March 2019 Number 192

An Association of

National Trust Members

and Supporters

York AssociationNewsletter

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Contents Page

What’s On 3 Membership 4 Talks 4 AGM and Website Information 5 Note from the Chair 6 Social and Fundraising Events 7 Holidays 8 Country walks 10 NT Yorkshire News 13 Holiday review 15 Dates for your Diary Back cover

Enclosed with this Newsletter is Chair’s Letter and booking forms for Social Activities and Walks (2 forms). Please contact the Newsletter editor if any of these are missing.

Chair: Catherine Brophy chair@yant.org.uk 07947 854923

Secretary: Jean Haywood secretary@yant.org.uk 01904 702402

Treasurer: Valerie Laud treasurer@yant.org.uk 01904 704600

Membership: Elinor Bailey membership@yant.org.uk 01347 821262

Day Trips: Colin Sherwood trips@yant.org.uk 01904 640915

Walks: Alison Rutter walks@yant.org.uk 01904 703430

Holidays: Peter Drew holidays@yant.org.uk 01904 702285

Events: Christine Truman social@yant.org.uk 01937 541163 Website: Mike Morrow web@yant.org.uk 01904 654546

Newsletter: Catherine Brophy newsletter@yant.org.uk 07947 854923

Talks: Roger King talks@yant.org.uk 01904 761274

Publicity: Mererid Hunt publicity@yant.org.uk 01653 690992

Cover: visitors in the Azalea Garden at Wentworth Castle Gardens ©NT images/Chris Lacey

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Selected Events for your Diary

Friday March 20th: Social Evening and Quiz

The annual quiz night and social evening, organised by the Walks Group, but welcome to everyone, is held at New Earswick Bowls Club, Huntington Road, York. Starting at 7.30pm with a cash bar which opens at 7pm. £12.50 to include supper. A booking form is available on the website and was sent with the December newsletter. See page 9

Saturday March 28th: AGM, Talk and Lunch at York Hilton

Andrew Morrison, CEO of York Civic Trust, will be our guest speaker. Do join us for the short formal AGM at 11am, followed by the talk and lunch. Complimentary Tea and Coffee are available from 10.30am. See page 5

Tuesday April 28th:The Oldest Sweetshop in the World

Keith Tordoff, MBE, will entertain us with his presentation on running the oldest sweetshop in the world and he will provide samples for us to enjoy. To be held at St Edward’s Church Extension, Dringhouses at 2.30pm. See page 6

Saturday, May 16th: Yorkshire Dales: Gargrave and Leeds/Liverpool Canal - 7 miles This easy walk in the Dales led by Dorothy Pope was postponed from last autumn. Full details on page 10

Saturday June 13th: Hackfall Woods from Masham - 7.5 miles

The walk starts at Masham and follows the Ripon Rowel path along the River Ure to Hackfall Woods. Led by Alison and Nigel Rutter. More details page 11

Saturday 28th November 6pm to 8pm Yorkshire Museum, YO1 7FR

York Association 50th Anniversary Event – Reception in the Atrium

Followed by a Presentation in the Tempest Anderson Lecture theatre

In the June Newsletter there will be details of the Summer Garden Picnic and day-trips, including the half-day visit to Ryedale Vineyards.

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Membership At the end of January 2020, we had 586 members, and are pleased to have welcomed the following to membership over the past three months. We look forward to meeting you all at some of our events. Jean Richards & John Stewart Margaret Neighbour David Asplin Brenda Woodall Sharyn Needham Patricia Bailey Adrienne Wilson & Nick Morrice Olwen Stenton Will members please note that subscriptions were due at the beginning of January, and anyone who has not fully paid up by the AGM in March will have their membership lapsed and this will be their last Newsletter. Please check your bank account to make sure your standing order has been paid. Reminders are not being sent out, so this is your final reminder. Those who still pay by cheque should send their cheque, for either £8 or £14 payable to YANT, to The Membership Secretary, 24 Stillington Oaks, Easingwold, York, YO61 3GP.

Elinor Bailey, Membership Secretary

Talks

Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances the April talk has had to be postponed until the autumn. The talks’ programme runs from October to April each year and will begin again on Saturday 17th October. Talks are held at the Friends’ Meeting House in Friargate on Saturdays, starting at 2.30pm, lasting for about 45 minutes, with time for questions afterwards. Remember non-members of YANT are welcome to attend so please bring relatives, friends and neighbours. The charge of £4 is to cover room and equipment hire.

Roger King, Talks Organiser

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Book the date: Saturday 28th March 49th AGM and Lunch at the York Hilton Hotel, Tower Street, York

Andrew Morrison, CEO of York Civic Trust, will be our guest speaker. Andrew was until recently Lead Curator, North Region, for the National Trust. Previously Andrew worked for York Museums Trust and the Leeds Library. We will have an entertaining and informative talk about his fascinating and varied work, with a hint of the new projects that he is planning with the Civic Trust, which celebrates it 70th anniversary in 2022.

Do join us for the short formal AGM at 11am, followed by the talk and lunch. A menu and booking form for the lunch was enclosed with the December newsletter and is on the website. Tea and coffee are available for everyone from 10.30am and at 12pm the Conservatory Bar will open and remain available throughout lunch. Lunch is served at 1pm and the event concludes at 2.30pm.

Everyone welcome, particularly for an excellent talk and to meet fellow members and guests, over a very good lunch.

Website Reminder

www.yant.org.uk

User Name is: member Password is: yantmember

Do send photographs of holidays and other activities for the website to me

Michael Morrow

Website Administrator

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Notes from the Chair

As you will probably have heard in the press 2020 is the 125th anniversary of the founding of the National Trust. The National Trust has a major programme of planned activities to help people connect with the natural world and particularly the special countryside that the NT looks after. As a local supporter group who are celebrating our 50th anniversary we are exploring ways to bring the two anniversaries together. As you will see with this newsletter we have not found anyone to organise the day trips, but we are looking at the possibility of a small team working on this by just organising one day a year each. If you would be interested in helping with this please do let myself or Colin Sherwood know; contact details on page 2. I am planning a half-day tour this summer to Ryedale Vineyard with wine tasting and hope to be able to circulate the details at the AGM as well as with the June newsletter. To save people driving and to fully enjoy their hospitality this will be by coach. A member recently contacted me with the following message, which she felt would be useful for other people: I recently lost my husband who did all the household accounts. Please if anyone has online accounts of any kind, please please make sure you write down the account number and the password and your next of kin knows where to find them. Bring back paper! Sadly many of us have to face these kinds of issues these days. With best wishes and hope to meet many of you at the AGM and lunch.

Catherine Brophy Chair

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Social and Fundraising Events

Tuesday 28th April 2.30pn to 4.30pm

Keith Tordoff, MBE, will entertain us with his presentation on creating new sweets for stock and running the oldest sweetshop in the world in Pateley Bridge. Trading continuously since 1827 this is one of the few authentic traditional sweet shops still selling retro sweets of a bygone age and Keith will provide samples for us to enjoy.

St Edward’s Church Extension, Dringhouses, YO24 1QG

Booking form enclosed with this newsletter. Please note that there is limited parking but a good bus service.

Please book by April 7th

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The final event of 2019 was a most enjoyable Christmas Coffee morning with a raffle that contained some excellent prizes, enjoyed by both members and committee members. We are planning a Summer Garden party with a difference this year, as we are joining in with the NT‘s celebrations of a summer picnic; details to follow in the June newsletter.

We do hope to see many of you at future events.

Christine Truman, Chairman Projects Group

Holidays

During 2019, holidays were enjoyed by 112 members to 6 destinations, as against 107 members in 2018. This included 15 new members. The last holiday of 2019 was to Keswick, when 23 members attended. Keswick After a pleasant journey to Keswick, in the evening we attended the seasonal A Christmas Carol at the Theatre by the Lake, a very good improvisation of the play, which was enjoyed by all. After some free time the next day, we had an enjoyable visit to Windermere including afternoon tea at a lakeside hotel, before returning home via the Dales. See the full review on page 15. 2020 Holidays Places are still available on all 2020 holidays. The booking arrangements are now being completed from Brightwater's Salisbury office and there have been a few hiccups with some staff not being aware of YANT group holidays. So don't be put off, make sure they understand your requirements. If you have any problems, just contact me to take it up with Brightwater.

Peter Drew, YANT Tours Organiser

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Upstairs at “Walmgate Ale House”, 25 Walmgate, York

Drop in Lunches from 12pm

These are held on the last Wednesday of most months. The prices remain as before £7.50 for one course and £10.50 for two from the special menu. There is no need to book in advance, so do come and enjoy this special lunch for members. The dates are shown on the back cover of the newsletter.

Walks Group Social Evening and Quiz Night, Friday 20th March There is still time to book a place at the annual social evening and quiz night, which will be held at the New Earswick and District Bowls Club on Huntington Road. The cash bar opens at 7 pm and the quiz starts at 7.30 pm. We will have a buffet supper at about 8.15 pm followed by an optional raffle. The event usually ends around 10 pm. To reserve a place please contact Eileen Wishart on 01904 633705 before Friday 13 March. Admission is £12.50, including supper. Everyone - walkers and non-walkers – welcome.

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Country Walks

Full-day walks with coach transport and afternoon tea.

Saturday, 16th May – Yorkshire Dales: Gargrave and Leeds/Liverpool Canal - 7 miles Leader: Dorothy Pope Tel: 01904 762794 or 07985 5553523 Standard: Easy This easy, flat walk with a few slight inclines and descents starts at the small, pretty village of Gargrave, between Skipton and Settle on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Following the Pennine Way we walk across undulating fields to the village of East Marton. The walk then joins the towpath of the Leeds/Liverpool Canal, which takes us back to Gargrave where we will join the coach for the short journey to Embsay where Tea will be prepared by members of the Embsay Womens Institute. Ingleby’s coach will leave Memorial Gardens at 9.15 am and Rawcliffe Bar P&R at 9.30 am, return to York by 7 pm. Cost of the trip to include coach, tea and gratuities is £20. Bookings to Rosemary Anderton by Saturday, 9th May at the latest using the booking form with this newsletter, or on-line. Contact Alison Rutter on 07523 944065 for possible late bookings. Saturday, 13th June. Hackfall Woods from Masham. 7.5 miles Leaders: Alison and Nigel Rutter 07523 944065 or 01904 703430 Standard: Moderate The walk starts at Masham and follows the Ripon Rowel path along the River Ure to Hackfall Woods, a Grade 1 listed “‘ornamental landscape” in a wooded gorge, created in the 1750s by William Aislabie, and a site of Special Scientific Importance. The undulating path, through fields and woods, could be slippery in places with some steep sections, stiles and stepping-stones. Returning across open, rolling countryside we will be picked up at Swinton Park and return to Masham where Fearby and Healey WI will provide tea.

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Ingleby’s coach will leave Memorial Gardens at 9 am and Rawcliffe Bar P&R at 9.15 am. Cost per head, to include bus transport, tea and gratuities, is £20. Please send your booking form and payment to Rosemary Anderton to arrive by Thursday, 3rd June at the latest. For possible late bookings please contact Alison Rutter on 07523 944065 or 01904 703430. Saturday 18th July. A walk in Teesdale to be led by Tony Brooke Full details in the June Newsletter

NB. Walkers participate at their own risk and must be capable of completing the distance in open countryside over uneven ground, with some ascents and descents, in a variety of weather conditions. Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn and a packed lunch and drinks carried.

Circular half day walks using own transport. Tuesday 10th March Heslington A 4.2 mile walk starting 10 am at Heslington. Walk leader Sue Pearson - 01904 412059 Full details are in the December newsletter Thursday 16th April Strensall An easy walk of about 5 miles, two and a half hours, leaving the Ship Inn, Strensall, YO32 5XS, at 10am. The inn is near the bridge over the Foss on the Sheriff Hutton road and lunch is available there after the walk. The route follows the River Foss and returns via Walbutts. There are no stiles but the path may be a muddy, so stout shoes and walking poles are advisable. Walk leader: Ruth Davies tel: 07732 914276

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Tuesday 5Th May Skipwith Common This easy, four and three quarter mile, (2.5 hours) walk goes around Skipwith Village and Skipwith Common, a National Nature Reserve, on flat paths and tracks, with three stiles. Dogs must be on short leads at all times. Meet at the Drovers Arms at Skipwith for a 10am start. Lunch is available after the walk and cars may be parked at the pub. Take the A19 south out of York and turn left at Escrick. Skipwith is four miles along this road. Walk leaders: Monica and Mike Long Tel: 07964 857868 Tuesday 23rd June Roman Road from Copmanthorpe An easy 5 mile walk. Meet at 10.30 am at the Royal Oak Pub on Main Street, Copmanthorpe. The walk will follow the Roman road between York and Tadcaster. It is flat but there are several stiles. There is a pub at Colton about half way into the walk and toilet facilities at Bilborough Top after 2 miles. Parking is on-street, but buses 13, 843, 844 and 845 call at Copmanthorpe. Possible lunch venues are Scott’s fish and chips at Bilborough Top or the Nag’s Head at Askham Bryan. Walk leader: Steve Holman Tel: 07917 22018 Please park with consideration where roadside/village parking is involved. NB. Walkers participate at their own risk and must be capable of completing the distance in open countryside, over uneven ground with some hill ascents, in a variety of weather conditions. Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn and light refreshments carried. An administration charge of £1 will be collected on each walk.

Brenda Batty (Secretary)

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News from the NT in Yorkshire Beningbrough: Lose yourself in Art: 11.30am to 4pm from 3rd March Discover how art can help you to relax and disconnect from life’s daily worries in this new exhibition in partnership with the Arts Council Collection, “In the Moment: the art of wellbeing” brings together 14 artworks from diverse artists including L.S. Lowry, Marc Chagall and Tracey Emin. Fountains Abbey: folly! 2020 in Studley Royal Water Garden from May 2nd For the fourth year of folly! the NT is working with artist Steve Messum. He’s drawn inspiration from a mystery folly: a 16 metre high funerary pyramid. William Aislabie commissioned it and although there are records of this pyramid being designed it is not known if and where it was built. Treasurer’s House: “Conservation in Action” 27th April to 28th September Treasurer’s House is offering a monthly chance to see conservation in action. Sessions take place on the last Monday of each month from April to September, 11am to 1pm. Free but normal admission charges apply, no need to book. This is a rare opportunity to get a behind the scenes glimpse at how the dedicated conservation team care for Treasurer’s House. From drawing statues of gods in the garden to finding the finger of the King, see their work and pick up a few tips for yourself. Nostell open from 7th March Discover Nostell’s newly restored dolls’ house in a new exhibition uncovering the stories of this mini treasure house. Nostell’s very special dolls’ house has been brought back to life through vital conservation work.

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Goddards House A series of talks and garden walks for 2020 Thursday 19th March. 11.30pm to 3pm including lunch £33

Join one of the garden team for a walk and talk around the garden to find out what’s been happening over winter and see how we get the garden ready for the year ahead.

Thursday 21st May. 11.30pm to 3pm including lunch £33

“Garden Delights” another opportunity for walk and talk with the garden team and lunch, including garden produce, with the group.

Nunnington Hall from 29th February One of Yorkshire’s favourite wildlife sculptors, Emma Stothard, brings a new exhibition to Nunnington Hall inspired by the leap year. See 366 mixed media sculptures, drawings and paintings of hares in the Smoking Room.

Family in the garden at Nunnington Hall ©NT images/Paul Harris

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Holiday Reviews

A WINTER TRIP TO THE LAKE DISTRICT On 5th December a group of YANT members set out for an overnight visit to the Lake District. On the way we stopped for coffee at Mainsgill Farm, East Layton and some of us enjoyed the wonderful cakes and scones with our coffee, and looking at the Christmas decorations to be bought. We also saw the Camels, Llamas and Pigs which are kept in the surrounding fields. On then to Keswick and the Skiddaw Hotel for our stay. This proved to be a very nice hotel with good facilities and excellent food and I think we all enjoyed our stay. We had an early dinner and then Darren took us on the coach to The Theatre by the Lake a short distance away. A lovely comfortable theatre and a magical, delightful and funny production of Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol”. There were only 5 actors who took different parts and it was excellent. We were pleased that Darren came to pick us up as on most of the holiday it was quite heavy rain but being the Lakes we expected it! The next day we had a few hours to ourselves, some went to The Pencil Museum, others for a walk down to the lake and some to do some shopping (the Scottish Woollen shop being visited by some of the ladies.) Mid morning we left the hotel and made our way to Bowness-on-Windermere. Some of us went on a boat on the lake for an hour, some went to the Beatrix Potter experience and others had a walk around the resort. We all met up again at the MacDonalds Old English Hotel which had a lovely view of the lake for a delightful afternoon tea. Then it was time to come home and we all agreed it had been an enjoyable two days, and thanks to our friendly coach driver Darren and Peter for keeping us in order!

Janet Mawer

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Printed by Print Solutions, Audax Close, Clifton Moor, York, YO30 4RA. (01904 690090)

MARCH10 Short Walk: Heslington20 Social Evening and Quiz25 Drop-in-lunch, Walmgate Ale House from 12 noon28 AGM and lunch at the York Hilton from 10.30am APRIL16 Short Walk: Strensall28 Oldest Sweetshop event, St Edward’s, Dringhouses 2.30pm29 Drop-in lunch, Walmgate Ale House & Bistro from 12 noon

MAY5 Short Walk: Skipwith Common7-15 Holiday: Prague 16 Full-day walk: Gargrave27 Drop-in lunch, Walmgate Ale House & Bistro from 12 noon

JUNE13 Full-Day walk: Hackfall Woods from Masham23 Short Walk: Roman Road from Copmanthorpe24 Drop-in lunch, Walmgate Ale House & Bistro from 12 noon

Please send contributions and photographs for the June Newsletter to Catherine Brophy newsletter@yant.org.uk by Wednesday 6th MayPlease save contributions in WORD format. Thank you.