Not long now til Bankstone’s much anticipated charity fundraising epic Medieval Monkeys (see previous issues) and less than two weeks until May 15 when Bankstone honcho Dickon Tysoe sets out with faithful co-pilot Davey-Jane McManus on a day-long reconnoitre of the route (or some of it at least) before heading across the Pennines to the BIBA Conference the following day, where he will be wandering around in full knightly garb with a sponsorship form (What – he’s not doing that now? Oh well).
The dry run of the 15th will provide an opportunity to scout monkeybike parking availability/photo opportunity spots etc and unsettle various respectable matrons partaking in an otherwise perfectly civilized light lunch at some charming market-town tearoom or other. It will also enable Mr T to identify replacement locations for the handful dropped from last year’s itinerary due to being too dull, inaccessible or arsey.
One castle that’s sure to stay on the list – unless it doesn’t – is the delightfully dilapidated Knaresborough Castle, a scenic gem set high on a cliff above the River Nidd. Picking up where we left off last year (about half way through), Bankstone News now attempts to bulk out a notably light story with some fascinating facts about this historic landmark.
Originally built by Norman Baron around the year 1100, KC infamously provided refuge to Becket assassin Sir Hugh de Moreville in 1170. Then in 1130 it caught the eye of Baaad King John who lavished a princely £1,290 on improvements. So shoddy was the work, however that the whole thing had to be rebuilt by Eds I and II in the fourteenth century.
Parliamentary forces dismantled the castle in 1648, with the consequence that much of the town centre is built of ‘castle stone.’ By the same token, following the notorious Northern Rock Riot of 2007, some of the less salubrious parts of Weasley Street are now constructed from ‘bank stone’.
The grassy gaps within and around what remains of the crumbling pile are now devoted to the pursuit of public leisure, with bowling and putting greens open in summer and brass (and/or silver) bands playing most afternoons. Entrance fee applies.
Knaresborough Mayor Disguised as Bear
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