In Lancaster

No cruising today

Before going into the shopping area, Mike took a look at the area nearby our mooring.

He wanted to take a closer look at a CaRT sign on the opposite bank, also a pathway. It seemed from a distance to be discouraging the use of towpaths, rather at odds with the important messaging of CaRT about the well-being use of the canals by non-boaters. As we suspected, it is a forgotten leftover from the height of COVID restrictions. But leaving it there is not, as it is said, 'good optics'.

Nearby is the former Springfield barracks, long since replaced by at least two generations of more modern accommodation. Today, it is a business park, home to several businesses.

Even nearer the canal is Lancaster Infirmary, a large hospital. A maintenance person was attending to the flagpole outside. It was, of course, just around the time of the Accession Council at which Charles was formally proclaimed King. One of the quirks of protocol is that Union Flags, having been at half mast since mourning for the Queen began, is raised to full mast for this event! At some stage it goes back to half mast.

After coffee, we walked the short distance down into the main shopping area. It is a more interesting area than at first sight as, in between the principal wide streets are lots of small alleys and courts. Not a lot of nation-wide chains but very much more independent small shops, usually specialising quite specifically. Christine was on the track of two items which she found in Body Shop and M&S. Although these are known names, they are not large sites.

Back at t boat we had lunch and subsequently went back to visit the Judges Lodgings Museum. We went to the Castle and another museum when we came to Lancaster on a train visit in 2019 but did not have time to take in this place.

Lancaster was, for a time, known as an important centre of justice even if by today's standards it was pretty rough and ready. Most of the accused no legal representation and cases were dealt with at speed. Not so much a matter of how many days for a case but how many cases per day!

The house dates in part back to the 17C but has had several extensions and modifications. In particular it original mullion windows are now typical of a later period. It was built as a home for a wealthy local person but was bought as Judges Lodgings during a reform of the Assize Courts process.

High Court judges were itinerant and stayed only for a few days at a time before moving on to another county. Their visits might be at times when locals were unruly so a safe place to stay, close to the court, was considered essential.

Alas, we were so hasty to go in when we arrived that we forgot to take a photo of the front! We may just have tome to rectify that tomorrow!

A tour was just beginning and we tagged along. A good guide from Lancashire Council, who have owned the building since Assizes were  abolished in 1971, introduced each toom as we went around.

We began in the kitchen. Since the museum was created it has been able to acquire items from large country houses as they have closed down and as a result quite a bit of the contents are more from the Victorian period.

On then to the Senior Judge's Room which would be where he could be found almost all of the time court was not sitting. It is laid out both as a bedroom and a day room.

On display in this room is a set of winter robes. The design derives from courtly dress in the 1300's but were formalised in 1635. This decreed that on 28th October, judges should wear robes faced with white minver (squirrel fur) used for warmth, until Ascension Day.

In the Drawing Room is another form of robes, used for formal occasions (as if the Assize Court was not formal enough!)

Also in this room is a splendid cabinet, commissioned in 1772 from Gillows by the widow of Thomas Hutton Rawlinson, a Quaker with  business interests in the West Indies. As a result much of his money came from the slave trade and he was a leading opponent of the abolition of it.

The Dining Room is laid out with the table set in the à la Russe style which became fashionable in the late 19C. In this style, the meal was divided into courses and each one served in sequence. Before then formal meals would be service à l'anglaise in which all courses were brought in right at the beginning and guests took which they wanted in whatever order.

A small gallery is devoted to the history of Gillows, a very fine furniture maker, found in 1728, at one time in premises right alongside the Judges Lodgings.

One example on display is this amazing round table.

After we finished looking around we were directed (by a couple of the volunteers) to tea in the courtyard. This weekend is the National Heritage days and so admission was free and the tea and cakes were included in the price - in the hope of a suitable donation! The cakes, baked specially by Friends of the Judges Lodging, were most delicious.

We then checked out the way to the Priory Church and the time of the service in the morning.

From the churchyard, set high on a hill overlooking the River Lune, we had a much better and clearer view of the distant Lake District hills.