Hadrian's Wall June 2007

We spent the day before walking the wall having a lovely drive from Yorkshire in beautiful sunshine. (yes there are days like that)
Our first stop was Barnard Castle in Durham county. The castle was founded shortly after the Norman conquest, but flourished under Bernard de Bailleul in the late half of the 12th century. It was owned at various times by the Balliol's one of whom John was King of Scotland, also Richard Neville Earl of Warwick & then Richard 111 who inherited it through his wife Anne Neville.
There is a beautiful window overlooking the River Tees. This is attributed to Richard 111, it has the remains of a symbol of a Boar which is associated with him.
After coffee we had a gorgeous drive through lovely open countryside & moorland. We arrived at the market town of Hexham which was heaving so we moved swiftly on to Corbridge a lovely village with a lovely Saxon church & beautiful ceiling.
We had a little side trip to Chesters Roman Fort before settling in our lodgings which unfortunately did not measure up to the beauty of the rest of the village but were adequate.
The next day was Wall day so we had to have the large English breakfast which nearly nailed us to the perch but we struggled valiantly on.
Our walk started from Hexham which is a great example of a Roman fort. At this stage one is allowed to walk on top of the wall but soon it becomes too steep & the walk is by the side. There is also "a pussy's walk" which is a little lower down which is not quite as undulating. I do have to admit that for a very short space of time we elected this route. We also came upon the tree that those of you who have seen "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves" will have seen Kevin Costner embracing. Of course tree embracing does not turn you into Costner but some valiant souls still tried!!!!!!!, & greatly disappointed their waiting women. Of course as you would expect I WAS not one of these disappointed souls!!!
The wall really gives you a great idea of what it may have been like for those valiant Romans & others working in such a hostile environment & also the message it must have given the locals of the might of the Roman armies. (not to mention my marauding ancestors the valiant Picts of the north) The Wall was started in AD 122 & remarkably there is a lot left despite most of the surrounding homes being built from it.
After our day we stayed in The Hadrian hotel & had jolly chats with various locals in the bar. all very pleasant. One chap told us that in his youth he had been offered his dream job in London but decided that having to leave Northumberland was too high a price to pay!!











Next day we travelled to Belsay Hall, Castle & gardens the creation of the Middleton family, over more than seven centuries. The castle is 14th C & has a massive ‘peel tower’, said to be one of the best surviving examples in England. At it's 4 corners there are rounded bartizans (an overhanging wall mounted turret for those in the know) Tudor parts & a Jacobean West wing were later added.
The family lived here until 1817 when they moved into Belsay hall an austere Classical Greek Revival villa. Designed by Sir Charles Monk (formerly Middleton but changed his name so he could inherit his wifes fortune) He apparently was inspired by buildings seen in Athens on his honeymoon. We were not particularly impressed with the house, the family having insisted that it remain untouched in homage to earlier generations. The Middletons built their fortune from the cotton industry in America funded of course by slaves.

The gardens are really magnificent & also largely the work of Sir Charles Monk. His rugged and romantic Quarry Garden, created where stone was cut for his hall, has ravines, pinnacles and sheer rock faces inspired by the quarries of Sicily. His grandson Sir Arthur Middleton, added to it with a wide range of exotic species, as well as adding the Winter Garden, Yew Garden, and Magnolia Terrace. The rhododendrons were magnificent on the day we went.

After this we wended our way over to the East Coast & to Whitley Bay. Strange climate I must admit the day was gorgeous inland but the bay was windy & cold just a few hardy girls with fat/pink blotchy arms on the beach. After a dismal sandwich & a cup of coffee in a very 60's tea room on the beach we fled back to the comfort of the car & headed for home through the rather amazing Newcastle tunnel.

Huddersfield Old Haunts May 2007

Since one of my sons & one of Judith's sons were both keen to re-visit their mothers' old haunts, their mothers needed no encouragement! So off we set to visit the delights of Huddersfield. I had forgotten how hardy we were. The old Penine wind struck with ferocity & Sam was heard to comment " he couldn't live here".

We went up to see the old house, reminisce about Rick's school & the visit of Princess Margaret in the 60's, then saw our junior school, a beautiful building but now a rather uncared for looking nursing home. My secondary school, Greenhead, is looking better preserved being a 6th form college now.
The library brought back many memories of kicking library shelves whilst our parents chose books and records. Judith pointed out the paintings of Alison Napier's father Adrian which had enraptured me as a child pictures of local villages pretending to fish the moon out of the pond.
We had a look at the Parish Church where we were both christened & confirmed. Dad used to wait outside & read the paper as I recall & we would regale him of stories of Rick and his frequent habit of fainting during the long hymns, made quite a diversion!!!

My other desire was to re-visit "Dalton Grange"which had been a magical place as a child. It was where the ICI Christmas parties were held & where as a small child I was invited to the afternoon party but also got to go to the evening party which my brother & sister were attending. I recall being handed over a room full of diners to the waiting care of my big sister. I felt very important!!!! Judith remembers that these parties were for the children of the graduate & manager employees of ICI. We also had another party for all the workers children at the local cinema where we watched films & were given a selection box of chocolates.

No wonder my mother loved ICI, especially the silver candlesticks given to my father for all his labours.
After this we drove over to Elland to see Judith's small but exclusive private school "Grace Ramsdens", now a kindergarten. A short drive away is the cemetery where Dad was taken & where Mum's ashes have been spread. We decided she would not be pleased with the abundance of plastic flowers around but thankful she is facing away from them.