Ireland Scotland Travel Blog

Saltaire - A factory village

In 2001 Saltaire was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was recognised for its international influence on town planning and as one of the earliest, largest and best preserved nineteenth century ‘model villages’ anywhere in the world.

Sir Titus Salt built this amazing model Industrial Village between 1851 & 1876 and it is now a World Heritage Site. The village consisted of Salts Mill, which produced 17 miles of cloth every day, neat stone houses for the workers, alms houses for the poor and needy, a girls' and boys' school and an institute, shops, wash houses, a hospital, churches and a park - but no pub - there was no drunkenness in Saltaire! The Village still stands and most of the buildings have survived even if their function has changed. And now, it's possible to get an alcoholic beverage in Saltaire! The pub is called, appropriately enough - Don’t Tell Titus.

The walks are great fun. You'll become a character of someone who actually lived here. You may even meet other members of your "family" or even find yourself "married off"! Everyone is given a bookmark with a snippet about the character you may be called upon to play. I was Alice Wentworth, an unmarried hatmaker.

Mrs Ellin Dooley - (Maria Glot) was the most colorful guide - dressed as a factory worker’s wife. She painted a vivid picture of what life was like in Saltaire.

Mrs Caroline Hill - (Sally Clegg)

Sally's costumed character, Caroline Hill, lives in the second biggest house in the Village with the lookout tower. She is married to Col. Thomas Hill, who is in charge of security in the village, but she hankers after her former life in India. Sally, who plays Caroline Hill, is a former journalist and an experienced tour guide.

Middlethorpe Hall was built in 1699 for Thomas Barlow, a master culter from Sheffield. It was bought in the 1980s and re-opened as a luxury hotel restaurant and spa in 2008. It is now run by the National Trust and has hosted royals from prince Andrew to Princess Anne. It has period rooms and modern day luxury, too.

The York Marriott is located overlooking the Racecourse, a 20 minute walk from the center of town. It has a lovely pool area and spacious rooms.

York

Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa – only a select few luxury hotels in York feature such a host of elegantly appointed rooms, ranging from tastefully-designed luxury classics right through to the Penthouse, which affords breathtaking views of the city walls and York Minster. It houses the best in culinary splendor, friendly and helpful staff, and a quintessentially English standard of exemplary service. It is a 2 minute walk from the Railway Station - having been the headquarters for the railway line. The lobby area and hallways still retain much of the original character of the building.

Catwalk York find the buildings with black cats on the buidling fronts. Some are quite creative, like the Black Swan Pub - an atmospheric English pub.

National Railway Museum-the largest of its kind in the world.

www.nrm.org.uk

Quilt Museum – The Quilt Museum and Gallery is Britain's first museum dedicated to quilt making and textile arts.

The Quilters' Guild was formed in 1979, and at the same time, The Guild began collecting patchwork and quilting, primarily as a teaching and research tool. Today the Guild's collection totals over 700 items.

Items from the 18th century

In addition to the well-known 1718 silk coverlet the collection contains some interesting examples of quilting from the 18th century, including two exquisite caps and a blue silk petticoat. A small white linen cot quilt is probably one of the earliest pieces in the collection. Possibly worked in a professional workshop it contains delightful quilting patterns of mermaids, castles, ships and exotic-looking animals. It may well date from around 1703 as it has key similarities with a linen quilt in the Victoria and Albert Museum which carries this date in the quilting.

Items from the early 19th century

The collection is also noted for its key examples of cotton patchwork made in fabrics from the late 18th to the early 19th century when the English market in hand block printed cottons, plate prints and roller printed fabrics was beginning to flourish. The frame coverlet known as 'Mrs Billings' is one of the finest in the collection. It was probably made around 1810 and has a central section surrounded by borders of different widths and pieced patterns. This arrangement is very typical of British patchwork and is known as a 'frame' layout. The workmanship of this coverlet is outstanding and over a hundred different fabrics have been used in its construction. Another key piece from this date is the 'Mary Prince' top. This pieced top echoes the frame layout in the choice of colours but it is pieced from just one geometric shape, the elongated hexagon. It has been pieced over paper templates using a traditional method sometimes known as 'English paper piecing'.

Items from the later 19th century and early 20th century

With the availability of cheaper printed cotton fabrics patchwork and quilted bedcovers gained a huge popularity amongst all classes in the 19th century and the collection reflects all aspects of the development of the craft during this period. This includes cotton frame quilts, wholecloth and strippy quilts, strip piecing, block patterns and applique. The fancy work quilts which were made in the second half of the 19th century are well represented with examples of diamond and hexagon patterns using silk and velvets, as well as crazy patchwork items. Wales and the North East of England developed a particularly strong quilting tradition during the 19th century and both geographic regions are well represented in the collection.

Ellen Mc Nulty is President of Lynott Tours

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On the 16th of November 2010 Prince William and Kate Middleton gave a press conference at Clarence House. After a 9 year on-off relationship the couple announced their engagement to a breathless public. The wedding will be held on the 29th of April 2011 at Westminster Abbey.

Visit the London locations and landmarks that helped define the next Royal golden couple, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Learn about Kate's fascinating life prior to joining 'the firm', and hear firsthand the whole story, from William's cherished mother Diana, to Kate's engagement ring, and all the gossip in between.

Your tour itinerary includes;

The birthplace of Queen Elizabeth II, 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair - Learn about the generations of royals that came before
Garrard’s Jewellers - The Royal Jewellers since 1843
Mahiki – The young Royals’ favourite London nightclub
The offices of Kate’s Father, Richard Middleton – gain an insight into Kate's family background
Jigsaw Clothing Store - Kate has had trouble holding down a job, see where she worked
The Ritz Hotel - Favoured by Royalty, one of London's best hotels, the romantic comedy 'Notting Hill' the only film ever to be allowed to film here
White’s Gentleman’s Club - Find out the Royal connection to one of London’s most famous Gentleman’s Clubs
John Lobb Bootmakers - The Queen, Prince Charles, Princes William and Harry all have their shoes made here, as did Princess Diana
St James’s Palace - The oldest palace in London. The palace complex includes York House, the former home of the Prince of Wales and his sons, the Princes William and Harry.
The Queen’s Chapel - Kate Middleton attended her second Royal wedding here
Clarence House - The official residence of HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall
Buckingham Palace - The Royal residence since 1836
Westminster Abbey - Where the wedding will take place, and where Diana's funeral was heldNote: I recently visted England and Kate's hometown.

Lambing season is always rewarding in the British countryside. Nothing is more charming than rolling green hills dotted with mama sheep and their baby lambs - just in time for Easter. We traveling through the countryside on a royal tour, including Kate Middleton’s home village of Bucklebury, in Berkshire. It’s not much more than two pubs, a butcher shop, and a thatched house, but we had lunch n the pub, where they told us the story of the sheep races and duck races in Bucklebury. An annual tradition with a twist this year, the participant animals are named Charles, Camilla, and for other royals. Sounds like fun. A special race day will be held on the day of the royal wedding, April 29, 2011.