Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Wednesday, 10 August 2016

Ambling Viking horses from York

  
The Daily Telegraph had a report the other day entitled "Scientists say prized ambling gait 'originated in York' as gene responsible for horses' funny walk traced."
Described as a comical waddling horse step known as the ambling gait it originated in or around  ninth-century York, and, being prized by the Vikings, was encouraged by them in horse breeding a study of DNA has found. The characteristic has over subsequent centuries travelled worldwide.

The illustrated article can be read here.


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