Richmond

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Richmond by night

On the way back from our friend’s birthday party in Beverley last November we broke our journey with a couple of nights in Richmond, North Yorkshire, a small market town with an 11th century castle. The morning after we arrived we took a stroll around the town trail. Starting from our hotel, we crossed to Friary Gardens, once home to the Greyfriars, a religious order founded in the 13th century. A belfry tower from around 1500 is all that remains of their church.

Fleece Hotel
Greyfriars Tower

We then headed up to the market place and castle.

Market Cross 1771
Old Town Hall 1756
Cobbled Street
Richmond Castle

The castle wasn’t open, but we followed Castle Walk round its exterior for fine views of the town and the River Swale. Culloden Tower was built as a folly by Richmond MP John Yorke to commemorate the Hanoverian victory over the Jacobites in 1746. It’s now a holiday home.

Culloden Tower from Castle Walk
Green Bridge from Castle Walk
River Swale from Castle Walk
Castle Walk
Millgate
The Falls

Our next stop was at St Mary’s Church, parts of which date back to the 12th century. The Regimental Chapel is that of the Green Howards and Ruth’s Window commemorates Ruth Gedye, a chorister and musician at the church who died of cancer in 2004 at only 18.

St Mary’s Richmond
Nave
Altar
Regimental Chapel
Ruth’s Window

From the church we continued wandering. Two doors in the town caught my eye. On Newbiggin, this one had a plaque to say John Wesley, founder of Methodism, possibly preached on its steps. As the daughter of a Methodist minister I was bound to be interested.

Door with plaque on Newbiggen
John Wesley plaque

One of Dad’s churches was in Newcastle-upon-Tyne where the biggest department store in the city was Fenwick’s – here’s where its founder was born on Frenchgate.

Birthplace of John James Fenwick
Fenwick plaque

It was now nearly lunch time so we headed further down Frenchgate to the tapas bar at Number 29 where we were meeting friends – possibly known to some of you! None other than Margaret of From Pyrenees to Pennines and her husband Malcolm. Once they arrived the chat (and the food) flowed so I didn’t remember to take any pictures, but I did remember to capture the pint I enjoyed while waiting.

29 Frenchgate
Reward for a morning’s wandering

After lunch we walked down with Margaret and Malcolm to the old station building where they had left their car. As Richmond is no longer on a railway line this has been converted into shops, a café, a cinema and an art gallery. It’s very attractive.

Old station building
The Station Café

After Margaret and Malcolm left we had a coffee in the café before heading back to our hotel via a circuitous route. I think we “did” Richmond fairly thoroughly! The following day we were heading home, but first we followed the Drummer Boy Walk – that’s a story for another post.

England, UK ,

28 Comments »

  2. Hi Anabel – interesting to see so much of Richmond … loved the tour – while Ruth’s window is glorious. What fun to meet up with Margaret and Malcolm. I love the conversion of the train station – looks just lovely. I’ve never been to that part of the world … wet and chilly – except when I visited Lindisfarne with my father, when it was ‘stinking’ hot!!! in the 1970s … cheers Hilary

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  3. Another wonderful day of exploration. Your photos are excellent and really capture all the views and scenes. You make all the places you visit very interesting and make me want to visit them! Richmond is now added to my list! Thanks again!

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  7. I thought I had been to Richmond – would have been 40 years ago – but I don’t think I have now I look at your photos. We should have made an effort when we used to visit my aunt in the north of England.

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  8. We’ve only ever stopped briefly in Richmond, for coffee on our way to Grinton, but have contemplated spending a few nights there. Would you recommend that hotel?

    Your walk certainly suggests that there’s enough worth spending more time here for. The views of the Swale are lovely and Ruth’s Window beautiful.

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    • Yes, the hotel was very comfortable, but obviously it’s an old building so no lift (not a problem except when carrying my bag to the top floor!) and no parking, though there’s a very large and cheap public carpark just along the road. We didn’t eat there, other than breakfast, which was good as far as I can remember. There are also apartments at the back which we mentally noted for future reference. Lots more to do, eg the castle is only open at weekends in the winter so we missed it.

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      • Thank you, it sounds a possible option so will bear it in mind. Good that you were able to meet up with Margaret and Malcolm. We hope to do the same when up in Yorkshire this coming August, when we’ll be staying in Ripon. We like Ripon but Richmond would make a nice change one year 🙂

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  10. Richmond looks a lovely place, I know I visited when I was probably in my early teens and I’ve no recollection at all,.. so thanks for the virtual wonder, that church looks lovely and Ruth’s window absolutely beautifulx sounds like you had a good meet with Margaret and Malcolm

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  12. I’ve never been to Richmond, it looks to be an interesting place. I like the night shot and the views from Castle Walk, and Ruth’s window in the church looks stunning.

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