Nations in 1975.

A NEW CALL FOR CHANGE

This year’s United Nations Theme is “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030.” Many women don’t want to wait until 2030 or longer for extreme social change. “Lean-In feminism” for women in corporate America isn’t enough.

A new feminist theme calling for immediate change in social and economic policies is gaining global strength., In the United States organizers of the recent Women’s March on Washington urge women from all walks of life to make March 8 a #DayWithoutAWoman. 

Building on the premise that society won’t appreciate women’s many contributions until they are withdrawn, organizers urge women to take a day off from paid and unpaid labor and avoid shopping (with the exception of small women and minority owned businesses.) Not everyone can take a day off. But supporters can wear red in solidarity with other women observing the day.

Organizers in the United Kingdom added the broom as a symbol, because together the bristles are strong. This is true, but in my view brooms are too associated with women’s traditional work to symbolize change.

FREE ADMISSION

In a separate observance of International Women’s Day the Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage announced Italy will  celebrate the feminine world in art by and of women. Museums will waive admission charges on March 8 to celebrate women from all walks of life.

HINAMATSURI aka DOLLS’ DAY

We’ve touched on art, history, and politics. Now it’s time to mention dolls and a celebration of traditional female attributes. Specifically Girl’s Day observed in Japan on the third day of the third month. It’s past for another year; the dolls have been taken down. I mention Girl’s Day because it represents a charming custom from another time. And I wonder if there’s space in contemporary feminism for such an observance.

Hina Matsuri began in ancient Heian Japan. Straw dolls sat on small boats sent downriver towards the sea to take bad spirits with them. A public expression of a desire to protect daughters.

Japanese girls receive elaborate dolls that are displayed on platforms up to seven stories high. Red carpet covers each level. Dolls for the Emperor and Empress preside at the highest level. Attendants and musicians populate lower platforms. Only homes with a daughter can put up the display towards the end of February. It comes down no later than March 4. Depending on family traditions, a display left up too long could bring bad luck, or the dolls might come to life and cause havoc. At the very least, the neighbors will notice.

A complete set of dolls purchased in Japan costs thousands of dollars, but most families pass the dolls through the generations.

There are, of course, special foods. One of these is Ushiojiru, a clam soup. The clams are left in their shells. The mating of the two halves represents the hope of future romance and harmony for the girls.

It might seem odd to join Girl’s Day Celebrations with International Women’s Day. But it’s important to remember the diversity which unites women and girls around the globe.

The uniting theme of International Women’s Day in 2017 is #BeBoldForChange. A phrase with a different meaning for each of us.

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*In 1917 Russia used the Julian Calendar while the West used the Gregorian Calendar, so events occurring in Russia in February are dated elsewhere in March.

Illustrations from Wikimedia Commons.

Cherry Blossom by Joe Ito. Creative Commons Attribution.

International Women’s Day – February Revolution. Public Domain.

Brooms for Sale in a Tbilisi Market by Vladimir Shioshvili. Creative Commons Attribution.

Emperor and Empress Dolls. Hina Dolls by tab2dawa. Creative Commons Attribution.

Hinamaturi Doll Display at Japanese Import Store. Public Domain.

Clam Soup, Taiwan by Takoradee. Creative Commons Attribution.

Quotation for Russian police report quoted in Bonnie S. Anderson and Judith P. Zinsser. A History of Their Own, Vol. 2. NY: Harper & Row. 1988. p.298.

International Women’s Day.

UN Women. International Women’s Day 2017.

Women’s March. A Day Without Women.

“March 3 is Girl’s Day in Japan.” XPat Nation. Feb. 26, 2016

Linda Martin Alcoff. “Women of America: we’re going on strike.” The Guardian. Feb. 6, 2017.

Mary Bulman. “Italy Gives All Women Free Entry.” The Independent. March 3, 2017.

Alexandra Topping. “Wear Red, Down Tools, and Buy Local for International Women’s Day. The Guardian. March 3, 2017.

Tiffanie Wen. “International Women’s Day Hs an Unexpected History.” The Daily Beast. March 7, 2014.

The post ART, HISTORY, POLITICS, & DOLLS first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Winston Churchill is known for many things. He smoked a cigar. He spoke in what I think of as a Shakespearean voice. He led Britain in World War II. And he never was seen outside without a hat. He seems to me to be a fitting image for Felt Hat Day which you may choose to celebrate this Thursday.

Hats are no longer a required part of outdoor clothing. Actually, very little is required for outside attire these days. But once hats and, for ladies, gloves were expected. Now ladies wear hats at weddings and on Ascot Day, if they happened to be invited. Though ladies picture hats are fast being replaced by smaller, whimsical Fascinators.

Nevertheless up until 1960, hats were required men’s wear. Hence the famous 1934 advertising slogan: “If you want to get ahead, get a hat.”**

There were Bowler Hats like the one Churchill is wearing in the picture above. And Homberg Hats. And even Tyrollean hats which are still in use today, usually in Oktoberfest celebrations. 

But fashion changed in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy took the inaugural oath without wearing a hat. Quite a shock at the time. Needless to say, hat sales plummeted.

There was a slight uptick when Harrison Ford wore his famous fedora in Raiders of the Lost Ark. But the only hat with staying power has been the Cowboy hat.

Hats had a purpose. Felt hats were worn in winter for warmth, and straw hats in summer for coolness and to shade the eyes. Cowboys seem to have continued this tradition.

Since this is a blog about Felt Hat Day, it seems logical to talk about felt hats.

Felt can be made of wool or fur. Wool consistently came from sheep. You probably knew that. The fur was of two types. There was rabbit fur felt, made from the undercoat of a special breed of rabbit. And the best quality felt hat was made from beaver fur. This was hugely popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and led directly to the international fur trade – you will be relived to know that I won’t be writing about that today.

St. Clement is considered the Patron Saint of Felt Hat Makers, because while on a pilgrimage he lined his sandals with wool, and the friction of his feet against the wool created an early form of felt. I’m not saying this was the preferred method of producing felt, but it makes an interesting anecdote.

Why was the Mad Hatter “mad”?

Turning felt into a hat in the nineteenth century was a long process. It involved pulling loose felt fibers into a cone and immersing the cone in very hot water to shrink the felt in to a better fiber. The hat was then steamed and compressed over wooden hat blocks to the desired shape. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, hatters treated the fur with mercury nitrate which exposed them to trace elements of mercury on a daily basis. Over time they exhibited signs of mental decline, including slurred speech, memory loss, tremors, and what we might call dementia. Hatters also generally suffered from overwork, low pay, and malnutrition. It was not the best career choice. Mercury is no longer used to create felt.

The Mad Hatter depicted here is from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, drawn by John Tenniel. The 10/6 refers to the price of a hat in the style he was wearing: 10 shillings, 6 pence.

** It is said that the slogan “If You Want To Get Ahead, Get a Hat” was coined by Charles Sydney Catlin to demonstrate his ability to make good advertising copy. Caitlin went to a job interview where he produced the slogan. He didn’t get the job. Sadly, not long after he saw his words on an advertisement posted on the London Underground. A hard lesson learned.

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Featured Image: Winston Churchill. 1944. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

Other Pictures

Lady in Blue Felt Hat by Oxfordian Kissuth at 2012 London Fashion Week. Creative Commons Attribution. Wikimedia Commons.

Felt Hat by Hendrike. Creative Commons Attribution. Wikimedia Commons.

Tyrolean Hat. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

Harrison Ford by John Griffiths. Creative Commons Attribution. Wikimedia Commons.

Stetson Hat. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

Mad Hatter by John Tenniel. U.S. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons.

Katybeth. Sept. 15, 2012. Odd Loves Company.

Miranda Hildebrand. “A Brief History of Felt Hats.” The Hatbox. Dec. 26, 2012

Hat History.

Wearing Etiquette. Cowboy Hat Guide.

The post Curious Notes on Felt Hats first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Though there are taller buildings now, York Minster continues to tower over the City of York and the entire Yorkshire region. I’m a huge fan of this stone monument and in awe of the lives it has touched – some for the better, others not so much. This last stop on my research trip was pure pleasure. Among the many things that could be said, here are a couple I selected for today.

LOVE, POLITICS & KING EDWIN’S CONVERSION

It is said that King Edwin of Northumbria erected a wooden church on this site in 627. When Edwin conquered Northumbria in 616, he decided to marry a Christian Kentish princess. She traveled north with her spiritual advisor, Bishop Paulinus. Eventually, Edwin agreed to be baptized and built the church at York. The scene is reflected in the baptismal cover on the right which is in the crypt. King Edwin is to the left, with Bishop Paulinis on the right.

There is some controversy as to where this church was located. Some say it was here, in the spot marked off by benches. At least one other scholar says it was in the same area, but a different spot. Since the building materials have long dissolved, the actual site is impossible to find.

Today York Minster is the largest surviving Gothic cathedral north of the Alps. Construction began about 1230 with completion in 1472. The entire cruciform structure is 524.5 feet long. The nave is 264 feet long, 100 feet wide and a distance from the floor to the vaulted ceiling of 94 feet. The nave was too wide for a stone roof, so wood was used which has made the structure vulnerable to fire.

In 1840, fire destroyed the ceiling which was rebuilt. Every decorated boss, the point where the arches intersect, was an exact replica except the one of the Virgin Mary feeding the Baby Jesus. Victorian sensibilities decreed that she would henceforth bottle feed her infant.

THE UNDERCROFT

The Undercroft is a particularly fascinating area, because the remnants of Roman, Norman and Gothic architecture are all visible. The first building on the Minster’s site was a Roman Army headquarters constructed in 71 CE. It sat at a 45 degree angle to the present Minster structure. It was here that Roman legions declared Constantine to be the new Roman emperor in 306.

In 1080 Archbishop Thomas of Bayeux began building a stone cathedral on the site. Foundations and masonry with their distinctive Norman designs are still present.

Though the pillars look strong, they were erected on soft soil. Between 1967 and 1972 what was called the Great Dig took place to shore up foundations underneath the Central Tower. Concrete pillars and rods now provide a firm foundation, and in order to prevent harmful vibrations, traffic is no longer allowed in the Minster area.

There are two crypts in the Undercroft.

The western crypt contains the modern shrine to St. William of York (d.1154). St William in mosaic splendor presides. Moving forward is the reused Roman coffin containing his remains. The last area is the chapel itself.

Legend has it that St. William died of poison that was administered in the chalice at mass. Within a few months, miracles were attributed to his intervention. In 1227 Pope Honorius III canonized William.

This wall is all that remains from what was once the Archbishop’s Palace. During the nineteenth century, buildings near the Minster were cleared away to create Dean’s Park.

There is much more to say about York Minster, but I’ll leave it for another time. York was the last stop on my research trip. From here I was homeward bound.

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Featured Image: Photo of York Minster from York City Walls

All Photos by Author. All Rights Reserved.

York Minster

The post York Minster first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

I’m a frequent visitor to York. I have friends and family there. But I never fail to wander around the walled city, stopping at familiar places and discovering new sights. Here in historical order are a few of the places I enjoyed on this visit.

St Mary’s Abbey

St Mary’s Abbey was a 10-acre complex founded in 1088 by Benedictine monks on the north bank of the Ouse River. At its height there were 40-60 monks, an abbot, 50 students, and sufficient lay servants to look after the fish house, brewery, mill, bakery, granary and barns. With so many blessings, it is understandable that some monks became lax in following strict Benedictine Rule. In 1132, Prior Richard and 13 monks demanded the rule be applied. Riots broke out among the monks. Prior Richard and his men left the Benedictines, joined the extremely strict Cistercian order, and founded Fountains Abbey.

Neither group survived the Henry VIII’s Dissolution of Monasteries. St Mary’s became the king’s palace before falling into ruins. In the 1820s the Yorkshire Philosophical Society excavated the ruins and turned the grounds into the Museum Gardens. The surviving abbey walls built in the 13th century are the most complete set of abbey walls in the country.

St William’s College

York Minister towers above the abbey ruins. More on this amazing building in the next blog. On the other side of the Minster, St. William’s College has a lovely tea room and meeting rooms. It dates to 1465 and was named in honor of Archbishop William of York. Originally, the building served as a sort of dormitory for 23 chantry priests and their provost who were attached to chantry chapels at the Minister.

Every day the priests sang a stipulated number of masses for the benefit of a deceased donor who provided for them in his will. The donor hoped these masses would bail him or her out of purgatory and allow entry to heaven. This practice stopped when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. In 1548 St. William’s underwent a makeover to become a private house.

Holy Trinity Church on Goodramgate

Holy Trinity was a new discovery for me, tucked away behind a very busy shopping street. The 15th century church is no longer active and is administered by the Churches Conservation Trust. Two interesting features caught my eye.

The East Window which was donated by Rev John Walker – I’ve never thought of the rectors donating windows before. Didn’t think they made enough money. Holy Trinity also features very nice box pews. I’ve seen these pews in other churches, but the ones in Holy Trinity are particularly nice. Box pews were common from the 16th-19th centuries, so people could sit while sermons wafted over their heads. Many times the pews were personal property. So, when someone told a visitor ‘you’re in my seat,’ they meant it literally.

Merchant Adventurers’ Hall at Fossgate

Fossgate dates to Roman times when it was the south easterly way out of York. The Vikings created the street by building a wooden bridge over the River Foss. Fossgate functioned primarily as a fish market until the early 20th century when it became a fashionable area. Today it has become a place for dining, shopping, and visiting York Brewery.

The story behind The Last Drop Inn is a questionable play on words. it is said that the Colliergate corner on which the pub is situated was the last sight a criminal saw before reaching the place where he would be ‘hanged by the neck.’ [No, I am not making this up.]

The main entrance to the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall is off Fossgate, through the archway with the coat of arms for the Merchant Adventurers of England above it. In 1357 a number of men and women formed a religious fraternity to build the hall which was completed in 1361. They also set up a guild comprised mostly of mercers* and used the hall to transact business, socialize, look after the poor, and meditate in a private chapel.

*Mercers dealt in fine textiles such as silk and velvet.

Bettys Cafe & Tea Rooms

I don’t know about you, but after all that touring, I need a snack. And where better to go than Bettys Cafe and Tea Rooms in St. Helen’s Square, a York landmark since 1936.

Frederick Belmont, a Swiss baker, founded the first Bettys in Harrogate in 1919. He did so well, that in 1936 he was able to travel on the Queen Mary’s maiden voyage. Belmont was enchanted by the art deco decor, and commissioned the ship’s interior designers to create a similar venue out of a run down furniture store he had purchased in York.

Bettys was an instant hit. During World War II, the Bettys Bar downstairs was a favorite destination for airmen stationed near York. Using a diamond pen, many engraved their names on a mirror which is still there.

You may be wondering who the original “Betty” was. No one knows.

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Featured Image: City of York Coat of Arms, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons.

All Other Photos by Author. All Rights Reserved.

Bettys Cafe & Tea Rooms

The Churches Conservation Trust

Fossgate.

Holy Trinity Church, York, North Yorkshire

Last Drop Inn

Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York

Museum Gardens

St William’s College, York Minster Precinct

David Ross. St Mary’s Abbey, York Britain Express.

York Brewery

The post YORK SIGHTS first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

As it turned out, I missed seeing the York Mystery Plays performed in the Minster’s nave. I arrived July 2. The plays closed June 30. But I got a taste of the performances when I went to service that Sunday. The set designed by Max Jones was still in place, opposite audience seating for 1000. It turned out to be an unusual service. Congregants had to climb up the seating, unless they managed to snag a seat in the side aisle. The choir, which usually sits in the floor area, was high above the stage. The height and acoustics created a most magnificent sound for the singers. Though the Archbishop warned them not to get used to the angelic height.

Here’s a time-lapse journey of the three weeks it took to build the stage and seating.

After the plays finished, the Minster closed for three days so the set could be dismantled. I’m sorry not to have seen what must have been an excellent presentation. One critic opined that the Mystery Plays are a medieval disaster movie. The very thought of such a thing would have boggled the average medieval viewer. Medieval guilds sponsored the cycle of 48 plays. Each was 10 to 20 minutes in length and each guild sponsored a wagon of actors and sets. The wagons wound their way through the medieval streets stopping at 12 stations. The word Mystery had a dual meaning. The first for religious truth. The second a derivative from the Latin word for craft – ministerium.

The Trailer below gives some idea of what this year’s plays were like.

The plays, incidentally, were banned in Elizabethan England as part of the effort to eradicate Catholicism. Time passed. In 1951 the York Festival of Arts sponsored a performance in the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey where the plays were performed until 1988 when other venues began to host the event. York Minster sponsored it’s first performance in 2000.

The staging this year must have been amazing. I’m particularly intrigued by the use of helium filled balloons to mimic God creating earth’s universe.

There were, of course, other innovations in the 2016 production. Mike Poulton modernized the script a bit.  A pair of dodos was too late to rendezvous with Noah’s Ark. The flood appeared in waves of blue fabric.

Who knows when or where the next cycle of Mystery Plays will be performed? Old plays for another new audience. Maybe next time I’ll make the performance.

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Featured Image: Nave at York Minster. Photo by Author

York Minster Mystery Plays 2016

Alfred Hickling. York Mystery Plays Review. The Guardian.

Alexander Zawacki. The “Mystery Plays” Banned by Tudors. Atlas Obscura. June 15, 2016.

The post Mystery Plays at York Minster first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

Britannia replaced the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert II, decommissioned in 1939, and is the only royal yacht to have a seagoing capacity and be specifically designed as both a royal residence and venue for entertaining up to 60 guests at state dinners.

At left is the Wheelhouse. It was originally located on the deck below the bridge, considered to be a safer location in case of any attack. The Wheelhouse normally had three men – one to steer and two to operate telegraphs on either side of the wheel. The telegraphs were linked to the Engine Room, five decks below.

At full capacity Britannia can carry 600 passengers. There are a few special design features in keeping with Britannia’s special role. For example, the royal observation decks are designed so gusts of wind vent downward to avoid blowing up royal skirts.

When the queen was making a state visit, she took along her Rolls Royce Phantom V or similar vehicle, housed in a special garage.

Queen Elizabeth launched her new yacht on April 16, 1953 with a bottle of Empire wine. During post-World War II British austerity, champagne was thought to be too extravagant. In January 1954, Britannia was commissioned into the Royal Navy. During time of war, she could serve as a hospital ship, and her crew was composed of naval sailors and marines.

Crew quarters look pretty cramped to me.

The commander was always an Admiral who oversaw 21 officers and 256 yachtsmen, called yotties. When members of the Royal family were aboard, a platoon of Royal Marines deployed. And, of course, there was a band with a director and 26 musicians. The band practiced daily, but had to do so without making noise. Nothing was allowed to disturb the passengers’ desire for silence and relaxation. Crew members wore shoes with rubber soles and used hand signals so they could do their jobs quietly.

It seems the officers in the wardroom liked to play some sort of game with a stuffed wombat. I’m not sure of the rules, but I suspect the creature was often ‘flying high.’

Queen Elizabeth called Britannia the only place where she could truly relax.

And one of the places the Royal Family and guests liked to relax was in the bar. The painting on the left was done by Prince Philip.

The informality of this area was in direct contrast to the more formal main drawing room.

It cost the Royal Navy £11 million pounds annually to operate Britannia. In 1994 Conservative party leader John Major announced that the next time the Britannia was due for an overhaul, she would be decommissioned. It was a time of economic recession, and in an age of air travel, a royal yacht seemed both redundant and extravagant.

The Conservatives reconsidered and in 1997 announced they would built a new yacht. But it was too late. Labour took over the government, and Britannia’s decommissioning took place in December 1997. The event marked the first time Queen Elizabeth shed a tear in public.

Royal Yacht Britannia did not share the fate of her predecessor which was broken up for scrap. Britannia relocated to Edinburgh’s port city of Leith, and since 1998 has been open to the public.

Yes, that’s me and my nautical companion. He wasn’t the least bit flexible.

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Photos by Author. All Rights Reserved.

Royal Yacht Britannia

“60th Anniversary of Royal Yacht Britannia” BBC America.

“Honeymoons and Diplomacy on the Royal Yacht Britannia.” British Heritage.

“Queen Blamed Major for Royal Yacht Fiasco.” The Telegraph. April 20, 2003.

Julie Carpenter. “Marking 60 Years Since the Launch of the Royal Yacht.” Sunday Express. April 16, 2003

Robert Hardman. “Why Blair Wished He Hadn’t Made the Queen Cry.” Daily Mail. 27 Sept 2011.

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