Spofforth and Wetherby

 We went to Wetherby after much heated debate. I wanted to go to Temple Newsam house
 Lee did not want to spend the money. It started to rain and the sky turned dark so I gave in and we went to Wetherby after all.

 Christmas is out. Some charity shops were only just being restocked.....we went window shopping.....

 "Oh its a shiney pig with wings" said Lee.   "  I dont want one"

 I did find this father Christmas and here he is down by the Salmon leap.

 Pearls! My fave now. I do have some fresh water pearls. Must get them mended. I broke the string about ten years ago.....

 We came back to the Fonz car and lunch via the war memorial.....

 Through the church yard having been into the last charity shop......then lunch that we ate on the way to spoffoth church that I had spotted on the way. We went the long scenic route today. I noted that Spofforth castle ruins were on the way back too.....these will have to be another day now.

 Spofforth....out by Wetherby... Stokheld park and Spofforth Castle.....Alerton Mauleverer and Harrogate.

Spofforth was the main seat of the Percy family. This was one of the most important families in Yorkshire at that time and they owned everything

William de Percy was a favorite of William the Conqueror and was rewarded with many lands in this area. He also owned Stockheld Park until 1315 when it passed to William de Middleton of Ilkley. (one of my favorite effigies in Ilkley church). 

Both these families were benefactors of this church. 

Parts of the church date from Anglo Saxon times. Probably the foundations. the main part is Norman.

From 1175 -1370.

Lee waited for me out on the road with Monza dog. I told him it was very simular to the Norman church we went to the other week at Bardsey.....upon my return.

Especially the bell tower and interior arches. I did my usual walk around and looked at family names on wall plaques. I took my camera with me but these pics are from my wonky smashed screen phone. The charger I ordered for my laptop has yet to arrive so everything happens on this sellotaped up moby phone.....

...the first rector of this church was Henry de Evesham then William de Melon....1310-1317..another notable retor was Mathew Hutton (1729- 1743) and he went on to become arch bishop of Canterbury...
Lee parked in the road by the church and I ran through the drizzle to the church and grave yard. One of the stones I noted on the way in was a servant of the Middleton family of Sockheld park...

Then I came to the door intriguingly open....

All was quiet as I would expect with only two others looking around. I heard Monza barking just as i got to the alter and knew they had left the church and headed up the lane....

There was still another inside and he started to play the organ. It was beautiful and eary all at the same time.

 I walked around the outside church to the graveyard. Very well stocked with ancient and weathered stones....

Some very old indeed. It does not look like it but it was raining now. Slippy under foot and not too warm either. I need to come back another day anyway....as the castle ruins await exploration too.

We went to all the charity shops. In Weaterby.....and only found a father christmas on a spring.....a book by Tracy Chevalier about a Quaker going to the new world and a pair of socks sporting christmas puddings. Guess who gets them?
So we ate lunch of chocolate eclairs. Monza dozed in the back of the Fonz car and the radio played...
Poison by Alice Cooper ..