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The presence of absence: The form of Salisbury Cathedral silhouetted as if cut out from the sky.
"In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.'
Albert Camus.
Understory.
In the midst of Richmond I found an invincible joy in the accumulation of the past within the honeycombed streets.
After such an enigmatic experience from the castle heights at Richmond, I decide to embrace the town and see where building, street, and stone reveal their response to the needs of people of the past. It’s an opportunity to idle through the streets and visit the vibrant understory that exists beneath the castle ramparts.
I’ve read that walking through places lights up our hippocampus, which enfolds the spaces we experience into memory. If we stay in one place for too long, our brain, already with its map of the environment stored away, becomes idle, bored, and perhaps a little depressed. For some reason, walking—possibly because it was once our only form of transport—is the optimal pace at which our brain comes alive. Walking in a place like Richmond not only helps me discover it but also helps me internalise it.
Rebecca Solnit says that “Exploring the world is one of the best ways of exploring the mind, and walking travels both terrains.”
This may explain why walking beneath the ramparts at Richmond feels like unadulterated bliss. I am not only moving through an urban landscape but also a cultural one, with a lexicography rooted in Old Norse. In Richmond, the streets, openings, and entrances are known as wynds, gates, and bars.
Richmond through the feet is tactile. I walk along the throaty gravel path and then onto the curvilinear setts—rising, ever rising, absorbing. I stop now and then to take in a view or to glimpse down an alley that momentarily aligns with my path. Just a few minutes of walking brings about a sensory sensitivity to my environment, and my mind feels like a lens hovering over the nooks and ginnels, picking out details: windows for clarity, stairs for elevation, letterboxes for connection.
This isn’t akin to the flat expanses of Yorkshire, like Beverley, where the landscape is firmly anchored by the monumental presence of the megalithic minster. Here, the land undulates in corrugated waves. To walk through the bars and wynds is like traversing the fissures of a Bronze Age earthwork—a journey deep into the community's memory.
These fissures are not polished smooth by the sheen of corporate glass. Instead, the streets speak their own language: quoins and kneelers, dentils and dogtooth—a lexicon of social bonds etched into the stone. Layers of intent and craftsmanship lie embedded in plain sight, forming an invisible weave that holds this place together.
It's impossible to take it all in, of course, but even the details that go unnoticed contribute to the overall sense of place, invisibly shaping the atmosphere. That's why the details are so important.
The rhythm of my pace wakes my imagination from its slumber, nurturing a blossoming of ideas. Each step through Richmond feels like a slow, steady replenishing of spirit and clarity. As I wander, I realise this walk is more than just a path beneath my feet; it’s a journey through memory, culture, and place—an invitation into another dimension, a world unfolding within each wynd and bar.
I love my job, and it takes me to some of the most remote and remarkable places—such as last week, when I was in Northumberland photographing a church built on a medieval pele tower.
I feel privileged to access places like this, thanks to commissions and the support of members. The Genius Loci Digest is something I create with care and dedication—it takes a full day each week to prepare and share stories that open up the beauty and history of these places to everyone.
This Digest is intended as a counterbalance to these difficult times.
Keeping the Digest free and public-facing—and keeping Woody on the road—relies on the support of those who value it. Becoming a member isn’t just about funding the work; it’s about being part of something bigger, recognising the importance of these stories, and celebrating the connections they create.
I understand not everyone can afford to join (I offer free memberships on request), but if the Digest resonates with you, now is the perfect time to step in and help keep it alive. Together, we can make sure these stories continue to be told.
Thank you. 🏛 🚐 📸 🖋️🎨
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Richmond - The Wynd's, Gates and Bars
I understand that not everyone can visit places like Richmond, so I wanted to offer the next best thing—a way of sharing the experience with you.
Moments like these feel too meaningful to keep to myself, so I thought we could take a walk together, in spirit—an opportunity to pause, look closer, and feel the pulse of history beneath our feet.
My hope is that this walk will transport those who aren’t able to get out and about to another place, even if just for a little while.
I picked up a short map guide to the wynd's, gates and bars of Richmond from the market for £1 - the best investment of the day. My walk took me from the Market Hall around Castle Walk and then down Cornforth Hill. The next stage was up Bargate and onto Newbiggin, past Finkle Street and then down Friars Wynd.
I got distracted upon the way by sketching and coffee and cake - so I'll share that with you too.
Pure Scroll? Almost - I'd like to share this walk through my eyes, my lens - and the photographs are key to that - but I'll give you a touch more information where necessary.
Tower Street
Castle Terrace
Castle Walk
I feel as though I'm on the rim of a giant bowler hat - looking outwards across the Yorkshire landscape. I am on the southern edge of the town looking across the valley cut by the Swale.
Views from Castle Hill and Castle Hill
Cornforth Hill and The Bar
The postern gate on The Bar was built around 1312 on account of Scottish incursions.
Bridge Street
I'm tempted to think that this is a house for hobbits, but it is probably a part of the building on the left.
Bargate
I hit Newbiggin where my designated route turns right back into the town - but the street in the other direction is alluring, seductive. It is full of life - from the polite to the vernacular, from brick to ashlar, bullseye glass to double hung sash. For the architectural connoisseur this is the best street in Richmond.
Newbiggin
Notice the dog-tooth decoration around the door and the arrow-head finials to the railings. Quoins are just creeping into the photo.
Gothik revival window - a nod to the Early English (in the columns and capitals) and a few extra lavish additions.
Every good street has its sideways glimpses..
Across the road from this little snicket - I see the light change and saturate the ashlar of a little building hidden behind a tree. Time to lodge myself against a tree and make a sketch.
Hands full of pigment, I continue to follow the map back into the centre of Richmond towards Victoria Road - past the Unicorn Pub which was a coaching house and still has the safe where letters were stored.
Whilst walking past I see the light starts to rake the harling and my tour of architecture becomes an insight into a world of agitated light against a surface. The harling seems to fizz and pop with delight.
Notice how the light makes a difference to the building between the two photos above and below.
And a Yorkshire sash window.
On my way to Victoria Road I'm waylaid by the view down Finkle Street. Here a sign catches my eye: Wilfred Deli & Pantry.
What a delight and highly recommended. Naturally, I partook in a sausage roll.
Victoria Road
Along Victoria Road where a glimpse can be had of the place where the C13th Greyfriars' Friary was.
I walk past a little bit of Scotland..
..and into Friars Wynd back into the town centre.
WINTERISING
I have some exciting commissions and projects planned throughout the winter.
It’s time to winterise the van. I start by checking the vents for the Webasto heater and replacing the fuses. A few extra touches of comfort are added—a fleecy duvet for the colder nights, whilst woolly hats, gloves, and a gilet become permanent fixtures. I also stock up with a couple of tins of soup, just in case of emergencies.
Andy Marshall
Mark Brown
BBC Cymru Fyw
As if scrolling the streets of Richmond isn't enough - you can also visit the delightful timber buildings of Lavenham in Suffolk and the stone vernacular streets of Oundle in Northamptonshire.
Andy Marshall
Andy Marshall
Recent Digest Sponsors:
Andy Marshall
Andy Marshall
I'm now on Blue Sky
Check out my profile hereViews of Culloden Tower - How Many Times?
Subscribers might be familiar with my Hokusai driven penchant for finding new ways of seeing the familiar. Here's my take (s) on Culloden Tower in Richmond.
Built by John Yorke as a monument to the victory of the Duke of Cumberland's army over Bonnie Prince Charlie near Inverness in April 1746. You can stay here.
If you like to get your ducks in a row early for seasonal gifts, I’ve produced a series of limited edition, signed prints from my travel sketchbook. Each purchase helps support me as a creative with my Genius Loci Digest and helps keep me on the road on my camper-van-camino. Check them out here:
Atelier - My Art Shop
Visit My Art ShopDo you know of a company or firm that might be able to sponsor the digest? Sponsorships are now going towards Member Powered Photography and recorded on the Donations Page.
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Photographs and words by Andy Marshall (unless otherwise stated). Most photographs are taken with Iphone 14 Pro and DJI Mini 3 Pro.
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