Teresa and Pablo planned a couple of day trips so we could get a sense of the Yorkshire countryside. Our first was to Knaresborough, a village northeast of Leeds on the river Nidd with a 900-year-old castle’s ruins, a beautiful railroad bridge and of course, a popular pub. A museum in what was once the Courthouse still had shackles for prisoners whose offenses could be as menial as stealing acorns from the King’s forest.

Knaresborough Castle supported the Royalist cause during the Civil War in 1642. Following the Battle of Marston Moor on 2 July 1644 and the defeat of Royalist forces in the North, Knaresborough Castle came under siege. From November to December 1644 a Parliamentarian force of up to four hundred men aimed to starve the castle into submission. The castle finally surrendered on 20 December when their cannon breached the castle walls.

The castle was not destroyed during the siege, but in 1646 Parliament ordered the destruction of many castles to prevent any future use by Royalist forces. By 1648, demolition had commenced, and Knaresborough Castle was blown up, or sleighted.

Most of the buildings were destroyed. But the Courthouse had been established here since Tudor times and the Keep was often used to hold prisoners, so the townspeople petitioned Parliament and complete demolition was halted. All usable stone, lead and timber from the roofs and windows were sold off to raise money for the Treasury. Many town center buildings were built of ‘castle stone’.

The underground tunnels from the Keep to the Courthouse still exist, and the grounds overlook the river and gardens. And of course there were stocks, so it was a requisite to put Pablo in them…

Knaresborough is also the home of Mother Shipton’s Cave, a supposed prophet or witch who is said to have foretold the Great Fire of London.

And of course, after absorbing all the history and beauty of the place refreshment must be had. The Cross Keys pub didn’t disappoint.

The next day we drove to Ilkley Moor, northwest of Leeds, and had fish and chips and mushy peas at The Cow and Calf, a pub named for the boulders called the cow and calf just across the street. A hike through the moor amidst the heather and flowers in bloom, and the beautiful scenery was lovely.  And Ilkley Moor has a song! On Ilkley Moor Bar t’At. (On Ilkley Moor Without a Hat). It’s considered the anthem of Yorkshire. The song is quite disturbing, so not surprisingly Pablo knew all the lyrics. But since they’re sung in the Yorkshire Dialect nobody can understand them anyway. You can hear it below and read the lyrics here: Lyrics i- Ilkley Moor Baht’at

Deborah