Clandon Park and Hatchlands Park

We are going on 2 visits in one post here. Clandon and Hatchlands are very close to each other. We have just come from having lunch at Polesden Lacey and the weather has improved.

Clandon House was used in the film "Duchess" which is currently at the cinema. Film makers use many different houses when making one film sometimes. They may use the gardens of one house and the building of another, or select rooms from different houses. In the making of Duchess several locations were used and here they used the magnificent Marble Hall at Clandon. It's beautiful and I wish I could show you.One of those halls where you can look down over the balustrades from above and see the hall in all it's splendour.

Clandon is a grand 18th century Palladian mansion. Built in 1730 for the 2nd Lord Onslow by the Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni, Clandon's interior is the most complete example of his work to survive and is notable for it's magnificent, two-storey white Marble Hall. The Onslow family are unique in providing 3 Speakers of the House of Commons from one family.The house is filled with a superb collection of 18th century furniture, porcelain and textiles.

The side of the house where restoration to the exterior is taking place

The back with the parterre gardens

The Grotto

A Maori Meeting House, one of only four outside New Zealand, brought back in 1892 by the 4th Earl of Onslow who was Governor there.

The Stable block

We now arrive at Hatchlands

Hatchlands is an 18th century mansion with Adam interiors and a large collection of keyboard instruments. Built in the 1750's for Admiral Boscowan, hero of the Battle of Louisburg, the house contains the earliest recorded decorations in an English country house by Robert Adam - whose ceilings here appropriately feature nautical motives.

On display is the Cobbe Collection, the world's largest group of keyboard instruments, many associated with famous composers such as Purcell, J.C. Bach, Chopin, Mahler and Elgar. The house is set in beautiful woodlands and open parkland.

October Musings and Flies

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
I guess she'll die!

Well this 'old woman' was glad she did not die as I am going to be a Grandmother again in April with a brother or sister for Oliver. Congratulations Jane and Chris.

Back to the fly! Last weekend I was walking in my local park when I opened my mouth to greet someone I knew and some horrible thing flew right in and settled on the back of my tongue ready to slide down the back of my throat. Fortunately I had the presence of mind to fill my mouth with water from my water bottle (the previous day I had done this same walk and not taken water). Spitting out the water brought the 'thing' to where I could pick it out. It was still very much alive and was a shield bug or frog hopper. . I did not fancy feeling that fluttering around in my oesophagus until it died in my stomach juices. Urrgh!

Last night when reading my bank statement I found that someone had used my debit card. When researching the retailer I found it was an on-line company and someone had bought themselves a cam-corder and memory stick on my card. How useful that one has 24 hour phone access to banks these days.
My bank told me (and this I did not know) never to use a debit card on the internet, always to use a credit card which is safe. Apparently internet thieves hack into the computers of on-line companies and steal debit card details. So just in case anyone else is not aware of this I offer you this information.


Today I made this Raisin Shortbread. 'Don't try this at home' unless you are happy to work with a very crumbly mix. I did not do so well today as I was rushing but it tastes good all the same. Better than flies!

4 tblspns orange juice 6 oz Pl.Flour 2 oz caster sugar
4 oz seedless raisins 4 oz butter

Put orange juice and raisins into small saucepan, bring slowly to boil. Turn into a basin and leave to cool, preferably overnight.
Sieve flour into basin; add sugar and rub in butter until resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Knead dough thoroughly and divide into 2 equal sized rounds. Place 1 on a greased baking sheet; spread raisins over surface, top with second round, pressing down firmly.
Pinch edges with floured fingers. Prick well. Bake till crisp and golden brown, in centre of oven Gas 3 / 160C/325F for 45 min
Mark into segments and when cool remove from baking sheet and enjoy.

Late afternoon sun, yes we have had some this week, casting a lovely shadow in a corner of one of my guest bedrooms. And no! I did not stop to dust.

Polesden Lacey

We are off to Polesden Lacey today (in real time it was actually last month) and afterwards we are visiting another couple of stately homes but will leave those for another day.

25 miles from central London, Polesden Lacey is a remarkable survival of a small, self-contained agricultural estate which has remained largely intact since the Middle Ages. A substantial house was built on the present site around 1630 to replace a medieval farmhouse. The present building was built in 1880. It was a status symbol for the new rich. In 1906 Polesden Lacey was bought by the Hon. Mr and Mrs Ronald Greville, wealthy and well connected friends of Edward VII. He was the eldest son and heir of 2nd Lord Greville, and his wife Margaret was the sole heiress to an immense brewing fortune.

It's a little wet and drizzly so we will tour the house first and maybe the weather will have cleared by the time we come outside.

Actually when we leave the house it is raining quite hard so although we walk around the gardens our time outside is somewhat limited and my camera kept getting wet.

Taking shelter under the balustrades

Some of the back of the house

The Rose garden looking sorry this time of year

How it looks in the Summer

At least the Dahlias are flowering

An estate cottage

The estate is divided by a public road so at this point this lovely thatched bridge is our way across. Seats on it too if you need a rest and it's dry.

Looking out from the bridge and yes, many of our country lanes are narrow like this

Stepping down into the other side of the garden

On our way back and no, Alan the rain is not stopping

Inside photos curtesy of my guide book.

Mrs Greville's study

The Saloon

French-influenced Italiante theme

The special Tea room

"Tea is at 5 o'clock...and not at 5 minutes past...which means the Spanish Ambassador, who has gone for a walk down the yew avenue, hastily retraces his steps, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer...hurries down the great staircase, and that the various gentlemen rise from their chaise-longues and join the procession to the tea-room. The tea-pots, cream-jugs, the milk-pits and the sugar basins are of Queen Anne silver, the tea service is Meissen; and the doilies, heavily monogrammed, are of Chantilly lace"

"Maggie's teas were terrific, with great Georgian tea-pots and Indian or China, and Muffins and cream cakes and silver kettles sending up their steam, and Queen Mary saying 'Indian, if you please, and no sugar'..."

Unfortunately we are not invited, we will have to make do with the visitors tea-rooms.

The Central Hall

An informal sitting-room

Along the fireplace wall is an intricatley carved reredos (screen behind the altar), originally installed in St.Mathew's, one of Christopher Wren's City churches.



The Duke and Duchess of York (later George VI and Queen Elizabeth) spent part of their honeymoon at Polesden Lacey in 1923.

Hope you enjoyed your visit and are ready to drive with us to both Hatchlands and Clandon Park which are in this vicinity.

The Supersensual Life and Autumn Beauty

As Autumn colours start to show their beauty I thought I would post a collage of the pictures I took in Epping Forest and posted last year. Double click to see individual pictures. It may take a few seconds to load.

In thinking about the peace and tranquility of walking in the forest at this time of year I am reminded of a piece of writing that I have on file. I do not know it's origin but it certainly relates to taking time to just sit and absorb God's beauty.

The Supersensual Life

Disciple: Sir, how may I come to the Supersensual Life, so that I may
see God, and hear God speak?

Master: Son, when you can throw yourself into That, where no
Creature dwells, though it be but for a Moment, then you will hear what
God speaks.

Disciple: Is that where no Creature dwells near at hand? or is it afar
off?

Master: It is in You. And if you can, my Son, for a while but cease
from all your own thinking and willing, then you shall hear the
unspeakable Words of God.

Disciple: How can I hear Him speak, when I stand still from thinking
and willing?

Master: When you stand still from thinking of self and the willing
of self; "When both your intellect and will are quiet, and passive to
the Impressions of the Eternal Word and Spirit; and when your Soul is
winged up, and above that which is temporal, the outward Senses, and the
Imagination being locked up by Holy Abstraction", then the Eternal
Hearing, Seeing, and Speaking will be revealed in you.; and so God “ hears
and sees through you", being now the Organ of His Spirit; and so God
speaks in you, and whispers to your Spirit, and your Spirit hears His
Voice. Blessed are you therefore if you can stand still from
self-thinking and self-willing, and can stop the Wheel of your
Imagination and Senses for if you do you may arrive eventually to see
the Great Salvation of God being made capable of all Manner of Divine
Sensations and Heavenly Communications. Since it is nought indeed but
your own Hearing and Willing that does hinder you, so that you do not
see and hear God.

Images Along the River

Yesterday was such a beautiful warm day that I just had to go out and make the most of it. Having just posted on a recent walk over the marshes when the weather was cold and drizzly, I thought it would be nice to go back and walk along the river this time.



I don't know if the Cherry and Almond Cake at the Visitor's Centre cafe had anything to do with it!



We began our day with coffee in the cafe and then walked along the river towards London. It is so tempting when doing this kind of walk to just keep walking and see what is around the next bend (which we did to a point) but one has to remember that one has to walk back, and I also wanted to walk in the other direction too. So, having walked for an hour we turned around and made our way back to the cafe for lunch. While having lunch we can watch the birds as the cafe faces the marshes and is raised up with large glass windows.



After lunch we headed off in the opposite direction towards the estuary. My photographs are taken looking both ways up and down The Thames as we walked.

We will be walking for almost 7 miles today so it that is too much then just enjoy the sights.

Towards London

Looking back at the Queen Elizabeth II bridge

The river is pretty quiet

This 'lighthouse' was established in 1885 and at 38 feet high it shows it's light for 3 miles

An abandoned jetty

This is a 17th century Gunpowder Mill

and is now a Heritage Centre

Fires were lit in these beacons to warn people if The Thames was being invaded

Looking towards the city

A disused oil jetty with the QE II bridge in the background

Containers being taken down the river rather than by road

The Gulls awaiting the tide

We are looking towards a landfill site

Where the Gulls are waiting for something!

We did go back to the cafe before returning to the car park

and guess what for?

I bought some Almond and Cherry Cake to take home.

When I told the waitress how much I enjoyed it she told me that all their cakes are home made on the premises by one lady