18th Century clock, East Riddlesden Hall

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Have you ever noticed most clocks with Roman numerals have four written as IIII instead of IV? The minute hand was first added to clocks around 1680 (clocks weren't very accurate until pendulum clocks were invented in 1656) and the second hand only becoming common in the 1700s and then usually only on pocket watches and scientific instruments The clockmaker Isaac Hadwen spells his town of residence as 'Kendall' here. c1730 #longcaseclock #eastriddlesdenhall #nationaltrust #clockface #isaachadwen #romannumerals #oldclock

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 31, 2019 at 7:49am PDT

Nidd Aqueduct, Bingley

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Water falling on water over water. On a soggy afternoon this is where the Nidd Aqueduct crosses the River Aire at Bingley in a fancy castellated bridge, which hardly anyone will see (and it is quite tricky to get a decent view of it from the footpath on the bank, with encroaching vegetation and trees). The aqueduct brings water from reservoirs in the upper Nidd valley over 32 miles to Bradford. It took several years to build in the 1890s and carries 130 million litres a day using gravity in iron pipes and stone tunnels six feet tall that in places were dug below mines (in Greenhow Hill where the Coldstones Cut and quarry are), helping drain them (and adding to the water supply) #niddaquduct #aqueduct #riveraire #bingley #bradford #victorianengineering #yorkshirewater #bradfordcorporation #yorkshire

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 30, 2019 at 1:54pm PDT

Gravel bin and Lob Ghyll Viaduct, near Bolton Bridge

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Any idea what this is for? - small black hard and sharp gravel (too small for ballast) in old concrete bin near the start of the abandoned and overgrown Lob Ghyll viaduct. #abanonedrailway #abandonedarchitecture #abandonedviaduct #viaduct #overgrown #woodland #railwayviaduct #lobghyllviaduct#lobghyll #lobbghyllviaduct #midlandrailway #embsayandboltonabbeysteamrailway #ilkleyskiptonrailway

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 29, 2019 at 10:31am PDT

Underwater Stepping Stones, Burley in Wharfedale

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What a difference a couple of days and a bit of rain makes. Cross these stepping stones at your peril 🌊 This is why they want a bridge... Apparently the river has silted up a bit on the near bank and the island wasn't originally there, if the river had its full width available it is thought that the stones stones might be above water more often. Also the stones may have sunk over the years, however when Ilkley urban District council tried to raise the stones in the 1950s the mill owner objected and the council were told that legally they could maintain the stones, but not improve them :/ A separate group to the bridge group was formed to put pressure on Bradford council to mend the stones (some were missing) which they did in 2013. In the past where the river was on a boundary the councils on each bank were each responsible for half a crossing 😕 however since then matters have been improved, Bradford council is responsible for these stones and North Yorkshire County Council has taken responsibility for the suspension bridge at Addingham #saveourstones #burleyparishcouncil #weir #bridleway #riverford #river #burleyinwharfedale #riverwharfe #burleybridgeassociation #burleybridge #steppingstones #burleysteppingstones #peatywater

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 29, 2019 at 7:59am PDT

Abandoned Lob Ghyll Viaduct, near Bolton Bridge

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Abandoned Lob Ghyll viaduct across the steep sided valley in Lob Wood. The viaduct was built for the Ilkey to Skipton railway which opened in 1888 as an extension of the line from Otley to Ilkley and due to the Breeching closures sections closed from 1965 to January 1966. Part of the line from Skipton remains open for the railway to the stone quarry near Grassington and the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway which has reopened the section from the junction to the quarry (Embsay Junction) to Bolton Abbey station although it would like to extend the line over this viaduct to a new station in Addingham (redevelopment in Addingham and Ilkey would prevent opening it back to ilkley #abanonedrailway #abandonedarchitecture #abandonedviaduct #railwayviaduct #lobghyllviaduct #lobbghyllviaduct #midlandrailway #embsayandboltonabbeysteamrailway

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 28, 2019 at 8:51am PDT

Cranes at Granary Wharf, Leeds

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Cranes, cranes, cranes. After deciding the iron post in Riddlesden was a crane base I went looking for less 'minimalist' examples and found these in the canal wharf near Leeds railway station. You can see how the crane fits on the post and can rotate around it. The first crane here has been relocated during the development to a less meaningful place away from the canal edge, it was originally on a hexagonal concrete plinth giving it a bit more height. Cranes were named after the bird which got their name from a old word meaning 'cry hoarsely' refering to their call #crane #canal #industrialheritage #manualcrane #canalcrane #leeds #granarywharf #canalwharf #wharf

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 27, 2019 at 6:13am PDT

Stepping Stones, Burley in Wharfedale

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Seems to be the place to cool off on the UK's hottest July day: 38.1°C in Cambridge just short of the all-time high of 38.5, it reached about 34°C here). The stepping stones strangely seem to sit on top of a very low weir, creating a nice pool behind for swimmers. The large weir (originally wooden) was used by a water mill from the 1790s to 1966, the goit or mill race was cleared of silt in 2010 and brought back into use for a new hydro-electric scheme providing 1,400 MWh per year, similar to the scheme down river at Otley, this one not using Archimedes screws though. There is a campaign (involving Janet Street-Porter) to replace the stepping stones with a bridge as they are unusable for large parts of the year. The crossing is is designated as a public bridleway with a ford for horses and a rather ominous warning sign #ukhottestday #hotweather☀️ #coolingoff #wildswimming #steppingstones #weir #hydroelectric #greenenergy #bridleway #riverford #river #burleyinwharfedale #riverwharfe #burleyhydro #wharfedalehydropower #janetstreetporter #burleybridgeassociation

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 25, 2019 at 6:06pm PDT

Toft Gate Lime Kiln Flue

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Flue at Toft Gate Lime Kiln. Only had a quick peek here as I was visiting the Coldstones Cut art installation, I must go back and have a look around the kilns and quarry area which I didn't even notice. The flue (big enough to walk in if bent over) is rectangular compared to the more oval construction of the smelt flue at Cononley Lead Mine, not sure of the reasons for the different shapes although the Cononley flue looked more air-tight. The kiln was built in the 1860s to make quicklime needed in mortar for building and agricultural fertilizer and was worked for over five decades #toftgatelimekiln #limekiln #nidderdale #greenhowhill #limestonequarry #industrialheritage #flue #limestone #ruins

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 24, 2019 at 1:58pm PDT

Upper Adit Tailings, Cononley

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Found some more information on the upper adit of Cononley Lead Mine in the local studies library the other day. It was driven in the 1820s (possibly in the face of a small quarry) but was probably just used for drainage after the inclined plane and engine house complex was built in around 1847 and the tramway was removed; the impressive tailings in the steep sided valley are still very much visible though. This picture was from March, much of the view is obstructed by vegetation at this time of year #cononleyleadmines #leadmine #abandonedmine #spoilheap #minetailings #chimney #baretrees #netherghyll #cononley

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 23, 2019 at 5:10am PDT

The Coldstones Cut and quarry, Nidderdale

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Looking down into the depths from a great height. Coldstones (limestone) Quarry (300m deep) one of the highest quarries in Britain, and the Coldstones Cut with its viewing platforms is the biggest and highest (1400 feet) public artwork in Yorkshire. There is a steep path to reach it 😩 Tipperary is only 284 miles away - not really a long way compared to Endeavour Spur which is apparently 12,000 miles away #vancouver #reykjavik #glasgow #eyjafjallajökull #cookislands #portree #glencoe #merryfieldleadmine #quarry #limestonequarry #coldstonesquarry #coldstonescut #hansonuk #artwork #viewingplatform #andrewsabin #nidderdale #yorkshiredales #yorkshire #greenhowhill #nidderalevisualarts #hansonaggregates #sculpture #greenhowhill #pateleybridgequarry #endeavourspur

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 22, 2019 at 5:44am PDT

Jacob's Well, Bradford

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Jacobs Beer House, formerly Jacob's Well is one of the oldest pubs remaining in Bradford selling beer from 1830 (according to police register) and gave its name to the surrounding area. The owner took advantage of the 1830 Beerhouse Act of parliament which allowed beer to be brewed and sold without needing a licence from the local magistrate with only an annual payment of two guineas (around £240 today). The aim of the Act was to increase competition and lower beer prices, weening the population off more alcoholic drinks such as gin. Originally in a row of back-to-back cottages the pub was formed by first knocking through and then taking over the next door house. Most of the nearby cottages were replaced by warehouses in the 1880s. By the time a subsequent Act brought back licensing controls in 1869 there were atound 460 beerhouses vs 140 fully licensed pubs. The well was in the cellar and water was sold for a penny a bucket {disputed), it was covered over with concrete in around 1964 when the all the old property around it was demolished leaving it the only property on the street and surrounded by busy roads and concrete buildings. The adjacent 1973 Jacobs Well council office block was demolished in 2019 #shipleystout #jacobswellinn #jacobswellpub #jacobswellbradford #bradford #publichouse #beerhouse #well #wellspring #waterwell #pub #historicpub #historicbuilding #nineteenthcentury #1830beerhouseact

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 20, 2019 at 6:52pm PDT

Cup and Ring Stone Carving on Baildon Moor

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I noticed this cup and ring prehistoric stone carving near the top of the hill when out walking in the evening. First time I have noticed one but apparently the area has a particularly high concentration of them (lots more impressive than this one) and also has remains of stone circles and burial monuments. Late Neolithic and Bronze Age periods (c.2800-500 BC. Unknown meaning. #cupandringmarks #prehistoricart #bronzeage #stonecarving #neolithic #baildonmoor #baildonhill #trigpoint

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 19, 2019 at 7:26am PDT

Cannon on canal towpath?

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Any ideas? Looks like a cannon on end, but the groove inside the top looks like something slotted in, and the circular stone around the base suggests rotation. Old maps mark a crane here on the canal wharf, I wonder what it looked like. #riddlesden #leedsliverpoolcanal #canal #swingbridge #crane #cannon #towpath #industrialheritage

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 18, 2019 at 2:50am PDT

West Riddlesden Hall

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West Riddlesden Hall and car wreck. Went looking for this Grade I listed 17th century building on the opposite side of Riddlesden to the National Trust's East Riddlesden Hall, this is the best view I could get of the private property but did spot this old gem. From my limited research it looks like a Rover P4 made from late 1940s to 1964 and has rear-hinged rear doors, now a rarity on new cars due to safety considerations and limited to some luxury models where they make it easier to enter and exit when being chauffeured. Apparently gangsters liked them as they made it easier to push victims out of moving cars... #westriddlesdenhall #riddlesden #keighley #eastriddlesdenhall #listedbuilding #seventeenthcentury #classiccar #classiccars #rover #roverp4 #suicidedoors #rearhingeddoors #coachdoors #carwreck #abandonedcar #historicbuildings

A post shared by John | Exploration and history (@merrytrek) on Jul 17, 2019 at 3:51am PDT