I spent Monday pottering around at home, doing the stuff such as laundry and cleaning which I normally do at weekends, (having spent this weekend in London and then lazing around)
Today, I decided to go to Westwood Manor, which is a national Trust property about 4 miles down the road. It was built in the 15th Century with bits added and taken away since then.
It is occupied by tenants so only 5 rooms are open - lovely panelled rooms, with plasterwork ceilings -- upstairs in the music room is a 16th century Virginal and a 17th century Harpsichord (plus the harp)
There were also some panels decorated with the kings & Queens of Engand, in very dark oils on the panels, but sadly I accidentally delted those pictures, so you have to imagine the slightly lop-sided images of Henry VIII and a few others, for yourselves!
Outside there are some enormous yew hedges - about 7' wide, and in one part cut into a topiary house.
Definitely an interesting afternoon!
On my way home I stopped to pick blackberries, with a view to making some bramble jelly. It is currently in the 'dripping slowly through a bag' stage - tomorrow comes the 'boiling it with sugar to within an inch of its life' stage.
And then I finished the da with a nice, slow meal an a glass of wine. I might get used to this hoidaying at home idea!
3 comments:
I wonder what it's like to be a tenant there. Hard not to imagine ghostly harp music in the wee hours of the morning.
Impressive fire place!
Lovely photos, thank you! The plasterwork over the fireplace was originally painted in colors that would probably be garish to our eyes, but pleasing to folks three or four hundred years ago. To see a painted example in an ancient house in Wales, go to: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/welsh-history-month-plas-mawr-3406250
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