PRESTON

 The Harris Exhibition

Exhibitionists :- John R, John W, Dave, Danny, Mike and Liz (Guest)

We were to meet together at the Harris Museum. John W was to come from Grimsargh by bus. 

Preston's listed, brutalist bus station was all but deserted at that time in the morning

Mike and Danny were to walk in from Fulwood. John R walked in from Penwortham (well done those three.) Dave's wife Liz was bringing him in by car. Their Blue badge allowed parking right outside the Musum.

From left to right. The town Hall, the Cenotaph, the Harris building and a random stranger.

The Harris looking rather dark and forbidding in the heavy shade of the low lying sunshine. It isn't at all of course

Being mid morning there were hardly any passengers waiting at most bus stops between Grimsargh and Preston so John W was rather early at the museum . To pass the time, as you can see, he took a few photos round the flag market in front of the Harris.

The Market Cross spent over a hundred years in exile in the countryside before being returned to it's rightful place here in the Market Square.

There were some rather strange "Tributes " left on the cross's steps.

Immediately opposite the cross was the old post office building. A handsome building being somewhat spoiled by building development on it's roof.

In front of it is the Cenotaph  designed by the renowned  architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who also designed the Albert Hall.

By now Dave had arrived driven in by his wife Elizabeth .Their blue badge enabled them to park right outside the museum. Then a phone call told us that Danny and Mike were inside the museum already.

So straight to the cafe for our ,by now obligatory, "Start of the Day" coffees.

Here we were soon joined by John Russell who had walked in from Penwortham.

Coffees downed we set off to look at two exhibitions we had not seen on our fairly recent visit.
The first was the works of local artists. This was a must as Dave' s wife Liz had one of her works on display. 

That'll teach ya not to play "Hands Knee and Bumpsy Daisies" on a soft floor.

Something interesting in this corner ?

Yes. It's Dave, John and Danny  admiring Liz's delightful wintery woodland scene.

OOPS !  I seem to have turned Liz into an impressionist. I must return and take a better shot.

153 !   Yes and he looks every day of it.

IT'S A CAT. Loved it.

After the art exhibition we went to look at old photos of Preston. They  changed from black and white or Sepia into full colour and then by the magic of AI they moved as in a movie. All this as an old time comedian (Forgotten which one) used to say "Before Your Very Eyes". Sorry NO PHOTOS of this phenomena as I am not clever or maybe patient enough to post moving pictures into the blog. ( perhaps someone can show me how ?) Or maybe I was simply mesmerised by the incredible technology. You'll have to go and see for yourselves. Well worth it.

Back to the cafe for lunch joined by guest Meanderthal - Liz.

Who's this celebrity leaving the museum ?

We left the museum and found our way down fishergate to Winckley square.

Here we pottered slowly round the OUTSIDE of the lovely square reading just about all of the information plaques and name "Tags" attached to the railings. 

Here there was a mystery. We had arranged to meet John Russell who had left the museum slightly before us to meet his daughter ( Granddaughter ?) in the square. John was inside the square and we were outside neither of us saw the other. INCREDIBLE !!!

I SEE NO JOHN !

Then back through the town stopping briefly to remind ourselves of some interesting features. Here the Market in the square is the market cross.

The Cenotaph and the rather grand post office building

.......and eventually back to Preston's famous bus station and the buses home.

No walk is planned for next week as some of the Meanderthals have  appointments.

So see you all in a couple of weeks

BYE FOR NOW

JW

p.s. On reading the blog through after writing it, it seems to have a rather disjointed feel to it. My apologies. JW.

LANCASTER

 SHUT !

The SHUTTERED.  Anthony, John, Danny, Mike.

We came to Lancaster with " High hopes and Hearts aglow" or something like that. Our first visit was to be in Williamson Park. We drove up the drive to park near to the Ashton memorial.

As ever to the cafe for a start off brew

The cafe was SHUT.

Ah well,  move on to the Butterfly house.

The butterflies were SHUT.

OK let's try the memorial.

The memorial was SHUT.

There appeared to be some major works being done. Possibly to upgrade the various facilities in the park. As we left Mike remarked he seemed to remember that there was a "Whittle" connection up here. Indeed there was 

On our walks we have in the past come across several of these cast iron posts which mark the track taken by the Lancashire witches from the Pendle area to Lancaster Castle where they met their sad end. This one was rather special as it bore the name (difficult to see in the rust) of ANNIE WHITTLE  AKA Dame Chattox. Annie Whittle was JW's mother's name........ Oh Dear !

An unusual sort of circular construction we had seen below the car park intrigued us . Let's go and see what it is. No path to it could be found. was it SHUT.

Rather sullenly we got back in the car and drove back down the drive.

On our way to the to our next "Target" we passed the open space were the Martyrs memorial stone had been erected. Open Field ! can't be SHUT. So we pulled over to take a look.

So.... Back to the car passing, as we did, this little object.

It belongs to a hedgehog................. Say n'more.😖

Next on our list was the Catholic Cathedral which was OPEN but sadly, it being late morning and we being elderly gentlemen, the toilets were SHUT

To visit the Cathedral there is a Car park barely a hundred yards away.

We confidently drove into it to find locked gates. It was SHUT.

Is there a bit of a theme developing here ?

Car park on the right of the photo.

The interior of the Cathedral was rather dark but the altar area was suitably highlighted.

We had found another  car park  a little distance away and enjoyed our visit to the cathedral (apart from the toilets of course)

At first we thought the baptistry was closed but on investigation we could open the iron gates and enter.

In the photo below , set in stained glass, was one of history's villains.  King Herod. If you look at the bottom of the photo you will see he has his foot on a baby.

OUR NEXT TARGETS...........

The Judges Lodgings SHUT till April

Museum of Lancaster   SHUT on Thursdays.

There was only the Castle left. Surely that won't be SHUT

OK let's try there. BUT   with double yellow lines and full car parks we circled round for some time before a parking spot could be found.

Out we piled to find that the forecast foul weather was beginning to build.

Danny (Mine of information !) told us there was a good cafe close by.  And so there was ."The STOREY".. the rather quirky (a much overused word in my opinion) lets say "individualistic" building referenceing the once famous "Linoleum (Lino) manufacturer  It had a cafe called........................................ The PRINT ROOM

After another coffee and excellent spicy soup or an equally excellent toasted sandwhich we left in search of the castle.

Before leaving the building we had a  mozey around and came across these very interesting stained glass panels. Dedicated to architects and builders of the past.

So then, out we went into the teeth of a storm. The vile weather had arrived with a vengeance. A howling wind and lashing rain as we fought our way back to the car.

So we came to Lancaster and it was......... SHUT !👎

Now..... I shall SHUT up and the four of us will go home

THE END

JW

😠😠😠😠