Great Ayton, as a village, is quite rightly proud that a certain James Cook lived and was educated there. and why would they not be, since he grew to be Captain James Cook, the man who, as far as history records, discovered Australia. somebody else probably would have stumbled upon that magnificent land, but he did, and it's nice to think that i was (partially) educated in the same village as he was.
in regards of the pride taken, as well as the great schoolroom museum one can visit Great Ayton also boasts a truly remarkable statue, or if you will sculpture (not sure which is the correct term) of the young James Cook. it's located on the High Green, more or less across from a class new fish and chip shop and before what was once the Friends school, and there's no way we couldn't take James and William to it for a few photographs.
erm, as you can see in these pictures, James and William were somewhat less interested in the history and story of James Cook, but very impressed by the fact that whoever he is had given them something new to climb on! Well, William is somewhat impressed with the statue itself too, as you can see in the next picture!
if i am honest, the connection to James Cook and indeed Great Ayton did not really cross my mind when we gave James his name (i was arguing for Napoleon Elvis as a name right until the end), but it is a happy, perhaps subliminal, coincidence!
for the record, if you are planning on visiting Great Ayton, i am not at all sure that they actually encourage people to climb on this statue. no one stopped William and James, but then again i would not try chancing it again. the long arm of the constabulary does indeed reach to the village, so take care if you go for similar pictures!
right, on to the next batch of pictures!
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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