Just back from a two week jaunt to the North East. The core of the trip was the Civvy P of S&G but we managed a little of the ‘before and after’ to keep it even more interesting. Five hotels and a five day catsitting on behalf of the ‘honeymooners’ kept it “varied”. Back to the favourite stop off on the way up, as we had another overnighter at the Wentbridge House Hotel. Usual good night’s sleep although booking a ‘cosy room’ seems a little pointless as we always seem to get upgraded. Breakfast and then on to South Causey.
South Causey
South Causey Inn was a pub plus any number of add-ons, which I guess is why S&G decided on it as their Civil Partnership destination. We took the chance to wander around the ‘estate’, including the small farm and also sampled the pub facilities in advance of the big day. We had a few issues with the heating in the room that were resolved by the second night and the Civvy P day itself was superbly arranged Excellent ceremonial event, good facilities and great food and drink. I would have shown the excellent picture detailing the entry of one party accompanied by Darth Vader but it wasn’t my shot so it will gave to be imagined (or reimagined in my case). A grand job all round and fifteen guests (families and friends) in total I think. Oh, and my neuralgia was starting to give me a bit of gip to say the least (but more later).
Redworth Hall
We then moved on to Redworth Hall for three nights. After a somewhat tetchy discussion about the incorrect use of data and the role of the GDPR (I won) we settled into the room (perfectly pleasant). Well I say settled, the room was not “available” until three so we took the opportunity to visit the site of the Locomotion Museum in Shildon, where you can ‘have a fun family day out in the birthplace of the railways‘. The museum officially opened in September 2004 as a partnership between Sedgefield Borough Council and the National Railway Museum, with funding from both partners and the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is home to more than 70 rail vehicles from the national collection, including icons such as Sans Pareil, APT-E and Deltic prototype (they are icons honestly, look them up 🚂🚃🚋).
The historic buildings associated with Timothy Hackworth and the early days of the Stockton & Darlington Railway are also an integral part of the site. These buildings were part of Sedgefield Borough Council’s Timothy Hackworth Museum, which became part of Locomotion when it opened in 2004. These include the Stephenson designed Gaunless Bridge, and the The Coal Drops – this impressive structure was constructed in 1846-47 to streamline the process of refuelling steam locomotives. Chaldron wagons were taken up the incline and their loads dropped down chutes into the tenders of steam locomotives waiting below (hope the collage shows the incline). Also included were the Goods Shed and Parcel Office, the Stables and the Sunday School. Far from what was expected, a delightful foray back into a different time – and Locomotion was all free (said the Yorkshireman). As for the hotel, the room was fine, breakfast ok but dinner was a serious let down.
On our first full day we took the short trip to Bishop Auckland to visit the Auckland Palace. A relatively recent addition to the touristy canon, one of the best-preserved Bishop’s palaces in the whole of Europe with a story spanning almost 1,000 years. Positioned high above the meandering River Wear, the Palace is a remarkable symbol of faith and power and was once the seat of the Prince Bishops of Durham. The Prince Bishops were given exceptional powers by the Norman kings of England, as well as the Church, and governed vast swathes of North East England. Opened in 2019 following major conservation work. The building has been restored and the original wall colourings, furniture and textiles replicated. Each space took you to a different moment of time, right up to the present day. Dance around the Throne Room (the leaflet says), rifle through drawers in the Bishop’s Study, or take a seat at the grand table in the Long Dining Room. See Collage for some highlights but not, unfortunately, the horribly out of focus Throne Room. 😔😔
In October 2023, the Faith Museum opened in a newly designed wing of Auckland Palace, celebrating the spiritual heritage of this unique site and taking visitors on a journey through 6,000 years of history. A worthy addition but sadly a bit of a stretch for these old and infirm pins. The collage does nonetheless feature the Eidolon, where a single blue iris is engulfed in flames but not consumed by them. Make of it what you will but we thought it rather moving. Bishop Auckland looked extremely non-descript but the Auckland Project itself is a very worthwhile endeavour and something of which the locals should be extremely proud. Given the shabby nature of the town centre, we decided to eat in the local Wetherspoons before driving back, which I would argue is quite an indictment of the hotel fayre.
The following day, after waiting in for the doctor’s somewhat unsatisfactory phone call (don’t ask), we headed out on the road for the circa 30 minute journey to Bowes Museum. Mrs, No Name had been there but I never had so it was another off the bucket list!
Founded by Joséphine and John Bowes, The Bowes Museum reflects the couple’s passion for art and their vision to share it with the local community. From Paris to Barnard Castle Joséphine Coffin Chevallier was the daughter of a clockmaker and lived and worked in Paris. John Bowes was a businessman and the son of the 10th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, a distant ancestor to the late Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (so says the website). The Bowes’ collected over 15,000 objects for the museum, including the mechanical Silver Swan (see Collage) and sadly, neither Joséphine nor John lived to see their museum open to the public in 1892. It wasn’t as remembered by Mrs. No Name and I did read one review that proclaimed it a vast collection of personal tat, which although a tad harsh is not without merit. We did get there just in time to see the Swan in action but, again, my technical skills deserted me and I failed to video anything other than my feet and the heads of the audience – I should of course blame my neuralgia (more – still later) but it is reckless folly to do so. We did enjoy a very fine lunch in the Bowes Museum café and on the return journey, we passed the entrance to Raby Castle but we were both too knackered to face the inevitable ‘walkaround’. (Actually, we did pass it on the outward journey as well – to suggest otherwise, by omission or in other respects, would be madness).
Marriott Royal County Hotel, Durham
We then moved on to Durham for a two night stay at the Royal County, the first of which was to attend the wider reception party with the newly Civvy P’d, along with about one hundred others who we were told had been invited. It took place at Durham School and apparently it was an excellent night, but it was one Mrs. No Name would attend without me. By now I had a cold which may or may not have been Covid and the toothache or neuralgia (as I thought), which I’d had for over a month, took a serious case for the worse (more on that on the next blog entry). I was sad to miss proceedings but Mrs. No Name thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m sure I was missed by nobody😞. However, in all seriousness, I was much better off tucked up in bed and lifelessly watching TV than spoiling everyone else’s good time! We did manage to get to Crook Hall Gardens the next day but a change of ownership and management by the National Trust has meant limited access to the Hall, which we had visited before way back in 2018. We still enjoyed the return but you were mainly limited to the exterior. It used to be interesting to wander through the different parts of the house and compare the different eras of the building. NT has now closed all to the public apart from the medieval hall, which is very interesting the place is more one for the gardeners now I think. Revisited the garden café again and found it as pleasant as it was a mere eight years ago!!
Catsitting
After breakfast, in which I didn’t partake (that’s how bad I was folks), we moved on to S&Gs to undertake catsitting duties whilst the the happy couple were on honeymoon. Billy now has to have diabetic medicine every day (yes, really) and I thought I’d hold him while Mrs. No Name administered the dose. All went well until I ‘released him’, at which point I received a nasty gash from the loving Billy on his dismount; needless to say, it wasn’t repeated.
On the first full day we went to Finchale Priory. A convoluted journey with diversions aplenty but we got there in the end and it was well worth the travel delays, especially as I’d never been there before. Remarkably, more preserved than I anticipated with a long and complicated history. It was founded in 1196 on the site of the hermitage of St Godric, a retired sailor and merchant, who settled here after a life of adventure and travel. The priory was an outpost of Durham Cathedral and functioned as a holiday retreat for the monks of Durham until its suppression in 1538. You can read more about it on theEnglish Heritage site. Quite surprised to see that the infamous Frankland Prison (infamous in respect of some of its inmates) was on the route in to the Priory. We did however manage to pass by without enforced in carceration.
After a relatively quiet day of rest, punctuated by lunch with G’s mum and dad, we spent the final day at Washington Old Hall. In the 12th and 13th centuries, it was home to the Lords of the Manor of Wessyngton who were the ancestors of the first United States president, George Washington. Today, Washington Old Hall celebrates its American connection and remembers those who once lived within its walls. I think the American connection is a little tenuous in that George Washington himself never came anywhere near it – but needs must and the National Trust building was small but very interesting. It has quite a convoluted history and during the 18th century the hall was let out and in the 19th century it was split into several separate dwellings. By the 1890s these tenements housed over 30 people from nine families, and the building fell into disrepair. In 1932, it was condemned as unsafe for people to live in and in 1933 it closed. At this point, it was highly likely that it would be demolished. It was the efforts of local headmaster Frederick Hill (1885–1955) and other members of the Washington Old Hall Preservation Committee that the hall was eventually saved. They raised the funds to purchase it in 1937 and began to plan for the restoration. The Second World War disrupted the plans, and work was delayed after the war by shortages and spiraling costs. The building finally opened on 28 September 1955 but sadly Fred Hill was too ill to attend. Read more about it at the NT Site
Belton Woods Hotel
On the way back from Sunderland, was usual we broke up the journey with an overnighter at Belton Woods Hotel And Spa. A lovely dinner but controversially no breakfast and before the last leg of the journey a quick foray into Downtown. Mrs. No Name bought a lovely jumper (in addition to the two pairs of shoes bought from the same establishment on the way up (you can never have an excess of shoe choices) and I bought a pair of shoes (on the return journey, not the way up). Then it was on to home without sparing the horses!