Day 17 - Wesley Day

Sorry for the lack of posts for the last couple of days as it was difficult to get a good signal in Englethwaite to upload them but the posts are below. This morning we crossed over the "border" into Scotland and have set up camp in Strathclyde Country Park. Whilst I am blogging Anne is getting to grips with the washing, that has also mounted up!

Today is Pentecost Sunday - the birthday of the church and also Wesley Day, in Chippenham it coincides with there Folk Festival Weekend - it seems strange not to be out and about with "Hips and Haws" Clog Team this year. I was reminded that many of the dances they perform are based on the noise of the mills, as the shuttles went to and fro on the weaving looms. The workers would wear wooden clogs of their feet, both because they cheap to make and hard wearing but also afforded some comfort from damp flag stones, and protection from anything being dropped on them. Best wishes to Hips and Haws as they perform in the main arena over the weekend.

Wesley Day

For Methodist today is the day when we celebrate how John Wesley heart was strangely warmed. Also known as Aldersgate Sunday, it relates to events that happened in London on 24th May 1738. He records: Heavy-hearted, he went to an evening society meeting on Aldersgate Street "very unwillingly." It was there, while someone was reading from Martin Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans, that he felt that his heart was "strangely warmed." He describes it as:

I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

Day 15  Continued – Englethwaite

Unfortunately the campsite beautiful as it is lacks internet connection (and a loo), and I don’t seem to get the dongle to work, thus the delay in posting the Blogs. To put your mind at rest – yes the caravan has all the facilities we need including internal loo and shower. Anne will not need to use a bucket!

 Carlisle

We left Costa in Carlisle in search of the “Old Town Hall” and guess what? – we were already sitting in it drinking coffee and blogging. I wonder what John Wesley would have made of that! As one who embraced new technology of his time I hope he would have been proud of this 21st century “preacher” We decided to call in to the Cathedral and received a very warm welcome by the verger. Prior to John Wesley’s visits, records show that St Cuthbert visited Christians in Carlisle in about 686AD and that Christian burials took placed near the Cathedral from 700AD. Henry I founded a Augustinian Priory on the site. Destroyed by fire the remains were rebuilt over the next few centuries. The Cathedral survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries because of its “Cathedral” status. In 1745 Jacobites were briefly imprisoned in the building and Sir Walter Scott was married here in 1797.

T S Eliot wrote, ‘The use of a Cathedral is the performance of the complete liturgy of the Church for the Christian year’ for over 900 this Cathedral has been doing just that!

Carlisle Castle

A short walk from the Cathedral is the impressive Carlisle Castle. Originally built in wood by William II on the site of a Roman Fort , the stone castle that stands today was began by Henry I in 1122. The castle holds the record for being the most besieged castle in the country. One famous prisoner held at the castle was Mary, queen of Scots, when she was defeated I May 1568 and abdicated the Scottish throne, fleeing to England she was brought to Carlisle and imprisoned in the Warden’s Tower - now demolished. Mary was allowed to keep a royal court, as Queen Elizabeth paid £56 per week expenses to her Keeper. In 17445 Bonnie Prince Charlie captured the castle but were unable to hold it. Thrown into the dungeon’s without food or water to die we saw the “licking stones” which the Jacobite prisoners licked to have moisture in order to try and stay alive. From 1820 onward's barrack blocks were added and the castle became home to the Border Regiment, and today is still a working garrison as the Head Quarters of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.

Wetheral Priory 

Wetheral Gate House

On our way back to the campsite we stopped at Wetheral Priory – all that remains today is the 15th century gatehouse of this small Benedictine Priory that included a church and a monastic school. The Priory was Dissolved in 1538 its possessions were sold and precious items were taken by the Kings receiver the buildings soon after falling into ruins. The lands were given to the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle (the land and farm are still owned by the Church Commissioners). The gatehouse however was retained as a fortified Vicarage during the 16th & 17th centuries as it provided some protection from the border raiders. Over the years it eventually became a hayloft to the adjacent farm whose buildings now cover most of the site! One of the Priory privileges for those living outside Wetheral was the right of sanctuary from arrest. Those who claimed this right had to toll a bell in the Priory Church, and swear before the bailiff of the manor that he would keep the peace. We have now completed over 1000 miles!

Campsite Wardens!

Day 16 – Hadrian’s Wall Country

We woke to blue skies this morning for our visit along Hadrian’s Wall. For 3 centuries Hadrian’s Wall was a multi-cultural frontier, coving 80 miles and it some places 6 meters high. The ancient equivalent of “The Wall” in the Holy Land and built for a similar purpose to separate two different cultures and the raids into each other territory. Completed in only 6 years by three Roman legions, (1500 men) it is a remarkable feat in engineering. 

Lanercost Priory

First stop today is the stunning ruins of a 13th century Augustine monastery. A place of worship since the 12 century, but was vulnerable to attack during the Scottish-Anglo wars of the 14th century. In 1311 Robert Bruce raided it. After the Dissolution it was in part converted into a family residence, with part of the nave was continued to be used for worship (and is still the Parish Church), whilst the cloister, Presbytery and other buildings fell to ruin.. Henry VIII set a value of £200 as the upper limit for smaller monasteries such as Lanercast any community worth less than this would be shut down after 1536, so the Priory closed in 1538. Part of the site that was “sold off” as part of the private residence included a building converted to house the new vicar, known as the Vicar’s Pele – today the building continues to be the vicarage.

We make our way to Birdoswald Fort

Birdswold Fort – was one of 16 forts built as part of the wall defenses. After the Roman’s left Britian people continued to live in this settlement for a further 1,000 years. Here is the longest continuous stretch of the Wall visible today. One of the features of this fort was an indoor drill hall – due to the climate, drill and exercise could happen regardless of the weather. After lunch we decided to walk part of the Wall down to the river to Willowford Wall Turrets and Bridge. The Roman bridge allowed the Wall to cross the River Irthing, which include two turrets linking it to the fort. The river has since moved and a modern bridge allows walkers to cross the river and follow the route of the wall and all that is left of this huge structure is the footings.

River Irthing

We continue on our way towards a couple of view points at Cawfields and Walltown Crags where we could see the Wall dramatically snaking and diving along the steep crags of Win Sill.

Win Sill

We return to the Campsite weary and tired from our “hike”.. tomorrow we move on to Scotland, and the results of eurovision and “proper” flushing loos!! – Did you know that the act of going to the toilet was a social occasion for Roman soldiers, most forts had multi-seater communal latrines with water channels for washing your hands, but don’t tell Anne!