England Day 4: Man I Liked Manchester

Hello, intrepid readers, we have been to a castle, watched hares in the twilight, skipped around a manor filled with priceless treasures, and now we find ourselves on day four of our England trip. Let’s start with a daytime trip to Narnia.

Martha picked me up at the Airbnb, and on our way to the train station, we stopped by the churchyard to see the supposed Narnia lamppost in daylight. Here you can better see the yew trees that line the walkway.

So sweet, Martha waited with me at the train station, and even walked onto the train with me to make sure I was all settled before she left.

In the last blog, I mention that she delivered me to the train with an overnight bag heavily laden with all sorts of gifts she had saved up to give me. When I say “heavy,” I mean heavy. All of the goblin gals and I were all descending on Manchester from different trains, and so we very quickly had to figure out how to store this bag that was rapidly cutting into the circulation of my shoulder. Thankfully a hotel a few blocks away offered a storage service for under 20 pounds, which I very happily paid to be rid of the hulking baggage for the next adventure.

Everyone met up and we headed to the Manchester Art Gallery. Here’s where I want to mention that once Bryony offered to be my tour guide for the trip and plan ideas for where we could go, I basically left it in her hands, trusting her entirely, and decided that this normally Type A overplanner would just not even look up the places we were going, but be surprised. So I looked up nothing about the Manchester Art Gallery.

Once again I was delighted to see so many Pre-Raphaelite treasures I had only before peered at in books and on my phone and computer screens.

I love this sneaky photo I got of Fiend and Gilly admiring the detail of an artwork.

So here’s where it gets intense.

Remember I said I didn’t look up anything about the Manchester Art Gallery? We admired several rooms filled to the brim with stunning artworks, chatting about the stories behind each one, and then I turned around and saw…the next artwork.

And promptly burst into tears.

I literally could not compose myself for a moment, as the Goblin gals circled around me and gave me hugs and rubbed my back. Several heavy swallows of air later, I walked up and saw it. Waterhouse’s Hylas and the Nymphs. I had no idea it was there.

I’m literally tearing up just writing this memory. And you can see it on my face in these photos.

I was able to see the paint strokes on my favorite nymph’s face, the texture of her hair. I was able to stand there and see this artwork that has been on my wall for years.

The whole day could have ended there and I would have been satisfied. But Bryony and the city of Manchester had more gifts to bestow on me.

Next we headed to the John Rylands Library, a late Victorian neo-Gothic wonder that seems like it was randomly dropped in the middle of a modern city.

Just a warning. From here on, the visuals may get a little grotesque.

Eh? Eh? A little Gothic architecture humor? Anyone? No?

Okay.

Once again, I was in awe, and left feeling I could have spent far more time here. We all took turns in this room filled with glass fronted cabinets taking a photo of this particular book. Can’t imagine why.

I felt like I was a scholar in an ancient wizard’s school, getting ready to walk down these hallways carrying an armful of scrolls and a quill.

And oh, it gets better my dearies.

Just look at that view! At Martha’s suggestion, I decided in November to forego my usual monthly original one-page micro story I usually write for my Patreon patrons and send to them in the snail mail on parchment paper, and instead I chose postcards of magical places I visited for them and wrote super short little stories, mailing them out from England. It should surprise no one that the above stairway featured on one of my chosen cards.

We arrived in the room that is the actual working library of the building, and it shocks no one that it was just as beautiful as the rest of the place. I love the photo Bryony got of me below.

Little details abound everywhere. I would absolutely love to know where this staircase leads. But I’m also content just ogling this gate.

Our next stop was another library, much to my satisfaction. This time it was Chetham’s Library. Unlike the Gothic revival John Rylands, as incredible as it is, Chetham’s is the real deal. Founded in 1653, it is the oldest surviving public library in England. The building itself is even older, dating to 1421 and built for a college of priests.

Rylands we were able to explore on our own, but understandably, you have to book a tour to visit Chetham’s.

Did I mention how much I love crown glass windows?

I really love this photo I took below.

Here, I felt like a monk. Or maybe a princess. I’m not sure. But it was incredible.

Our guide pointed out the little cat flaps on certain old wood doors.

We sat down to hear more about the place in this old room, and there was a grotesque of the devil eating a poor mortal on the ceiling.

According to the building’s folklore, “in the 1590s John Dee summoned the devil, whose hoofprint left a telltale burn mark on this table.”

Bryony obliged me with another photo in this cozy little nook.

Then it was time to go upstairs to the actual library room. The rest of the tour had already climbed up the stairs, but you better believe I needed a photo with this door, being a librarian and all.

I guess the table where Marx wrote the Communist Manifesto is in this room? I was more interested in the chained library, which was housed in a small cabinet.

The library itself was dark and cold and filled with atmosphere and history. It was an incredible experience to go there. Here’s Bryony peering into one of the nooks.

Not the best action shot of me, but it shows the space pretty well, including the little stools/benches I fell in love with.

The “S” on the top is for carrying. Aren’t they divine? I want one.

Have you ever seen a swan man with nipples? Well, now thanks to this carving you have. You’re welcome.'

Oh, and another gorgeous door.

We thanked our tour guides for an incredible visit, and headed out.

A Christmas market was setting up in a nearby area. Oh, to go back at Christmastime!

Dinner, our first sit down restaurant dinner of the trip, was at a lovely vegan cafe the Goblin Gals are almost to the door of in this photo below.

And then it was time to say farewells until tomorrow, and board trains back to our places. Tomorrow would include a trip to my first stone circle. So stay tuned! So many more adventures are yet to come.