Drought in Hull and Hereabouts

On my way to Cottingham down Snuff Mill Lane and came across the land on fire! Months of low rainfall have parched this land which should be a damp marsh with pools of water. It's an area rich in wildlife. The Easter holidays have provided the idle hands for the devil to find work and we have this ugly sight. It's no raging inferno and the firebrigade will have put it out in no time but if the land is this dry in April what will it be like after Summer? As I write it has started to rain but we need lots and lots of the wet stuff. 

The Concrete Pourer's Art

It may not look pretty and bits of it may be falling on unsuspecting passers-by but this is, or claims to be, the first ferro-concrete building built using the Hennebique system (that's reinforced concrete to the layman). Despite the blue plaque Wikipedia reveals that the first such building was in actually built in  Swansea though that one was demolished. This building is protected and a request to demolish it was turned down. So here it stands empty and peeling at the edges but otherwise so well built it's well nigh indestructible.

Cobbles

This being April 1st some fool came up with the idea of 'cobbles' as the theme for the City Daily Photo Blog. Other fools voted for it and so there we are...
This is Bishop Lane Staithe in the old town it dates back to at least 1392 when it is first mentioned on some rental records, it's probably older than that. It's an narrow passage leading to the river where cargoes were unloaded. If you want to know more there's an excellent page here.
Due to an act of vandalism the usual CDPB site is not available. To view other offerings on the theme of cobbles try here.

We have moved ...

...across the street. Unless you've been an eremite of the old persuasion you will be aware of certain recent failings in the 'banking system'. Here the Bradford & Bingley stands empty; its business taken over by Santander has been moved to the old Alliance & Leicester. All that remains is a ghostly stain ... a monument to greed and stupidity.

Alignment

Around the corner from the Charterhouse is Bourne Street which has nothing much to boast about other than a view of  this alignment of columns and towers. From left to right: the Wilberforce monument, the spire of St Mary, Lowgate, the old Records Office and finally the Guildhall.

Charterhouse Reflections

 

Surrounded by the decay and demise of Hull's riverside industries, is an oasis of calm and tranquillity. This is the Charterhouse built by Sir Michael de la Pole in 1384 to house "13 poor men and 13 poor women, feeble or old". The original house was knocked down during the war, not the last war, but the Civil War in 1643 or thereabouts. It was rebuilt, knocked down and rebuilt as you see it in 1780. It is still a home for elderly with 34 apartments.

The poet and MP for Hull, Andrew Marvell lived here as his dad was master of the Charterhouse from 1624 to1640.

Drink in Moderation ....

 or else feel ....

Two practically adjacent watering holes on Carr lane.