I was flicking through my copy of 'A Shell Guide to Lincolnshire', the other day. It was written during the 1960's by Rev Henry Thorold and Jack Yates, two Lincolnshire men.
I have no idea whether they made a tour of the whole county together, or whether they allocated each their own portion of the county. Perhaps one of these days I will have the time to dig a little deeper. All I can say with certainty, is that the two of them produced a fascinating book which is filled with acerbic comments about individual villages, buildings and towns.
Beautiful old Lincoln isn't spared, for it is described as being beautiful on the approach (thanks to the magnificent Cathedral on the hill) but they then say that it is only as you enter the city that disappointment assails you...much of it is grim and sordid - dreary streets of ugly red houses spread everywhere.
The front of Louth Town Hall is described as looking like an annexe to the Vatican but the back is more like a slaughterhouse.
Cleethorpes "is a large seaside town with a very short season."
Caistor "A Roman walled town. There never seems to be much shopping going on and the Market Square has a depressed aspect. But school life is vigorous."
It was interesting to see that my opinion on the works of a particular architect who 'restored' some may say vandalised, far too many Lincolnshire churches, James Fowler, is shared by these two much more knowledgeable men.
The book is littered with references to his work. "The church has suffered too much from Mr Fowler to be interesting" being just one. As it is Good Friday, I won't pull out any others, although there are many!
None of these photographs match anything I have extracted from the book, I simply don't have the time today.
Hot Cross Buns for breakfast. Fish for lunch. Homemade soup and a roll for tea.
Oh dear, there must have been some places they liked, I hope!
ReplyDeleteAt least one of them was an architectural snob, in my opinion! They did approve of certain places, but only if they did not have any bungalows, council houses, etc, etc.
DeleteThey certainly did not take it as it is, but as they wanted it to be.
ReplyDeleteIt does make for a very entertaining read, though, Joanne. I forgive them.
DeleteAnyway, the buildings in the photos are very beautiful, as is the surrounding landscape!
ReplyDeleteMany people are surprised when they visit Lincolnshire, they expect it to be flat and dull - then they see the lovely Wolds. Happy Easter.
DeleteThat's only their opinion. I bet I'd feel very differently about the buildings and towns.
ReplyDeleteThey definitely wax lyrical about some of them, Linda! Their opinions turned what could have been a very ordinary book into something much more entertaining, and that was probably what they intended...after all, here I am six decades later writing about it.
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