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Monday, 27 August 2012
To the Manor Born
Herewith my much delayed report on where I was for a week in early August.
Doreen and I, along with two friends, took ourselves off to a place called Cricket St. Thomas near Chard in Somerset. There is a hotel there - The Cricket St Thomas Hotel, surprise, surprise! In fact the hotel is pretty much all there is there. Some of you may have seen the 1970's T.V. series To The Manor Born. The Manor House used for that series (now known as Cricket House) constitutes a third of the hotel, which is actually a series of three buildings spread along a valley and connected by corridors.
Cricket House has historic connections, mainly to Lord Nelson. It belonged in turn to the Rodney family (as in Admiral, Lord Rodney), Alexander Hood (second-in-command of the Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars), and his heir Samuel Hood who married Lord Nelson's niece Charlotte.
For me, though, the glory of the house was the extensive grounds, which include a series of lakes, a walled garden and a twelfth century church. The gardens are Grade ll-listed (I had thought only buildings could be so classified), mainly in recognition of some wonderful old cedars, maples and yews. Below are a few snaps of trees that caught my eye.
And here examples from a series of sculptures scattered throughout the grounds - mostly of children at play.
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17 comments:
Your pictures have special colour and tell the extent of the fierd with your words. After my family ritual event for late mother-in-law, I enjoyed this post, the view
different from my surrounding.
It looks wonderful! :-)
Wonderful post Dave! What an experience! All steeped in history! You did well to capture the surroundings. Thanks for sharing!
Hank
I only recently saw a repeated episode from To the Manor Born. I love the photographs of the trees you have posted - and cannot get over how green it is. This is not a shade of green often seen here. The sculptures are fun as well. Thank you.
Delicious photos, poetic sculptures, I love that place. Greetings.
Statues are exquisite Dave. I am all for a few days away - and intend to go myself before too long. Hope you have come back in fine poetic mood.
Those kids playing sculptures are lovely. I used to really enjoy going on days out to pretty local (to me in Sussex) estates. Chatsworth house one such. Love the history in these stately homes. Sounds like you had a good time Dave. Yes, I remember 'To the Manor Born' and some of that house. Thanks for the memories :)
ha those are some pretty cool sculptures.....so it was a good time away?
I didn't know trees could be listed either. Around here there are a lot of tree protection orders so perhaps it's just another word for it.
I have always wondered why Cricket St Thomas has its name.
Very interesting information. The real location of To The Manor Born.
I watched the series three times, one of the most delightful TV comedy-series I have ever come across, I bought all the episodes in the 90's, in VHS, fortutanely I have a video-cassette reader still working.
Very good that you had time away, Dave. Looks like a beautiful area.
What a lovely post. This brings back vivid memories of a week I spent at The Library, a gorgeous 17th century Tudor brick house in Stevenstone, Devon. I booked it through the Landmark Trust. It truly turned out to be one of the most enjoyable holidays ever. The countryside was stunning.
Looking at your photographs, I remember seeing depths of green I had never seen before.
I hope you are having a relaxing vacation. Thanks for sharing the photos and some of the highlights with us.
So pretty, so green--sounds nice to me! k.
This looks delightful. I love trees, particularly stately trees and the sculptures are wonderful. They'd bring a smile to any face, surely.
haricot
Thank you - a touching response.
Rachel
Much thanks for commenting.
Hank
Thanks Hank
The Elephant's Child
Thanks for this. I do agree about the green - it is pretty faithful, I think.
Leovi
Very kind. Thank you.
The Weaver of Grass
Trust you will have a great time. Look forward to hearing about it.
Daydreamertoo
Thanks. I agree about the history in these places.
Brian
An excellent time away, thanks.
Jenny
I think it is the grounds rather than the individual trees which is listed. I didn't actually find out why it is so called, except thatit is the name of a parish and there are other parishes in the area named *** St Thomas. Don't know where the cricket came from, though.
Tommaso
Yes, it was a splendid series - how lucky you are to have a functioning VHS reader!
Mary
Thanks yes. A good time, indeed.
gabrielle
Hi. Welcome to the blog and many thanks for your fascinating comment. I really enjoyed the read.
manicddaily
Great time, yes.
Lovely photographs, love the pillow fight
Lovely. I remember the series with Penelope Keith well. Seems like a fine place for a visit.
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