All Aboard for Appleby and ABC Wednesday

Let me take you on a journey to Appleby -  arriving by train, which is really just an excuse for me

Union of South Africa A4 Locomotive moves off after taking water at Appleby.

to show once again an A4 Pacific locomotive.  This one is, at the moment, halted in York and rests on a turntable in the National Railway Museum, joined by the iconic Mallard (the fastest steam locomotive in the world reaching 126mph in 1936) and the Bittern which became the fastest steam locomotive of the preservation era in June this year reaching 92½ mph.  The Dominion of Canada and Dwight D Eisenhower have crossed the Atlantic from Canada and the USA, been painted. cleaned and rebuilt at the Shildon workshop and become part of the Great Gathering of the six surviving A4s, including of course the one named after the great designer himself Sir Nigel Gresley.

But its time to leave Appleby Station and walk down the hill although perhaps pausing awhile to look

at the plaque commemorating Eric Treacy (1907-1978) railway photographer extraordinaire who died on the station of a heart attack while waiting to take photographs of the 'Evening Star', the last steam locomotive to be built by BR.

And it seems to be market day by the Low Cross which is an 18th Century copy of one from the 1600s there is also a 17th Century one at the top of the hill called, you've guessed it, the High Cross

This view is down the wide street of Broughgate and its Lime Trees which as this was taken in March have yet to acquire their intense green leaves

Going round the other side there is some writing from the 17th Century which says "Retain your loyalty, preserve your rights" which I presume is a reference the English Civil War. I wonder if it was put there by Lady Ann Clifford who was, as her title infers, a loyalist to the crown.  She is better known for her tenacious fight for the right to inherit her father's property against the prevailing male line of inheritance.

She is buried in a rather grand tomb in the St Lawrence Church for on obtaining her inheritance on the death of her father's brother she went on to repaired churches and built almshouses. The St Lawrence church dates from the 12th Century but was rebuilt in the 14th Century after being burnt down by the Scots in the Border Wars. The porch is 1300 but the dog tooth moulding is 100 years older, the church itself has been continued to be altered throughout the 17th-19th centuries. With regard to the Ann Clifford's tomb I appear only to have taken a photograph of the sheep

on her mother Margaret's tomb but I think it is rather sweet.

Maybe if I had called in at the Tourist Information (located in the 16th Century Moot Hall) they would have said take more photographs, although my long suffering partner would probably not agree with that last statement.

I could also have taken photographs of the Alms Houses built by Lady Clifford to the right of this white building but of course the white took my eye. If my memory is right it is the Masons Lodge.

 Time to take another photograph you never know when an A might needed for ABC Wednesday and an Astral Circus parked in Appleby might come in handy!  Time for a rest?

 
Then take your ease in the ABoard Inn (like the High Cross also dating from the 17th Century), and join these two enjoying drinking and playing draughts.

An entry to ABC Wednesday - join the journey through the alphabet now starting its 13th Round