Author name: Richard Clarke

26th March, 2017.

Illustration – Mid-19th century lithograph entitled ‘Museum and Cliff Bridge, Scarboro’. The image shows most of the Rotunda (see last blog) with the headland-top Castle in the distance – the Grand Hotel had not then been built. Charles Darwin, 1809-1882, like Smith was an ardent geologist, but is better remembered as a naturalist following his […]

26th March, 2017. Read More »

22nd March, 2017.

William Smith, 1769-1839, in 1801 created the first geological map of England, Wales and southern Scotland. In 1815 he published Delineation of Strata of England and three years later Strata Identified by Organized Fossils. His fossil collection is on display at the British Museum. These studies showed clearly that life-forms changed across time, thus heralding the

22nd March, 2017. Read More »

21st. March, 2017.

In the booklet Descriptions of East Yorkshire: Leland to Defoe (published by the East Yorkshire Local History Soc. in 1985) Donald Woodward’s extract from Defoe’s Tour (1720s) includes the following phrase when writing of the North Yorkshire coast ‘here are the snake stones, of which nothing can be said but as one observes of them,

21st. March, 2017. Read More »

19th March, 2017.

Good time of year to walk Middlegate lane, high up the scarp slope above South Ferriby and Horkstow villages. Profusion of primroses in South Ferriby churchyard, especially in the older burial areas – this and Paull churchyard surely the best in Humberside for seeing spring flowering plants. Scattered small colonies of blue and white violets under the

19th March, 2017. Read More »

18th March, 2017.

Last night chaired a very interesting talk by Simon Wellock who for the last year has been the Warden for Lincs. Trust at the Far Ings Centre, Barton. He described how reed-bed management could best promote a diverse ecology, although the bittern is often referenced a healthy environment for the bittern is a healthy wetland environment

18th March, 2017. Read More »

17th March, 2017.

Recently spent day in Lincoln, mostly around Castle Hill and St. Paul in the Bail area. Allowed to take dog into cathedral, surprisingly, cathedral authorities seem far more liberal than they use to be. Made a great fuss of by one of the vergers. Tea outside No. 1 Castle Hill. Return journey along scarp top road

17th March, 2017. Read More »