After a good night’s sleep we wake up to the chirping of the birds. The children have a go at everything they brought and some eat breakfast outside while other people enjoy the comforts of a warm room.
The advantage of rising early is that it feels like a whole day has passed when we leave at 9.30 for our tour of some more country houses nearby.
The first one is Croft castle, an estate which has been in the Croft family since just after the Norman conquest of 1066. But the castle we visit today is an early example of mediaeval revival architecture from the 1660s. After the castle we explore the lovely walled garden which shelters us a bit from the sudden spur of rain. A good time to go to the second hand bookshop and get some reading material for all.
Some miles to the east lies our second stop of the day, Berrington Hall. Another country estate, but from the later neoclassical period (1780s). It’s not very pretty on the outside but has some lovely decorated rooms inside. The highlight of the visit is the original 18th century dress which is also remade in three different sizes so everybody can have a go at feeling elegant.
Outside is an English landscape garden designed by the aptly named “Capability” Brown. It also features a ha ha wall, a feature we first saw at Upton House. The ha ha wall, is a lowered wall which doesn’t block the view and thus surprise the viewer when noticed so much that they will exclaim “ha ha”!
There is another walled garden with over 30 species of apples. We didn’t know any of them and are surprised to learn that another 2000 or so are grown in the UK. The second hand bookstore expands our book collection even more, meaning we can go back to our holiday house and enjoy some reading.
