When you cross that first bridge in Venice, La chiesa di San Nicola da Tolentino is at the opposite side of a small square across from the German consulate. The temple facade caught our eye, so we decided to investigate and boy, am I glad we did!
La chiesa di San Nicola da Tolentino translates to The church of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, and has been a Catholic church since the 16th or 17th century (I had to translate the Wiki page on it’s history, so sorry for any issues arising from that!). It was named for an Augustinian friar, who was proclaimed the patron saint of souls in Purgatory by Pope Leo XIII in 1884.
First canal (see the square to the left?)
Facade
The church was erected between 1591 and 1602, and designed and built by Vincenzo Scamozzi. Between 1706 and 1714, Andrea Tirali added the portico, the tympanum, and six Corinthian columns to the exterior, which had been unfinished.
I wish I could’ve taken my own photos inside this beautiful building, but they do not allow it. Thank goodness for Wikimedia Commons, who actually has photos of the stunning insides. I must admit that though the outside is nice, I was not prepared when I entered and caught a glimpse of the interior.
Can you believe it? We finally took a trip out of the U.K.! Not that I don’t love it here or that there is a lack of things to do or places to see, but we’ve been putting off a holiday that requires us crossing a body of water and we finally managed it. Thanksgiving holiday was a bit different when in Italy, but I’m certainly not complaining!
There two are airports you can travel into when travelling to Venice: Marco Polo and Treviso. We booked our tickets into Treviso, which is a bit farther away (only about 30 minutes), but not inconvenient by any means. It is also A. Canova airport, so for this art lover, that was a plus since Antonio Canova is one of my favourite sculptors.
Due to a commitment we had about an hour from Venice, we rented a car. I was advised to use a major company and not one of the smaller outfits you find online by someone who had gone before us. Great advice as the smaller local companies seem good at the outset, but then have smaller charges which appear once you’re there–at least that was how it was explained to me. 🙂
Mestre Town Centre
Since we did have to drive an hour away, we did not stay in the middle of Venice, but instead stayed in Mestre. Mestre is the mainland portion of Venice and very populated. It has its own town centre of sorts as well as several supermarkets and restaurants. In fact, trying to find parking in the centre of Mestre on a Sunday evening for dinner is insane!
We opted to rent a flat for a few days. With a larger family, we have to pay for two hotel rooms when we travel or find a flat/apartment. In this case, the apartment was significantly less expensive and we were very happy with where we stayed.
Tram
Transport into Venice from Mestre is, in fact, extremely easy. From the flat, the tram was less than a five-minute walk and our temporary landlord showed us where to purchase tickets so the tram was less expensive. We were between the centre of Mestre and Venice, so a trip from our location took between 5-10 minutes and was fairly easy, though the tram did get rather crowded, so be prepared to stand if you are on one of the later stops. If you purchase tickets in advance, they act like a declining balance when you scan them on scanners on each car of the tram.
The tram brings you just over the water and to the edge of Venice. From there, you can follow the signs to the Rialto Bridge and St. Marks Basilica (San Marco), or you can wander. We did a bit of both and had a great time. Restaurants, bakeries, and shops line each and every walkway. Carnival masks and Murano glass (made on an island near Venice) colour many of the windows. It was always fun to go through a line of souvenir shops and boutiques to find a hardware store or something similar. Just that reminder that while it’s a touristy place, people do still live there.
One word of warning on souvenirs. It didn’t occur to me when we went, but some of the touristy shops are more legitimate than others. My daughters especially enjoyed the Carnival masks, but while there are a lot of shops that carry masks made in Italy or handmade, some carry ones made in China. Fortunately, the larger more expensive ones we purchased for ourselves and a gift, were both handmade, but one or two of the smaller were made in China. We were a bit disappointed when we arrived home and found that sticker on the inside. I’ve heard that can happen with Murano glass as well, but we only purchased one piece as a gift, and it was well-marked as “Made in Italy.”
Also be warned that public restrooms/toilets are not a common thing to find in Venice. I knew they cost money to use, so we all made a point of visiting the ones in the restaurants prior to exploring again; however, we did have to track down the one we could find at one point during our visit. I never dreamed it would cost €1.50!
The restaurants each had something different to recommend them. Some servers knew more English than others, but we did look up a few phrases before we went. Most importantly was “sensa glutine.” One server even looked at us and said, “Or you could say gluten-free.” Hey! We did try! Between what little French and Spanish I knew combined with Google translate, we did muddle through. My husband laughed at me when I told the lady at Starbucks “grazie” when she handed me my coffee upon our return to England. Four days of Italian had created a habit!
I will say that I rarely take photos of food, but I did on this trip. Just about everything I ate and saw in windows that I couldn’t eat were photographed. It was rather funny and not surprising that I gained four pounds over those few days. Imagine what I would’ve gained if I had free rein on the bread and pastries! Yikes!
Now, I know I usually give a low down on everything we do while we travel, and I will; but for this post, I wanted to give overall impressions, advice, etc. Next post will start what we saw while there. 🙂 I’m going to have to hunt down photos of some since they don’t allow photos in some of the churches 😦
I know, I gush about Bath on here, but I always have such a great time when I go. I first travelled to Bath last year for the Jane Austen Festival, and then for a family holiday in March. This year, I returned for the festival and to have a girls’ weekend with some friends.
If you haven’t read it, don’t miss out!
As has become my habit, I took the train, which I adore doing. I generally prefer to travel England by train than car, but the method has become how I always go to Bath–it’s become a bit special for that trip. I’m not always a big reader on the train, but I brought along Cass Grafton and Ada Bright’s new book, The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen, which kept me entertained as I zipped through the English countryside.
It was no coincidence that my roomie for the weekend (I travelled in on Friday and departed on Monday), was none other than Cass Grafton herself. We first met at Jane Austen Regency Week last year and became fast friends. I’m not a huge fan of staying alone when I travel, and she came to my rescue with a great flat in my favourite part of town. One day, I do want to stay at 4 Sydney Place, but I will never complain about Great Pultney Street!
Most of my time this trip was spent visiting with Cass and doing a bit of shopping, but we did meet up with a few friends along the way as well. I had a great time at dinner Friday night when Cass and I met up with fellow JAFF author Alexa Adams. Nothing like wine and great conversation to spend an evening! We were staying close to one another, so we even walked back to that part of town, taking a quick stop for a selfie in front of the Abbey.
Saturday was a bit dreary, but we walked up to the Assembly Rooms to watch the promenade and see everyone in their best Regency finery. I always like to bring home special items for my children, so I did a little shopping before I met Cass and an old friend of hers for lunch.
Promenade as it passed the Circus
Joana Starnes and Mira!
I spent the afternoon on a comedy walk of Bath. Natural Theatre Company does a play called Austen Undone that is performed as the characters take you on a walk through Bath with the Gravel Walk and Royal Crescent being a part of the tour. The performers were excellent and even engaged the spectators so we were a part of the fun. I certainly recommend Austen Undone to anyone who is in Bath for the festival. I laughed so hard and when Alexa Adams and I happened upon the vicar after the performance, he remained in character and held a conversation with us when we wished him luck. It was a great time!
Please forgive my finger!
The funny, bumbling vicar!
Sunday, we walked down to the public library for a reading of Sense and Sensibility. Jane Odiwe read the second chapter, and she did a brilliant job of capturing the tone and the humour of Austen’s work.
Jane Odiwe reads S&S
Me and Jane… Odiwe that is. 🙂
Jane, Cass, and I talked over glasses of wine and dinner. We had a marvellous time and I truly enjoyed the afternoon.
My trips to Bath are always over so quickly, and this one was no different. Before I knew it, I was finishing The Particular Charm of Jane Austen on the train home. I had hoped to stop in Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross before I left London, but I didn’t even have time if I wanted a ride home from the train station!
For those who are fascinated with legends of King Arthur, Tintagel Castle on the north coast of Cornwall is a must-see. The site has been dated back to the Romano-British period by the discovery of artefacts dating to that time period. It was definitely a settlement during the medieval period and in 1233, Richard, Earl of Cornwall built a castle on the site.
Geoffrey of Monmouth first claimed Tintagel was the site where Arthur was conceived before Richard built the castle. In Historia Regum Brittaniae, Monmouth claimed Merlin disguised Uther of Pendragon to look like Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall and husband of Igraine, who was Arthur’s mother. The belief of the link to Arthur was reinforced when Tennyson wrote ‘Idylls of the King’ in the Victorian period.
What remains of Tintagel is located on Tintagel island near the village of the same name and is now operated by English Heritage. There is a great deal of walking and stair climbing involved, which is something to keep in mind. We planned our visit for the last day of hour holiday, which turned out to be rainy and cold.
Parking is plentiful when you arrive, and it’s only a short walk to the English Heritage building where you check in for Tintagel. There is a separately operating shuttle that will drive people closer to the actual castle or you can walk it as we did.
When you begin the trek upwards, you start with this dirt path (muddy on rainy days) up to where the outer castle wall was. This part isn’t too steep, and you begin to have some lovely views once you reach the first portion of the ruins.
Tintagel Castle, like many old castles and homes in Britain, have different structures and walls from different time periods.
Tintagel at one time had a portion of the castle on the mainland and a portion of the castle or a bridge brought you over the water to the island. Unfortunately, that bit crumbled into the sea at some point, but a bridge has since been constructed so people can cross from the mainland ruins to those on the island. You can still see what is left of the original stairs in the second picture below.
Stairs down to cross
Bridge crossing
Once you’ve crossed the bridge, you climb up a rocky set of stairs on the side of the island. If it’s wet, I recommend not being in a hurry as some of the steps are steeper than others and if you slip, the rocks would be rather unforgiving.
Tintagel Ruins
Looking back at the path and the excavations
The views and the ruins are definitely worth the hike uphill!
more excavations
View from Tintagel
View from Tintagel
Once you are across there are signs with history just like any English Heritage site as well as plenty of gorgeous views. I did have a fit of nerves watching my fourteen year old, who liked to step near the edge of some of the cliff-like sides. My husband would go with her, but it still made me nervous.
I will say that when you are ready to leave, you have to exit the same way you came in, so back down the crazy length of steps. You can also go down to the beach and go inside “Merlin’s Cave.”
I will say if you’re anywhere near Tintagel, don’t miss it! Legend aside, the different portions and excavations of buildings all built in different centuries if not ages, is fascinating and the views are incredible.
That said, please excuse my finger, which insisted on being in a few of the shots. That is one problem with a rainy day like that–I just won’t bring my nice camera outside. I used my phone and I often get my hands in the way.
Tucked away just outside a village of the same name in Devon is Berry Pomeroy Castle. This castle is quite unique in many ways. The land was first awarded to Ralph de Pomeroy by William the Conqueror as a reward for his loyalty during the Norman invasion and the Battle of Hastings. Some sources claim the construction of the castle began in the late 15th century and some the late 14th. English Heritage, who now owns and runs the site, claims 15th. The Pomeroys fell into debt and the land and the castle were sold to Edward Seymour, the first Duke of Somerset, in 1547.
(In the event you are wondering if Edward Seymour is the same family as Jane Seymour, wife of Henry VIII, then yes, Edward Seymour was her eldest brother. He was also Lord Protector of Henry VIII’s only son with Jane Seymour.)
Remains of the Seymour House
Seymour began a project in the hopes of making the family home there one of the greatest in England, and if you look at the photos of the front of the castle, you can see what remains of the Seymour house to the right.
Seymour was executed by the crown in 1552 and his lands for a time were forfeit, yet they were later re-instated to the family. The Seymour family remained at Berry Pomeroy until the late 17th century when the castle was abandoned when the current owner, Sir Edward Seymour (fourth Baronet) moved to Wiltshire.
The ruins of Berry Pomeroy Castle were rather popular in the late 18th century when the Romantic era favoured castles and other structures beaten down by rain and time. Berry Pomeroy during this time was overgrown with ivy and commonly visited by artists and even illustrations of the place were featured in books of the era.
Now, Berry Pomeroy still sits in the same valley. It is no longer covered by ivy, but surrounded by a thick wood to the rear of the property. Guard rails and other protective measures allow tourists to walk through what is left of the structure and there is still a portcullis and you can see where hot liquids could be poured down on any attacking enemy.
For those who enjoy haunted sites. Berry Pomeroy is said to be haunted by a number of ghosts and supposedly one of the most haunted castles in Britain. The “White Lady” is said to haunt the dungeons. She rises from there to St. Margaret’s Tower when she is seen. It is thought she is the ghost of Margaret Pomeroy. Margaret had the misfortune of loving the same man as her sister Eleanor. Because Margaret was more beautiful, Eleanor locked her in the dungeon until she starved to death.
Another spectre, is the Blue Lady. She beckons help from passers-by and lures them into one of the towers where the unsuspecting helper falls to their death (thank goodness we didn’t see her!). It is suspected she is the daughter of a Norman Lord who wanders the dungeons mourning the loss of her baby, which it is said she murdered.
There is also the story of the Pomeroy brothers, who were besieged in the castle; however, rather than accepting defeat, they donned their full amour, mounted their horses, and leapt from the castle ramparts. This part of the castle is still called “Pomeroy’s leap.” It is claimed the ghosts of the two brothers have been spotted here.
Berry Pomeroy Church
Berry Pomeroy is not far from Torquay, but once you turn off the main road, it is a lot of little one-laned roads. I am still bummed I missed a photo of the church from the end of Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility. I was driving when I came to the end of one of those tiny roads, looked up, and there it was. I thought I would catch it on the way back, but the GPS/SatNav took us a completely different route. Figures!
Next: Tintagel, Cornwall
Image of Berry Pomeroy Church: Image Copyright Paul Hutchinson. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA
If you’ve ever seen Emma Thompson’s version of Sense and Sensibility, you might recognise Saltram House. This beautiful home served as Norland Park, home of the Dashwood family. It also has a personal connection to Jane Austen in that the famous author was friends with Frances, who was the Countess of Morely. Not only is it reported that Jane Austen gave Frances one of the first editions of Emma, but also it has been speculated that her husband, the Earl of Morely, was the model for Mr. Darcy. Whether such speculation is true is, of course, information Jane took to her grave, but still fun trivia!
Saltram House is thought to have been built during the reign of George II when the pre-existing Tudor home was integrated into a new Palladian style. The home changed hands several times until it was purchased by the Parker family in 1712.
Now, if you’re an art lover, you must see Saltram. One could say that about quite a number of homes, but the Parker family were friends with Sir Joshua Reynolds, so at least one portrait by the famous painter can be found in almost every room. I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled to find a few histories by Angelica Kauffman along the famous stairwell that features into one of the best scenes in Sense and Sensibility (in my opinion anyway 🙂 ). I’ve seen a few portraits by Kauffman, but loved seeing these history paintings since women so seldom painted them during that time period.
The house is lovely on the inside and I thoroughly enjoyed the interior. Websites and rumours abound online that the home is haunted, though, much to the disappointment of my daughters, no ghosts were seen, and the staff claimed to know nothing of the reported ghosts.
The grounds are beautiful and just like every National Trust property, there are trails you can wander for days. If you enjoy taking your dog, then you must stick to the outer trails as dogs are not allowed within the main portion of the park.
The outer trails are definitely not boring. There is a nice long walk that wraps around the property and runs alongside an estuary as the house is not far from the coastline.
Just make sure your camera works when you go through this pretty house. My settings were not right, and I had to walk back through and take new shots of what I missed–not that I minded one bit 😉
Whether you are a Jane Austen fan or not, I think anyone can find something to appreciate at Saltram.
Our trip might have been to Devon, but when I mapped and realised we were but an hour from Lyme Regis in Dorset, so I insisted we go. I will say that even though I wanted to go see the Cobb, Lyme did have something for all of us!
Lyme is first mentioned in historical documents in 774 as well as the Domesday book, but it wasn’t until 1284 that it received its royal charter and became Lyme Regis. At the time, the small artificial harbour, called the Cobb, was the reason for Lyme’s existence. The Cobb helps form the harbour as well as functions as a barrier protecting Lyme from damage from southwesterly gales. Around 1780, Lyme was a larger port than Liverpool!
Of course, any of us who are fans of Jane Austen remember that Louisa Musgrove fell from the Cobb in Persuasion. Jane Austen visited Lyme in 1804 and it must have made quite the impression as she used it in Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. If you’ve read her letters, you’ve no doubt read of the time she spent in Lyme and know of the influence it had on her.
Another fun fact about Lyme is it is on what is called the “Jurassic Coast” of England, which is 95 miles of shoreline between Exmouth in East Devon and Studland Bay in Dorset. The views are amazing and not only that, but it’s 185 million years (Jurassic, Triassic, and Cretaceous period) worth of fossils. You can’t remove anything large, and that’s a wonderful thing as there are some truly wonderful fossils that remain as a result. It is no wonder that this coastline is a World Heritage Site.
First view of Lyme
So, what is it like to visit Lyme! Considering how packed the beach was, parking was not a trial. We came first thing in the morning, though, and there were a lot of people parking at the same time we were. I will say that the car park was not expensive (It’s a pay and display), and was cheaper than the Park and Ride we noticed driving in.
From the car park, we followed the crowd down the hill to the coast. We travelled in early August and it was definitely touristy! I would love to go again in the off-season to get pictures when everything isn’t so crowded! The sandy beach was packed, but we really didn’t travel to Lyme for the sandy beach.
Packed!
The Cobb
The Cobb
We walked the Cobb first. The children loved going up and down the steps, including the “Granny’s Teeth,” which are the crazy barely there steps where Louisa Musgrove took her fall. That didn’t make me nervous at all! (Can you hear the sarcasm there!)
After walking the Cobb, we went down the shale beach until we started seeing fossils. Some are not very distinct and there are a lot on one rock, or you might have one that is very pronounced and on an enormous rock. We probably spent close to an hour or two fossil hunting and taking photos of our favourite before we walked back.
Ammonite!
Layla was very impressed with the fossil
Looking back on the Cobb
Busy town centre
We ate outdoors at one of the pubs near the Cobb. My daughter wanted to go onto the sand beach for a bit, so we made our way through everyone on their blankets so she could dip her toes and walked through the town and back uphill to our car so we could make the hour-long drive back to Devon.
I will say that if you’re in the area, Lyme is a must see for so many reasons! The town is quaint, the coastline is beautiful, and I enjoyed Lyme thoroughly!
So, my friends and my children have had quite the giggle over this one, but don’t look at it and pronounce it as you might a French word. It isn’t La cock, it’s Lay-cuck. Sorry for the weird description, but that’s the best way I can think to show it.
We drove from north of London to Devon and decided to make a mid-way of sorts stop in Lacock to walk around and maybe have a bite to eat. Things didn’t work out quite as we planned.
First off, we traveled with our dog, who isn’t one to misbehave, but did make things a bit tricky at times. The satnav/GPS, did get us to Lacock and the parking was well-marked. We’re National Trust members, so we didn’t have to pay for parking, which is always a plus. There was also a nice large car park, so we had room to walk the dog while everyone worked their way out of the car.
Movie set anyone?
Downtown Lacock
Lacock
Homes in Lacock
The walk from the car park to Lacock is not far and you enter on the side of the Lacock Abbey. We fully intended to go to the abbey, which is a National Trust property, but we were informed upon our trying to enter, that our dog was not allowed at that time of year. That was a first for us. National Trust properties typically will allow dogs on the outer walks, so we usually trade-off adults. One walks the dog while the other sees the house and then the other walks the dog, and so on and so forth–something we couldn’t do this time around.
As an alternative, we decided to walk around the town. For those who aren’t familiar with Lacock, it is mentioned in the Domesday book and is one of the oldest villages in England. It has retained much of its old-world charm and as a result, has been used in multiple movies. From the 1995 Pride and Prejudice to Harry Potter, it is the perfect set for a movie no matter whether you want it set in the 18th century or the 21st century. In fact, there was a movie filming when we were in Lacock that day.
The Potter’s House in Godric’s Hollow
We walked down and attempted to see the older road through Lacock, but crews were filming, so our access was very limited. We walked around and looked from the end of the road, and then walked back. A very nice gentleman, who was part of the security crew, told us where James and Lily Potter’s house was from Godric’s Hollow, so we tried to get around the film crew to see it. Fortunately, we had success and took several photos.
My children and I then checked in at the abbey to walk around it. The grounds are lovely and there are gardens and walks we didn’t have time to see, but my children thoroughly enjoyed the ground floor of the abbey. There were pictures from Harry Potter and they could see which rooms were used in the film by the picture.
Banner for Harry Potter
Hogwarts Courtyard?
Exterior
Upon the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VII, Lacock Abbey was sold to William Sherrington and was later bequeathed to the Talbot family, who were relations by marriage. As a result, the abbey was a home, and that part is still preserved by the National Trust as well. We toured the inside which included a costume exhibit, and then made our way back to the car park in order to continue our drive to Devon.
I want to go back to Lacock and see what I missed when no film crews are there!
Chawton House was built in 1580 by John Knight and passed down through the Knight family until Sir Richard Knight, who died without male heirs. The house was then passed to Richard Martin, who then took the name Knight. The home then was inherited by Thomas Brodnax May, at which time, he changed his name as well. It was the son of Thomas Knight who was also childless and left his estate to Edward Austen, the elder brother of Jane Austen. Of course, Edward Austen added Knight to his name. This was how he had the cottage in Chawton for Jane, her sister Cassandra, and her mother to live in after Rev. George Austen’s death.
In 1987, Richard Knight inherited the property, which had gone into disrepair, and sold a 125 year lease to Sandy Lerner and Leonard Bosack, who restored the property and started Chawton House Library, focussing on early women’s writing from 1600-1830.
Now, when you go to the library, your admission and ticket is good for a year, so if there is any reason you might return, don’t lose your ticket! (I say that knocking on wood that mine is still in my purse!) The ladies at the entry were lovely and helpful and one even showed us into the Great Room and a few of its features. Her only faux pas was that she referred to my daughter as my son, which incensed my daughter. “I mean, what boy carries a pink purse, Mom!” I know it’s terrible, but I couldn’t help but giggle. After all, she would’ve been the prettiest boy I’d ever seen! The ladies were so kind that I couldn’t hold it against the one–even if my daughter did 🙂
Great Hall or Great Room
Edward Austen Knight
View from one of the downstairs windows
Anyway, don’t forget to look for the “witchmarks” to the side of the fireplace. These scratches in the wood date back to the 16th century and were meant to ward off evil spirits.
The tour takes you through a good bit of the home, has some of Edward Austen Knight’s clothing, and a great many portraits of the Knight family. The stained glass windows on the upper floor were fascinating as it seems new panes were added by each heir as they inherited the home.
Upstairs window with crests
Upstairs corridor
Gardens
I do recommend visiting Chawton House in nice weather as it is a lot of fun to walk from the Jane Austen House Museum to Chawton House and around the grounds. How often could Jane Austen herself taken the exact same walk? That is one of the things that pops in your head as you walk through Alton, Chawton, and the gardens at Chawton House.
I loved looking at the views outside of the different windows and my daughter and I took a pretty walk through the gardens. We even learned that dandelions help ripen fruit from a sign in the orchard. Chawton House is definitely a do not miss if you’re a Jane Austen Fan, but it also holds a lot for those who may not be. A great Elizabethan house, beautiful gardens and Hampshire countryside surround the home, not to mention the library!
The last stop before we explored the gardens was the library, which was a single room, but stacked floor to ceiling with old books. It is also available for research purposes to those who require it. I would be afraid to touch some of the old books for fear they would fall apart!
Before you ask, yes, I’ve been to Wimpole before, but other than a below stairs guided tour, the house was closed. I was there mostly for the Christmas fair. I did see enough peeking up the stairs for me to want to go back, and I finally did.
For those unfamiliar with this National Trust property, Wimpole is in Cambridgeshire just a bit southwest of Cambridge. Wimpole was mentioned in the Domesday book of 1088, but at the time, this house was not the one sitting upon the property. The current home was completed in 1650 by politician Thomas Chicheley. The house has passed through quite a few owners that time until 1938, when it was purchased by Captain George Bambridge and his wife Elsie (daughter of Rudyard Kipling). She did what she could to fix up and keep the property going, which unfortunately included tearing down wings on the side of the house after they were used as barracks during World War II due to disrepair. When she died in 1976, the property was left to the National Trust.
Yellow Parlour
Library
Ceiling
The inside of the house is definitely worth the walk-through. Aside from a few pieces of lovely art, there are some interesting furnishings, including a Turkish style bed, and amazing ceilings and woodwork. The library has an amazing collection of books, not that I took the time to read every spine. The main room of the library is roped off so you can’t even go inside. I have to say the craziest thing was the bathtub! The entire family could take a bath in it. Fortunately, there is plumbing in place to bring water to the tub and heat it without people carrying buckets. They also had an old-fashioned shower.
Bathtub
Shower
A quick walk from the house will take you to the Home Farm where you can practice milking a cow on a fake udder, see live pigs, draught horses, goats, and chickens. I will warn you that like any livestock farm, there is an odour as you approach, but the piglets were quite cute.
Piglets!
The grounds are spread out and lovely. They have some beautiful old trees along the drive in and one the property. During World War II, bombers were even hidden under some of these trees so the Germans wouldn’t find them. The are walks are relaxing and pretty and there is even a folly fashioned to look like the ruins of a gothic tower. I wish we’d gotten to walk out there, but when you travel with children, sometimes they don’t feel up to more walking. We did enjoy the walled garden and the walk back to the house and the stable block where you enter the property.
