REST DAY IN RICHMOND, NORTHERN YORKSHIRE

A spectacular start to the day with breakfast served before a huge picture window overlooking the town…and farmland on the outskirts. It’s been quite a discipline to not have a full English breakfast every day. As days go by, we’ve all begun to modify our orders. Mark has enjoyed the black pudding and Bob even had kippers the other morning.

We were able to skype Ashley, our daughter, this morning and talk mainly to Dakota, now 11 months, who became very excited to see us – not that we weren’t totally overjoyed to see her!
A misty, unpredictable day so we were happy to wander around the town to see what it had to offer. Walking down Frenchgate the very historic street we are in, we saw the tower of St Mary’s Church.

St Mary's churchyard

We wandered through the graveyard surrounding the church, where Robert Willance was buried in the 1600s (the survivor of the horse fall, I mentioned yesterday), who actually lived in Frenchgate. This Norman church was built in 1137 and has been restored over the centuries and has beautiful stained glass windows.

St Mary's stained glass windows

We walked down Frenchgate and found his house and there were some walkers about to walk inside (it is now a B&B) and we chatted about Robert Willance - now my special subject. They said that not only did he fall off the cliff and brake his leg, but when he discovered that his horse had died, he cut its stomach open and rested his leg inside to keep it warm. Too much information as far as I'm concerned.

Robert Willances's home 1600s in Frenchgate

The castle adjoins the town and looks over the River Swale. It was built by Alan Rufus, nephew of William the Conqueror, to defend his northern estates against the dispossessed Anglo-Saxons. William had given the land to Rufus in appreciation for his command of the Breton contingent of the Norman army at the Battle of Hastings (1066). It was an interesting site to walk around and enjoy the vantage points.

Richmond Castle

View of town from Richmond Castle

We had a Ploughman’s Lunch at the renovated Victorian Richmond Station, which is now a café with displays of local cheese-making, and a brewery.

Renovated Station building

We did a bit of essential shopping. Mark bought some waterproofing spray for 2.50 pounds ($4.00) at an outdoor shop, which he usually pays $20.00 for at home.
We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon, particularly in the guest house breakfast room, chatting with other walkers. A group came in, after a big day, who are walking with a guide with a group of about 12.
Dinner tonight at a local Italian restaurant - buzzing for a Monday night. Raining..what will it be like tomorrow...