United Kingdom holiday : Yorkshire Moors

First stop was Osmortherley. Beautiful relaxed village of matching stone houses. One of the first Methodist churches in the country and it is still going.

John Wesley preached at this barter table in the middle of Osmotherley on several occasions. His first visit was in 1745. In 1754 a Chapel was erected in Chapel Yard. It is still meeting as a Methodist church.

The Church of England building in Osmotherley is called St Peter's Church. It is built on an earlier Saxon site, with parts of the building dating from the Norman period.

The pattern of life in the village changed dramatically with the effect of the Enclosure Acts at the end of the 18th century and the opening of Cote Ghyll linen mill and its associated bleaching mills. The result was a rapid doubling of the population with the influx of workers from outside the area requiring more housing, shops and trades. Houses were built for the workers and it would appear all around the same time. Everything matches. Narrow lanes beautiful gardensThe linen industry dominated village life throughout the 19th century, with quarrying, jet mining and agriculture also providing local employment. However, foreign competition and other factors ultimately brought about the closure of the mills, the population dwindled and the pattern of life changed again.

Beginning of walk in moors Cleveland way started amongst the houses

We traversed through the Yorkshire moors- very isolated and brooding. Quite desolate interspersed with lush privately owned farms within the national park. But even the desolate parts had a beauty of its own and we felt part of a Jane Austen novel. Everything was misty and soft colours.

Came upon Rievaulx abbey when trying to find a walking path. This abbey is more spectacular than Tintern Abbey and the setting is so green and rural. It is a Cistercian Abbey and was built in We did an audio tour and we didn't have time for the museum.

Rievaulx Abbey was founded in 1132 by twelve monks from Clairvaux Abbey as a mission for the colonisation of the north of England and Scotland. It was the first Cistercian abbey in the north. With time it became one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, second only to Fountains Abbey in fame.

Floor tiles still with colour

We had a hot chocolate with our thermos in the car park. We love staying in places that have hot chocolate sachets!

No time now for a walk as we have to get to York. Parking in York was very expensive -£8 for half a day. We went on free guided tour with the Volunteer Association. She was excellent and gave us great insight into the history of York.

York has a fascinating history. The city was founded by the Romans in 71 AD, under the name of Eboracum. It became in turn the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and of the kingdoms of Northumbria and Jorvik. In the Middle Ages, York grew as a major wool trading centre and became the capital of the northern ecclesiastical province of the Church of England, a role it has retained.

In the 19th century, York became a hub of the railway network and a confectionery manufacturing centre.

Large sections of the Roman wall are still intact with a gatehouse at each corner.

Botanical gardens

Remains of roman multi angular tower from the Roman fort. The fort itself was on the site of the York cathedral. Recently they found this pillar on the abbey site

Levels of the wall. The lower section was done in 20th century to stabilise. The next one up is Roman and the top one was done by the Victorians to make it look more theatrical!

Levels of the earth in York

St Mary's Abbey. Now a ruin following the Dissolution of course. Used to be one of the largest in Europe.

This is half the abbots house. Once they were removed Henry renovated to make it his palace. He faced the limestone with bricks. The other side which he didn't get around to renovating is below.