November 2005 Archives

On a cold, frosty morning the 97th Archbishop of York left Bishopthorpe Landing by pleasure boat for his enthronement in the Minster. As I raced down Ferry Lane hoping to capture the scene on camera, all I saw was the boat disappearing up river with the Archbishop's drummers beating out a lively rhythm. Not to be outdone, I first caught up with the boat as it approached the Millennium Bridge.

On arrival in York at Marygate Landing, and to the delight of sightseers and press alike, Archbishop John Sentamu climbed up to the top deck and displayed his drumming prowess with some gusto. Amazingly, among the crowd on shore, not a few middle-aged ladies and members of the clergy could be seen tapping their feet and swaying to the beat. This Archbishop has style!

Rubbing his hands together and grinning broadly, the unconventional Archbishop called out to those on shore, "Are you cold? Well it's the last day of November, what do you expect?"

As he walked to the Minster with the Lord Mayor surrounded by the press, Archbishop Sentamu frequently stopped to shake hands, chat and laugh with shoppers and sightseers who greeted him warmly.

With a man such as this at the Palace, Bishopthorpe may well be in for interesting times!

For the past year, Bishopthorpe Local History Group has been lobbying United Co-operatives to restore the badly-weathered sundial on their property in Main Street. We are now delighted to announce that they have agreed to finance the work. Men from the Co-op's Property Division carefully removed the ancient dial from the front of the store into the care of sundial restorer, Harriet James. Harriet has taken it back to her workshop in Wiltshire and will return the restored dial in a few months time.

The stone sundial may well date back to the late 17th century. The barely legible Latin inscription is Tempus Labile, appropriately, 'Time slips away'. The full story and history of the sundial is on the History Group's web pages.

If you've been wondering about all the strange hieroglyphics on Acaster Lane mean, you'll soon find out! Resurfacing work from the Keble Park North junction down to Canon's Court will start on Monday (according to the Evening Press) or Tuesday (says the City Council). It will take over a week, and will mean the road is closed from Keble Park North southwards for some of that time, between 8 am and 6 pm. Bus services will be diverted, missing out the Keble Park loop (call 551400 or 883000 for details) and diversions for other traffic will be signed.

If you have any questions or complaints your man at the City Council is Steve Crosby on 553473.

Cyclists of course can carry on as normal!