Sunday, November 29, 2009

"A Yorkshire November"

On Friday, we stayed with friends who live near Ilkley, Yorkshire, and on Saturday, we visited the village of Linton in Craven ( see above)
Linton is particularly intersting, as it's in two distinct halves.The upper village has the very old Fountaine Hospital, designed by Sir John Vanburgh in 1721, and bequeathed as an almshouse for local folk by Richard Fountaine. He was a fascinating character, it seems....having amassed a fortune as a London undertaker during the Great Plague! He also promised the village £26 annually...to be split betwixt 6 poor and elderly men and 6 poor and elderly women each year.


Also from Linton is Angela Baker, one of the stars of the famous W.I Calendar, that eventually led to Tim Firth's film, " Calendar Girls".
In the original calendar, Angela was " Miss February" and she's since raised over £2million for Leukemia Research following the death of her husband. Her part in the film was played memorably by Julie Walters.
Just 2 totally utterly contrasting stories...I wonder what others we'd unearth should we dig deeper?

And yet again this weekend.....so many memorable images of stark and lovely November....

8 Comments:

Blogger Helen P said...

What an interesting post, Jan and fascinating that money and death are linked so inextricably in both of your stories. I was left wanting to know more about both! (Hope you had a lovely weekend.)

7:10 pm  
Blogger Amanda said...

Looks beautiful, and a very interesting area. Thanks for sharing, Jan.

7:52 am  
Blogger cheshire wife said...

Yorkshire is not called God's Own County for nothing! It is beautiful, but I am biased.

9:37 pm  
Blogger Kay Cooke said...

I love the starkness - so England (the trees I mean rather than the 'stark' ... and yet ... ) :)

11:50 pm  
Blogger Kay Cooke said...

BTW my gr gr gr gr grandfather was from Huddersfield!

11:51 pm  
Blogger John Atkinson said...

Please dig dipper. What an interesting post. My clan left England in the early 1600s for America and I've often wondered why they risk the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
http://www.atkinsontimekeeper.com/

4:24 pm  
Blogger Jan said...

HelenP:
I did! And as I say, I wonder what else there is...?

Amanda:
Yes, it's lovely...especially when the trees are skeletons...shapes on skies of amazing colours...Love it.

Cheshire Wife:
WHY are you biased??
Come on, ENLARGE!


Kay:
DO I spot a poet at work????

Kay:
What stories remain of him?? It must be doubly fascinating...you being in NZ.

TimeKeeper:
Interesting thought!

5:49 pm  
Blogger cheshire wife said...

I am from Yorkshire. My calling card is the white rose of York.

8:56 am  

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