JUNE 2019 STUDY DAY
On a very wet 11th June some 30 Members of ASHER gathered at the Green Dragon in Welton for coffee before walking the short distance to St. Helen’s Church to hear presentations about the history of Welton Village and the Church.
First, we heard about Dick Turpin, the much romanticised, but notorious 18th century highwayman, who was allegedly apprehended at the Green Dragon in 1739 and ultimately hung for horse theft.
In St. Helen’s Church the vicar, Elaine Bielby, talked to us about the long history of the Church which has its roots at the time of William Rufus.
Following the talks, Graham Lewis, led a number of Members who braved the elements, on a walk around the village to view some of the houses identified by Pevsner.
VISIT TO ALLERTON CASTLE
This was the first outside visit for 2019 and on 11th July it took us to Allerton Castle, which is located in extensive parkland to the North of York.
There has been a castle on the site since the Norman Conquest when it belonged to the Mauleverer family. By 1796 Allerton was owned by the Duke of York, the brother of George IV, and famous as the Grand Old Duke of York of the children’s nursery rhyme.
In 1848 construction began on the present castle which was by then owned by the Stourton family. During the Second World War it became the Headquarters of No. 6 Group of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and later in 1983 it was sold by Edward Stourton to Dr Gerald Rolph, an American businessman. By then the castle was in a poor state of repair and Dr Rolph began was almost complete when in 2005 a fire destroyed about a third of the castle. Nevertheless, undaunted by the tragedy Dr Rolph resumed the work of restoration and this is all now completed.
Our group enjoyed an excellent guided tour of the restored ground floor of the castle, having had coffee on arrival in the Ballroom. Following the tour of the castle there was time for a brief visit to the gardens where Dr Rolph has established a Memorial Garden in honour of the many Canadian airmen who lost their lives during the Second World War.
After our visit, we adjourned to the Mason’s Arms in the nearby village of Hopperton for an excellent lunch.
VISIT TO RIPLEY CASTLE
Our second very well supported summer visit in 2019 was to Ripley Castle, near Knaresborough, the family home of the Ingilby family for over 700 years. In 1355 Thomas Ingilby was knighted by Edward III, after rescuing him from a wild boar whilst hunting, so that a boar’s head became the family crest, with images to be found throughout the castle, village and church, as well as at the nearby Boar’s Head Inn.
The family’s royalist sympathies in the Civil War resulted in ‘Trooper Jane’ Ingilby holding Olive Cromwell at gunpoint in the Library the night after the Battle of Marston Moor. More gruesomely, there is still evidence of countless bullet holes in the walls of the Castle and nearby All Saints Church, caused by the execution of defeated Royalist troops by Cromwell.
After lunch in the Castle, there was free time (and good weather!) for us to explore Ripley’s extensive grounds and gardens, including four acres of Walled Gardens containing some of Britain’s largest herbaceous borders and the Kitchen Garden with its rare herbs and spices, fruit trees and heritage vegetables.
Finally, the visit would not have been complete without indulging in the allegedly ‘World Famous Ripley Ice-Cream’ on sale in the creamery shop across the road from the equally famous Boards Head Inn and the historic church, where most of the Ingilby family are buried.
YOUNG ARTS
We are always seeking ways to support a range of Arts initiatives in the Hull and East Riding area. This year in order to provide some help to the Hull Music Service, we donated £750.00 towards the refurbishment of their Music Technology Studio in the Albermarle Centre, which was very gratefully received by James Dickinson, their Musical Director.
LIBRARY – ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS
Do you have any unwanted Art books which you would be willing to donate to ASHER. Art books in excellent condition may be placed in the Library, or can be offered for sale to Members. Any proceeds of sale will go to ASHER. Please contact Louise Wreathall on 01482 634062 before bringing any books as the Library cannot take too many books at the same time.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
The Annual General Meeting will take place promptly at 10.30 on 19th November at Willerby Manor immediately before the lecture by Sarah Dunant, ‘Getting Under their Skins – Character and Story in Renaissance Art’.
Ripley Castle