Jo’s Monday walk : Finchale Priory

The ruins of Finchale Priory

The ruins of Finchale Priory

My walk this week, much nearer home, takes me along the banks of the River Wear, four miles from the city of Durham.  I hear that a heatwave is forecast and you might be glad of a little shade.  I was dodging showers on my walk, so the trees proved extremely useful.

The Grade 1 listed ruins of Finchale Priory began life in the 13th century as a Benedictine priory. Today they are managed by English Heritage.  The only details I could glean from their page are that the Priory was founded on the site of a retired pirate’s hermitage (!) and was later used as a holiday retreat for monks from Durham Cathedral.

The approach is through peaceful countryside, covered in rapeseed early in the season

The approach is through peaceful countryside, covered in rapeseed early in the season

The clouds are a little menacing so we need to be quick!

The clouds are a little menacing, so we need to be quick!

We might just make it!

We might just make it!

St. Godric of Finchale was an English hermit, merchant and medieval saint who was born in Norfolk.  After many pilgrimages around the Mediterranean, he spent the last 60 years of his life as a hermit in these idyllic surrounds.  To find that same peace and serenity you need to visit out of season, as today a caravan park adjoins the site.

As so often, I turn to Wikipedia for my knowledge.  For instance, I had no clear idea what a piscina might be, though I was assured that there was a double one on the south wall.  It’s a shallow basin, placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. Hunting through my photos, I discover that I have some evidence.

A scilla

A double piscina

A view through the ruins

A view through the ruins

But this is the sight that intrigues me most

But this is the sight that intrigues me most

I cannot seem to find a reference that explains this ‘chimney’ with a conical point, and I can’t recollect seeing one before.  If any of you can help me on this, I’d be grateful.  Now, you remember that we are beside the river?

Click on a photo for a closer look

The view from the prior’s study
An inviting bridge crosses the river
The walls are good and thick
But with a strangely shaped door!
For a while the sky is blue
And I can admire the cloud through the many windows
See those right at the back of this shot?
The ruins with the farmhouse/cafe alongside

The ruins with the farmhouse/cafe alongside

And a closer look at that 'chimney'

And a closer look at that ‘chimney’

While the sky is blue I think we should cross over the bridge.  Got your brolly, just in case?

Here we go!
The water is shallow in places
But the bridge supports are solid
In places the River Wear flows swiftly

In places the River Wear flows quite swiftly

Across the bridge, you can look back at the Priory

Looking back, a view of the Priory

Choices next, for a short, circular walk through Cocken Woods.  You can climb the steps, rather steeply, or follow the river bank for a short distance and then climb, a little more gently, up through the woods.  No contest, really!  Just past bluebell season, there was the thickest carpet and a deafening aroma of wild garlic!

IMG_4561

A lamb or two
And a bench!

It had to happen!  Just about then the skies opened and the rain battered the river.  My back pressed close to a tree trunk, I watched the steady tattoo and inhaled deeply.  When the rain eased a little, there was just time to cross the bridge and slip quickly inside the cafe.

It was a welcoming space
And I just remembered where I had my last cream scone, Jude!

You’re probably thinking that that’s enough for the day, but I never want to waste an opportunity. Beyond the picnic benches, a path follows the river, on the same shore as the Priory but in the opposite direction.  There’s a little climb before it levels out so I won’t make you walk again.  Stay here and I’ll just show you a couple of photos.

Beside the river
And looking back at the bridge
Up among the trees
Struck by lightning?
Or simply old?

Just one last look at the Priory, before it’s time to go.

Probably my favourite shot

Loving the shapes and the shadows

And a surprise beneath the Priory!

And one last surprise, beneath the Priory!

I hope you enjoyed my ‘traces of the past’.  I’ve included the English Heritage link for directions and opening times, and the other links for history and background.  There is a special link too. Many of you will have seen Paula’s traces of the past, in Slovakia.  I hope I’m not too late with my offering of Finchale Priory.

One cup of coffee down, two to go?

walking logo

For any of you not used to my ramblings, can I direct you to my Jo’s Monday walk page or the logo above?  It will encourage you to join me.  For all you other lovely people, can I just say a huge thanks, both for your support and your wonderful contributions.  Please make time to visit the posts below.  You won’t regret it!

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Drake’s always a winner- in more ways than one!  First with his contribution again last week :

Neighbour-visiting 

Back on home turf with Anabel, in Scotland.  Do you know this one?

Loch Ardinning

Jude apologised for ‘another flowery walk’.  Is she mad?  Good old King George V!

Kerdhva Gov Jori V  (didn’t know I could speak Cornish- did you?)

You can always rely on Paula to find true beauty, even when she’s sleepy.  This is exquisite!

Sing me a lullaby

A guy with a wicked sense of humour, Cardinal’s style is unique :

Fitness and Relax Toilets

I have a cousin in Toronto. Maybe I should pay him a surprise visit one day?

Junkboat Travels: Monday Walks

Will I EVER tire of the beauty of the Grand Canyon?  I doubt it!

Walk on a Timeline (One Long Step= 1 Million Years)

I get to sit alongside Paula while Lucile pedals this week!  Don’t miss this!

Virtual Bike Ride with Jo and Paula

You can always depend on Debbie for variety!  I wonder where next?

A Walk along Berlin’s Landwehrkanal

Laia’s post simply shimmers with colour and beauty (and blue ice!)  Another one not to miss!

Fox Glacier and lake Matheson : do not believe in postcards

And while we’re in that part of the world, here’s a fascinating walk in Tasmania, with Ruth :

Waterworks, pipelines and falls

Jaspa keeps on going back to Venice.  Well, why wouldn’t you?

The Irresistible Lure of Venice

Lots of shares again this week.  I expect you’ve seen a few of them around the blogs, but please make time for any you’ve missed. There are some fabulous contributions.  And if you have any spare time, Monday Escapes are acquiring a steady stream of followers.  If only I could find more time!

Have a happy week and watch out for that heatwave!  See you next Monday?

 

 

142 comments

    1. It’s quite a small site, Andrew, and it has so much competition, let’s face it! But it’s a lovely location. The odd peacock and guinea fowl wandering around too 🙂

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      1. I have a couple of visits shceduled to Durham this year (I have never been there before) maybe I could sneak it in and surprise Kim with my local knowledge.

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      2. Sly dog! 🙂 I hope you’re going to catch Lumiere in November? Plenty of riverside walks anyway. Give me a shout if you need to know anything.

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  3. St.Godrick couldn’t have chosen a more idyllic place to live. The ruins and their woodsy surrounding are beautiful. My grandsons leave for Ireland in the morning and the 11 year old says he just wants to see real sheep. I hope he sees pastures full. The chimney looks somewhat like a stone spire, perhaps of religious significance. Just a guess. Hope you didn’t get too wet, Jo. 🍰 Dessert helps.

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  8. I just looked at the forecast for Durham. It’s going to be 27C by Wednesday! Goodness, Jo, what a heatwave. 😀

    Can’t help you with that delightful chimney, I’m afraid. Maybe they built it just to bewilder photographers?

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    1. It’s pretty warm even now, H 🙂 There was a lot of cloud cover when I was walking this morning but the sun has broken through. I’m watching Wimbledon but with a hankering to be outdoors. 🙂

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  10. I love this walk though the ruins of the Priory, Jo. You start out with such blue skies, but then they seem to become threatening from time to time. So, if St. Godric was a hermit in these parts, did he have this priory all to himself? If so, that’s quite a home for a hermit! These are really beautiful and I love all your pictures, especially the first one with that impossibly blue sky, the rapeseed, the lambs, and the shapes and shadows on that green lawn. Lovely walk, Jo. 🙂

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    1. I think there were only 8 monks sharing and even fewer at one time, Cathy. There was quite a lot of adding on of buildings done when it became a holiday retreat for Durham Cathedral monks. I would have included more history but my posts are a bit long already. I put the links in so that if anyone is interested (or has time!!!) they can read them.
      Did you have a good weekend? I’ll pop over later. 🙂

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      1. It certainly seems like an interesting history, Jo. Thanks for sharing!

        I had a wonderful weekend! I went back to the Longji Rice Terraces one last time. It was a long journey but I really wanted to see them once more in a different season. They were beautiful and it was great to get out for some very long and challenging walks! That was my last trip, as I have just over two weeks left and lots of days of marking papers and proctoring exams ahead of me!

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    1. It’s a nice site for little ones. There are peacocks and guinea fowl in the grounds, and they can skim stones on the river (if you keep an eye on them!) and picnic.
      You’re welcome 🙂

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  19. I chose the site that intrigues you most, though I would happily display those sheep too. You guys are so lucky with all these gorgeous ruins.

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    1. Hi Paula! 🙂 I was making my way to yours to leave a link and a comment but you beat me to it 🙂 I should probably have done a piece on the priory separately and linked it to yours, then done the walk, but you know that me and foresight don’t get along. Glad you don’t seem to mind 🙂

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      2. It’s beautiful here today. I’m just going to have my grapefruit and toast in the garden and then off walking… of course 🙂 Catch up with you later. Big hugs! Hope the infection is properly cleared and you are feeling “chipper”?

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      3. Yes, thank you. The only problem are nightmares that I had over the weekend – will be OK. Enjoy grapefruit, toast and walk 🙂

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      5. 🙂 yes, and a sleepless night last night – that’s why I am lazy at work now. I have published something called nightmare tomorrow, but don’t bother to look at it just yet. Have fun on the veranda Jo!

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