Myton, Wyke and then Kingston upon Hull to give it its proper name has always looked to the sea and has many connections with northern Europe, notably Scandanavia, the Baltic and the Netherlands or Low Countries.
The River Hull came to prominence in the 12th century when the Cistercian monks of Meaux (near Beverley) exported their wool to Europe and developed the river entrance into a thriving port leading to the creation of the hamlet of Wyke. Wyke is variously described as being a settlement – the word “wic” being a common term although some say it comes from scandanavian meaning creek or small river.
Victorian Arcades can still be discovered with artisan shopsCity Hall and theatre harks back to a time when Hull enjoyed much prosperity
By the end of the 13th century King Edward I granted Wyke its first charter and it became known as Kings Town on the River Hull or Kingston upon Hull.
in 2022 the Maritime Museum reopens after several years of renovationOptimistic Hotels from a bygone erawhen public houses were everywhereimposing buildings remain despite Hull being the most bombed city during World War 2 and then decades of constant demolition and redevelopment the old town down by the river Hull still has some impressive buildings where renovation has given them another lifeAnd yes there still public houses dotted aroundThe river Hull defines the reused Old town on its west bank while the east bank is still largely a different industrial legacyElegant arcades still existwith some very fascinating shops!Trinity Market has been renovated and rejuvenated with plenty of small enterprisesand there are people still remembered through the odd statue such as Amy JohnsonThe Deep Aquarium is a big draw for the cityWith a fabulous central tank holding many species it really is worth a visiteel with attitude!plenty of bright fish to be seenNearby you can find eateries next to the marinaand boats are still to be foundThis shark statue at the Deep with the River Hull flood barrier behind – signs of our timesThe Deep Aquarium is a magnificent site located at the confluence of Hull and Humber
Today Hull, as it is commonly known, is a post industrial city which usually means tourists avoid such places. Hull is rich in history and has some excellent locations to visit. So make 2022 the year you visit.
Arnald, George; Charles I Demanding Entrance at the Beverley Gate, Hull, 23 April 1642; Ferens Art Gallery; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/charles-i-demanding-entrance-at-the-beverley-gate-hull-23-april-1642-78270
Kingston upon Hull was the place where the real spark of a rebellion occurred. the English Civil War has many claimants to its origins. From Parliamentarians to Scottish religious covenantors the subsequent victory had like success many parents. Failure is invariably an orphan.
Nowadays the differing claims are somewhat muted through 300 years of reconstituted monarchy.
So we should not underestimate the risk a certain Sir John Hotham took. Twice he refused King Charles access to the vital weapons arsenal held within the walls of Kingston upon Hull.
On the map the gate No7 was the Beverley Gate where King Charles I was denied entry and whose foundations are preserved today. The foundations now lying below current street level were given a new surround and saved for the City as part of the 2017 cultural celebrations.
In 2017 they were not quite ready for the public – today you can descend to the original gate level and see them as King Charles would have done!
Hull as it is known today is interesting not just because of its white telephone boxes and the Amy Johnson statue!
It is not regarded as a classic city of the north like York or Chester, yet it is full of history.
In 2017 the city enjoyed UK city of culture status and this gave it a big lift in terms of arts and culture – like so many places Covid19 has dented the benefits.
I have previously blogged about the Narwhals tusk……………now departed to the north sea
Do not be deterred – go and see Hull and visit that gate where history was made.
William of Orange one of our influential British Monarchs has an equestrain statue in Kingston upon Hull on the edge of the Old Town.The River Hull empties into the broad Humber Estuary some 25 miles from the north seaArnald, George; Charles I Demanding Entrance at the Beverley Gate, Hull, 23 April 1642; Ferens Art Gallery; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/charles-i-demanding-entrance-at-the-beverley-gate-hull-23-april-1642-78270
I wonder what would have happened had Charles secured Hull?
With summer now a distant memory, here is a reminder of sunny days in 2021.
looking towards the mouth of the Tamar where Devon and Cornwall meetThe marina the old harbour at the very mouth of the Tamar on the Cornwall side is Kingsandview from the heights above KIngsand Nearby Cawsand, just a short walk from Kingsand, is where the Plymouth ferry beachesEarly morning sun over CawsandThe Plymouth ferry arrives at Cawsandand beaches as the commuter queue forms!simple boarding technique means sometimes the ferry can’t run if this operation cannot be doneonce aboard its all engines reverse and the vessel eases off the shingle
The memorial is dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Great War and also World War 2
Sunday 14th of November is Remembrance Sunday – a day when we can remember those who lost their lives in conflict across the globe. We can also remember those who served and are still alive and live with the mental and physical scars of war.
William Blake penned these immortal words and they neatly sum up this intermission. My summer has been without sight of a beach but I have dredged up some old photos.
A few years ago I started taking pictures of the beach sand, as the tide receded. Quite simply I find them therapeutic. The patterns made by the outflowing seawater are as fascinating as the grain colourations themselves. Needless to say I usually get shouted at for dawdling when walking the beach.
Alnmouth, Northumberland, UKWormcast Love near Chichester, Sussex, UKBeach Question nearly marked, near Chichester, Sussex, UKBeach Stone “Oh” near Chichester, Sussex, UKNorthumberland beachStone on a Northumberland beachCoal on the Beach, East Coast EnglandWindblownMeteor ShowerA sea of tranquility?Striations 1Striations 2RootsHuntington State Beach, California, USAThe Silver Sea, Cornwall, UK
lovely blues and yellow orange clouds most eveningsthese clouds betray very calm high level atmosphereand when the sun finally settles the blues are fantasticThats not to say the weather has been altogether quiet!
Last year was a “good growing” spring. This year it has not been so good. The sun shone, it was cold and warm and even hot. It was wet and dry. Maybe it was simply the temperatures were usually a few degrees down on average……
The sky was indeed very blue on some days – and cloudless. The object is no a UFO but a seagull (wings tight in) on its way to bomb a buzzard would you believe!
It was just last year the weather components came in the right order and this year they didn’t.
Still summer beckons – the male Bullfinch is one of Britains really impressively colourful birds – if you can get them close to you. The photo does not do justice to him.
You win some you lose some as they say – certainly the case with Spring 2021 so maybe that bullfinch will herald a nice summer.
Lets say goodbye to Spring 2021 with some lovely clouds.
A Northumberland vista
Alnmouth Beach in May is still a sight to behold if you catch a sunny day. And that was something we could not do in 2020.
Yorkshire has some “strade bianchi” in its Cleveland Hills.
The famous strade bianchi cycle race takes place in Tuscany around Sienna.
I like the grainy effect here – a welcome change from our now very pixilated world? is this how an “impressionist” might have painted this years races?
This years Giro d’Italia included a “strade bianchi” stage.
The death of Duncan Macfarlane is a sad moment. His life though should be celebrated by wargamers as he delivered two great magazines into the hobby – giving pleasure to thousands of gamers. And his publishing enterprises probably did most to keep me from leaving the hobby altogether.
In the late 1970’s I left the hobby and at that time Battle was the wargamers magazine – kit bashers and painters had Military Modelling.
However I became an armchair wargamer through the next wargaming magazine – Miniature Wargames launched by Duncan in 1983. Later in that decade he started Wargames Illustrated as well.
Still the big head era – maybe some of these are by Bill Lamming?
I have binned my magazines over time simply because I have gutted them all for those articles I wanted to keep. Along the way I kept some of the covers.
Renaissance and Medieval periods are particularly photogenicI recall the variety of covers – most importantly they were wargames figures painted to be fought with.
here are a few more
Horse and Musket shares the cover with a Wargames Holiday Centre scene?I think it was also the era for 15mm and big armies at that – well before DBA?Although clearly set up, the scenes depicted always felt within reach of the hobbyist in some way. There was always some purpose – not just an excuse for a photo.
By the late 1990’s Wargames Illustrated was mature and we still had Miniature Wargames. I re-entered the hobby by chance – finding a flier for the Solo Wargamers Association (which is still going strong) left in a library book as I recall.
I seem to have liked medieval covers!This cover sowed seeds that only germinated in the late 1990’s when I bought into Museum Miniatures 15mm ranges – ironically not their Republican Romans though!
So it was Duncans two magazines that sustained my interest in the hobby during almost 2 decades of no table top battles or painting of any figures.
I will finish with probably one of my favorite magazine covers of that era
The Wargaming Erratic 
