Category: Great Ayton
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Byanna’s Sunday
The sun was being a bit elusive this morning, remaining hidden behind a bank of cloud until I was almost home. A gap through the trees provided this view of the still sleepy village. Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice or Yule, the old pagan celebration. Which means that today, the Sunday before Yule is Byanna’s…
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Aerial Ropeway Base, Cliff Rigg Wood
Standing proud in Cliff Rigg Wood, a concrete base that supported one of the steel trestles for an aerial ropeway that ran from Ayton Bank Ironstone Mine to sidings at the west end of Cliff Ridge where the ore was loaded into railway trucks. As the trestles were of a tripod design there would have…
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Aireyholme
An earlyish start for a walk back home from Pinchinthorpe and once again, setting out in the dull and gloom and thick cloud. Almost home and out pops a sunbeam, a phenomenon which in naval slang would have been termed a ‘Jacob’s Ladder‘. And the sun shone on Aireyholme Farm, and the fields south and…
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Tiers of a Clown
Ah, one of the songs from my teenage years. In fact, it could be a contender for the Motown section of my desert island discs. The phrase is used to describe a person, traditionally Pierrot the sad clown, who appears cheerful and lively but, underneath the makeup, is emotionally distraught. Like the pun? Maybe I…
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What’s the problem with Stinking Willie?
Common ragwort, the bane of horsey people. Also known as St James’ Wort, Staggerwort, Stammerwort, Yellow tops, and, the best of all, Mare’s fart. Those who keep horses are religious about labouriously hand pulling every plant from their paddocks. Yet horses and other grazing animals find it bitter and will not normally eat the growing…
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Cliff Rigg Quarry
Feeling under the weather so haven’t ventured far. Two ascents of Cliff Rigg with its huge hole left by the whinstone industry. The tooth of rock is the remnant of a wall of whinstone left as shoring to stop the weaker shales from collapsing. In the distance, is Capt. Cook’s Monument of Easby Moor Open…
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What shall we do about Capt. Cook?
The recent events in Bristol when Edward Colston, deputy governor of the Royal African Company which oversaw the transportation into slavery of an estimated 84,000 Africans plus another 19,000 who did not survive the sea voyage, ended up at the bottom of the harbour, raises questions closer to home. Whilst not condoning the criminal aspects…
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Royal Oak Day,twenty nineth of May,if you deean’t give us holiday,We’ll all run away.
If you see someone out wearing a sprig of oak leaves today, May 29th, he, or she, is celebrating Royal Oak Day. The day traditionally commemorating King Charles II‘s return to London and his restoration as King on this day in 1660, which also happened to be his birthday. The oak leaves symbolise his escape…
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If only walls could talk
I’ve had my eye on this wall for years. Such a fascinating assortment of alterations over the years. Windows, doors, a platform, steps. Until this coronavirus, there are usually cars parked in front of it but this morning I was surprised to see it clear. Even those yellow poppies are taking advantage of the light.…
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Site of Summerhill Farm
In 1658 John Coulson, lord of the manor of Great Ayton, together with twenty other freeholders of the village made an agreement to enclose the ancient open fields and common pastures dividing them up amongst themselves. Sometime after this, the farm at Summerhill, nestling below Ayton Bank, would have been created. In spite of its…