Colin at Wordsworth's House

We drove to Cockermouth and went to visit Wordsworths House.  A lovely Georgian townhouse.  It was the childhood home of William Wordsworth.  The staff there were dressed in costume.  A real fire was burning in the kitchen and they had cooked some cakes making it a very interesting visit.  The staff in the dining room told us how in 1700's it was considered scandulous for men and women to sit together at the dining table.  Men sat and one end and women at the other.  It wasnt until the 1800's that men and women sat together at the table.

We are now in the beautiful Lakes District with it's rolling lush green hills divided into pastures by dry stone walls,grazing sheep, misty mountains, picturesque lakes and pretty villages with houses made of dark grey stone.

Lake Windermere

We purchased a 5 house ticket for Shakespeare’s birthplace, Hall’s Croft, Nash’s house and New Place, Mary Ardens Farm and Anne Hathaways Cottage. 

We visited 4 out of the 5.  We have previously visited Anne Hathaways Cottage.

Mary Arden was Shakespeare's mother and the farm is a working Tudor farm.

Colin at Mary Arden's Farm

Here we are in the very pretty village of Stratford Upon Avon in the pouring rain.

Me in front of statue of William Shakespeare

Colin in front of Shakespeares birthplace

We visited Charlecote Park built in the 1500’s by Sir Thomas Lucy and still lived in today by his descendants.  The estate has been in the Lucy family since the 13^th century.  The gardens were designed by Capability Brown.  Just about all the gardens we have seen have been by Capability Brown.  He went to almost every corner of the country and employed thousands of people to create these magnificent gardens that would take a 100 years or more to mature to their best.

Charlecote Park

Today we visited Claremont Gardens at Esher which is the next village to Cobham where we are staying.

Belvedere Claremont

Claremont is a beautiful garden surrounding a small lake and featuring a  grass amphitheatre.  There’s a Belvedere at the top of the hill and a grotto by the lake.  The garden’s creation was down to Capability Brown.  During her childhood, it was Queen Victoria’s favourite place to come and visit and later when she was Queen she continued to visit Claremont.

Us at Claremont

Lake Claremont

Driving the narrow English country lanes that are no wider than one car.

This afternoon we went to visit Waddesdon Manor house and garden.  Built in 1874 by Baron de Rotheschild to display his outstanding collection of art treasures and entertain in style.  The house with it’s fairytale turrets has 45 rooms for visitors to explore.

There are magnificent gardens, an Italian fountain, many statues, stables and a dairy on the many acres of beautifully landscaped gardens.

Me outside Waddesdon Manor

Back of the manor looking thru the Italian fountain