Coast to Coast UK - Richmond rest day
It’s not what you know, but who you know when it comes to understanding British history, as was proven today when we were lucky enough to have our very own history experts to guide us through Richmond Castle and Easby Abbey.
We were able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast as it was another
designated rest day. Thanks to our generous host, our washing was all done and
a bit of astute interior decoration of our room overnight, meant that it was
all dried and aired, so we had nothing to do but relax and enjoy the day. Following a bit of route research based on
some information about bogs and a historic house worth visiting on the way
tomorrow, provided to us by Emma of the West End Guest House, we wandered off,
in light drizzle, for the centre of town.
The Richmond Market Square was full of a surprising range of
shops, and we visited a few of them. After coffee and cake, we wandered up to
the Richmond Castle for a very important
appointment. We were a little too early however, the castle being a mere 3-minute
walk from the Market Square, so we popped back down a nearby street to a
bookshop we had passed earlier.
While browsing for postcards; no books allowed due to weight
limitations on our luggage, I overheard a customer talking to the owner about a
great Australian author, he couldn’t recall her name, but she had written a
book called The Dry. I was able to insert the name of Jane Harper into
the conversation.
With our selection of postcards, we approached the counter
and assisted the owner with the calculation of the cost of 12 postcards at 60p
each! He expressed amazement that he had never before sold 12 postcards to anyone.
We explained that some were for sending and others were for us to keep as
momentos. Transaction complete, we made our way back to the Castle entrance, where
we soon found our wonderful friends from further east in North Yorkshire, who
had travelled over an hour to spend the day with us.
Both ex-history teachers and both passionate about their
subject, we had immediately connected with David and Carolyn when we met them
in 2019 on board the Queen Mary 2, and we had remained in contact ever since. They had surprised me
with a visit to the Lake District at the start of this trip and now, here they
were again, to encourage us on our ongoing journey and give us the benefit of
their knowledge about the impressive Richmond Castle and nearby Easby Abbey.
We enjoyed breathtaking views of the Yorkshire Dales from
the top of the castle keep as we heard about the building of the castle as a
means of subduing the unruly North of England during the 11th century
Norman Conquest. By the early 16th century the castle was derelict
and fell into ruin, before becoming the headquarters of the North York Militia
in the Victorian era. We also learnt how
it had been used to house the Non-Combatant Corps during the First World War. A
fascinating history.
Our next port of call was the old Richmond railway station
building, now converted to house a cinema, restaurant, and shopping gallery. Although
transformed on the inside, externally the building has been lovingly restored to
its original condition and it still retains the large platform area, original
iron work and its huge, glazed roof, with the restaurant sited on the old track
bed. Conversation flowed over a delicious lunch.
Next, we were treated to a walk around the remarkable ruins
of Easby Abbey, founded in 1152. Closed in 1536 as part of the Supression of
the Monasteries, the buildings were stripped and large parts demolished. It
is recognised however, as the best-preserved monastery of the era, its
magnificent refectory, gatehouse and canon’s dormitory remaining today.
What an enjoyable day revisiting a significant friendship
and discovering some significant history. The drizzle continued as we walked ‘home’
up Reeth road ready for a quiet night in before we hit the track again
tomorrow.
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