Author: Glendon

Retired Australian Lawyer having worked representing the innocent and the not so innocent in Australia and some of the remote parts of the world and having travelled widely through Europe, Western Russia, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Thailand Malaysia Solomon Islands northern China, Hong Kong and the UAE So now that I have the time I am writing about my travels present and past. Hope you enjoy exploring off the beaten track.

Retirees go Abroad – Lake Como Italy -Two out of Three (marvels) ain’t bad

Retirees go Abroad – Lake Como Italy

Two out of Three (marvels) ain’t bad

It’s Wednesday. Roberto and Sue are off to the Dolomites. We are going in the opposite direction to Lake Maggiore and the three marvels of Maggiore – Isola Madre, Isola Bella and Isola Pescatore. Well that is what Roberto told us but in truth Pescatore is another tourist trap with little of culture history or architecture to recommend it. If you want to buy a T shirt or go for a swim its fine but otherwise it is not a marvel. The third marvel is Rocca di Angera.

To understand why these rocky islands have been turned into marvels you have to understand the history of the current owners. Let me introduce the Borromeo family. “The aristocratic Borromeo family were merchants at San Miniato around 1300 and became bankers at Milan after 1370. Vitaliano de’ Vitaliani, who acquired the name of Borromeo from his uncle Giovanni, became count of Arona in 1445. His descendants played important roles in the politics of the Duchy of Milan and as cardinals in the Catholic Reformation. In 1916 the head of the family was granted the title Prince of Angera.” “The family has owned the Borromean Islands since the 16th century. The islands have beautiful gardens. Two of the islands have grand palaces, still owned by the family. Vitaliano Borromeo built a summer palace on the Isola Bella for his wife Isabella between 1650 and 1671 which was later enlarged by cardinal Giberto III. (1615–1672) and count Vitaliano VI. (1620–1690). Count Carlo IV. (1657–1734) had the garden terraces added. The family still owns the majority of the Borromean Islands.”(Source – Wikipedia).

Pescatore was a fishing village and now one large shop/ rest stop for tourists. Rocco on the other hand was a fortified castle which together with Rocco di Arone (a fortified castle on the opposite shore destroyed by Napoleon when invading Lombardy) controlled the place where the lake drains into a river. We visited Isola Madre and Isola Bella on Wednesday and Rocco di Angera on Thursday. We chose to travel to Stresa and to catch a water taxi to each of the 3 islands for 15 euros each one way. The taxi (looked like a Venetian canal cruiser) takes you to Madre and gives you 2 to 2 .5 hours to view this island and its palace. I formed the view that the taxi operators want you to go to Pescatore where they hope you will spend your money. I wonder if the taxi operators don’t get any additional revenue from Madre or Bella hence the limited time on Madre. At Pescatore the taxis call every half hour to take you to Bella with the last taxi leaving at 4.30,

Isola Madra

“Isola Madre, at 220 m wide and 330 m long, is the largest island of the Isole Borromee archipelago which falls within the Italian part of the Alpine Lake Maggiore, in the Province of Verbano Cusio Ossola, Piedmont.” Wikipedia

We boarded our Venetian canal cruiser and glided across the lake to Madre. As you approach this little rock by boat the first thing you notice is the palace covering just about the whole island. A little closer and you see a gift shop and restaurant called La Piratera (and like the pirates of old they will rob you blind) sitting hard up against the water but that is the only commercialism you will encounter. Sure you have to pay to get in to the gardens and the palace but you will appreciate this is a moderate cost for what you see. Try to purchase a ticket which gets you into Madre and Bella (35 euros) and save 5 euros and unless you are very interested in the botanical information on the garden don’t worry about the programme.

The walk to the palace is cool and relaxing with outstanding Lake views. Plants from all over the world are in a garden designed for the leisure of the stroller. Australian casuarinas to black bamboo are some of the strange plants found here. There are white peacocks and other large birds roaming around and an aviary but the most amazing piece was a large Tibetan Kashmir cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana) which appears to have been planted in 1862 following a trip to the Himalayas. Until 2006 it had grown steadily to its grand height towering over the palace. Then a whirlwind uprooted the tree but rather than pull it out the family replanted it and supported it to where it continues to survive to day.

We toured inside the palace but photos were not permitted. Unlike other palaces I have visited this had the feeling of openness and light, coolness and relaxing surroundings. It has not always been a home. There is a lot of evidence of gun emplacements and guard points. One of the surprises was the marionette theatre and the variety of the marionettes in the house. These were for the entertainment of the family and their guests but I was to be surprised even more at Isola Bella.

The island structures are completed with the family chapel.

Photos

Isola Pescatore

When we arrived at Madre there was only one other couple with us but the numbers quickly grew. When we sailed for Pescatore the boat was full as was the island. It was lunch time so we went looking for a restaurant. We crossed the island to get away from the crowds and chose an outdoor umbrella restaurant for no other reason than it looked inviting. Unfortunately looks are deceiving and we waited for 1 hour to get a salad and a pizza. Like most of this island this was disappointing.

There was an interesting small church on the island and some interesting houses and lanes. The church had a cemetery at the back and all of the tombstones had a photo of the deceased – something I have not seen before. Amongst my photos you will see a Jolly Roger and I thought that was the definition of Pescatore. So we sailed for Isola Bella.

Photos

More alleys
the Jolly Roger on Pescatore
Jumble of alleys – Pescatore
Where we should have had lunch
Pretty vista of Pecatore
the Pirates lagoon – gift shops

Isola Bella

As you approach you are struck by how large this palace is and how much of the island it consumes. Unlike Madre this is palatial as well as grand. No photos were permitted but like most laws and speed limits in Italy everyone ignores them so you will see my photos below.

At the entrance there is an enormous hall with a domed ceiling. I got some of the best views of Pescatore and Madre from the windows of the palace. Then there were the marionettes and the theatre settings. These were just wonderful. I have given you just three examples in my photos.

The gardens were very different from Madre but just as wonderful. At one end is a wall of statues and fountains which run back down to the lake in 10 terraces. I found a pond in which there was a frog croaking but I could not find the frog so I photographed one of the water Lilly flowers instead. But the unique thing was the grottos.

Rooms in the palace decorated to look like underwater grottos. I have taken photos and they will give you an inkling of the amazing scenes.

Photos

We got back to Stresa about 4.00 pm and I noticed on the way back that there was a cable car running from a building at the wharf up into the hills. We investigated and not really understanding what we were doing we parted with 40 euros to ride the cable car and do something else when we got to the top.

The trip started very quickly travelling by cable car up to Mottarone 1385 metres above the lakes. We could see the three islands then the whole of the lake but we were nowhere near the top yet. We changed cable cars and went up to 1491 meters where we took a chair lift to the top. I have no idea of the height at the top – suffice it to say it was high and above 1500 metres.

From the top we were able to see the whole of the lakes district for 360 degrees. We also saw the Alpyland fun park. For a further 5 euros each we took a trip on the bob sled ride on rails. 1.2 klms of twisting down hill track and a bloody steep hill at that. Threatened with the loss of my manhood I drove the bob sled with Kerry in front of me and kept the sled to a reasonable pace (he he he heeee – she screamed her head off). I got a few photos which will give you the idea and show you the scenes from the top. Truly magnificent and well worth the cost.

Photos

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Retirees go Abroad – Lake Como Italy – Where are the rich and famous

Retirees go Abroad – Lake Como Italy

Where are the Rich and Famous?

Tuesday and our second day in Italy. Roberto is touring around Lake Como and going to Belliago by ferry. George Clooney is supposed to have residence somewhere near here which might be of interest to some people so it did not upset my day that he remained reclusive. Having arranged with our Italian mate to meet at Bellagio, I plugged in “Ferry Belliago” into the GPS (which we call “Tommy” as it is a TomTom) and we set sail. Now I was not expecting that Tommy would take me literally so when Tommy announced “after 800 metres turn left and take the ferry” I was astounded. But sure enough there it was a car ferry to Bellagio.

We parked and for 10 euros each return we boarded as walk-ons arriving at Belliago 15 minutes before the bus tour/boat tour. Belliago is located on the western shore of Lake Como and a tourist trap with expensive shops set in an old village of many stairs (it is all very hilly). Strolling through the village was interesting once we got away from the shops. One of the interesting buildings was the local church which had an amazing interior. The exterior is not so exciting. But I got an interesting photo of the back of the church which I have included below.

Roberto and Sue turned up with the rest of their tour about 20 minutes after us and we then started exploring the remaining areas of Bellagio. Kerry and Sue found an oversized cork screw outside one of the many “caves” at Bellagio.

Lunch was partaken in the back streets as the lake front is overdone. After lunch I found the oldest building in Bellagio behind the church – the only remaining part of the 12th century watch tower. There were some exquisite gardens, beautiful vistas, and ancient vestiges of an elegant past. Time went quickly and like Cinderella, Roberto and Sue rushed back to their “coach” to join their tour.

We returned to the other side of the lake and drove back toward Como. On the way we stopped at another village. Argegno is on the lake and has a stream running through it. Colourful and quaint we felt compelled to walk through before taking a milkshake at the Hotel Argegno. Some photos follow.

Roberto (being first generation Australian from Italian heritage) had expressed the view that there was nothing worth looking at in Como. We thought we would check it out for ourselves. So when we drove into a central Como car park alongside the remnants of an old walled city then to find in the basement of the car park Roman foundation for the original Roman village founded in or around 1 BC (it was moved from the hills to the site of these foundations on the order of Julius Caesar) we had to disagree. There is evidence of an earlier Bronze Age village present also. I have included some photos of the remaining towers, the foundations and a massive cathedral constructed in 1397 on the centre square. There is also examples of 16 th century residences still in use today. As well it is situated on the lake with very accessible public parks and gardens close to the city centre. We found at least two other churches in the old city precinct and just outside the city is a funicular. So I have no idea what city Roberto visited to find nothing of interest.

 

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Retirees go Abroad – Lake Como Italy – Up, Up, and Away

Retirees go Abroad – Lake Como Italy

Up, Up and Away

Our first morning in Lake Como. After 3 to 4 hours sleep, I awoke to a cloudy sky and irregular showers. The sunny day Sunday had promised was gone but we had made our plans to meet Roberto and they could not be changed. To add insult to injury when we entered onto the highway we were met by a car park. Some multi vehicle collision was holding up all traffic (see photo below) and in true Italian style we reversed back through the entry lane to try a new direction and as we crossed over the highway the blockage had been cleared and traffic was flowing again.

We finally started our journey for Lugano on the lake of the same name in Switzerland. There are tolls on most autostrada in Italy and the A9 is a set 2.20 euro. But the Swiss do it differently. At the end of the A9 we were met by the Swiss border control. They were not interested in our passport. They only wanted to collect 35 euros road tax. (Note to self – Switzerland charges a 70 euro toll to use their toll roads for one year and this toll reduces to half at June). So the cost for the joy of visiting Roberto – 35 euro. Even though we were delayed twice we still managed to beat Roberto with his friend Sue into the old city. After the usual ritual – a cuppa and a transfer of gossip -we decided to find the funicular to the top of Monte Bre for views of Lugano and the lake. We found a disused funicular and on the basis that I had read on the internet that you caught one line to join the main line to the top, we climbed a couple of hundred stairs to find that we were way off target. But we got some great photos. We decided to grab a cab and asked to be taken to the funicular but went not to Monte Bre funicular but Monte San Salvador Funicular – I did not even know there were two funiculars in the town. Nevertheless we bought tickets which included lunch at the summit. Two (2) funicular journeys later we were 813 meters above sea level and in a white out – low cloud prevented us taking in the view. So we went to lunch which turned out to be pretty good. We had hoped the cloud would lift after lunch but no such luck and Roberto and Sue had a bus to catch. On a clear day the views would be fantastic. An excursion I can recommend.

Roberto and Sue rejoined their tour and we then drove up to Mont Bre. Kerry drove and we both were very nervous about this trip. Monte Bre is higher than Monte San Salvador and the road is winding with an ever decreasing road width. Further because it is higher we drove through the cloud with oncoming traffic just appearing in front of us. We arrived in Monte Bre with a feeling of relief and trepidation as we had to drive back down.

Monte Bre is an ancient village of stone houses. Rough paved lanes join the houses into a village. The village has been home to a number of renowned artists who lived and worked in the village and an outdoor walking museum of their art and others artists has been developed. We walked around the outdoor museum which is in the lanes of the village with art posted on the exterior of houses. Kerry was fascinated with the architecture of the village particularly the old and its integration with the newer (there was nothing new). If you wish to read more go to www.lugano-montebre.ch.

Suffice it to say I drove down the hill and we found out that the funicular was not operating that day. In fact we witnessed the operators testing the funicular on our return trip. We had decided to visit Roberto and Sue at their hotel in Saranno for dinner. Saranno is a bigger village and the Grand Hotel (where they were staying) in Saranno is a true 4 star hotel when compared with our Best Western. We had aperitifs at the bar and a pizza at a cafe near the Hotel. The cafe was in a derelict looking building beside a pile of broken concrete at the railway station. Cheap in every sense. So it was home to Best Western and a good nights sleep. I have included photos of our trip up Monte San Salvador and trip up Monte Bre:

 

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Lake Como Italy – The Trouble with cheap airfares…..

Retirees go Abroad – Lake Como Italy

The Trouble with cheap airfares…..

Sunday morning and the alarm goes off at 4.30am. We are prepared to dress and catch the taxi we have booked for 5.00am to go to East Midlands Airport for our flight out at 7.40am. However despite the best laid plans we did not read all the endorsements on our tickets so we went through security to learn that we were supposed to get our tickets endorse with our passport check before going through security. This would not have been a problem if a particular Greek family had not delayed our clearance through security because they ignored every possible preparation before going through security – they had scissors, knives, aerosols and liquids all through their carry-on luggage. Now East Midlands may be a rural airport but it has 23 gates and during school holidays is really busy so our margin for error evaporated and instead of quietly having breakfast before catching the plane we were breaking our necks to get to the gate.

Oh a point to note even if you miss the passport check as we did, you can still get the check performed at the gate but they don’t like doing so.

The airport trauma behind us, we settled in for our flight to Bergamo. Ryanair is a true no frills airline and we purchased breakfast taking turns to eat because of the lack of space.

Arrived at Bergamo and picked up the car. Ooh an upgrade. A BMW station wagon. It is twice as big as the car Kerry wants so not a good start. Anyway we made it to our hotel Best Western at Cardano Al Campo by accident (spotted a sign on the side of the road) and at first when we first saw the building we were quite impressed. But it was deceiving.

The room was large and spacious but the carpet has seen a better day. We unpacked and went down to the bar for some lunch. Well the porter was called to serve us in the bar and the bar snacks were lasagne or cannelloni microwaved to death. Not a good start. We spent the afternoon walking around Cardano Al Campo centre (note to self – don’t expect anything to be open in an Italian village between 12.00 and 4.00 on a Sunday afternoon). But we did find a bar run by a Chinese expat from Tsin Jing and the local drunk who wanted to make friends and take us to dinner. We politely passed on the opportunity.

We decided to have dinner at the hotel which was a big mistake. We had the buffet which was cold when it was intended to be hot the fish was full of bones and the choice very limited. Most disappointing. After dinner we went to our room to plan our meeting with Roberto who was going to Lugano on a bus tour. But first I had a teleconference with Australia for three hours at midnight.

Photos of Cardona Al Campo on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Main St looking north
Main St looking south
Council Chambers to the square
Local Church

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Tudor Halls – Sudbury Hall Sudbury Derbyshire

August 22, 2014
Tudor Halls – Sudbury Hall Sudbury Derbyshire

As we leave Calke Abbey we realise we have not had lunch so we decide that we would go to Sudbury Hall 30 mins away as there was likely to be a pub open in a larger village. Well of course when we get to Sudbury and visit the Vernon Arms there the kitchen closed 30 mins beforehand. No time to lose we thought we would go to the Hall and its café.

This hall is one of the finest restoration mansions as opposed to the stabilised decline we had just seen at Calke Abbey. In the 16th century there was a marriage between the heiress to the Sudbury estate and Sir John Vernon. This house was then built by George Vernon between 1660 and 1680 and is noted for its grand staircase (strangely not located in the centre of the hall but at one end (the west I guess as an east wing was built on the other end by later owners toward the end of the 19th century). It also is noted for its Long Gallery with portraits of various people but particularly Charles II’s mistresses (one cheeky one had a wardrobe mal-function whilst sitting for the portrait – cover up that nipple) and its grand wood carvings and murals. It is worth a visit to http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sudbury.
We were a bit rushed so my photos may not do it justice.
• The grand staircase – note the mural on the ceiling of the staircase
• One of the drawing rooms – note all the scroll work and the murals – the scroll work is hand carved.
• The Long Gallery – typical of Tudor Houses to show off the family (I did not take a picture of the lady with the wardrobe malfunction out of modesty)
• The Vernon Arms – kitchen closed
• The Sudbury Hall kitchen pet
• A view of a part of the garden – who would be so anal to plant every tree in rows

Sudbury Hall
the Grand Staircase
the ceiling above the staircase
Drawing Room
Friend in the kitchen
the Great Hall
trees in a row
Vernon Arms Hotel

The Unstately Home and Country Estate

August 22, 2014

The Unstately Home and Country Estate

It is a dull old day in Long Eaton. So we pick up the National Trust book for ideas of places to go. Didn’t I tell you when we visited Stowe House that we joined the National Trust? There is just so much but a lot seems to be the same. Calke Abbey stood out because it was close and it appeared different because it had been restored but not renovated. We also have to collect some parcels from home from UPS but Kerry has not been able to find the UPS station to collect her parcels. With these two objectives in mind we set off.

We find the UPS station very quickly – it is disguised as a corner store with a very small sign that it is also the UPS station for Long Eaton. That puzzle solved we set off into the country side and within 30 minutes arrive at Calke Abbey. We are greeted by sheep and cattle and to my surprise dozens of vehicles with locals visiting for the day.

Calke had been founded as an Abbey just before 1100AD and given to England’s first Augustinian order whom formed the Priory. In 1129AD the Abbott of Chester seized the Priory until he was told to hand it back by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury. St Giles Church which still stands on the site today was founded in 1160AD survived the rages of Henry VIII and his Parliamentary commissioners (which the Priory did not and was destroyed) until 1834 when it became a private manorial chapel until acquired by the National Trust with the manor house in 1984 due to the family being unable to pay the 8 million pounds in death duties. The bell tower contains one of the earlier bells from the 14th century made at Leicester by Newcombe Bell-founders (source National Trust).

The church is still consecrated and holds occasional services, weddings and the like. The first family home appears to have been built in Tudor style by Roger and Richard Wendsley (1573 to 1585) until purchased by First Baronet Sir Henry Harpur in 1622 (the family had become wealthy from Richard who in the previous century had been Justice of the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster and later Chief Justice of the County Palatine of Lancaster and through marriage acquired other estates in Derbyshire and Staffordshire). The house was rebuilt by the 4th Baronet Sir John Harpur around the Tudor Home. The house remained in the family for 6 more Barons with Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe (the 10th Baronet) being the last. The last few Barons became very reclusive being educated raised and living exclusively within the grounds of the estate (source Wikipedia and the tour guide/volunteer from the National Trust).

The guide showed us through the house which has been intentionally displayed in the state of decline in which it was handed to the Trust. The Trust has located and interviewed a surviving member of the family who lives in the US and still has rights to reside in a flat within the house and two of the former staff. At the turn of the century there were still 26 household staff and 11 ground keepers, and a pony mower. We were shown both sides the lords side and the staff side and given free rein in the estate. I’ll let the phots tell the rest of the story:

  • The Stables – there is a large stable building which now houses shop café toilets and exhibits including a play area for kids
  • The house – is looking very sad and the front has lost its grand entrance stair case
  • The drawing room – the later barons were naturalists (shot and stuffed anything they could find) and mounted or encased it in this room
  • The letter box – the last baron was so withdrawn he would write letters to the staff rather than talk to them, the butler would clear the box each day and deliver the correspondence/instructions
  • The dining room – a show of wealth
  • The Butler’s Pantry – includes a dumb waiter for the meals from the kitchen and the footman (who we heard via an audio interview) slept in that room
  • The service bells – a bell for each household servant – here is one wall of the bells there were two others (the number of servants declined over the years)
  • The bed – a gift from Elizabeth I on the marriage of Sir John – apparently never slept in and so unique it has been displayed around the world
  • The kitchen and the pastry rooms – note the decay – these rooms were closed up in 1922. Note the colours yellow (lime wash and pigs urine – disinfectant effect) and the blue (apparently repelled flies from the pastry)
  • The servants dining room – just a little dampness problem
  • The walk to the church
  • The church
  • The gardens – this is a minute sample
  • The ice house – the servants cut ice form the river in winter and filled these chambers to provide ice throughout the year
  • The sheep and the deer

For more information on Calke Abbey see www.nationaltrust.org.uk/calke


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Wollarton Hall Nottingham

August 20, 2014
Wollarton Hall Nottingham
We are both awake early as the electrician is coming this morning, we are joining the rotary meeting at Woolloongabba via google hangout and going to St Mary the Virgin Church to help clean up. The electrician arrived and fitted the new fittings except for one which was for a lamp not a ceiling and provided a solution to the poor lighting in the bathroom – he put in another light which now floods the bathroom so that it is brighter than outside the flat.
In the midst of the electrician’s work we “hang out” with the Rotarians at home. I think that some of them thought it was fanciful that we even try to attend the meeting from 26,000 miles away. Great fun and good to catch up but it feels like we have not left home.
The electrician is still here and we have to give St Mary’s a miss. Finally finished he stands around chatting until 12.00 noon – it was bloody hard to get him here then equally hard to get rid of him.
We decide we will change the lamp shade so into the car (THISTLE) and off to British Home Stores Derby. Oops cannot find the receipt but manage to exchange it anyway at the cost of 2 pounds parking. As we are out and about we decide to visit Wollarton House one of the sights of Nottingham recommended to us by our mates at Nottingham Rotary.
Wollarton Hall is located in the centre of Nottingham (CBD is only 3 miles away) in a very large park by the same name with Europe’s oldest and first cast iron greenhouse, and with herds of red and fallow deer running around. It is an Elizabethan mansion (late 16th century) completed in the same year the Spanish Armada was sunk 1588. (Interesting because this lead to some innovation around sourcing timber for the Prospect Room as the Navy was using every stick for ships). The Willoughby family had been sheep farmers in the county and changed their family name to reflect the wealth they were accumulating (they adopted the locality name). By the time that Sir Francis Willoughby (a Baronet) built this mansion the family were the wealthiest family in Britain next to the Tudors (Elizabeth I). Funny thing is that Sir Francis had a problem with status and wanted to lord it over everyone. So he invited Liz to visit his family home (the one before he built Wollarton Hall) and when Liz did visit her comment was something like – We don’t like the man, nor do we like the wife nor do we like the house. So he built Wollarton – the first place in Britain to have central heating, a bathroom and double glazing but more about that later. Money was no object.
One hundred years later Francis Jnr became a pioneering naturalist so the Hall is filled with stuffed animals and heads on the wall. The practice was continued down the centuries by the family.
As is the fate of these ambitious families someone loses the family fortune and the property falls into disrepair. In this case it was death duties that got them and the house and park has ended up in the hands of the Nottingham City Council and is now a natural history museum the stables are the industrial museum and shops and the park is open to the public (the day we were there it seemed every member of the public).
There was a tour on offer for 5 pounds each and as entry was free we thought what the heck. So as the kids disappeared to see Batman (yes it was a dress up day for the kids) we started our tour in the main hall. Most home for the gentry up to this date were castles or fortified buildings but this was to be a stately manor and they had no template other than a castle or a church so this looks like a castle but is intended to be a house. It is square (the only square manor house in the UK) and has a central court which was entered through stone arches to greet the Lord on his throne. Behind that was the dining room and the kitchens underneath in the basement. I mentioned the Spanish Armada. Well they did not have enough timber to provide the supports to the Prospect Room which is above the centre court. Also they tried to emulate the manner of support of the ceiling with the grotesques at the bottom but instead of support it actually pulled down on the floor. And when the architect could not get the timber he wanted because of the Navy he design a lattice support beam which never did work which meant the Prospect Room which was designed to allow notable guests to view the extent of the Willoughby lands (to the horizon for 360 degrees) all that was safe was a small viewing platform at the top of the stairs 3 storeys above ground. Of course when the Council took it over they put in the correct supports hence the floor today looks unworn although it is over 500 hundred years old.

From the Prospect Room we walked down to traverse a section of the roof (apparently a favoured past time of the Tudor gentry). Here we see the double glazing installed at a time when the government charged a tax on the number of windows but money was no object. The second lord (they climbed their way up to Dukedom also) had installed side doors to the centre court which created a draught and the centre court could not be kept warm so they installed steel pipes behind all fire paces filled with water channelled underground from a cistern installed 3 miles away to carry heat throughout the home (the first heating system) and then later the doubling glazing to contain heat (the first of its kind). On the corners of the house are the bedrooms for the guests starting with the highest ranking having access to the roof.
After viewing the walk we returned into the house and were shown the household safe (a solid steel door) and to protect the inhabitants of the house and the money from the staff at night there were two iron grilled gates and then a heavy wooden door before you got to the staff quarters (prison). Beyond were the Tudor kitchens discovered by the Council when renovating the hall. They are a bright yellow in colour and the Council discovered this was a paint made up of lime wash and pigs urine (the urine acted as a disinfectant). There were three areas to the kitchens and a slaughter room beside the meat salting room.

From the slaughter room we went into an underground tunnel which operated as both a beer cellar wine cellar brandy cellar and the cistern room for collecting the water from that cistern 3 miles away, channelling it through the tunnels to clear the air in the tunnels and ultimately to fill the man-made lake in the park. The tunnels allowed servants to clear the path for the water and to service that cistern and others but they could also call into the “Admiral Rodney “ a pub in the village going to and returning from the cistern.
After existing from the tunnels we viewed the rest of the house in particular the natural history displays and then the stables but they were closed – we had run out of time. After all was said and done a most interesting visit to see a Tudor household as it might have been.

Wollarton Hall
the Audience Room
Family dining room
some of the military display
“Heads of the House”
More Heads
the Prospect Room
Promenade on the roof viewing one of the corner guest bedrooms
motif in stone decorating all external walls
Part of the stables
View to the horizon from the Prospect Room
the bathroom – located between floors
the butchery and salting room
the kitchen – roasting room
the roast
the underground passage and beer store

Although I forgot the big camera we are starting to get prepared and I had the small camera in our travel pack and took some pictures and here they are:
• the Hall, its grounds,

  • some of the “heads of the household”
  • the centre court,
  • the Prospect Room
  • the view to the horizon, and
  • the stables (bigger than some other stately homes)
    • The bathroom (between the floors of the Prospect Room and below was the first indoor bathroom in Britain)
    • The kitchens and slaughter room

Attenborough, the Cromwell connection and St Mary the Virgin church

Monday August 11

Attenborough, the Cromwell connection and St Mary the Virgin church

Last night we reacquainted ourselves with the Rotarians of the Nottingham Rotary Club. We will do more with the Club and have already volunteered to do some fund raising next week.

The following day we took it pretty easy. I said earlier that I had something about Oliver Cromwell and his connection to Long Eaton. Well his son-in-law Henry Ireton was born at Attenborough in 1611 and the place of his birth (much renovated) still stands there today. Attenborough is the next to Long Eaton between Toton and Chillwell.

Ireton ended up a general in the English Parliamentary Army during the English Civil War and died of fever in Ireland in November 1651. He was baptized at St Mary the Virgin Church (more about the church shortly) graduated BA in 1629 from Trinity College Oxford in 1629 and entered the Middle Temple (one of the exclusive inns of barristers in London). Ireton joined the parliamentary army and engaged in his first battle in 1642 and fought in 5 campaigns until being wounded at the Battle of Naseby whilst commanding the left wing of the attacking force before being freed by Cromwell’s right wing of the force in September 1645 and thereafter entered parliament in October as the member for Appleby and after fighting in the siege of Oxford married Cromwell’s daughter (and step daughter of General Fleetwood) Bridget Fleetwood (who after being widowed from Ireton married her step-father the General).

Unlike Cromwell, Ireton supported the idea of a constitutional Monarchy and conducted lengthy negotiations with the Army and the King (Charles I) to try and achieve this outcome for the Civil War but he became convinced of the hopelessness of dealing with Charles after the King’s flight to the Isle of Wight. He was to later sit on the King’s trial and was one of the commissioners to sign the death warrant for Charles.

He accompanied Cromwell to Ireland for his Irish campaign in August 1649 and was elevated to the rank of Major General and placed in charge of the New Model Army in Ireland when Cromwell returned to England to invade Scotland. He died of fever after the successful siege of Limmerick and was buried at Westminster Abbey under the Arms of the Commonwealth of England Scotland Wales and Ireland (the Kingdom having ceased with the beheading of Charles I). However following the restoration of the King in 1660 Charles II exhumed the corpse from Westminster along with Cromwell and John Bradshaw (all of whom signed the death warrant for Charles I) on January 30 1660 (the anniversary of the beheading of Charles I) and mutilated the corpses.

Now as to St Mary the Virgin church it still stands in Attenborough having stood in one form or another for 1000 years (they have found evidence of a wooden Saxon Church and remnants of a Norman Church in the grounds and todays building). We have volunteered to attend a working bee at the church and are interested in doing further activities for the community through the church.

I have attached the photos showing:

  • The Ireton memorial and todays house
  • The St Mary the Virgin Church and graveyard.

Since I first wrote this article Kerry and I have joined the maintenance crew at the church to do a spot of cleaning up.Kerry trimmed bushes whilst I cleaned storm water drains and mowed amongst the tombstones. Here is the photographic evidence.

First Working Bee
First Working Bee

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Weekend at Slough – What’s this – a school?

August 16 – 18
What’s this – a school?

The trip home through Reading was an experience – Reading Station has 15 platforms – so much for a country stop.
Check out Monday August 18 and we leave the unfriendly people of Travelodge Slough to travel to Buckingham (Kerry does not want to sit on the M25 going home but wants to see pretty villages). So I set the GPS (“Tommy”) for Buckingham formerly the centre for Buckinghamshire (some centuries earlier but now a village of some 12,000 people). Well we found a way around the M25 and its called the M40 but we made the mistake of having breakfast at one of the “Services” along the way. Service are usually a small shopping centre with bathroom facilities and take away food outlets a petrol station truck stop and often a motel. We had spent under 10 pound for a full English breakfast at Windsor the day before and here we are today 17 pounds for some burcher muesli and a ham and cheese toastie.
After about 1 hour we arrived at Buckingham but its not a pretty village (interesting old goal in the middle of town though – Kerry is not amused so I will have to see the goal next time). So we plot our return to Long Eaton and before long we see in the distance a large gate (no fence) looking like the Arch de Triumph and a sign saying “Stowe House”. Kerry is interested so after a near collision at a blind corner (my fault not looking at the road but where we are going) we turn towards the entrance which has some amazing similarities to the Long Walk (this observation would be proven correct later). We were met at the car park and asked for our National Trust card which of course we did not have. No worries so in we went and parked near the “New Inn”. On entering the New Inn I found that it was set up just as it would have appeared in the 18th century but Kerry went straight to the information centre. By the time I got there she was signing us up as Trust members and had found a chap from Toton (next village over from Long Eaton). He explained that there were extensive gardens and a large house which we could visit free as members of the Trust. Also the house was open to be viewed because of the school holidays (6 weeks in summer). So off we set. (Just before we go any further I will mention the great invention I saw at the centre – a set of stairs that retract into the floor to expose an elevator for disabled people – photo follows)
Any way we walked and walked and walked to finally arrive at the bell house (visitor would ring the bell to be let into the estate). On entering the estate and gardens you are hit by the enormity of the estate and the home at the centre of it. Looking across two adjoining lakes and past the golf course sits Stowe House. We were to learn that the Temple family were sheep farmers up till 1546 and in 1589 they bought the estate and constructed the original Stowe house which was completed in the early 17th century by Sir Richard Temple 3rd Baronet. There is a lengthy history of how this family climbed the political ladder and the royal ladder from Baronet to Earl to Viscount to Marquess to Duke. During this climb the house was extended enormously until it became the longest house in the UK. The house remained in the family but the family name changed through marriage to Grenville. One of the daughters was wife of William Pitt and therefore mother to William Pitt the Younger (two Prime Ministers of the UK) and the family became Grenvilles who were also Prime Ministers therefore the family was richly endowed with good political fortune. The sons also married well to add to the fortune which they spent just as quickly developing Stowe. At one time the Baron moved 600 people out of the village of Stowe keeping their church and resuming their land. It all came to a sad end when after entertaining Queen Victoria and the Prince consort the bailiffs moved in and sold up everything. The house of course was to emulate grand homes and impress political and royal dignitaries hence the look alike Long Walk (my idea – not based on anything else)
There is much more to the story and I suggest you look at Wikipedia if interested in the full family history. Other sites are http://www.stowe.co.uk.
In 1922 the house and estate were sold to the governors of the Stowe School and the property put into the Stowe House Preservation Trust and rented to the school for boarding and schooling accommodation. A great use preserving the best and continuing to use the building and the grounds. And the curry for lunch for the staff smelt pretty good also but no invitation was forth coming to us.
Oh I forgot to add that New Inn was built by the family for visitors to stay (obviously not important visitors) and visit the estate.
A picture tells a thousand words or so they say. See what you think:
• New Inn and the restored rooms
• Stowe House
• The Gothic building
• Garden scenes
• The front door and the back door and steps
• The main entertaining room and it statutes
• The Egyptian Room (one of them went all over the middle east and Greece to collect for the house)
• The Library the deputy Heads office and other rooms
• The Church
• The footy shed and field
• An aerial view and
• Those amazing stairs at the information centre.

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Weekend at Slough – Off to the Races

August 16 – 18
Off to the Races

As I said we went back the second day so after completing our visit to the castle we went to a pub and then to Windsor Riverside Railway Station to travel to Royal Ascot. As the Royals always rode to Ascot there is no direct train link but on arriving at Ascot you would swear there was only the racecourse and all roads lead to it.
Truly breathtaking. The first thing you see (apart from the 25,000 other people visiting) is the mounting enclosure and a modern glass and metal stand of huge proportions. Standing room only when we got inside. I bought a beer from a friendly vendor and we settled down (actually we stood up) till the events started.
First there was the fly by from the Red Arrow RAR aerial acrobatics team. That was it – we were left somewhat dumbfounded but then came the Chinook – well what this thing could not do – just amazing. This was followed by the race – time trials across a course where the pilot manoeuvre his plane through various obstacles on a course in propeller driven planes at 300 kph. There was an Aussie competing -Matt Hall and he qualified by beating the favourite Pom. Unfortunately he missed out on the next qualifying round so we went home. My camera battery was flat also and I had not packed my spare battery. NOTE TO TRAVELLERS – BACKPACK WITH ALL NECESSARY SPARES, COATS, UMBRELLAS AND WET ONES NEEDED.
Here are some of the photos I took:
• The pub

the Pub
the Pub

The racecourse the royal box and mounting yard

Buying a beer

• The fly by

• The Chinook

• One of the racers and

• The finish line – we were standing directly in front of the finish line and where they took off – another lucky fluke