Journey Northward

York was a priority on this year's trip because I had been told how amazing a city it is. However, I didn't realize until I got there why I would find York so amazing: there's a cathedral (and I have it in my head for some reason to try and visit as many English Cathedrals as possible. Last year's tally - three; this year's tally - two, plus Westminster, not a Cathedral, I know.); a train ride is required; and there are both Roman and Viking and medieval sites to see. 

York is such an old and complex city with many different identities:

• Roman - called Eboracum and founded by the Romans in 71 CE, Hadrian visited, Constantine was emperor of Rome while in Eboraum, reorganized Britain into four provinces, and then died here. capital of Kingdom of Northumbria.
• Saxon and Danish - after the Roman army had withdrawn, Eboracum became Eoforwic under the Saxons. Eoforwic was a Viking center from 867 and one of Europe's chief trading bases. 
• Norman - William the conqueror "visited" and quelled a rebellion. The Normans also built the first minster
• Medieval - The building of York Minster as it is and the 2.5 miles of walls and four gates that still circle the city. Between 1100 and 1500, it was England's second largest city. 
• Victorian - Because of its strategic location, York became the center of a flourishing rail empire, resulting in wealth and a building boom in the grand Victorian style. 

Past identities are evident all over, from the foundations of St. Mary's Abbey in the York Museum Gardens to the most obvious remanent of the Romans - the Wall, which is intact in three long sections. The Norman to medieval period is evident in the Minster and the cobble-lined streets. The Shambles is lined by wooden-framed buildings that lean so far across the narrow alley that some of their roofs almost touch, truly medieval experience, thankfully without the slop, smell, and muck that would have been more appropriate for the area. The Danish heritage is evident in the street names that end in "gate,"like Stonegate, Coppergate, Castlegate, Petergate. "Gate" comes from the Danish word 'gata' meaning street or way. 

York Minster itself has a complex identity. It was built on Roman foundations, where Emperor Constantine lived. There have been 5 minsters built on this site, the first likely a wooden chapel where King Edwin of Northumbria was baptized in 627. Eventually the Normans built a structure in the 11th century, onto which the foundation for the current York Minster was built beginning in 1220 and finished 252 years later in 1472. The current York minster is the largest Gothic church north of the Alps. It also has the largest collection of medieval stained glass in Britain, some dating from  the late 12th century, which  means that the stained glass windows have sustained weather, the Reformation, Civil War, and World War II. The Great East Window is the largest area of medieval painted glass in the world, the size of a tennis court. 

The best way to see all the identities of York is by walking the Walls - Roman intersects with Victorian, medieval with Georgian. All of these identities have coalesced to make York, and England, so unique. Why not take the time to walk around and appreciate it when there are three hours before a train on the Great Railway?

From a Great Journey to a Small Church

After a day at work, a flight across the ocean, clearing customs, the tube to London's King's Cross, a train to Royston, a bus from Royston to Cambridge (because of course this weekend of all the weekends possible there's track work which results in shuttle service), and a hackney, I finally arrive at my destination in a quaint flat at the end of a quaint Walk (literally the name of the road) in Cambridge.  And because I'm in England, the weather must be mentioned - it was gorgeously sunny and warm with a slight breeze all day, perfect for walking. 

The first stop (there's no time to plan, follow the itinerary) was St. Peter's Church, the smallest church in Cambridge. It rests on Castle Hill with an overgrown and wild church yard. Though originally built in the 11th century, traces of the Roman history of the area are visible in the church's exterior. Terracotta Roman roofing tiles became building materials. In fact, the exterior walls of the church display such a variety of stone, you can't help but wonder how it was all scavenged. Because Cambridge has no natural supply of stone for building, most buildings had to import the stone or use local flint rock, which is not ideal since it only comes in small nodules and can't be faced like building stone. 

Cambridge Castle was built shortly after the Norman conquest on the highest point in Cambridge overlooking the River Cam, and overshadowed the Church. At first a keep and mote infrastructure, stone was eventually brought in to build the castle. Once the castle fell out of general use, the stone was scavenged and used to build the rest of Cambridge. Examples of the castle's stone can be found in the Colleges' buildings. 

Traces of St. Peter's Saxony history are present in the carved doorways and stone font, decorated with four mermen grasping their split tails. It is posited that the font was perhaps a Saxon mortar for grinding grains. It's likely that the Christians repurposed the mortar as a baptismal font, incorporating the pagan iconography of the mermen into Christianity. 

The church was eventually rebuilt during the Georgian period, and then cut in half to its present size in the 18th century. 

Next to St. Peter's is Kettle's Yard, the former home of Jim and Helen Ede, which is now a museum. Harold Stanley "Jim" Ede was curator at the Tate Gallery in the 1920s and 30s. His home showcases his friendship with many artists and their worldly travels. The Ede's transformed four dilapidated cottages into a single home, resulting in a variety of differently shaped rooms, art work and collectables throughout the home. Not only is this a truly unique museum because of the Edes, but also because you can actually sit in all the chairs in the house, even a rattan-backed chair ergonomically designed to hug the sitter. 

The first of many English afternoons too come ended as all English afternoon's should...with tea, scones, jam, and cream.