The Norman Door.

The South West Door of the little village church of St Helen's Stillingfleet, Nr York, has been nationally famous for many years.
(Except we hadn't heard of it until MrC was watching a programme on BBC4 last night, about Blacksmiths!)
It's age and history has been investigated and it has been found to be the original door of the church which was built about 1154 by Robert de Stuteville.
There is some evidence that it may have been used elsewhere in the 10th century.

Over this long period in constant use, exposed to the vagaries of the weather,it suffered under the long-recgonised practice of nailing public notices to the church door. The scars still remain.
In 1990, it became clear that whereas skilled preservation would give the door more years of functional existance, there was a more permanent, but static, alternative . So now the door hangs inside the church, virtually in it's old position ( and a new door is now on the outside)

The Norman door has become a monumental treasure to be enjoyed and appreciated by the many visitors from all over the world who come to see it's original ironwork with almost complete "C" hinges and pictures showing an interlocked cross, a Viking ship, a pair of figures, a tree a horned figure, and a single figure.

There are many other interesting pieces of history in the church, and in the churchyard can be seen the large communal grave of eleven carol singers who were drowned in the River Ouse on Boxing Day 1833.

The reason we were in the area today was because we went to collect the first asparagus from a farm over there. Thee Best ever!!

Before this was a dental appointment. Fortunately just a clean, as nothing wanted doing!

So now off to make tea. First course.......... you guessed Asparagus! Cooked simply with lots of butter.
The first of the season always tastes the best I think.