On the banks of the River Derwent in North Yorkshire, stand the ruins of an Augustinian priory, founded in the 12th century by Walter Espec, lord of Helmsley. (See map above. The location of Kirkham Priory, between Malton and York, is represented by the red dot.) Evidently Lord Espec was busy in those days, for he also founded Rievaulx Abbey and built Helmsley Castle. Have you visited his blog?? ;-)
Entrance to Kirkham Priory
this photo found online
this photo found online
Notice carvings to the left and right of archway
St. George and the Dragon (left side of arch)
I still can't figure out how I managed to take these detail photos but didn't take one of the wall they were on!
I think it's something like 'can't see the forest for the trees.'
I still can't figure out how I managed to take these detail photos but didn't take one of the wall they were on!
I think it's something like 'can't see the forest for the trees.'
David and Goliath (right side of arch)
So that was in the 12th century. Now fast-forward nine hundred years and you'd have found British forces training for the Normandy invasion by scaling the walls of the ruins of Kirkham Priory. Nearby, Allied troops tested landing vehicles prior to D-Day with Winston Churchill and King George VI popping in to observe the troops.
'We shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender...'
-Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940
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