I’m at Starre Inn in York right this second. I’m one my third pint so life is good 🙂
My decision for where to go next this afternoon was made by British Rail. There was little going south from Leeds so I came up to York. I’ll be staying at St. Mary’s guesthouse for the next two nights, so I have all of tomorrow to wander around York.
York is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been in. The walk from the train station to the B&B was over the Ouse, which is very pretty. The City Walls are impressive and magnificent. The area I am in right now is a collection of shops and pubs and is really cool.
It’s really hard to truly explain it’s beauty. I’ll have some pictures, but they’ll be limited too. You’ll just have to come here.
Where I’m at is an 18th century pub built around earlier buildings called Starre Inn. It’s a really neat pub with dark colors, stained glass, and, of course, good ales.
Earlier today I went to the Leeds Royal Armory Museum. This really is spectacular but I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I know why Larmer and I have different opinions. I was looking for earlier period weapons and armor and there wasn’t much. The Tournament section has a ton of fantastic 14th or later century stuff, which was beautiful. Larmer, who does an excellent job of recreating a later period was undoubtedly in heaven when he was there.
What I found more interesting were the non-European armor exhibits. The Japanese, Mongol, Indian, Islamic, and Turkish exhibits are fantastic.
Now, I might not have been able to see everything because they have a goodly chunk of the museum closed for construction, but I had hoped for more of my type of stuff. I did by another book on Viking Age weapons and armor. I also bought a gift for Phil and Tiffany, two fellow students at Mizzou. I bought them munitions for them to continue their war :).
So tomorrow is the real exploration of Eboracum. I’m excited. I also have been given the bus route out to Stamford Bridge. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m hoping to bring more water back for my cunning plans involving the fyrd at Pennsic.
RAM and York
Thank-you for the compliment.
Unfortunately the older the armour the less there was in the first place and then the longer it has to survive. I bemoan the fact that there is not a lot of 14th century stuff compared to the amount of 15 and 16 th century stuff.
It is nice that the RAM is not purely Eurocentric. When I was there it was only a few months old so many exhibits were not opened yet so I can understand the frustration of construction.
Enjoy York. It is amazing and yes it is very hard to describe. I dined in a 18th century pub, perhaps the same one, in which General Wolfe was born in the 18th Century. He went on to win the Battle of the Plains of Abraham outside of Quebec City effectively capturing New France (essentially Quebec) for the British which over a hundred years later became Canada. Wolfe alas died on the battle field for his trouble.
When in York take the time and money to go into the excavations under the Minster. Look for the Roman ditch (which still works) down there and the very important sign about Constantine. It will blow you away when you consider the significance of the event. I will not tell you more and spoil it.