Wednesday 21 May 1834

Two this night and one this morning but not very good ones we had spoilt them a little by grubbling as we came along in the carriag[e] just before and after Boroughbridge IIII

Breakfast at 9 in about an hour fine, but dullish Fahrenheit 58 now at 10 1/4 a.m. - out a little before 11 - Miss Walker and I sauntered to the castle - 1st. founded by Alan le Roux (the Red) 1st earl of Richmond in 1071 - 1st. dismantled by an order from King John in the 18th year of his reign - not the scene of any remarkable historic event - we had the concierge with us the whole time - the castle court locked up, so that we could not get in without the man - the great square Keep tower erected in 1146 - the groined roof of its ground floor supported in the middle by a large octagonal tower from which rises a large round column that supported the floor above - fine view of the Swale from the castle and fine mountain view to the eastward but too thick today to have it in perfection

Then sauntered a little in the town - neat square with market cross on lofty column erected in 1771 and beneath town's reservoir containing 7000 gallons of water - happening to go into the old now desecrated church of the Holy Trinity in the square or market place found part of the nave turned into the Consistory court and deposit of bibles tracts &c. belonging to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and here we stood above an hour Miss Walker choosing books and I fast asleep the while - then reconnoitred the Friary to see if it would do for Miss Walker to sketch

And returned home about 1 1/2 and Miss Walker lay on the sofa, and sat by her reading or asleep till her drawing master Mr. Brown arrived per coach from York about 2 1/2 - her cousin came just about this time

About 3 1/2, Mr. Brown having had his mutton chop, we went to the Friary (anciently Franciscan or Grey Friars) founded in 1257, of which scarcely any remains except the tower, a handsome very well preserved specimen of the Tudor style, erected only a short time before the Dissolution - just saw the sketching place fixed up and all arranged and leaving Eugenie with Miss Walker took Joseph and walked to Easby Abbey or the abbey of St. Agatha, about a mile from Richmond, a beautiful walk thro' wood and field along and down the river Swale, - a large pile of ruins - very interesting and picturesque - above an hour there

Back to Miss Walker in 1 40/60 hour at 5 1/2 - waited 1/4 hour for her - dinner at 6 1/4 - Mr. Brown dined with us and staid teaching Miss W- Walker how to put the sky (in worsted work) into her stag footstool - I reading or asleep till he went out about 8 - Miss Walker poorly - tea at 9 - Mr. Brown having walked out, and luckily not returned to us - Miss Walker went to bed at 10 - just before and till 10 minutes after wrote the above of today - very fine day - Fahrenheit 59 now at 10 10/60 p.m. -  

WYAS: SH:7/ML/E/17/0035 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Friday 23 May 1834

Fine morning Fahrenheit 58 at 9 - breakfast at 9 1/2 and reading a little till 10 20/60 All off to Easby Abbey at 10 1/2 - left Miss Walker and Mr. Brown comfortably seated at sketching having got table and chair from the old woman at the cottage, and left Eugenie and took Joseph and walked off to the grand stand on the race ground Got there in 50 minutes - 35 minutes at the top - the man who went with me a very intelligent sort of countryman - said the best hour for view was 5 a.m., and, next to that, sun set too hazy today - or could have seen York minster very plainly as also from sea to sea - and 'thousands of millions of acres' of ground - the hyperbole struck me - walked back in 40 minutes a better and nearer way - in going turned up the hill too soon and did not go by the great high road - the race ground a good turf and 2 1/4 mile course - the beacon about a mile beyond it - asleep 1/2 hour in in the wheelbarrow as yesterday then all adjourned to the old woman's ...
Read more

Tuesday 27 May 1834

Fine Fahrenheit 54 at 8 - p erfectly quiet last night - breakfast at 8 1/2 - found fault at being charged 1/4 per mile instead of 1/3, as elsewhere, except at Standrop, which, from inadvertence, I had not noticed there - dearer bill than at Staindrop - but we had been comfortable Off from the King's Head, Masham , at 9 1/2 and at Hackfall 3 miles at 10 5/60 - 3/4 hour in the grounds - much spoilt since I saw them 2 years ago, by the Marquess of Ailesbury's wood on the opposite bank of the Ure (river) being cut down - Miss Walker disappointed and much tired - brought away 3 cream cheeses the village (Gruelthorpe) far-famed for them Off again at 11 50/60 and at Brimham-rocks house at 2 1/4 (ten miles) - bad road, certainly, on the moor, but our horses worse - the old postboy meant to have left the carriage 1/4 mile the house, locked up, among the heather but I would not let him - on arriving ordered fried eggs and bacon, and with these and our cold roll of veal and bread and gi...
Read more

Thursday 22 May 1834

Real playing and sqeezing [sic] and pressing for an hour and a half last night and almost as long this morning she says she gets fonder and of me and certainly seems to care enough for me now I think we shall get on very well nobody would care for me more or do more for me Very fine morning Fahrenheit 56 now at 9 a.m. - breakfast at 10 1/4 in an hour Off to the abbey of St. Agatha , (Easby Abbey) at 12 - walked slowly by the water side - above 1/2 hour in getting there - 1 before I could leave Miss Walker comfortably beginning her sketch - then left Eugenie with her and Mr. Brown, and took Joseph, and walked up to the village consisting of an hospital founded about a century ago by a reverend Mr. Smith for 4 poor old women, and 2 cottages and the hall, Mr. Jacques , a man of very low origin whose brother went to India made money and left it him, and who, independent of this brother, had done well for himself - has the lead mines in the dale and 'tries his hand at everything' ...
Read more