Good Day Sunshine: Pickering

Pickering Church

After leaving Wharram Percy, our archaeology field trip took us to the town of Pickering in east Yorkshire, where we visited Pickering Church, which was established in the 11th century on the suspected site of an Anglo-Saxon church. This area was devastated by the "Harrying of the North", which took place all over the north of England in the late 11th century, when William the Conqueror was subjugating his new territories. The re-use of Anglo-Saxon masonry in the walls of Pickering Church has led scholars to believe a previous church on this site may have been destroyed at that time. One of the most startling discoveries here was the poly-chrome wall paintings inside the church, which were found during renovations, under the plaster-work in the nave of the church.

Sunshine and Flowers

Re-used Saxon Masonry

A Beasty

Time...

Saint Christopher carrying Jesus

Saint George and the Dragon

Sunshine

King Herod, Salome, and John the Baptist

Coronation of the Virgin

Stone mason's mark.

The Life of Saint Katherine

The Fires of Doom Swallowing The Damned

Capital of a column in the nave.

Medieval knight's alabaster tomb cover

The Knights crossed legs means this Knight had been on Crusade more than once. 

Check out the mustache on that Knight!

We ended our visit to Pickering with a walk up to the castle gate at the top of town. This is the view across the valley to another Mot and Bailey site. Another great day!

All Things Must Pass: A Deserted Village

Wharram Percy

This term we were given a choice of modules to take, and I have chosen Medieval Settlements and Communities, since this is the time period of most interest to me. This course is another archaeology course and includes studying medieval villages, towns, castles, monasteries,  and artifacts. This week we had a field trip to a deserted village in the East Yorkshire Wolds called Wharram Percy. Although it is called a deserted village, these villagers were actually evicted by the influential Percy family that owned the land, so that it could be turned over to pastureland for sheep. The church continued to serve the parish, which included many other villages, until 1948. These photos show the old layout of the tofts and crofts, the village mill pond, and the now ruined church, which dates from c1100. The church was remodeled multiple times in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. Check it out...

The entrance to the village.

The Church and Millpond

Ridges show where the edges of the crofts and tofts lie beneath the grass.

A 13th century aisle archway filled in with a 15th century window casement.

A Norman Column

The churchyard.

The Nave and Chancel.

Reused Norman masonry

Deserted once more.

Hi ho hi ho, its off to Pickering we go...

There's a Place...called London

On our second trip to London we took in the sights with my childhood friend Louise. We began our day at Buckingham Palace, where we went on the official tour. Its only open for a few months a year and tickets have to reserved in advance, so it was a special treat. We also lucked out and got to see the special exhibit of the Royal Family's Faberge collection. Too bad there were no photos allowed inside the palace. but here's a few from the rest of the morning.

And out and about in Cambden...

Camden Lock