United Kingdom – Page 2

HEBDEN BRIDGE – I

After Liverpool we head for a place called Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.

** All images are geotagged and if clicked on, will open into a new window/tab. **

Valley View, Halifax Road, Littleborough, West Yorkshire, England UK

Farm Gate & Wall, Blackstone Edge Road, Cragg Vale, West Yorkshire, England UK

Boundary Stone, Blackstone Edge Road, Cragg Vale, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

“SB” is thought to refer to either Sowerby or Soyland.

Moor, Blackstone Edge Road, Cragg Vale, West Yorkshire, England UK

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St George’s Bridge, St George’s Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

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A cast iron bridge that is Grade II listed – built in 1892.

[Our room]

White Lion, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

The pub is Grade II listed and dated to 1657. It is reputedly the oldest building in Hebden Bridge

“Il Mulino” Restaurant Entrance, Bridge Mill, St George’s Square, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

The restaurant is located in the old Bridge Mill.

Stone Marker, St George’s Square, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

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The inscription on the stone :- “Hebden Bridge centre of the universe!”

Adorned Gate, Old Lees Yard, St George’s Square, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Hebden Old Bridge, Hebden Water, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

The bridge is another Grade II listed building having originated as a timber structure in medieval times and stone built in 1510 as a packhorse bridge.

Hebden Water, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

“The Pub”, The Courtyard, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

a.k.a. “The Hebden”

The Vault, Cnr New Road & Crown Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Crown Inn, Cnr Crown & Cheetham Streets, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

As can be seen above the sign, the building was formerly The Civic Hall

Former Bank, Jcn Hope & Albert Streets, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Citroën 2CV ‘Fourgonnette’ Van, Albert Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Gantry Bridge, Carlton Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Oxford House, Albert Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Door Knocker, 5 Albert Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Former Croft Mill, Croft Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Bridge Mill, St George’s Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Also a Grade II listed building dating to 1830

Town Hall, St George’s Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Millennium Clock, St George’s Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

The Millennium Clock was installed into what was then Thompson Solicitors’ building on St George’s Street, Hebden Bridge in 2000 AD. Funds to pay for the clock were paid by public subscription and presented to the town by the Rotary Club of Hebden Bridge.

Drinks, White Lion, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Hebden Water, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

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This was just outside our room at the White Lion

Gate Door, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Pub Sign, Shoulder of Mutton, St George’s Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Street Sign, Hangingroyd Lane, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Doorway, Hebble House, Royd Terrace, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Dining Area, White Lion, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Passage, White Lion, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

LIVERPOOL 2023 – III

Albert-Salthouse Bridge, Salthouse Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Salthouse Bridge is located on Salthouse Quay at the entrance to Salthouse Dock in Liverpool.

The Salthouse Bridge was formerly a set of dock gates and a swing bridge.
The original bridge was a double carriageway balancing cast iron swing bridge built in 1842 over the passage between Salthouse and Canning Docks in Liverpool.

Big Red Things, Atlantic Pavilion, Salthouse Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Exhibition Hall. Merseyside Maritime Museum, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Fire Escape, International Slavery Museum, Royal Albert Dock, Hartley’s Quay, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Gower Street Facade, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Historical Marker Plate (Jesse Hartley), Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Madre Mexican Restaurant, Anchor Courtyard, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Musicians, Revolution Bar & Restaurant, Atlantic Pavilion, Salthouse Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Newspaper Exhibit, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Night at Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Planter Barrel, Smuggler’s Cove, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Rat on a Rope, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Royal Albert Dock at Night, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Ship’s Bell, Britannic III, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Long Shot, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Wheel of Liverpoool, Keel Wharf, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Turncoat Bar & Distillery, Edward Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Window View, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

LIVERPOOL 2023 – II

Continuing in Liverpool and making use of the tourist buses.

Window of Our Room, Premier Inn, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Fab 4 Store, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Old Bollard, Salthouse Dock, Gower Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Tour Buses, Salthouse Dock, Gower Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Salthouse Dock, Gower Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Old Building, Jcn Paradise, Price, Liver Streets & Cleveland Square, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

“Liverpool Resurgent”, 40 Ranelagh Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Liverpool Resurgent is an artwork by Jacob Epstein, mounted above the main entrance to the former Lewis’s department store building in Ranelagh Street, Liverpool. It comprises a large bronze statue and three relief panels.

The current Lewis’s Building was constructed for Lewis’s in 1947 to replace the building that had been destroyed by bombing in the Second World War.

The main 18 feet (5.5 m) high bronze statue stands on the portico above the entrance. It depicts a naked man standing on a plinth shaped like the prow of a ship projecting from the façade of the building, with left arm stretched out and right arm raised as if calling or signalling. It symbolises Liverpool’s resurgence following the war, but it is nicknamed locally as either “Nobby Lewis” or “Dickie Lewis”.

The work was unveiled on 20 November 1956 to celebrate the centenary of Lewis’s and the completion of its reconstruction works. The statue became known as a meeting place.

Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Oxford Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Catholic Cathedral

Anglican Cathedral, Cathedral Gate, St James Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Residences, Upper Parliament Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Princes Road Synagogue, Princes Road, Toxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Princes Road Synagogue came into existence when the Jewish community in Liverpool in the late 1860s decided to build a new synagogue, reflecting the status and wealth of the community. The Toxteth area was rapidly expanding as Liverpool’s magnates built opulent mansions. The synagogue stands in a cluster of houses of worship designed to advertise the wealth and status of the local captains of industry, a group that was remarkably ethnically diverse by the standards of Victorian England; immediately adjacent to the synagogue on Princes Road are the Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas, the Church of England’s parish of St Margaret of Antioch, and the Welsh Presbyterian Church.

Construction on the synagogue was completed in 1874.

Merseyside Deaf Centre and Social Club, Park Way, Toxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Merseyside Centre for the Deaf, was initially built as a chapel for the Merseyside deaf community, this once grand gothic structure is in a terrible state.

Street Sign, Penny Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Beatles Graffiti, Penny Lane, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Penny Lane, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

These images should require no description!

Penny Lane by The Beatles – Video Clip

Spire Hospital, Penny Lane, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Dovedale Towers, Penny Lane, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

See a Google Street View

John Lennon & Paul MacCartney played here as The Quarrymen in 1957. Freddie Mercury, (prior to Queen) lived upstairs for a while.

The Penny Lane Wine Bar, Penny Lane, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Church of St Barnabas, Cnr Penny Lane & Allerton Road, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Penny Lane Hotel, Jcn Penny Lane & Smithdown Place, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Gates, “Strawberry Field”, Beaconsfield Road, Woolton, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Strawberry Fields by The Beatles – Video Clip

John Lennon’s Childhood Home, Menlove Avenue, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

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Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

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Dingle Tunnel, Grafton Street, Riverside, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Opened 1896 closed 1956

Google Street View

Canning Dock, Salthouse Quay, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Royal Liver Building, The Strand, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Royal Liver Building, Canada Boulevarde, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Opened in 1911, the building was the purpose-built home of the Royal Liver Assurance group, which had been set up in the city in 1850 to provide locals with assistance related to losing a wage-earning relative. One of the first buildings in the world to be built using reinforced concrete, the Royal Liver Building stands at 98.2 m (322 ft) tall to the top of the spires, 103.7 m (340 ft) to the top of the birds and 50.9 m (167 ft) to the main roof.

The Royal Liver Building is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the city of Liverpool with its two fabled Liver Birds, which watch over the city and the sea. Legend has it that if the two birds were to fly away, the city would cease to exist.

George’s Dock Building, Brunswick Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Art Deco style Grade II Listed Building from the 1930s and is the most ambitious of the six buildings built to provide ventilation for the 2.1 mile long road tunnel under the River Mersey.

Liverpool Parish Church (Our Lady and Saint Nicholas), Cnr George’s Dock Gates & Chapel Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Dates from 1811 but a known place of worship back to 1250.

Over the years, as new churches were built, the “Old Church” continued to serve a congregation. Members repeatedly warned officials that the spire was unsafe. On Sunday 11 February 1810, as the bells rang and people were gathering for the morning service, the spire crashed into the nave below, killing 25 people. Twenty-one were under 15 years old, and most were girls from Moorfields Charity School. The original ring of six bells, dating from 1636 to 1724, was destroyed in the disaster.

During World War II, the bells were removed for safety, but they were never rehung. Following a German air raid on 21 December 1940, the main body of the church was destroyed by fire, leaving only the parish rooms, vestries and the 19th century tower. Rebuilding did not begin until March 1949, and the completed church, dedicated to ‘Our Lady and St Nicholas’, was consecrated on 18 October 1952

Century Buildings, Cnr North John & Cook Streets, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Queen Victoria Monument, Derby Square, Lord Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The foundation stone was laid on 11 October 1902 by Field Marshal Lord Roberts, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces. The monument was unveiled on 27 September 1906. It is a Grade II Listed structure,

Temple Court, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Wellington’s Column, William Brown Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The foundation stone was laid on 1 May 1861 by the Mayor of Liverpool. There were further delays during construction of the monument due to subsidence. Although it was inaugurated on 16 May 1863 in a ceremony attended by the Mayor and Sir William Brown, it was still not complete. Reliefs depicting Wellington’s victories and the charge at the Battle of Waterloo were still to be added and it was finally completed towards the end of 1865. These delays resulted in its being “a very late example of a column-monument for Britain”

Ornate Lamp, St George’s Hall, William Brown Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Doorway, Victoria Gallery & Museum, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Bombed Out Church, St Luke’s, Leece Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Bombed during the Liverpool Blitz of 1941 it has never been rebuilt and stands today as a memorial to those who died in the war.

Red Door (Cocktail Bar), Berry Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Wedding House, Great George Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Wall Mural, The Wedding House, Great George Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Night View, Britannia Vaults, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Outside Premier Inn, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Historical Information Plate, Britannia Pavillion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

LIVERPOOL 2023 – I

We’re leaving Wales and driving to our next stopover, Liverpool in Merseyside and will spend a few days there.

Conwy Bay, Llys Helig Drive, Gogarth, Denbighshire, Wales UK

Wapping Dock, Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Keel Wharf, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Hydraulic Tower, Wapping Dock, Queen’s Wharf, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Wheel of Liverpool, Keel Wharf, Dukes Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Views From Wheel of Liverpool, Duke’s Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

See each image individually:-

View 1: View 2: View 3: View 4:

Kings Parade Bridge, Keel Wharf, Duke’s Dock, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Duke’s Dock, Kings Parade, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Opening in 1773, Duke’s Dock was built privately for the Duke of Bridgewater as a Liverpool-based facility for traffic using the Bridgewater Canal from Manchester.

Holiday Inn, Gower Street, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Pan Am Restaurant & Bar, Britannia Pavilion Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Smuggler’s Cove, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Narrow Boat Moored at Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Old Barge Moored in Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool. Merseyside, England UK

Smugglers Cove Bar, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Old Warehouse Machinery, Courtyard Britannia Vaults, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Ruben’s, The Colonnades, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Royal Albert Dock is a complex of dock buildings and warehouses in Liverpool, England. Designed by Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick, it was officially opened on 30 July 1846 by Prince Albert., and was the first structure in Britain to be built from cast iron, brick and stone, with no structural wood. As a result, it was the first non-combustible warehouse system in the world.

Today the Royal Albert Dock is a major tourist attraction in the city and the most visited multi-use attraction in the United Kingdom, outside London. The docking complex and warehouses also comprise the largest single collection of Grade I listed buildings anywhere in the UK.

The Premier Inn was the last undeveloped space on the dock opening in 2003.

The One O’Clock Gun, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The Beatles Story Exhibition, Britannia Vaults, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Old Anchor, Courtyard Brittania Vaults, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Colonnade to The Tate, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Sculpture, The Tate, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Hartley Quay Bridge, The Pier Head, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

‘Liverpool Mountain’, Mermaid’s Corner, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool. Merseyside, England UK

Piermaster’s House, Albert Dock, Kings Parade, Pier Head – Seacombe, Hartley’s Quay, Liverpool. Merseyside, England UK

A Grade II Listed Building constructed for the Piermaster & his family in 1852

Canning Half Tide Dock, Hartley’s Bridge, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Rail Buffers, Hartley’s Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Merseyside Maritime Museum, Hartley’s Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Catering Vehicles, Hartley’s Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

See each image individually:-

Vehicle 1: Vehicle 2:

The Pump House, Hartley’s Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

A Grade II Listed building dates from 1870s. Now an upmarket pub.

HMS Conway Anchor, Hartley’s Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Conway Anchor at Caernarfon, Wales

First launched as the HMS Nile in 1839, it was renamed HMS Conway in 1875. The ship was brought to Bangor in 1941 and then to Plas Newydd, just north of Caernarfon, in 1949. The ship was wrecked in the Menai Strait in 1953, and this, one of 2 anchors, with the other to be seen at the above link at Victoria Dock in Caernarfon.

Internal Passageway, Premier Inn, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Our Room, Premier Inn, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The view from the window is directly down into the dock.

WALES 2023 – II

This post is on the visit to Caernarfon Castle.

NOTE: Click on any image in the posts and it will open in full in a new Tab/Window.

Caernarfon Castle is a medieval fortress in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The first fortification on the site was a motte-and-bailey castle built in the late 11th century, which King Edward I of England began to replace with the current stone structure in 1283 finishing in 1330. The castle and town established by Edward acted as the administrative centre of north Wales, and as a result the defences were built on a grand scale.

Caernarfon Castle is recognised around the world as one of the greatest buildings of the Middle Ages.

This fortress-palace on the banks of the River Seiont is grouped with Edward I’s other castles at Conwy, Beaumaris and Harlech as a World Heritage Site. But for sheer scale and architectural drama Caernarfon stands alone.

Here Edward and his military architect Master James of St George erected a castle, town walls and a quay all at the same time. This gigantic building project eventually took 47 years and cost a staggering £25,000. [£25.5 Million today]

The castle was born out of bitter war with Welsh princes. So of course its immense curtain walls and daunting King’s Gate were designed to withstand assault. But the polygonal towers, eagle statues and multi-coloured masonry sent a more subtle message.

There was a deliberate link with Caernarfon’s Roman past—nearby is the Roman fort of Segontium—and the castle’s walls are reminiscent of the Walls of Constantinople. They also recalled the Welsh myth of Macsen Wledig, who dreamed of a great fort at the mouth of a river – ‘the fairest that man ever saw’.

Although the castle appears mostly complete from the outside, the interior buildings no longer survive and many parts of the structure were never finished. In 1294 the town and castle were sacked and captured by Madog ap Llywelyn during his rebellion against the English, but were recaptured the following year. The castle was unsuccessfully besieged during the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415. When the Tudor dynasty ascended to the English throne in 1485, tensions between the Welsh and English began to diminish and castles were considered less important. As a result, Caernarfon Castle was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.

Despite its dilapidated condition, during the English Civil War Caernarfon Castle was held by Royalists and besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war. The castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. The castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1911 and again in 1969. The castle is managed by Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service. It is part of the World Heritage Site “Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd”.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caernarfon_Castle

Front Entrance, Caernarfon Castle, Castle Ditch, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

WALES 2023 – I

After spending the night in the wonderful Market Town of Hay-on-Wye, our next destination is for a few nights in Caernarfon on the shores of the Menai Strait. The drive through Snowdonia is full of scenery.

Clywedog Reservoir, Llanidloes, Powys, Wales UK

Bridge over Afon Croessor, Llanfrothen, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Riverside Vegetation, Afon Croessor, Llanfrothen, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Roadside Marker, Aberglaslyn Pass, Snowdonia, Gwynedd, Wales UK

See street view here:-

Afon Glaslyn, Aberglaslyn Pass, Snowdonia, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Road, Aberglaslyn Pass, Snowdonia, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Gallt y Wenallt, Snowdonia, Gwynedd, Wales UK

We arrive at Caernarfon and wander about.

Brewer’s Sign, Ind Coope & Allsopp, The Black Boy Inn, Stryd Pedwar a Chwech, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

An old metal plate inside the Black Boy Inn. A brewer dating back to 1740s. In 1935 Samuel Allsopp & Sons merged with Ind Coope Ltd to form Ind Coope and Allsopp Ltd. The Allsopp name was dropped in 1959 and in 1971 Ind Coope was incorporated into Allied Breweries.

Y Bachgen Du (Black Boy Inn), Stryd Pedwar a Chwech, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

One theory suggests that a boy was brought into Caernarfon on a ship, who later became known as ‘Jack Black’ in many local stories, and another suggests that the inn’s name simply refers to a navigational buoy which could be seen in the harbour.

The Black Boy Inn (or just Black Boy) is a hotel and public house in the Royal Town of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, Wales which is thought to date back to 1522, making it one of the oldest surviving inns in North Wales. It is within the medieval walls of Caernarfon, a few hundred yards from Caernarfon Castle.

Prior to 1828, the pub was known as the ‘Black Boy’. Though still referred to by its traditional name, it was officially altered to the ‘King’s Arms’ and, later, the ‘Fleur de Lys’, until a change of ownership led to the restoration of the old name and the creation of the “Black Boy Inn” as it is today. The Inn signs each show a ‘black buoy’ on one side and a ‘black boy’ on the other.

Old Town Walls, Stryd Pedwar a Chwech. Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Caernarfon’s town walls are a medieval defensive structure around the townn North Wales. The walls were constructed between 1283 and 1292 after the foundation of Caernarfon by Edward I, alongside the adjacent castle. The walls are 734 m (2,408 ft) long and include eight towers and two medieval gatehouses. The project was completed using large numbers of labourers brought in from England; the cost of building the walls came to around £3,500, a large sum for the period. The walls were significantly damaged during the rebellion of Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294, and had to be repaired at considerable expense. Political changes in the 16th century reduced the need to maintain such defences around the town. Today the walls form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site

View to the Castle, Stryd y Plas (Palace Street), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Sign, The Market Hall, Stryd y Plas (Palace Street), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

The market building which opens onto Palace Street and Hole in the Wall Street was designed by local architect John Lloyd and built in 1832 as a corn market. The large cellars were used to store wine in Victorian times. The large cellars were a bonded warehouse, where imported goods were stored without customs payments being paid. Duties would be paid when the goods were distributed.

Four Alls, Stryd y Plas (Palace Street), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Armour Suite, Stryd y Plas (Palace Street), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

The Palace Vaults, Pen Deitsh (Castle Ditch), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Masonic Hall & Cyngor Gwynedd (Council), Stryd y Castell (Castle Street), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Originally an English Methodist Chapel on Castle Street, built in 1877 to replace the 1832 chapel on Pool Street. The chapel is built in the Gothic style of the gable entry type with a tower. By 1995 the chapel builing was in use as a Masonic Hall.

The Crown, Stryd y Farchnad (Market Street), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Granary Tower, Castle Walls, Pen Deitch (Castle Ditch), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Castle Entrance, Pen Deitch (Castle Ditch), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Derelict Tower of Old Town Walls, Lon Yr Eglwys, Penygroes, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Old Library Entrance, Stryd y Castell (Castle Street), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

The plate to the right of the arch reads:-

Llyfrgell Sirol Gyntaf Cymru
sefydlwyd yma 1918

The First County Library of Wales
founded here 1918

“Cartref”, 23 Stryd y Farchnad (Market Street), Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

This is in use as a guest house.

See street view here:

HMS Conway Anchor, Victoria Dock, Sowth o Ffrans, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Anchor from the HMS Conway at Victoria Dock, Caernarfon. First launched as the HMS Nile in 1839, it was renamed HMS Conway in 1875. The ship was brought to Bangor in 1941 and then to Plas Newydd, just north of Caernarfon, in 1949. The ship was wrecked in the Menai Strait in 1953, and this, one of 2 anchors, is displayed at Victoria Dock in Caernarfon.

Victoria Dock, Sowth o Ffrans, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Next up is the castle.

ENGLAND 2023 – VIII – The Cotswolds (IV)

I drove on to another wonderful town in the Cotswolds called Malmesbury. There were just a couple of stops along the way.

Parsons Nose, 30 High Street, Melksham, Wiltshire, England UK

Bricked In, Lowebourne, Melksham, Wiltshire, England UK

Lacock Abbey, Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Pew Hill House, Pew Hill, Chippenham , Wiltshire, England UK

The Old Bell Hotel, Abbey Row, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Dating to 1220 and originally named The Castle Inn as it was built on the site of Malmesbury Castle.The name was changed in 1798. It served as the guest house of the Abbey located next door. It has a claim to be considered as the oldest hotel in England. The Historic England official ‘listing’ of the hotel as a Grade I building, for example, describes the hotel as having been originally the ‘Abbey Guest House’.

After the Dissolution of the Abbey in 1539 and the departure of the monks the building became an inn offering accommodation to travellers on the road from Bristol to Oxford. The claim that the Old Bell is the oldest hotel in England is based, therefore, on the strong possibility that there was more or less continuous use of the building as a place of hospitality from about 1220 to the present day.

Malmesbury Abbey, Gloucester Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Malmesbury Abbey, at Malmesbury in Wiltshire, England, is a religious house dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. It was one of the few English houses with a continuous history from the 7th century [c.676] through to the dissolution of the monasteries.

The abbey, which owned 23,000 acres (93 km2) in the twenty parishes that constituted the Malmesbury Hundred, was closed at the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 by Henry VIII and was sold, with all its lands, to William Stumpe, a rich merchant. He returned the abbey church to the town for continuing use as a parish church, and filled the abbey buildings with up to 20 looms for his cloth-weaving enterprise.

Malmesbury Market Cross, 1A Market Cross, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

The Old Bakehouse, 27 High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Access to Beer Garden, The Kings Arms, High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

HM Postmaster-General Notice, 41 High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Inscription:

H.M. POSTMASTER-GENERAL, THE OWNER OF THE LAND IN FRONT OF THIS NOTICE BOUNDED BY METAL STUDS, HAS NOT DEDICATED AND DOES NOT INTEND TO DEDICATE AS A HIGHWAY, THE SAID LAND OR ANY PART THEREOF OR ANY WAY THEREON OR THEREUNDER.

The building where this is affixed was erected in 1902.

Only Here, 41 High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

The Old Library, 44 High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Freehold currently for sale of Offers over £400,000.

Residences, Jcn High Street & King’s Wall, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Lotus House, 119 High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

The Rose & Crown, High Street, Burton Hill, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

St John’s Court Almshouse, High Street, Burton Hill, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

St John’s Court, a group of three almshouses, stands on the site of the medieval hospital of St John of Jerusalem. The date of the foundation of the hospital is unknown, but records attest to its existence by the C13. It is reported to have incorporated an existing chapel, the former late-Norman doorway to which remains within the southern wall of the building. The hospital was closed as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the site is recorded as having been confiscated. It was acquired by clothier John Stumpe, who transferred ownership to the Corporation in 1580, with the liability on them for the maintenance of a school and almshouses at £20 a year.

Left Column Plate Inscription:

In memory of the Malmesbury men who made the supreme sacrifice in the second worl war 1938-1945.

Right Column Plate:-

Names those men.

Dedicated in 1951.

<a href=”https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/24206″><b>Imperial War Museum Reference</b></a>

WW2 Gates, Lower High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Through to St Johns Court Almshouse.

The Silk Mills, High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Also known as the Avon Mills (a branch of the Avon River right alongside.). They were built in 1790 originally for wool but also used for corn and are Grade II Listed buildings. They have now been converted to apartments.

St John’s Bridge, River Avon, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Brazier, King Althelstan’s Mead, Lower High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Brook, King Althelstan’s Mead, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Kings Wall Street Sign, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

The Round House, 77 High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

Cottage, 66 High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

A Grade II Listed Building dating from late 17th to early 18th century.

The Old School House, 40 Gloucester Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

ENGLAND 2023 – VII – The Cotswolds (III)

Still in the Cotswolds just driving around.

Entrance Gates, Westonbirt School, Bath Road, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England UK

Built in 1853 it became a school in 1928.

“The Street”, Westonbirt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England UK

Residence, “The Street”, Westonbirt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England UK

Bridge at By Brook, Germaine’s Lane, Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

By Brook also known as Bybrook River Is 12 mile long tributary of the Bristol Avon.

While driving around by myself, I stumbled into an absolutely stunning little village. The village boast 91 Listed buildings with several valued in the millions of pounds.

Elm Lodge, The Green, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Elm Lodge, The Green is a 5 bedroom freehold detached house – it is ranked as the 2nd most expensive property in the village, with a valuation of £2,439,000.

Duck Pond, Cross Keys Road, Biddestone, Wiltshire, England UK

The White Horse, The Green, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

The pub is a Grade II listed building dating from the 1700s

Willow House, The Green, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

A grade II listed building dated 1730.

The Close, The Green, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

A Grade II Listed Building dating from the 1700s and largely reconstructed in 1924.

Elm Farm House, The Green, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

A Grade II listed building – Farmhouse, now two houses, late C17 and early C18, much rebuilt c1975.

Street Sign, Church Road, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Village Water Pump, Church Road, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Church of St Nicholas, St Nicholas Circle, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Church. c880 AD, possibly then cathedral, reputed to be on site of a Roman temple, and incorporating much Roman masonry and brickwork. C11, C12, C16, altered 1829-30,1875-6 and 1888-9, restored 1904-5.

Roadside Stone Wall, The Butts, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Gatepost, The Old Rectory, The Butts, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

The carving of the name is still visible in the stonework

Driveway, The Old Rectory, The Butts, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Bricked Up Doorways, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Cuttle Lane, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

A Private Lane, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Access to:-
The Little House
Paddock House
Meadowside
Greenacre
Stable Cottage
Newstone House

See Street View Here!

Willowbrook, Cnr Harts Lane & The Green, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Gable Cottage (L) & Hawthorne Cottage (R), The Green, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Both are Grade II Listed Buildings

Twitten Bend, Cross Keys Road, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Grade II Listed Building from late 17th / early 18th century.

Laneway, Cross Keys Road, Biddestone, Chippenham, WIltshire, England UK

Heritage Residence, Cross Keys Road, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England UK

Door, Wickham Cottage, Cross Keys Road, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wilstshire, England UK

A Grade II Listed Building early 18th century

Door, The Malthouse, Cross Keys Road, Biddestone, Chippenham, Wilstshire, England UK

A Grade II Listed Building early 18th century that was a malthouse in the 19th century

Local Resident, Lowebourne, Melksham, Wiltshire, England UK

ENGLAND 2023 – II

Signs and Posters of some of the many pubs and bars seen during the drive around UK. Sadly, I did not get experience the atmosphere in each and every one.

The Greyhound, Hampton Street, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England UK

The Snooty Fox, Market Place, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England UK

West Country Ales, The Crown, Gumstool Hill, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England UK

The Crown, Gumstool Hill, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England UK

WH Smith & Son, Castle Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England UK

Not a pub but a great hanging sign…

The Crown, West Market Place, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England UK

The White Horse, Cross Keys Road, Biddestone, Gloucestershire, England UK

Biddestone Arms, Cross Keys Road, Biddestone, Gloucestershire, England UK

Parsons Nose, High Street, Melksham, Gloucestershire, England UK

The Old Bell Hotel, Abbey Row, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

The Kings Arms, High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

The Smoking Dog, High Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England UK

The Black Horse, Castle Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England UK

The Crown, Black Jack Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England UK

The Golden Cross, Black Jack Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England UK

The Marlborough Arms, Sheep Street, Cirencester, Gloucestshire, England UK

The Royal British Legion, Market Street, Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales UK

The Black Boy (Buoy) Inn, Stryd Pedwar a Chwech, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

The Inn’s name has caused controversy and there are at least three theories to explain its name. One is believed to come from a ‘black buoy’ which existed in the harbour in the early days of the Inn. Another refers to the nickname given to Charles II by his mother Henrietta Maria of France because of the darkness of his skin and eyes, as well as the fact that Royalists met at the Inn secretly at that time. Later, the place became the local fishermen’s favourite drinking place and the name of ‘black boy’ may come from this period.

In Caernarfon’s heyday as a port-town, Northgate Street – on which the Black Boy Inn is situated – was the heart of the red-light district. Northgate Street’s Welsh name Stryd Pedwar a Chwech translates to “Four [shillings] and Six [pence] Street”: what the sailors are reputed to have paid for a room, a bottle of gin, and the services of a woman for the night.

The ‘North Gate’ archway found at the end of Northgate Street was added in or about the 1820s. It was designed to help facilitate the flow of traffic in and out of the old town, and is not part of the original town wall design. Prior to the ‘North Gate’ archway, a census carried out in 1794 revealed this street was commonly referred to as ‘Black Boy’ street. The earliest reference to the “Black Boy” can be found in Caernarfon’s archives dated 1717, a Deed of Sale of a house in “Street Y Black Boy” between Thomas Wynne, Glynllifon and a Henry Robyns.

The ghost of a nun is said to pass through the inn on her way to a nunnery that was once situated at the rear.

The pub is a listed building.

The Palace Vaults, Stryd Pedwar a Chwech, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Stryd Pedwar a Chwech is Welsh for Fourth & Sixth Street

The Crown, High Street, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Y Goron is Welsh for The Crown

Tŷ Dre, High Street, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Tŷ Dre is Welsh for Town House – Our accommodation for a couple of days in Caernarfon

Welsh Brewers The Black Boy, Tŷ Dre, High Street, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Y Twll yn y Wal, Hole in the Wall Street, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Y Twll yn y Wal is Welsh for The Hole in The Wall

Tafarn Y Porth, Greengate Street, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Tafarn Y Porth is Welsh for Porth Pub

Morgan Lloyd, Castle Square, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales UK

Guinness Sign, Bar Bach, Tan y Bont, Caernarfon, Gwynned, Wales UK

Happy Hour Sign, Bar Bach, Tan y Bont, Caernarfon, Gwynned, Wales UK

Tafarn Lleiaf Cymru – The Smallest Pub in Wales

The Smugglers Cove, Royal Albert Dock, Gower Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

The One O’Clock Gun, Britannia Pavilion, Royal Albert Dock, Gower Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Turncoat Bar, Salthouse Quay, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

Revolution, Royal Albert Dock, Salthouse Quay, Liverpool, Merseyside, England UK

White Lion, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Built in 1657 the pub is reputed to be the oldest building in town. We spent a few days here.

The White Swan, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Crown Inn, Crown Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

The Albert, Albert Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Shoulder of Mutton, Cnr St George’s Street & Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Old Gate, Old Gate, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

The Railway, New Road, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Marshall’s Bar, Carlton Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England UK

Elephant & Castle, Hollowgate, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, England UK

General Havelock Inn, Ratcliffe Road, Haydon Bridge, Northumberland, England UK

The Railway Hotel, Church Street, Haydon Bridge, Northumberland, England UK

We stayed here for a few days in Haydon Bridge

Anchor Hotel, John Martin Street, Haydon Bridge, Northumberland, England UK

The Kings Head, Market Place, Allendale Town, Hexham, Northumberland, England UK

The Hawes Inn, Newhalls Road, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK

This is where we stayed for a few days in South Queensferry – right beneath the famous Firth of Forth Rail Bridge

The Staghead Hotel, High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK

The Ferry Tap, High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK

Orocco Pier, High Street, South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland UK

No. 12, Quality Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland UK

The Eagle Inn, High Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland UK

The Bear & Bull, High Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland UK

The Ship Inn, Front Street, Lindisfarne, Holy Island, Northumberland, England UK

The George, Bondgate Within, Alnwick, Northumberland, England UK

Ye Olde Reine Deer Inn, Parsons Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England UK

The Old Auctioneer, Parsons Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England UK

Horse & Jockey, West Bar Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England UK

The Cromwell Lodge, North Bar Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England UK

Dog & Gun, North Bar Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England UK

The Coach & Horses, Butcher’s Row, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England UK

Banbury Cross, Butcher’s Row, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England UK

The Bell, Junction Oddington Road, Lower Park Street, Park Street, Maugersbury Road, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, England UK

The Lamb & Lion, Lower Borough Walls, Bath, Somerset, England UK

The Black Fox, Junction of Lower Borough Walls, Saint James’s Parade & Hot Bath Street, Bath, Somerset, England UK

Our pub stay while in Bath

London, United Kingdom 2019 XII

My last day in London involved walking to Hammersmith Bridge and then alongside the Thames River to Albert Bridge and return. Quite a walk I can tell you!

(Remember – all photos will open in a separate window and all photos are geotagged)

“COFX” Coffee Shop, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London, England UK

Chapel, Fulham Cemetery, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith

Victorian Residences, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith

Victorian Residential Properties, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith

[Open image in new window for better view]

Most of these properties appear to be upstairs and downstairs flats. They are valued in the vicinity of £650k each. Properties here are:

Berkley House
Selbourne House
Beaufort House
Sutherland House
Shaftesbury House
Salisbury House

Kings Arms, 425 New Kings Road, Fulham

Once known as “Larrik Inn”

The Temperance Pub & Kitchen, 90 Fulham High Street, Fulham

War Memorial, All Saints Church Grounds, Pryors Bank, Bishops Park, Fulham

War Memorial Sculptor: Alfred Turner

All Saints Church, Pryors Bank, Bishops Park, Fulham

Putney Bridge & River Thames, Fulham

Bridge Lamps, Putney Bridge, Fulham

Hopper Barge ACB Phoebe, River Thames, Putney

Hopper barges used to safely transport the spoil excavation from the Thames Tideway Tunnel project, a 25 km super sewer running mostly under the tidal section of the River Thames across Inner London to capture, store and convey almost all the raw sewage and rainwater that currently overflows into the Thames.

St Mary’s Church, Putney High Street, Putney, London, England UK

The White Lion, Putney High Street, Putney

Grade II Listed public house built in 1887. It later became a Slug and Lettuce chain pub, then The Litten Tree, then a Walkabout chain pub, then Wahoo, a sports bar. As of June 2019, it has been empty for over six years.

War Memorial, Putney High Street, Putney

The Boathouse, Brewhouse Lane, Putney

River Access, River Thames, Putney

Putney Bridge, River Thames, Putney

Fulham Railway Bridge, River Thames, Putney

“Motherfigure” by Alan Thornhill, Deodar Road, Putney

Yellow House, Deodar Road, Putney

“ER VII” Mailbox, Deodar Road, Putney

Thornhill House, 78 Deodar Road, Putney

Recently on the market for Guide price £2,650,000 (See Advertisement)

Wandsworth Park, Putney Bridge Road, Wandsworth

Battersea Bridge, River Thames, Battersea

In 1879 the original and dangerous wooden bridge was taken into public ownership, and in 1885 demolished and replaced with the existing bridge, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette the man responsible for the revolutionary London Sewer system. . It is the narrowest surviving road bridge over the Thames in London, it is one of London’s least busy Thames bridges. The location on a bend in the river makes the bridge a hazard to shipping, and it has been closed many times due to collisions.

Albert Bridge, River Thames, Battersea

This Grade II Listed bridge crosses over the Tideway of the River Thames connecting Chelsea in Central London on the north, left bank to Battersea on the south. It was built as a toll bridge and operated as such for 6 years.

The toll booths are the only surviving booths in London today.