The header image is from around the 1890's and shows a Sunday School outing preparing to move off from Field Lane, just outside the Arabian Horse Inn. This picture is taken from the publication Aberford in Times Past by A.G. Bennett, T. Hayton & K. Hewitt; published by Countryside publications. The introduction by the authors gives a date of July 1983, therefore the publication is from around that time and whilst the text is copyright, there is no copyright stated for the images, not surprising given the age and likelyhood that the photographers are unknown.

Parlington Visitors Book

The header picture is included because it dovetails nicely with a recent discovery which will feature in greater detail in the coming weeks, now added see Visitors Book . Amongst a collection of artefacts that have been obtained through one of the relatives of the Gascoignes, is a thin volume titled, Visitors Book, this hand written volume is not as it would first seem a record of visitors to Parlington Hall, but a record of approvals of visitors to Parlington Park. The book covers the period at the end of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth and records in detail the name of the visiting group and the numbers in attendance, along with the authorizing signature of the person responsible for the party, who agreed to be bound by the park rules! On a number of occasions a group under the heading of Aberford Sunday School are recorded as visiting the park. So it seemed fitting to add the image, as they might just have been going out on the occasion here seen to Parlington.

The book from which this picture is taken asks the question, I wonder where they were going. Well we can safely say that there is a good chance it was to Parlington! Incidentally, the bay window beyond the carriage was originally the entrance to the bakehouse. Moves are afoot to re-introduce a shop in this very location!

Arabian Horse

The door to the left of the Fosters Umbrella is where the bay window used to be.