Yesterday we visited two more National Trust properties: Berrington Hall and The Weir Garden.
Berrington Hall was a collaboration between Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and his son-in-law Henry Holland Jnr. It was the last landscape garden Brown completed before this death in 1783. Interestingly the landscape was designed and completed before work on the hall began; the pool which can be viewed from the front of the house is 14 acres in size and was all dug out by hand. Spades and wheelbarrows, no JCB’s in those days.
Another interesting fact gleamed from the tour guide (Berrington Hall does a pre-tour of four rooms before the house opens to the general public and we were lucky enough to arrive in time to join this) was the land in front of the pool was divided into several sections and different animals (white hares, cows, sheep etc.) who cropped the grass to different levels, were place there. This then gave the impression when looking from the house of a patchwork effect of different colours. The photo shows that slightly.
The house itself has views over the Radnorshire Hills and into Wales, the Black Mountains can be clearly seen. The hall is designed in the neo-classical style and is based on an ancient Greek temple. The dark and foreboding exterior gives no hint of the splendour that can be found inside. The interior of the hall is breath taking, especially the marble entrance hall with its wall and ceiling decorations. Such a pity that they don’t allow photos.
Second NT property was The Weir Garden. A riverside garden created in the 1920’s by the Parr family, the house itself has been converted into a nursing home. Overlooking the River Wye, once again there are view of the Black Mountains and the Breacon Beacons and it has links with Roman Britain.
So come on then, who can see the face in the tree trunk?
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Pooks is enjoying her visit to Edinburgh and has once again taken the rain on holiday with her. Whilst I've had lovely sunshine, she’s been wet and cold. In fact, she was all for me sending her a blanket up at one point.
She did managed to get to watch Chris in his play and I’m sure we’ll hear all about her trip later this week. As it is I’ve already told Scally that I've a feeling we’re going to have to slap her. Chris will no doubt be unliveable with this week, the praise she has reaped on his head. I’m sure that one ‘really’ before the word ‘good’ would have sufficed and she didn’t have to go overboard with the ‘marvellous’ either.
She admitted to being a little worried before she went, not convinced ‘Lord Olivier’ could be that good; Chris being at the front of the queue when confidence was handed out. Coming from a thespian background she was looking for faults. But she admitted that she was completely taken in by his American accent and totally surprised when he reverted to his own Scottish one at the end.
Nice that she got to met him afterwards and spend a bit of time with him too.
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21 days till my holiday - Yippee!
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