This is an interesting and fascinating house. Stairs, nooks and crannies and doors everywhere
The earliest parts of the house are Tudor, and built in 1485. After becoming almost derelict, the house was restored and transformed in the 1890's by Alfred Cart de Lafontaine.
The Great Hall is an exceptional example of early Tudor architecture with heraldic glass, linenfold panelling and carved roof timbers. The house also contains an outstanding collection of English furniture from Jacobean to late Victorian.
Thomas Hardy was a frequent visitor to the house and panted a watercolour of the house, referred to as "Athelhall"
at age 19.
Athelhampton was acquired by the Cooke family in 1957 and is still a family home.
First we visit The Barn restaurant and enjoy a very good meal, although we had to wait a while to be served, as a large party of folk from Holland arrived just before us
In we go
First into the Great hall
Notice the black circle on the cheek in the portrait
It is tar to cover a bullet hole
One has a choice of doors to go through everywhere
Notice the ceiling and the panelling
The wine cellar
The King's anti-room
(all great houses had a room fit for a King - who may or may not have visited)
The bed chamber
I do like this bedside book case
Note the four poster bed is attached to the ceiling
more stairs
The main staircase
Ladies Victorian wardrobe
The Yellow Room
Solid Copper bath tub
Dining Room
Billiard Room and Library
In the next post we will visit the world famous gardens
