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Shig-shags
While cutting back the bracken in Newton Wood today, I was taken by surprise when I stumbled upon what seemed to be miniature apples. Of course, these were not genuine apples, but rather galls created by insects as excrescences. And as it dawned on me that they were attached to a small oak sapling instead…
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Empire Day: a forgotten anniversary for an imperialist mindset
In the last century, for a period of more than 50 years, children were granted a half-day off from school on May 24th to commemorate ‘Empire Day.’ This celebration was aimed to highlight the grandeur of the empire and foster a sense of connection among its subjects. It was initiated in response to concerns raised…
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Au’d Nan o’ Sexhow
The wooded Whorl Hill, a glacial outlier. Behind and just to the left is Sexhow, a township in the former parish of Rudby-in-Cleveland. Nowadays, it is a Civil Parish in its own right. There is not much there, maybe just the trio of the Hall, the Park and the Grange. It was once though described…
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Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease’s Thoroughbred Hunters and Bousdale Farm
Bousdale Farm, perched on the plateau of Bousdale Hill, provides a splendid panoramic view of Guisborough and, in the distance, the North Sea. Although the farm was likely constructed in the early 1880s, it does not appear on the 1881 census. Apparently, the buildings were initially erected to accommodate Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease’s prized thoroughbred…
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St. Helen’s Day, the Rowan tree, and their connection to warding off witches
Wikipedia says St Helen’s Day — Helena, mother of Constantine I — is honoured in the Church of England on 21st May but in the Episcopal Church on 22nd May. The Rev. R.C. Atkinson, however, suggests it falls on the 2nd May. So who’s right? Yer pays yer money … It matters if you wish…
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From Green Bank to Cranimoor
Descending Carlton Bank, I dismounted the trusty bike to capture this photo of Green Bank, resplendent in the May sunshine and revealing its toponymic origin. Beyond is Cringle End, the steadfast nose of the moor of the same name. The old maps record this as Cringley Moor but an even more archaic name is Cranimoor.…
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The Charnel House of All Saints Church
What a gloomy morning it was, with the moors blanketed in clag. However, as the afternoon arrived, so did the sun, and I popped down to the village’s All Saints church to photograph its alleged charnel house. I’ve posted about this remarkable church before, it proudly stands as the oldest structure in Great Ayton. The…
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Bluebells, Burrs, and the Oak Tree
A return to the enchanting Valley Garden in Bransdale; the woodland floor is adorned with a vibrant carpet of blooming bluebells beneath the shade of a magnificent oak tree. Its base boasts a remarkable feature—a large burr, a fascinating clue to the tree’s history and resilience. Burrs are a peculiar growth resembling warts, and can…
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The Old Fish Pond, Kildale
Welcome to the picturesque col, or pass, connecting Commondale and Kildale. Here, the nascent River Leven gracefully meanders through this marshy terrain, making its entrance from the right, just this side of the road to West House, a scene of a horrific murder. The river then finds itself in a state of contemplation, torn between…
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A thought-provoking piece of artwork that juxtaposes the simplicity of an alphabetical motif with the rugged beauty of weatherworn lichen-covered sandstone crag …
… The use of white aerosol paint against the natural textures of the crag creates a striking contrast, drawing the viewer’s attention to the delicate interplay between man-made symbols and the organic world. Sorry, too tongue in cheek perhaps. Graffiti! The malicious cousin of art that’s always popping up where it is least desired. It’s…
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