Medieval treasures

I love this view, which shows Knaresborough's ancient charm to perfection.  The wonderful chequerboard house in the middle is known as the Old Manor House.  It dates back to 1208 when it was built as a hunting lodge for King John, around an oak tree which still stands in the centre of the house.  It was recently restored and if you're interested in old houses, there is a really fascinating article here.  It's believed that after Cromwell's troops defeated the Royalists at Marston Moor, in the First English Civil War, the treaty of capitulation was signed by King Charles here in this house, in Cromwell's presence.  It has a 400 year old mulberry tree in the garden which still bears fruit.  It remains a private residence.

Behind the black and white house you can see a thatched house dating back to the 1500s, Thatched Manor Cottage.  Its thatch was destroyed by fire a few years ago and has had to be renewed. I found an interesting picture of it being rethatched here.  It sits at the bottom of the wonderfully named Water Bag Bank - so called because ponies used to haul bags of water up the steep hill from the river into the town.

The church at the top is St John's Parish Church.