We began our day exploring York by walking the length of the Medieval town wall. Sections of the wall began in Roman times around 70AD, continued through the Viking era, William the Conquerer up to the present day. Beautiful views of the town can be seen from the wall.
The town is one of the best preserved Medieval towns in England. Lovely views can be seen from the old bridges crossing the Ouse river. Julie and I enjoyed a delightful traditional Yorkshire lunch with Yorkshire Puddings filled with venison stew, potatoes and vegetables. Of course I had to wash it down with a pint of bitter.
The Highlight of a visit to York is the Minster which dates back to the 600's. Julie and I took a guided tour of the church which is prized for having the largest collection of Medieval Stained glass windows in Europe. Last evening we attended Evensong service which was a beautifully inspiring experience with the Boys Choir and Songmen leading worship.
The Minster is a history book in images. Glass windows and statuary hint the changing politics over the last 1000 years including the reformation and changes in English dynasties. The Minster was spared from the defrocking of the churches by Oliver Cromwell due to his local military civil war leader Lord Fairfax. Fairfax threatened his soldiers with death if they harmed the Minster. It is the Fairfax family that later inherited large land holdings in the Virginia Colony.
The Northern England cloudy weather is a challenge for my amateur photography. The gray days which dominate the area eliminate the element of contrast and vibrant color which makes for pretty pictures. One photo blogger has suggested rendering Northern England pictures in Black & White.
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Soooo interesting! Great photos, too. Thank you!
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