0 Rievaulx Abbey, Clifford's Tower, The Shambles

 We headed over to Rievaulx Abbey, a 12th century Cistercian abbey near Thirsk. 

Many of the buildings were destroyed after the Suppression of Henry VIII (surprise!), but the remains began their life as ruins, and a tourist attraction, in the mid-18th century.

As usual, I really like the arches.

The garden at the center of the cloister.

Nave and transepts, seen from the south.

We then headed to York, where we went to Clifford's Tower.  Once part of York Castle, it's a rather sad little clover shaped building...

that seems to be falling off the hill!  It really does lean quite a bit.  Given that it's approaching 800 years old, I'll forgive that.  I might lean a bit by then, too.  This small building does have quite a history, which is appropriate since it sits in one of the (arguably) most historic cities in England.  It's been a castle keep, a treasury, a chapel, a mint, a gaol, and an exchequer.

The most impressive thing Clifford's Tower offers us today is the panoramic views of York.   The minster is in the background.

On her tour of York I had to take my mom to The Shambles, a famous little street in York.  How old the street and buildings are is debated, with most saying 14th-15th century, the street is also mentioned in The Domesday book.

One of the few medieval streets to not have burned down from it's "charm", it shows how the first and second storeys of houses hung over the street- quite easy if you need to borrow sugar from a neighbor, or are a peeping Tom!!