Today was a rather odd Sunday for us. It was strange waking up, getting ready and heading off to Church without all the normal fuss and angst from our three children. Sacrament meeting was a joy! We sat and actually LISTENED to the talks. Amazing! At the same time, I admit, I chuckled a little to myself knowing that in seven short hours Grandpa and Grandma were going to get a full dose of what Sacrament meeting is usually like for the Jones family. Nerve-wracking. With no end in sight. Sorry Mom & Dad. (Oh...and I just realized that I didn't get a sub for my primary class which is, at this very moment, probably wondering where I am. Oops.)
In other news...after enjoying our quiet morning we drove up to nearby Lincoln Castle. A 10th-century Norman establishment which has been kept in amazing repair. Here's a look at the southern wall with the typical "motte" (a mound) and it's "keep" on top. You can see the castle walls extending from the keep.
Inside the keep were several graves of men and women hanged within the castle walls after being sentenced to death through the Lincoln Crown Courts.
We managed to visit Lincoln Castle on the perfect day. There was a group of volunteers in almost every area of the Castle dressed in authentic 12th-century clothing and talking to us about day-to-day life as it would have been. There was a brilliant gentleman who spent quite a lot of time talking with Ian and I about the various weaponry and armor used at the time. It was all hands-on. And, while I think Ian looks great in the medieval helmet, I'm sure he's glad he doesn't have to haul that extra 10 pounds around on a daily basis.
I had to snap this picture of little Poppy. A five-month old little girl participating in the "re-enactment" all dolled up in authentic clothing as well. She was the best behaved little baby I've ever seen! Not a peep out of the sweetheart all afternoon. Amazing.
From inside one of the tower walls you have a fantastic view of the ginormous Lincoln Cathedral which stands across the street. We spent a couple minutes in there but didn't want to get in the way of their Sunday worship so we didn't get many pictures.
One of my favorite things about England (apart from the bacon...I can't even begin to describe it to you):
Instead of calling a tow truck, or writing a nasty note, the owner of the house we shouldn't have parked in front of gave us a "polite notice" without even one exclamation point. Thank you again, anonymous stranger. It would have been awful to return to our car to find it missing.
We are going to end our day with Indian Food. Yes, my friends, yours truly is going to step way, way, WAY, outside of my comfort zone and attempt an unprecedented cultural experience. Wish me luck.
We climbed 275 stairs to arrive atop the Minster tower. I'd like to add that I found the English method of organizing tours up these tiny little stairs quite a breath of fresh air! You didn't find people going up at the same time others were going down these narrow steps..unlike some French cathedrals I've known. I do love organization.
Next we walked along the old Norman city walls that extend a couple miles around the interior of York. There were some remains of the moat that also kept intruders away from the castle (since destroyed) and its' citizens. Here's Ian peaking out from the top of one of the watch towers.
One of the most interesting things we saw today was a street known as The Shambles. It's a narrow street of shops where the buildings are literally leaning out into the street. Every building was crooked and sloped...I have no idea how the people live inside.
As we left the city to drive back to Navenby we came across the ruins of St. Mary's Abby...an old Norman abby destroyed during the reformation. It was in the middle of a beautiful park. As you walked along paths you could see random ruins, structures, and even stone coffins along the wayside.
There was an old church with a graveyard just a short walk from Steve's house. Most of the tombstones were unreadable and covered with ivy and moss.
