The Royal Armouries at Clarence Dock

We received a comment from Mick & Pip (nb Lillyanne) regarding the boats on the visitor moorings at Clarence Dock.

“That red wide beam arrived just after us last Thursday afternoon. The light blue shorter NB near the taxis arrived last Friday. 48 hour moorings?
We left £2.70 credit on the electric post at the rear of the dark blue boat that is in between the two boats mentioned above.”

The red boat left at 9.00am this morning (7 days) and we quickly grabbed the vacant spot.  The light blue boat that arrived last Friday is of course nb Lakeland.  We have been playing leapfrog with it since we first came upon him moored on the water point way back at Blackburn (the first of a number of water point moorings).  He also spent 3 days on the 24 hour moorings at Skipton.  There are signs here stating 48 hours with a £25 per day overstaying charge.  The CRT regional offices are on the other side of the bank within easy walking distance which makes one wonder why the overstaying occurs.  It would be a very simple task for someone in the office to check at the beginning and end of each day.  If you can’t ensure compliance at such an easy location what hope is there for the rest of the network. <rant over>

There was £2.70 credit on the meter when we connected.  Thanks Mick & Pip!

I was attempting to remove the paper masking tape from around the bow hatch when someone started to chat.  It was blog reader Graham <sp> who lives locally (I think) and who’s boat is currently moored at Mercia Marina.  Graham did mention he’d wondered why the blog posts had stopped last winter and then he found the link! 

It’s always nice when a blog reader introduces themself and stops for a chat.

Later we wandered into the Leeds CBD.  We had a shopping list but nothing on it was urgent.  I’ve worn out a pair of jeans and could do with a replacement.  Unfortunately they don’t make men like me anymore.  Primark only had them in sizes up to 34 and I’d have to go back 45 years for my crutch to be that small.  Even then I’d either be with the soprano’s or the Vienna Boys Choir!  We didn’t even bother trying Debenhams knowing the likely price.  A quick look at a price tag in TK Max had us scurrying to the exit.

We stumbled into Leeds Kirkgate Market quite by chance.  It’s the largest covered market in Europe with more than 800 stalls.  No….. we weren’t tempted to visit all of them!  However Jan did find a wool shop which enabled her to half fill the daypack.  Then she managed to buy a cooked chicken for £4.  Another bargain.  Meanwhile I took photos of the building.

Construction of the original covered market commenced in the early 1880’s and as you would expect it has undergone numerous expansions and alterations.  What we hadn’t realized is that the market is located in what was the original part of Leeds.

The ironwork is all very ornate.

Another interesting fact is this is the location where Marks & Spencer started.

This is the original stall <cough>

Wikipedia states

In 1894, Kirkgate Market was the founding location of Marks & Spencer which opened in Leeds Market as a penny bazaar.^[6] The Marks & Spencer's heritage is marked by the Market Clock in the 1904 hall which bears the shop's name. This clock was unveiled in 1984 to celebrate the centenary of Marks & Spencer. In 2012 Marks and Spencer returned to Kirkgate Market, opening a stall alongside the centenary clock.

In 1904, Marks & Spencer relocated its Leeds branch to the then recently opened Cross Arcade (now part of the Victoria Quarter).

I even took a photo of the Market Clock without realizing its significance.

The main pedestrian area appears to be Briggate where you can see the usual High Street shops

Most of the CBD appears to be pedestrianized, which we found rather pleasant.

Wandering back to Clarence Dock we noticed the circular shape of the Corn Exchange building. 

It’s only one of three Corn Exchanges that continues to operate as a centre of trade.  However it no longer trades in grains but rather is another covered market for independent upmarket retailers.  No cheap jeans there!

The route took us past Leeds Minster.  I suggested to Jan that we might go in and have a look around. When they saw us coming they closed and locked the doors!

I just happened to notice the south east corner of the Minster appeared to be moving.  There is a definite sag in the corner.  It looks like the foundations are slowly collapsing.

Can you see it at the left end in the above photo?

CRT have some rather nice offices on the opposite side to the River Aire from Clarence Dock.

Can you see their name and logo on the wall above the far end of the footbridge?  There’s also a good view of the weir from that end of the bridge.

I then tried to be clever and take a photo of Leeds Lock in the evening.