For the second day I had compiled a list of places to visit. I started with the Castle Museum which was an amazing place. They have recreated rooms from the Middle Ages through to an 80s kitchen. It is quite disconcerting to find that you are part of history.
They also had displays on birth, marriage and death, and 'cleanliness is next to godliness'. Then there was the Victorian street, with shops, stables, and even smells. Finally we went through a farm area, which reminded me how important agriculture was, and still is, in Yorkshire. It was really engrossing and time flew by.
Next was Fairfax House, a Georgian house. Lord Fairfax was a Catholic peer, who was wealthy but limited in position because of his faith. He created this exquisite house, nearly sending himself bankrupt in the process. Photography was not allowed unfortunately, but the stucco plasterwork was delicate and intricate and the proportions of the rooms perfect. The house had an amazing collection of barometers and clocks, and also a special exhibition of them as well. No booklet to accompany it :(
I had an extended conversation with a man who must be one of the key people. He was full of information, drew my attention to some special features and obviously loved the house. The staircase was particularly beautiful. I've managed to do a screen shot of it from below, but it is better viewed from above. The cantilevered staircase is particularly unusual - I think it is one of the first ever. One of the rooms had a very unsettling pattern on the ceiling where the rows on the upper section of the wall curved creating an optical illusion as you moved across the room.
The other house I visited, the Mayor's house, was disappointing. Basic displays with no information in only 3 rooms with disinterested staff: waste of money.
Jorvik is the Viking Centre, which highlights the middle age of life in York. As with so many of these sites, it was discovered during building works. The centre is very entertaining and well set up for school groups. Displays are grouped thematically, with lots of interactive screens and other video displays. One of the most fascinating for me was the exploration of a skeleton, identifying all the issues the woman had including scoliosis, hip weakness and a strengthened and slightly raised right arm indicating she used a crutch. For one section I sat in a little cart which wound through a reconstructed village with audio accompaniment. I also stood by and listened to one of the staff talk to some primary students. Great fun :)
Still on the list was a tiny church not far from the Minster which was high on the Trip advisor top things to do. It was tucked away behind one of the lanes, described as a haven of peace in a busy city. Unfortunately, being on a top 10 list ensures lots of visitors! Still, it was interesting specifically for two features. All of the pews are boxed, with little doors and seats facing each other. The pulpit is high enough to see into the boxes though; no falling asleep allowed. There's a separate little chapel on the side, as is common, but it includes a cut out section in a stone wall which allowed the priest in the small chapel to see what the main priest was doing.
I still needed to walk a section of wall, and at the gate I found a small Richard III museum. He had built the top level of the tower over the gate, and this is where the museum had been placed. It had heaps of information about Richard, his rise to the throne, defeat, and the debate over the fate of the Princes in the Tower. There was an audio 'trial', an opportunity to vote on whodunit and a petition asking for his remains to be taken to York for burial. There was also an extensive display on all the Royal marriages and where the brides came from; Richard is supposed to have had the most English marriage of all time.
The tower also contained a tiny prison cell, where one of the most famous Catholic martyrs was imprisoned.
They also had displays on birth, marriage and death, and 'cleanliness is next to godliness'. Then there was the Victorian street, with shops, stables, and even smells. Finally we went through a farm area, which reminded me how important agriculture was, and still is, in Yorkshire. It was really engrossing and time flew by.
Next was Fairfax House, a Georgian house. Lord Fairfax was a Catholic peer, who was wealthy but limited in position because of his faith. He created this exquisite house, nearly sending himself bankrupt in the process. Photography was not allowed unfortunately, but the stucco plasterwork was delicate and intricate and the proportions of the rooms perfect. The house had an amazing collection of barometers and clocks, and also a special exhibition of them as well. No booklet to accompany it :(
I had an extended conversation with a man who must be one of the key people. He was full of information, drew my attention to some special features and obviously loved the house. The staircase was particularly beautiful. I've managed to do a screen shot of it from below, but it is better viewed from above. The cantilevered staircase is particularly unusual - I think it is one of the first ever. One of the rooms had a very unsettling pattern on the ceiling where the rows on the upper section of the wall curved creating an optical illusion as you moved across the room.
The other house I visited, the Mayor's house, was disappointing. Basic displays with no information in only 3 rooms with disinterested staff: waste of money.
Jorvik is the Viking Centre, which highlights the middle age of life in York. As with so many of these sites, it was discovered during building works. The centre is very entertaining and well set up for school groups. Displays are grouped thematically, with lots of interactive screens and other video displays. One of the most fascinating for me was the exploration of a skeleton, identifying all the issues the woman had including scoliosis, hip weakness and a strengthened and slightly raised right arm indicating she used a crutch. For one section I sat in a little cart which wound through a reconstructed village with audio accompaniment. I also stood by and listened to one of the staff talk to some primary students. Great fun :)
Still on the list was a tiny church not far from the Minster which was high on the Trip advisor top things to do. It was tucked away behind one of the lanes, described as a haven of peace in a busy city. Unfortunately, being on a top 10 list ensures lots of visitors! Still, it was interesting specifically for two features. All of the pews are boxed, with little doors and seats facing each other. The pulpit is high enough to see into the boxes though; no falling asleep allowed. There's a separate little chapel on the side, as is common, but it includes a cut out section in a stone wall which allowed the priest in the small chapel to see what the main priest was doing.
I still needed to walk a section of wall, and at the gate I found a small Richard III museum. He had built the top level of the tower over the gate, and this is where the museum had been placed. It had heaps of information about Richard, his rise to the throne, defeat, and the debate over the fate of the Princes in the Tower. There was an audio 'trial', an opportunity to vote on whodunit and a petition asking for his remains to be taken to York for burial. There was also an extensive display on all the Royal marriages and where the brides came from; Richard is supposed to have had the most English marriage of all time.
The tower also contained a tiny prison cell, where one of the most famous Catholic martyrs was imprisoned.
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