Hardwick Hall and Bolsover Castle
A wonderful couple of examples of 17th century grandeur relating to Bess of Hardwick, the second richest woman of the Elizabethan age, after the Queen herself. She married four times,…
Tag: National Trust
Rievaulx Abbey and Terrace, Helmsley Castle, and Nunnington Hall
A heritage packed day exploring north of York, starting with Rievaulx Abbey. Founded in 1132 it was one of the largest Cistercians abbeys in England, until it’s dissolution by Henry…
Dorchester and around
One of the best things about the UK is the wealth of things to do and see in a small area, in this case that surround Dorchester, the county town…
Corfe Castle
Dating back over a thousand years in places, the remains of Corfe Castle are an evocative sight in the Dorset countryside, close to Swanage. The castle would have been hugely…
Kingston Lacey
A very typical, but enjoyable, National Trust property near Wimborne. A grand old house with extensive gardens, it was home to the Bankes family for over 300 years. I particularly…
Best of 2016 – Photography – Further afield
I took ~10,000 photos overseas this year on my travels to Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, the Galápagos, Georgia, UK and Australia. Here’s a far smaller subset of some of my favourites. All…
Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire
Wimpole Hall is a huge eighteenth century house, once the home of Rudyard Kipling’s daughter, with gardens by Capability Brown, and some interiors by Sir John Soane. The inside was…
Osterley House, London
An oasis of greenery in West London, Osterley House and the surrounding park make for a great stopover 20 mins from Heathrow Airport. The 250 year old mansion was built…
Sudeley Castle, Cotswolds
A fascinating place, filled with a thousand years of history, Sudeley Castle had a strong connection to the Tudors, who were regular visitors. There’s plenty to fill the best part…
Snowshill Manor, Cotswolds
Home for fifty years to a classic British eccentric, Charles Paget Wade, whose motto was “Let nothing perish”. Which becomes very clear when you visit the twenty two rooms of…
Ham House, London
Originally built in 1610 and significantly expanded in 1673, Ham House is a rare example of a near untouched 17th century house. It stayed in the same family for 250…