Wensley

W and I decided to head here for our lunch today - head in fact to the Three Horseshoes pub where the quiche is legendary.  Wensley is only about two miles from where we live, so no journey to speak of and, as we expected,  quiche, salad and chips was superb.

Wensley was once home to the only market in the Dale (the Dale is still called Wensleydale) and until 1563 it was the centrepoint of trade for the whole area.   Then the village was more or less wiped out by Plague and the emphasis for trade moved to either Leyburn or Hawes.   Both little towns still have cattle markets and sheep markets
(Hawes sheep market is one of the most important for the Swaledale sheep) and both towns still have a good market along the street (or in Leyburn's case in the Market Square).

Some parts of the church (it is no longer in use) date back as early as 1290 and it is a Grade 1 Listed Building but both the church itself and the churchyard are now redundant and have a sad, neglected air.   Inside the church there is that smell which you get nowhere else - easily recognisable.

The whole village is part of the Bolton Estate so that almost all the houses are of a certain period (there have been some private houses added on but all are sympathetically built).

Gardens were pretty - one in particular, obviously that of a very keen gardener, was perfection with such colour in spite of being small.   Have a wander round and get the feel of a delightful little place.   The River Ure flows through just below the church - well it is normally the River Ure but at present not much more than a dry river bed.

The very prettily situated village hall is totally green and is a wonderful addition to the village and its amenities.   I hope you enjoyed your walk round it.