Beningborough Hall and Gardens

I managed to persuade Richard to take me out to Beningborough Hall - a National Trust property to tick off my list. The Hall is actually quite modest in size, although grand and imposing from the outside. Sadly the interior furnishings were sold off, but the interior is still worth seeing.

The gardens are not large, but attractively planted.

Beyond the gardens are parkland with a fine and sizeable herd of cattle.

 Best part of the interior is the double-height Great Hall - seen here from both sides.

The Hall is an offshoot of the National Portrait Gallery. It contains, for example, part of the series of portraits of the Kit-Kat club, the rest of which feature in a gallery in the NPG in London. The NPG has also lent to the Hall a series of royal portraits, including the large and colourful painting of the royal family seen above, all circling the late Queen Mother.

All in all a nice diversion, but would have been even nicer on a day other than a Bank Holiday as the place was clearly on the itinerary of every local young family desperate to give their youngest members a place to run around in.

Walking the Walls

Saturday and our intrepid trio decided to walk the walls. York's medieval walls are very well preserved. We even noticed that one of the gaps was very deliberate, having formerly been an impassable swamp. Of course, with modern technology, now a very passable road, In any event it forms a very pleasant walk around the City.

These statues atop one of the gates are of men hurling stones on those below.

 One gets some very attractive views of the Minster.

 The Smith brothers looking ever so slightly "ageing indie band members on the cover of new album"

The rest of the day was spent in an increasingly alcoholic blur. Well, given Richard's partner owns a bar it would have be plain rude not to spend a little time there. And York does have quite a lot of pubs and bars to choose fro. And what else are three grumpy middle-aged men going to do for an evening but drink ale and rant about politics and football? It was very a good evening!