Scotland and England - Part 7 - Mother Shiptons and York (6 Apr)

Today we had two targets, Mother Shipton's Cave and my favourite town - York.

Mother Shipton's Cave is England's oldest vistor attraction, open since 1630.  The site is a petrifying well that can turn items to stone in 3 months.  The area has a story about a 'witch' Mother Shipton or Ursula Sontheil who was born in the cave in 1488 to a fifteen year old mother.  She was raised in the cave for two years before a local family took her in and her mother was sent to a convent where she soon died.

Ursula has been born with some deformities - a large, crooked nose, bent back and twisted legs.  She became known as a witch when Tobias Shipton fell in love with her and they married.  It was said she must have bewitched him to love her, but sadly he died two years later.  It is said that she had premonitions such as the Fire of London and flight.

Alana was keen to get to the cave

Mother Shipton's Park

The first landmark we came across was the money tree - a tree that people have hammered coins into:

The Money Tree

Money Tree

Kris added our contribution, a Swedish and Australian coin:

Hammering the coin

Our coins

While we were doing this, the kids were playing on the adventure playground:

There were lots of cool woodcarvings, like this guy who had been garrotted to a tree:

"Take heed and go no further.  The path you take will lead to certain destruction!"

On the way with the maps and quiz sheets

Help us, we are trapped in this tree!

"ARRRGH People keep sitting on me!"

Kris found her own way to the top of the hill *ducks*

At the top of the hill we came across the Well Spring and Petrifying Well:

The  aquifer that flows water down to the well

Welcome to the well

The items petrifying in the well.  The two bulges in the stone at the top were hats left in Victorian times

A small collection of native bears, being tortured by slow petrification, the bears come down to drink and are trapped in snares and slowly turned to stone

Various items that were also trapped in snares when they came down to drink

It looks like these leaves are also in danger of eventually turning to stone

Just behind the fall was the wishing well:

Tom making a wish

Cam's wish

Alana's wish

The wishing well

Next was the cave where Mother Shipton was born:

Mother Shipton's Cave

Statue of Mother Shipton

On the way to the final stop, we passed the Beech Avenue, home to some of the straightest beech trees due to the valley:

Beech Avenue

Tom decided he was "Mother ShipShin"

Another wood carving

Items that have been turned to stone

One of Mother Shipton's prophecies was that when the bridge collapsed 3 times the world would end.  It has already collapsed twice, and when they upgraded it in modern days the council didnt dare demolish it, so they built around it.  The pub on the end of the bridge is hence known as "The Worlds End"

The World's End

We drove off quickly as Tomas was already planning ways to knock down the bridge.

Next stop was York, an old walled city in Northern England, formally a viking city known as Jorvik.

Walls of York

Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate

One of the oldest buildings in York - Sir Thomas Herbert was born here in 1606

Our first stop was the York Dungeon:

York Dungeon

The York Dungeon is a humourous/horror experience, with a series of different rooms with live actors and scenarios.  Unfortunatley we weren't able to take photos inside, but here's a brief run-down

Fear the Vikings
The first room was an old Saxon man who warned us about the viking raid.  I was asked my name and when I replied with Keir, they decided my name was Edwig.  They also named one of the women Helga.  Apparently my hair and style of dress was the reason God had cursed York with the vikings.  We then headed through into a room where the vikings were attacking and Ivar the Boneless's great heathern army was shown in shadow effects.

Plague Doctor
Our next stop was a plague doctor who showed some of the ways of treating plague and an fake autopsy to show the effects.  I was chosen to be the victim who had blood drained and was eventually stabbed.  When asked my name I gave it as Edwig and got a cheer from the other guests.

The Golden Fleece
A haunted pub with holographic effects.

Labyrinth
We watched a show involving the severed head of Guy Fawkes and then entered a mirror maze with explosions and crashes.

The Torturer
Next stop was the torturer who locked Kristine in a cage (I didnt even have to pay extra) and demonstrated some torture devices on an unwilling victim.

The Courtroom
Next we faced the judge and Cameron was selected because he had been pinching watches and ladies bottoms.  He gave his address as Poopland, which was a little worrying..

Next we saw the Mickelgate Bar where people slated for execution were sent.  Followed by a mock execution of Dick Turpin

Witches
The final stop was a witch burning.

The kids found it a little scary but were already asking to go to the London or Edinburgh dungeon by the time we got out.

Next stop was the Shambles, a street in York, mentioned in William the Conquerors Domesday book of census in 1086.  Most of the buildings date from 1350-1475.

The Shambles

The Shrine of Saint Margaret Clitherow

Shambles

Close enough to jump between

Side Street of Snickelway - The Little Shambles

Plaque stating that the Shambles were show in the Domesday book

York Glass

It is believed the word Shambles, comes from the Old Anglo-Saxon word "Shammel" meaning the shelves that formed open-shop fronts - particularly those where butchers displayed their meats.

Next stop was Clifford's Tower, the largest remaining part of York Castle.  it was named after Roger de Clifford who was hanged by Edward II for treason.

Clifford's Tower

In 1190 jews were being killed in York, so 150 jews took refuge in the castle.  When it was surrounded by a mob they commited suicice and burned the tower, rather than be murdered by the mob or forced to renounce their faith

Final stop in York was York Minster, the largest cathedral in Northern Europe, constructed in 1338 and finished in 1408.

Panoramic of the side of York Minster

Front of York Minster

Emperor Constantine of Rome was crowned in York:

Roman column remaining from AD 71 when the city was founded by the Romans

After finishing at York we headed back to our accomodation at Moorlodge Country Retreat and packed ready for our drive the next day.

Total driving : 117 miles or 188km


That makes a trip total of: 1850km