From the archives … views of Rowntree Wharf

Rowntree Wharf, from Walmgate, 15 December 2004

I started the previous page with a photo taken on the city walls fifteen years ago, in December 2004. Looking through the photos taken on the same day (not many), I noticed this one showing Rowntree Wharf from the Walmgate side.

Rowntree Wharf (previously known as Leetham’s Mill, or Leetham’s flour rolling mills) is more usually photographed from other angles. On that day I was struck by how it looked particularly impressive from this angle, in winter sunlight.

A sign on the railing on this area of land off Walmgate advertised that it had been acquired by the Helmsley Group, for redevelopment.

Ten years later, and five years ago today — 3 December 2014 — I took a photo from (almost) the same place, Dixon’s Yard off Walmgate, when the flat area of land pictured ten years earlier had been filled.

Dixon’s Yard, off Walmgate, 3 Dec 2014

Quite different, isn’t it. Part of the top of Rowntree Wharf is just visible behind the new development.

Dixon’s Yard, Walmgate, 3 Dec 2014

I think I probably intended to include this as a ‘then and now’ comparison back in 2014. Better late than never, five years on …

So, we have at the top of the page a very pleasing view of a very impressive nineteenth century building, ‘probably York’s best industrial building’, according to the Rowntree Society website.

In front of it now, another brownfield site redeveloped with housing. Not realistic to expect that valuable city centre land will be left empty to preserve an impressive view.

Rowntree Wharf/Leetham’s Mill had a brief time when its industrial grandeur was particularly obvious, as it rose above the land around it that had been cleared of buildings. Not just on this side pictured above. A few years back I included a photo of it in similar splendid isolation, from the other side.

That photo from the archives (2011) was part of an ‘April daily photo‘ series in 2016.

This is ‘December Daily‘ 2019, number 3. Quite enjoying it so far. Though got no idea what’s appearing tomorrow. Back to the old photos, or perhaps some current thoughts.

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Thank you dear reader for your virtual coffees in support of this independent, sporadic, somewhat anarchic thing I’m still pleased to add to when I can.