On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Good Morning All,
Things are quickly wending towards the new site. I just found out that emails, etc. have changed and I think all old emails are now out of my reach.
I’ll have more info tomorrow on the new address. For now the form is the only submission tool and even that will, once the change hits, stop working until the new setup is complete.
Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the pictures!
Today, pictures from valued commenter Litlebritdifrnt.
Not many people in the US know that during the American Civil War when the exports of cotton dried up due to the blockade my home county Lancashire suffered greatly as their entire economy was based upon employment at the cotton mills. James Williamson (later Lord Ashton), knew he had to do something to keep his workers from starving. He therefore employed them building a park, which was later given to the people of Lancaster by his son. In the middle of the park he built a memorial to his second wife Jessy.
Taken on 2018-07-03 00:00:00
Williamson’s Park, Lancaster, England.
As a child I spent an inordinate amount of time in this Lake during the Summer Holidays. Myself and my sister would splash about, sit under the fountain and eventually return to my mother in the evening soaking wet and stinking to high heaven, requiring a joint bath.
Taken on 2018-07-03 00:00:00
Williamson’s Park, Lancaster, England.
The Ashton Memorial was built in one of the highest points in Lancaster and can be see from anywhere in the City. My DH, when getting used to cycling around the city knew that he could always navigate his way around by keeping either the Memorial or The Castle in his sights.
Taken on 2018-07-03 00:00:00
Williamson’s Park, Lancaster, England.
James Williamson certainly knew how to pick his spot. The views across the City, into Morecambe Bay and over to the Lake District are stunning.
Taken on 2018-07-03 00:00:00
Williamson’s Park, Lancaster, England.
The Conservatory is now a Butterfly House. The Courtyard in between the Memorial and the Conservatory was being used as a rehearsal space by the Duke’s Theatre Company to rehearse “The Three Musketeers” play in the Plays in the Park series.
Taken on 2018-07-03 00:00:00
Williamson’s Park, Lancaster, England.
Also in the park they have a small animal section where they have a gang of Meercats who are absolutely delightful and I admit I would have happily stood for hours watching them.
Thank you so much Litlebritdifrnt, do send us more when you can.
Travel safely everybody, and do share some stories in the comments, even if you’re joining the conversation late. Many folks confide that they go back and read old threads, one reason these are available on the Quick Links menu.
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Mary G
Another spot for the bucket list! More places to see. Spending your summer under the fountain sounds idyllic.
JPL
Thanks Littlebrit.
eclare
What an interesting history, thanks!
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
Thanks for the story and the pics. Love the meerkat gang- I might not have gotten beyond them!
biff murphy
joint bath…gonna roll one and try that out
Origuy
I wish I’d had more time to see Lancaster; I saw the Castle on the way to the Lake district from Manchester. Next time I’ll go straight to Lancaster from the airport and stay there. Manchester airport is ok to fly into, but there’s not much reason to stay in the city.
Origuy
Wikipedia has a good article about Lancaster during the American Civil War. Despite their suffering, many in the area supported the North once the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Foreign support was one of the reasons Lincoln did it.
Miss Bianca
Aww, meerkats!
rikyrah
Beautiful pictures :)
Litlebritdifrnt
All of you thanks for the comments. The Meerkats are fascinating and I kept going back to them. At one point my DH said to me “are we going to stand here ALL DAY?” Me: “Hm yeah.” Most of the cotton mills were located along the Lancaster Canal (which has just celebrated its 200th anniversary. ) Obviously it was the most efficient way to get the cotton from the docks along St. George’s Quay where it was landed and assessed before being released to the Mill owners for processing at the mills. I know this sounds unlikely but when I was a child I was born in 1960) I would wander down to the Canal from our home on Prospect Street and the thunder of the mills still in operation was deafening. The window A/C units in the Mills would be caked with Cotton dust and bits of it would float off into the Canal. @Origuy: If you do get to visit and stay while it is expensive stay at the Royal Kings Arms (Charles Dickens famously stayed there), and definitely visit the Maritime Museum which is located in the old Customs House on St. Georges Quay. Several of the buildings still have the old hoists that were used to get the bales of cotton off the ships and into the Customs House. They have a really fascinating permanent exhibit about the importance of cotton in the City.