Website Building SoftwareEasby Abbey
When walking through the market place this morning on my way to get the paper I came across a band of Wassailers dressed in red jackets apart from one who was wearing a horses head.
Perhaps he can't sing so the rest of the team cover him up!
They all seemed to have riding whips but were not holding drinks, it was too early for the pubs to be open nor did they seem to be collecting money for charity so somehow I could not see the point of them.
It was blowing a gale which ruled out any high level walks so we meandered down the river to Easby Abbey which is a very fine ruin.
So fine that Turner among others did several paintings of the ruins. Of course it became derelict after the dissolution of the monasteries but worse, as the canons who lived there (for some reason they were canons not monks) supported a Catholic uprising, they were all hung.
Very close to our holiday home is a rather grander one. The Culloden Tower was built in 1776 as a folly to commemorate the defeat of the Scots. It became derelict with holes in the roof and the ground floor was used as a sheep pen. A few years ago it was taken over by the Landmark Trust who have restored it and made it into a self catering holiday home sitting in it's own parkland. Very grand although rather more expensive than our nice holiday accommodation.
As it is a Sunday and Christmas Eve getting anywhere to eat this evening would be impossible so Mrs Lucas has been given a special dispensation to cook dinner. Scallops, a rack of lamb, raspberry pies with custard followed by cheese. That should set us off for Christmas, tomorrow and Boxing day we are booked into restaurants so this should be the one and only home cooked dinner of the holiday.
We do hope you have a great Christmas - Gill & John
Richmond from the Culloden Tower grounds
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