Continuing the sub-series about my visit to Tintagel within the series about my Cornish holiday. Also taking the opportunity to pitch for votes for NAS West Norfolk for Lynn News Charity of the Year.
INTRODUCTION
I continue my account of my Cornish holiday with the second of what will be three posts about Tintagel. In my previous post I ended with the new bridge that one uses to enter the grounds of the castle. Before getting into the body of this post I have small piece of business to attend to…
NAS WEST NORFOLK ON SHORTLIST FOR LYNN NEWS CHARITY OF THE YEAR
NAS West Norfolk, of which I am branch secretary, is now the only organization in West Norfolk to whom autistic people can turn for help. We are run by volunteers, all our money comes from donations, and is all used to run activities that help autistic people. For more details about The Lynn News Charity of the Year and to vote please click here. Please also help to publicise this any way you can.
THE CASTLE GROUNDS – THE ASCENT
Excavations are ongoing, but already a huge amount has been revealed – this place was massive back in the day. Within the castle grounds the official walking routes are well kept, and the ascents and descents are all fairly manageable. When the weather is good, and we were lucky to get an exceptionally benevolent day, there are some stunning views in addition to the ruins. Time now for some photos…
The first of a number of interesting info/ story boards around the castle.
The sun prevented me from getting a really good picture of this view, but I wanted to share it anyway.
An account of an outing yesterday, with huge numbers of photographs.
INTRODUCTION
This was an outing arranged by my mother and my aunt which happened yesterday. Binham is a village about ten miles beyond the market town of Fakenham, Holt is a Georgian market town a little beyond Binham (more of this later). Binham is home a to an eponymous blue cheese, and also to the remains of a Benedictine priory (the same order who in the days when they were powerful controlled Ely, where the cathedral still stands). Holt as it is today is almost entirely the product of rebuilding after a huge fire in 1708 reduced the town to ruins, and as such is one the most noteworthy Georgian towns anywhere.
BINHAM PRIORY
Most of this section will be told by means of the photographs I took while at the priory, starting with some which give you some information about it:
Just before moving on I will note that although this is an English Heritage site they do not charge for admission, clearly not reckoning they would take enough to justify paying someone to work there selling tickets.
INSIDE THE PARISH CHURCH
This is the only part of what was once a construction on an awesome scale that is still standing and usable – the rest was very determinedly destroyed in 1539 (not quite a match for Treebeard and the ents at Isengard, but a fairly thorough piece of destruction!). There are some very interesting exhibits within the church.
Thisb door is not used – there is a side door for access to the inside of the church.
A splendid looking organ.
Several different styles of arch in one building.
Carvings on a bench (2)
the bench.
THE RUINS
Outside the church there is a substantial area covered by ruins:
The brickwork at the top and bottom of this picture is reminiscent of genuine Byzantine churches in Southern Greece.
LUNCH
Having finished at the priory and the shop selling local produce (including raw – i.e. unpasteurised – milk from the local cattle, not available in quantities of less than a litre, which since it only stays good for a maximum of four days is too much to be worth buying) we headed to the village pub for lunch.
The first good sign at the pub was that it had three beers, two decent and one excellent, on tap. The food looked good as well, and while we were waiting for it to arrive there was what I chose to interpret as a further good sign, a delivery from a supplier based in nearby Fakenham. The food turned out to be excellent and we went on our way happy.
The village sign.The pub.
Two decent beers either side of one excellent one – a good start.A pint of Ghost Ship, a magnificent drink, especially if the weather is warm.
HOLT
We did not spend long in Holt, a few minutes exploring and photographing, ending in the shoe shop, where I bought a pair of what looked like excellent walking shoes (more about them in a later post).
Buses going in opposite directions.Bakers & Larners – a survivor from a bygone age, an independent department store.
A tour bus.
A list of the Bakers of Bakers and LarnersThe pair of shoes – can you identify their many plus points from this picture (all will be revealed in my next post)?
aspiblog 