Thursday 29 May 1834
Kiss last night
Fine Fahrenheit 56 at 7 a.m. breakfast at 7 50/60 - off at 8 55/60 - at Alborough, the old Isurium, in 7 minutes - 3/4 hour there - saw 2 pieces of old Roman mosaic each perhaps about 3 yards square and in a garden - the 1st. chez Pybus covered over, descend 2 or 3 steps into the room built over it - the mosaic much sunk in the middle - covered with damp - no visible device - the other mosaic chez Charles Inchbald, at the other end of the town, very nicely kept - a lion in the middle but only the head and neck remaining - could merely trace where the rest had been
Then in 2 or 3 minutes at the Devil's Arrows and 25 minutes there till 10 18/60 3 of them - of the same coarse sandstone grit as the rocks at Plumpton near Harrogate and probably brought from there - the tops a good deal furrowed and water worn - they were Druid deities, phalli,? merely my own idea
At 11 1/2 alighted at the Dropping Well at Knaresborough - merely went to the well did not walk thro' the wood along the river (Ure) to Harrogate entrance - the dropping of the water artificial, tho' the woman of the Inn who shewed it and collection of petrifactions in her house would gladly have persuaded us all was nature - She had seals, crucifixes, or rather crosses, at 6/- and 8/- &c. &c. cut out of the stalactite - wigs, birds, nests, all sorts of things that had taken about a year petrifying hung up under the drip of the well - about 1/2 hour seeing well and things none of the latter worth much
Then across the way up the opposite hill enveloped in smoke from a lime kiln just below, to St. Robert's (Flower by name) chapel - cut out of the rock - 2 women squabbled for us - one for us to go to the chapel, the other Fort Montagu, a cottage cut out the rock - we went from one to the other - the little terraces of soil carried in baskets up the rock, and turned into gardens more interesting than chapel or cottage
Then to the castle - little remaining but considerable part of the Keep tower of which we read on the spot - in our guide book King's interesting mention in his Munimenta Antiqua
Off from the castle at 1 3/4 - the keep is curious - the grand portal highly enriched and of singular form, the upper part of each arch having the appearance of the tracery of a window - but it really was the grand entrance as appears from the remains of the foundation of steps leading up to it, and of an arch originally concealed beneath the steps and platform of entrance, and leading to the vaults below
About a mile from Knaresborough on our road to York, turned down to the river at a short distance, to St. Roberts cave where the body of Daniel Clark was found - the cave when I saw it 2 years ago was nearly made up with soil and rubbish - I could only just have crept into it - now it was under lock and key, all cleared out, and the foundation of a building, his usual residence, laid bare close along side the natural? cave - this detained us about 1/4 hour - fine country about Knaresborough
Read a little slept a good deal before reaching Heworth grange, York, at 4 25/60 - left Miss Walker to pack for tomorrow - went back with the carriage to Myers's and thence walked to the Duffins' there at 5 1/2, to dine at 6 - staid tilling - then sat 3/4 hour with Mrs. Anne and Miss Gage, called to inquire at the door after Miss Yorke, ill in the measles, called too on Mrs. Best but not well enough to see me
Home at 9 1/4 - found Miss Walker in bed with a sick headache from all the good cream and preserved winesours &c. she had eaten this morning at breakfast - dawdling over 1 thing or other - very fine day - Fahrenheit 62 now at 11 40/60 p.m. in my dressing room.
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