Wednesday 31 July 2013

A Walk To Heysham Village: Part 1 of 2

It was such a sunny day, I decided to walk to and from Heysham village.  Half a mile to go. 
Heysham village can be seen in the distance. I took the right hand path
There are usually a few horses in the field alongside the shore at this time of the year. 


Almost at the village.
Looking back from where I had walked. As can be seen the tide was out, but rest assured it comes in at quite a speed here. As a result a few people have been caught out at times. 
The lower part of the village.
St Peter's Church is a Grade 1 listed building. Parts of it date back to around 1340 to 1350.

A large part of the graveyard, overlooking Morecambe Bay, is somewhat overgrown. 
The rear of the Church.
What a shame some of the graves and headstones have got into such a state. This one is for Sir William Edward Murray Tomlinson (4th August 1838 - 17th December 1912). A little bit of research revealed the following. Born in Lancaster, he was a Lawyer, colliery owner (Worsley Mines Colliery Company) and former MP for Preston. He became Baronet of Richmond Terrace, Richmond, North Yorkshire in August 1902.

I continued the walk towards Heysham Port, via St. Patrick Chapel. 
The ruins of St. Patrick Chapel, which dates from the 8th or 9th century. 

The stone graves on the top of the headland, dating back to Viking times. 

Tuesday 30 July 2013

Barrow-In-Furness

A statue of Barrow-born footballer Emlyn Hughes in Abbey Road. I honestly didn't feel it looked much like him. It stands immediately outside an office block, also named after him. The statue was unveiled in April 2008. 

The huge BAE Systems building at the Dockyard dominates the skyline for miles around. On a clear day it can even be seen across the bay in Morecambe. Since the vast Devonshire Dock Hall was completed in 1986, it has become one of the few shipyards in the world capable of designing and building nuclear submarines.
Black Coombe in the distance. It is 1,970 feet high at it's highest point. (Pic - Lynda Braithwaite).
Meanwhile, just walking by .......
 Coronation Garden in Abbey Road.
The crown and the litter bin!
Stone cushions on the wall. 


The former Oxford Chambers buildings. I wonder what the central Cigar Depot was? 

Monday 29 July 2013

Kendal

This view has hardly changed for many a year, including the cobbled street. 
The Market Square.
Middleton's hardware shop.
Main entrance to the Kendal town library. 
The Elephant Yard, home of several 'specialist' shops. 
The Birdcage is always a popular place to sit
Looking down Stricklandgate toward the Town Hall, with the clock tower,  on the left. 
It's that time of the year.
The tea rooms, with teapot, cups and saucers, plus cake stand in the window. 
Highgate, looking toward Stricklandgate. 
The unusual shape of the view through the window caught my eye. It is looking out from the Miles Thompson pub onto Allhallows Lane. 
Floral display outside the Town Hall.
The Queen did indeed visit Kendal, the day after I was there. 
Even the otherwise austere looking bus station has been brightened up with troughs of flowers.

Sunday 28 July 2013

Preston: Winckley Square

Winckley Square is located right in the centre of Preston, just over 100 yards from the hurly-burly and noise of Fishergate. It is a quiet oasis in comparison.  The Square was built in the early 1800s, around Town End Field, owned by Thomas Winckley, hence the name. 
The outside of the buildings in the Square are largely unchanged since they were built. They were originally owned and occupied by Preston's gentry, but today are now mostly financial and legal offices, although there are a few apartments  as well.
The buildings in the Square overlook a well maintained gardens area, with many fine trees, seen on the right. 
Preston-born, Edith Rigby, founded a school there called St. Peter's School, for the education of women and girls. Rigby later became a prominent activist, and was imprisoned on seven occasions as she followed and promoted her beliefs. She was a friend of Emily Pankhurst. 
Some of the buildings were to let, as can be seen above. 
Preston Catholic School was a Jesuit school for boys, and  had as many as 915 pupils attending there in 1970.  It occupied 29 Winckley Square and the adjacent buildings. 
Exclusive apartments in Winckley Square. 
The gardens area in the square were originally separate private plots, each owned by one of the Winckley Square residents. The area is now maintained by Preston City Council.

The shaded areas under the trees were a real bonus on the day I was there, for it was pretty hot!
One of several entrances to the gardens area in the middle of the square. 

Different shades of green.
There are gently sloping steps into the gardens from the city end. 


This really is a peaceful place, considering just how close you are to the city centre. 
The final view of Winckley Square and it's gardens area.