We made a day trip to Studley Royal Park, UNESCO 1986, which embodies a number of events in British history. The magnificent water gardens were originally conceived by John Aislabie, one of the masterminds of the infamous 1720 South Sea Bubble (the vertiginous rise and subsequent fall of the stocks of the South Sea Company that assumed government debt in exchange for monopoly in slave trade to the Americas). His son purchased the neighboring Fountains Abbey, started in the 12 century as a Cistercian Monastery until closed after Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church.
It's a vast complex. At its heyday the Abbey commanded over 60,000 acres of land. One descendant the estate passed through was a Viceroy of India, who added St Mary's Church.
Our arrival at York Railway Station.
We stayed in a room above the Bootham Tavern, which was right above the small stage that had live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Yikes! However the Friday band The 5:15's played mostly rhythm and blues, a plus, and was named after a song by The Who, another plus, and the Saturday night band Mithril was acoustic, so it was a positive experience. Not to mention, the bands started at 9pm and finished at 11pm on-the-dot.
There is an area of the medieval city center called "The Shambles". Here one finds narrow streets, the Shambles Market, This Shop is so Gay, and the 14th century Monk Bar Gate.
Folks waiting to attend Evensong at York Minster.
On the bus to Fountains Abbey we crossed the River Ouse (1st below) and later passed a horse-drawn Romany Bow-Top Wagon (2nd below).
Fountains Hall (1st below) and Fountains Abbey
The Water Garden at Fountains Abbey
While Fountains Abbey dates from the 1100s, the nearby St Mary's Church is Victorian (1870s).
We walked by the Eboracum Roman Festival more than once.
Walking on the city walls was cool. At one point there was a great view to York Minster behind the grounds of the Grays Court Hotel.
Aldi Price Match!
Former Electric Cinema (1911)
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