Castle Howard

Brideshead Revisited fans, this one's for you! When I discovered Castle Howard, the location used for both the original 1980s Granada TV series (the best) and the recent film version (why mess with perfection?) was just over an hour by bus from York, wild horses (and a very rickety bus) weren't going to keep me away. It was everything I dreamt it would be, and more.

 

Castle Howard has been occupied by Howards since it was built over 300 years ago by Sir John Vanbrugh. It took nearly 100 years to be completed. The current occupant, the Hon. Simon Howard, lives here with his family.

 

Now this is a china cabinet!

 

Not sure how comfortable this bed is.

One of my favorite rooms, Lady Georgiana's dressing room, complete with...

 

... a self-contained flushing chamber pot hidden in a mahogany chest!

The sculpture gallery where...

...Hadrian and I meet again.

One of the most dramatic episodes in the history of the home was when a fire swept through the house into the great hall in 1940. Brave young girls from a school evacuated to Castle Howard during the war formed a human chain and rescued many treasures throughout the night and into the morning, passing them out of the house and to safety on the lawn. The blaze destroyed the signature dome and 20 rooms. For two years Castle Howard was exposed to the elements. Thankfully it was eventually secured and restored.

Now this is a study!

The cozy Crimson Dining Room to entertain just a few guests.

The aptly named Turquoise Drawing Room.

 

The Long Gallery, which contains my most favorite object of the entire trip.

 

A Cabinet of Curiosity, which houses objects "to provoke a sense of wonder."

My whole trip summed up beautifully! Can I get it through Customs?

 

 

And now to the magnificent grounds. Just as spectacular as the home and it's contents.

I could move in and they'd never know I was there.

This wonderful land train, the Kelly Car, will take you everywhere. We chose to walk and explore.

 

The Great Lake.

The Temple of the Four Winds.

The New River Bridge.

Looking out to the private Mausoleum.

The wing that the current Howards reside in.

How'd you like to mow this lawn?

 

And now for some of the most spectacular gardens I've ever seen. No descriptions necessary. Just enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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York

I've always enjoyed staying in quirky, unconventional places when I travel. No mainstream hotels for me, thanks. York was no exception. Our home away from home was the guesthouse at The Bar Convent, England's oldest living convent. (In this case "bar" refers to an official entrance or gate to the walled city of York.) It was lovely, and not as spartan as one's imagination might think. In fact, it is one of our favorite places we have stayed in. Founded in 1686, during a time of persecution of Catholics, the convent was a secret community where nuns concealed their identity and established a school for girls. The current buildings date to the 18th century.

The Bar Convent, whose brickwork is being repointed, can be seen with scaffolding and a green screen.

The garden and outdoor cafe at the convent. An oasis in what is otherwise a bustling city.

Gorgeous encaustic (not glazed, but colored clay) tile on the floor of the indoor courtyard and dining room.

Micklegate Bar, once the primary entrance into medieval-walled York, dates back to the 1100s and has had many royal visitors, including Edward IV, Richard III, Henry VII, James I, Charles I, James II, and Elizabeth II. the severed heads of rebels and traitors were spiked and displayed on the roof. We behaved ourselves!

York Minster comes into view from atop the city walls.

 

York is the ancient capital of the north and the Minster, the Saxon term for a mission church, was the flagship of Christian faith at the far end of the Roman Empire. The Nave was built between 1291 and 1350, and is one of the widest in Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

We lucked out and heard the choir rehearsing for evensong.

York is a bit of a mecca for serious shoppers. We had fun "window shopping" here,...

 

...and here,...

 

and, well, I caved and did some real shopping here!

 

 

The timber-framed Shambles (once Great Flesh Shambles), a popular shopping street dating back to the 14th century, gets its name from "flesh shelves," which were the shelves butchers displayed meat on.

 

 

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English National Dish

It's long been thought that Fish and Chips were the unofficial national dish of the English. Apparently not so! My dig buddy, Dave, tells me it's now Chicken Tikka. He may be "taking the Mickey out of me," (pulling my leg), but Indian restaurants are everywhere, and Chicken Tikka is found on the menus of many mainstream restaurants. Take a look at what is known as "Indian Mile" in South Shields. There are eight, yes eight, Indian restaurants literally right next door to one another. This doesn't include the others that are scattered along Ocean Road, South Shields' high street.

 

 

 

 

On any given night, each of these restaurants did a steady stream of eat-in and take-out business. We watched with amazement night after night, during our evening strolls down to the beach, as locals and tourists alike fulfilled their hankering for "a curry." Where does this love of the cuisine from the Indian subcontinent come from? One needs only look at the history books to see how far back the British have been connected with this part of the world. Trading in the region dates back to the 17th century, The East India Company was established in the early 18th century, and the British Raj assumed control in 1858. Immigrants from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have deliciously spiced up British cuisine ever since.

 

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