Geese and Ducks

The water birds in Pearson Park are having a tough time in this cold weather. Whenever anyone passes by they mob around hoping for food, fortunately they usually get some bread to keep them going. The Canada geese can be particularly enthusiastic and will nip your fingers if you let them.

Fubar

They say it's bad luck to change the name of ships and maybe the same applies to pubs. Here is what used to be the Mainbrace pub on Hull's Beverley Road. For many years it was a successful pub especially with the student crowd that use Beverley Road for pub crawls. Then about two years ago it was all change and it became the Fubar. I don't know what the reasons were but this pub is now closed and is in the process of becoming a block of flats and offices.
Find out what fubar means here; now you can see what an apt name it is.

George

On a cold day the Victorian Conservatory in Pearson Park is a nice warm place to spend half an hour. George the iguana is a particularly colourful attraction. This picture may be a little misty, the humidity in this place is extreme.

Winter draws on

Despite a month of bitterly cold weather officially Winter only starts today. Last night it was -13C which is just a bit ridiculous but the local paper threatens us with  -20C, luckily the local paper is seldom right.

An update

The building that I showed being built in August has now reached this state. I think it's due for completion in 2012. It's going to be an all in one health centre and social care place. It's lucky they got started before the cuts in public spending really begin to hit.

Health foods?

A slice of toast is much tastier than boring old nuts and seeds.

Walking the dogs

A passing wintry shower is not going to stop these dogs having their walk.

Winter Jasmine

With more snow and cold weather forecast it's always nice to see a bit of colour.

Toad of Toad Hall

The Larkin toads were auctioned off a few weeks ago. This one obviously landed on its feet in a fine house in Cottingham.

Three Cheers for the Parakeet

In June I posted about these birds and their taste for gold. The recent bitterly cold weather does not seem to have done them any harm and they seem quite settled into Cottingham church.
 

Ominous sign

You come across some strange signs as you pass through this life. What deep excavation could there be in Cottingham station?

The Black Mill, Beverley

The Old Corn Exchange, Beverley

Built in 1886 as a Corn Exchange, Butter Market and Baths this building has seen service as an infants school, then as the Picture Playhouse until 2003 and now it's a department store.

Civic Statuary

High above the entrance to the old County Court sits this statue that I assume is meant to represent justice since it has a set of scales in its hands. Sitting on top of this is another monumental sculpture part of a group representing The Daughters of Neptune  which appeared in an earlier post. These are by A H Hodge who did lots of monumental stuff at the turn of the last century.

Larkin Statue

Recently installed in Hull's Paragon Station this larger than life statue of Philip Larkin completes a far too long jamboree of arty celebrations of the death 25 years ago of this somewhat overrated wordsmith.

Ice fountain

Big Charley in the snow

Charley is a big cat, the biggest I've ever seen, but he really hates deep snow. He much prefers the warmth of Summer.

Icicles

When all this snow and ice is gone the gutters are going to need fixing; every joint has icicles hanging from it.

It's still cold ....

Dunnock

Depending on your politics this is either a dunnock , a hedge sparrow or a hedge accentor, possibly a hedge warbler. Either way it's a pretty enough little brown thing with a complicated social life and sexual habits you wouldn't believe.
Normally they creep around under bushes but the cold weather brought them closer to the bird table and the camera.
I thank Margot Juby for letting me use this photo.

Cottingham Church in Snow

I forged my way through snow and ice to bring you this view of Cottingham Church.

Snowman

There's over 15 inches/38 centimetres of snow in my  drive way, the roads and footpaths are a mess. Public transport has halted. So I'm not going far. This delightful snowman was just across the road so it was no problem to photograph it.

Feed the birds

It is important in snowy conditions to remember to feed the birds, they lose heat ever so quickly especially under an avalanche like this.

Time

View from the mediaeval churchyard of St Mary's Lowgate. 

This month's theme day topic is time. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Fall

The sudden drop in temperatures has forced a rush to shed this year's leaves. It's forecast that we shall have record low temperatures this week along with lots of snow and it's still Autumn.

Tracks in the snow

A spell of wintry weather is always an opportunity for a photo.

Grotesques

Three grotesques from near the entrance to Bridlington Priory.

University of Lincoln, Hull

The question why there is a University of Lincoln in Hull need not detain you as the place is closing in a year or two leaving an large empty building in the centre of town. You can't have too many empty office blocks.

Princes Quay Reflections

Reflecting the old warehouse on Posterngate I showed you some time back here.

Syntan

The Syntan was built in 1949 to carry coal and raw materials to the tanneries of Beverley. This ended in 1970 and the ship lay idle for nearly 20 years until restored and made into a working exhibition on Beverley Beck. You can hire the Syntan for trips down the river Hull and onto the Humber. You're thinking there's got to be a website about this somewhere and it's here.

Syntan is "a contraction of "synthetic tannins," which are chemicals that combine with, or affect, the protein constituents of hides and skins and produce a product that is flexible, porous, and has the desirable qualities of leather"  says this site. So now you know as much as me.

Nixie Plonks

Strange name for a shop, Nixie Plonks, . The story goes that when the owner was a little girl she would pester her father for sweets and treats; and his response was always "I've got nixie plonk for you". The shop is on Queen Street and sells all kinds of bit and bobs and as the sign says the prices are right.

The Bayle, Bridlington

The Bayle is the former gatehouse to the Augustinian priory I posted yesterday. It was built in the 12th century. In olden times a religious institution had other functions as the priory was given the right to crenellate its walls, that is to make them into defensible walls. Today, however,  the Bayle is a Grade I listed Building and scheduled Ancient Monument.
There's museum in the building which has a website here. 

Bridlington Priory

 

It's a fair bet that 99% of the thousands who flock to Bridlington for the seaside fun have no idea that just up the road from the beach and the bright lights sits this imposing mediaeval edifice. This 12th century priory pretty much owned most of East Yorkshire at one time.The Dissolution of the Monasteries was bad news with most of the buildings being demolished, some to build the harbour piers. You can read more here and there are more pictures here. I couldn't get inside to take pictures as there was a service going on.

Why are the towers different? Your guess is as good as mine.

Boat Lift

This odd looking device is a boat lift used for cleaning and repairing  fishing boats.

De La Pole Memorial, Holy Trinity Church, Hull

In 14th century England few people were as rich as the de la Pole family. They made their money as wool and wine merchants and held important offices of state culminating in Michael de la Pole becoming Earl of Suffolk in 1385. However, as many have found before and since, riches are no cure for life's passing and they lie now in Hull's Holy Trinity church with this memorial.

The  de la Pole name crops up in de la Pole Avenue, Hull , where the poet Stevie Smith was born and the now closed local mental asylum, de la Pole Hospital.

Welcome to Cottingham

With a population of over 17,000 Cottingham claims to be the largest village in England; indeed this population is bigger than some cities in other countries. It's reckoned that the name means homestead of Cotta's people, Cotta being some 5th century Anglo-Saxon chief. There's an old church, several pubs and shops and a village green that is now a car park.
The village's main industry, if it can be called that, is looking after thousands of students who live in Halls of Residence to the north of the village and who commute to Hull University. There was until recently an important caravan industry; the recession sent that sideways. I hear that the caravan trade is slowly picking up so good luck to them.
This sign is a few yards from one I posted earlier. Its lazy but nice to be able to post things that are just outside your front door.

Destruction of the Temple

The City Temple, Hessle Road, formerly a Primitive methodist church then Elim Pentacostal, was in use for a hundred years before it closed in 1984 since when time and idle hands for whom the devil has found a use have taken their toll. It now stands derelict and in danger of complete collapse, there were plans to make flats but the economy fell upon hard times as you're all too aware.

Arc, Blanket Row, Hull

Arc claims to be "the architecture and built environment centre for Hull and the Humber region" and "part of a national network of architecture centres across the UK". Quite what all that means , who is paying for it and  why such a place should exist at all I don't know.
The building is full of the latest do-no-harm technology, including "a mechanical garden of wind turbines and photovoltaic panels" and claims to be only connected to the ground via the services of waste, water and electricity. They run exhibitions and lectures and such like events and you can go visit the place should you have a desire.
As usual there's a website where you can get their side of things here. 

Beverley

Here's Beverley Minster just visible through the trees of the Westwood.

The Old White's Sugar Mill, Driffield

This old building is gradually falling in decay. I believe there are plans to demolish and build flats.

Skidby Mill, near Cottingham

Yorkshire's last working windmill, built in 1821 and recent renovated. There's a museum of East Riding Rural Life and it's a popular tourist attraction though when I went it was deserted.

There's a website here, panoramic photos of the mill exterior here and similar of the interior here. 

When the wind is in the East...

...'tis neither good for man nor beast.

This weather vane  is atop the Victorian Conservatory in Pearson Park.

Norwood House, Beverley

This is Norwood House, a most impressive Grade 1 listed Georgian building. After a many years as a residence it became a high school for girls until 2000. It was sold recently by the East Riding Council after years of dithering and against the wishes of many who wished to restore it and make it open to the public. I believe it has planning permission for development as offices. As we all know there is a shortage of offices and far too many Grade1 listed buildings.