15 November 2018

Bothamsall

Shirley and I are going to Whitby today - just a one night stay. It is a special little seaside town on the North Yorkshire coast but I will probably say more about it in another post.

In the meantime, I just wanted to leave a few words about Tuesday's walking expedition south east of Worksop in Nottinghamshire. 

I parked in the village of Bothamsall and enjoyed a lovely eight mile circular walk that also took in the larger village of Walesby and involved crossing or walking beside two little rivers - the Meden and the Maun. 
Perhaps the highlight of this ramble was the detour I  made to see what remains of a remote twelfth century ecclesiastical building called Haughton Chapel. It fell into disuse long ago and was happily crumbling away into nothingness until efforts were made within the last twelve months to halt its demise and to treasure it once again.

Some stonework has been repaired and there's clear evidence of cement pointing. There's also a brand new fence. In one corner of the old churchyard there's a little monument erected by The Royal Canadian Air Force in memory of the twelve young men who died aboard two World War Two bombers that crashed nearby in 1943 and 1944 respectively. So tragic...

11 comments:

  1. What a nice walk and visit to the remains of the chapel. I would love to have seen Haughton Chapel in it's day as it appears to have been of a unique design. Enjoy your trip tonight!

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  2. Stone ruins stick around for a long time. Our wooden ruins are very quickly gone.

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    1. That's true Red but even stone buildings need some help.

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  3. It's heartening to learn work is being done to save/restore what is left of the old building.

    And it is also heartwarming to know our men and women of our Defence Forces, past...and present...are not forgotten. It is of utmost importance present and future generations never forget...to my way of thinking.

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    1. In that secret corner of central England those brave Canadian boys are still remembered.

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  4. I love Whitby! When Steve and I were in Scarborough for our annual holiday, we always met up with his sister and her family who still go to Whitby for a holiday almost every year. I am really looking forward to your post about the place.
    Haughton Chapel looks well worth a detour. I look at the first picture and have to remind myself that this is November; the grass looks so green!

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    1. Whitby is well known for its Goth Weekends. I guess that you and Steve dressed in black like the other Goths!

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  5. It still blows my mind that we can come across such ancient ruins simply walking around out in the English countryside. (This is because where I grew up, the oldest structure was built in about 1930.) Do you follow ordnance survey maps when you go out walking? How do you plan your routes?

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    1. Yes Steve - I always use Ordnance Survey mapping. I decide how long I want the walk to be and normally I work out a circular route by referring to marked public footpaths.

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  6. I've been to Whitby, once, on a Ramblers walking group holiday, and loved it. I bought a Whitby Jet ring as a memento. I hope to return. It's nice to know that Haughton Chapel in Nottinghamshire is being cared for, and how lovely to see the monument by the Royal Canadian Air Force. Isn't it surprising what you come across on walks?

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