The Cotswolds ......a Day Trip on June 9th 2007

This was a day out In the Cotswolds and the main visits were to Snowshill Manor and Hidcote Gardens, which are featured in my two postings below here.

On this posting are more places seen that day, such as Chipping Campden, Snowshill Village and the surrounding area of Broadway Village.

The Cotswolds occupy the area between Stratford, Oxford, Bath & Gloucester.

The buildings are so welcoming in their honey coloured Limestone and go back several centuries too. Chipping Campden is one of the best preserved and most Historically Important towns in the Cotswolds. A planned town of the late 12th Century, its layout of properties can still be traced, the High St following the line of an Important trading route.

The Ancient word "Chipping" refers to a Market. The Market hall built in 1627, for the sale of butter, cheese and poultry, still stands today. Photos above.

Snowshill is unspoilt and a short distance from Broadway. There is a striking Church and a row of much photographed cottages (As pictured above) . In the village is Snowshill Manor (Featured below) and also nearby is Snowshill Lavender farm, where you can buy Lavendar products and there is a Gift shop & Tea rooms too.

You need more than a Day out to see all the Cotswold villages, but even in a day you can see so much and explore various villages just by venturing down any country lane there.

Plenty of shops and places to eat too. I'm sure it won't be long till i'm back in the Cotswolds on another visit!.

SNOWSHILL MANOR (Cotswolds)

Snowshill Manor is situated near Broadway In the Cotswolds.

Its another National Trust property and this was my second visit there in three years.

Snowhill Manor contains Charles Paget Wade's extraordinary collection of craftsmanship and design, including musical Instruments, clocks, toys, bicycles, weavers ans spinners tools ans japanese armour. Run on organic principles, the Intimate garden is laid out as a series of outdoor rooms, with terraces and ponds and wonderful views across the Cotswold countryside.

It is a very Impressive place to visit and the rooms of the Manor are full of Charles Wades collections. He lived next to the Manor in smaller outbuildings and his main room is pictured above. He slept in a Box Bed with a curtain across it. Despite having the Manor next door!

He was a well liked man according to a National Trust guide in the Manor, who knew him many years ago. Like most National Trust places, this one also has a Tea room/resturant and gift shop. There is a few minutes walk between the Tea rooms and the Manor, so it's best that visitors are aware of this. But another place well worth seeing.

HIDCOTE MANOR GARDEN (Cotswolds)

My visit to Hidcote Gardens was on June 9th as part of another visit to Snowshill Manor, nearby. Hidcote is regarded as one of the great gardens of England.

It was designed and created in the arts & Crafts style, by the Horticulturalist Major Lawrence Johnson. It is arranged as a series of outdoor rooms, each with a different character and separated by walls and hedges. The garden is famous for its rare shrubs & trees too.

The property and surrounding land is 300 acres. It certainly takes a lot of walking around to explore it all. But it is well worth it.

It is located near Chipping Campden in the village of Hidcote Bartrim, within the Cotswolds.

It is yet another National Trust garden. Tearoom & resturant and plant sales are on site too.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk

LITTLE MORETON HALL (North Staffs)

Little Moreton Hall is located in Cheshire, ,near Congleton. I visited there after my trip to Biddulph Grange Garden, as its not too far from there and whilst In that area, it made sense to visit it. I was very Impressed too , as i'd not seen a building like this before.

It was built between 1440 & 1580 and was the Moreton Family home.

It is arguably the finest timber-framed manor house In Britain.

It was built over different years from a number of box shapes, fitted together.

Wood panelling & jetties displayed the families wealth too.

The long Gallery was the final part to be built and was used for exercise.

The floors are very uneven and walking Inside you wonder how it has stayed together.

But was obviously very well made in it's wooden construction.

There is a Knot garden outside with neatly clipped yew hedging (Photo above).

There is also a moat around the manor house.

The Moretons were wealthy landlords since the 13th Century and had greatly Increased the size of the estate, by buying up land thrown onto the market, following depopulation after the "Black Death" of 1348 and the dissolution of the monastries from the 1530's to the 1550's.

Now in the safe hands of the National Trust, it also comprises a Tea room & Gift shop within the building and car parking close by. Another place well worth visiting if in that area.

BIDDULPH GRANGE GARDENS

Biddulph Grange Garden, is located In North Staffordshire, on the edge of the Peak District.

My visit was on June 2nd 2007 and the weather was perfect.

The Garden was designed in the Mid-19th Century, by James Bateman, to display specimens from his extensive plant collection.

The Garden is set out in a series of connected "Compartments".

Visitors are taken on a journey of discovery, through tunnels and pathways, that lead to Individual gardens inspired by countries around the World, from the tranquility of a Chinese garden or an Egyptian court, to an Informal Italian garden.

On my visit the Rhododendrons were all In bloom and were stunning in their bright colours.

It's certainly the best time of the year to see them.

The lake was very clear Indeed and was well stocked with Koi Carp too.

The Dahlia's had not been planted at the time of my visit, as their is a "Dahlia Walk", which is probably at its best In late August or early September. But these Gardens are worthy of a visit at any time, whilst they are open.

This is another National Trust property that is well worth a visit.

There is a nice tea room & gift shop too.

The National Trust website is > www.nationaltrust.org.uk

HARDWICK HALL & GARDENS. Derbyshire

My visit to Hardwick Hall was on the 26th May 2007 with my friend Carol.

I had been before, but I found it very Interesting the first time and decided to see it again this year too. Even In late May the gardens were already In colour and the borders full of perennials and shrubs that had probably been there for decades. The garden is split up Into sections, with a lot of yew hedging that was neatly trimmed and statues that all fitted in nicely with the surroundings. One part of the garden was a Herb garden and was well set out.

Another part was a meadow with its grass left to grow longer. My favourite was the West Court Border with the various perennials along the stone wall. A few pictures from that are above.

The Hall itself, was completed around 1600 and was home to the Formidable Bess of Hardwick.

She was the Countess of Shrewsbury and her Initials are actually along the tops of the Hall, in large letters "ES". She was born at Hardwick In 1527 , one of a family of Four girls and one boy.

A portrait of her hangs in the Long Gallery at Hardwick along with many other members of her family. The windows of the Hall seem to dominate the building too and there actually seems to be more Glass than brick. Inside the windows are shaded by net curtains, to stop the Many wall hung tapestries from fading In the sunlight. These Tapestries are quite huge and line most the walls in the Building. Impressive Indeed, as is all of the Hall itself.

After walking round the Gardens & the rooms of the hall, it was time for refreshments in the Tea room. This was the Original Kitchen area and is now the setting for the National Trust tea room at the Hall. Many of the Copper saucepans and plates are still on display in that room.

As are a lot of the Original fixtures that would have been used In the years gone by.

So we had a very Interesting visit there and a Cream tea to finish off!