We arrived at a castle in the land of my ancestors between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the city of Durham in England’s northeast. Lord Lumley built the castle in 1390, but he soon lost his head by backing the wrong side of a rebellion. It is now an impressive hotel where we stayed for two nights. We were blown away by the size and opulence of the place and needed a map to find our way to dinner. After dinner, we made our way to the appropriately named Library Bar for a drink where we sampled the Scottish whiskey and the very old, well preserved book collection. Why can’t all bars be like this?
My grandfather emigrated from Newcastle with his family to New York City at the end of the 19th century. According to family lore, they arrived the day the Brooklyn Bridge opened. They were amazed at how friendly the Americans were welcoming them to their new home with fireworks, cheering people and tugboats spewing big arcs of water. At least that is how the legend goes…
On our way to Newcastle, our cabbie was a wonderfully entertaining guy. But he turned out to be a big supporter of Nigel Farage and the British equivalent of our MAGA extreme right-wing party. While we were in his cab, he perfectly articulated the pervasive fear of immigrants felt by many working-class Brits, especially outside the big cities. His fears were like many Americans that voted for Trump, especially among young men. It showed how the rise of authoritarianism in the US is really a world-wide problem. Immigration is one issue the far-Right has successfully seized upon to gain power everywhere. Although the next election here is several years away, I fear that England could make the same mistake of electing a wannabe dictator as our country did in 2024.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne is a post-industrial wonder. The urban center is one of the most compelling examples today of urban rejuvenation in England. It is a unique mix of urban grit and working-class pride combined with sophistication and culture.
We headed straight to the Lit & Phil and spent most of the day photographing and enjoying the largest independent library outside of London. The Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle-upon-Tyne was founded 1793 as a “conversation club” and was host to a long list of the fascinating intelligentsia of the era. In doing our research last summer, we watched a recent film produced by the Lit & Phil called “Mrs. Affleck’s Affliction”. It sparked our interest, and we were thankful to find this inspiring, dynamic place in the gritty city of my ancestors.
We were not quite prepared for the City of York. Its’ medieval labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways surrounded by a vast 13th century protective wall was inspiring and a fascinating look into a beautiful old English city.
But we arrived on a Sunday afternoon and were unprepared for the vast number of tourists in the crowded city center. We moved slowly through the crowds towards the immense, awe-inspiring York Minister, one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in the world. As we were engulfed in humanity, we lifted our gaze to the vaulted ceiling and the heavens beyond in the largest medieval cathedral in Northern Europe. The first church was built here in 627 AD and the current church in the 13th century. Its great age, scale and beauty were profoundly moving.
The National Railway Museum was also a surprise and one of the biggest railroad museums in the world. It contains over 100 locomotives and was crammed with fascinating stuff. My inner seven-year-old was set free here.
Another unique site in York was Barley Hall. It is a restored medieval townhouse, tucked down an obscure alleyway, and included a permanent exhibit of the life and times of King Henry VIII. Again, it was a great introduction to a cleaned-up version of medieval England.
English pubs are pretty special and one of the best of this whole trip was the properly British pub called the Blue Bell. It was incredibaly small in a 200-year-old room with a smoldering fireplace in a wood-paneled space, with a décor untouched since 1903. The English couple next to us were retired British military, he a colonel and she a nurse. During their time in service, they had been stationed everywhere including Bosnia at the end of the war and in Northern Ireland during the time of the Troubles. We had a rousing and fascinating conversation with them fueled by a few pints. Despite some of their difficult assignments in the British Army, they were some of the funniest people I have ever met. It was a gift for us to mix it up with the locals at the Blue Bell in York. As travelers, we have come to appreciate the kindness of strangers.
Next stop: the Southwest – Hereford and Hay-on-Wye.
Library Road Trip 