Belle Skinner Journal Tuesday, August 16, 1887
XVIII
Tuesday, Aug. 16
This morning at eleven o’clock we all left Harrogate for York. We used a third-class ticked for the first time, and found it quite as comfortable as a first. (That is, the ticket was not much heavier.) At York we stayed only a few hours. Just long enough to “do” the town. We took a carriage and drove first around the old walls. From the ancient appearance of its buildings we can easily believe that York was founded 980 BC. The old walls are frequently intercepted by the river Ouse. The walls were chiefly built in Edward III‘s time. We saw several of the gates – Monk gate, Walm gate, Skelder gate and Mickle gate Bar, on all of which we were shown the ancient hinges of the gates, and on Walm gate the doors themselves. Mickle gate is a sort of square tower ornamented with figures of men at arms. It was on this gate that they used to hang the skulls of rebels to the crown. Passing through…
Mickle gate we saw first the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey, now completely covered with ivy. The next object of interest was the ancient palace of the Stuart Kings. A low brickbuilding, was insignificant looking. It is now used as an asylum for the blind. We tried to go over it, but the building was closed for a vacation. Then we visited Merchants Hall, a very old building in which religious services are now held. Underneath the Hall is a little bit of a Chapel. I don’t know how old. After this we went to the famous York Minister. This is worth a trip across the Atlantic to see. It is immense, huge. The choir is beautiful. similar in carving to the Chester Cathedral choir. The screen that separates it from the nave is wonderful. It is in fifteen compartments containing statues of the British Kings down to Henry VII. We saw the five sisters window so called because the pattern…
was copied from needle work done by five pious sisters. The chaplin house [octagonal] in shape, was very interesting . Also the crypt in which we saw pillars of the ancient Normans church was which the present Cathedral is build. Here we also saw some antiquities [accaring] which was the “Loom of Ulphus”, who gave all his money and lands to the church. From the Minister, we went to the station and took the train for Edinburgh, arriving here at half past nine this evening. We have beautiful rooms at the Royal Hotel. They face Scott’s Monument.
