Beautiful Homes in Somerset

This is a continuation of yesterdays blog detailing our recent visit to Barrington Court. It is an extensive property. It is thought that it was completed in 1560 but there is evidence that there was a house here before that time. The site was recorded in the Domesday Book!

The property is a mixture of various styles from the Gothic to Continental Renaissance!

The house took 22 years to build.

Many interesting families must have lived in this place but very little is known about them.

It is hard to believe that Barrington Court was little more than a cattle barn at the start of the 20th century when it was restored in the 1920's by Sir Arthur Lyle.

It is amazing to think that what were once cattle yards and pens have been transformed into flower gardens - the design of the gardens influenced by Gertrude Jekyll.

The food grown in the kitchen garden is used in the restaurant and the apples in the orchards are used to make cider and apple juice!

Some more beautiful blossom.

Having lunched at Barrington Court and relaxed in the stunning gardens we made our way to Ilminster.

En route we passed some fantastic homes.

How's this for a wonderful thatched cottage. Wouldn't you just like to take a peek inside? I know I would. 

Another beauty!

There were also some delightful cottages.

This was next door to the one above.

Another view of the two cottages above.

Another wonderful thatched property.

And finally, a snap shot of the chapel which looked as if it had been converted into a home.

There was also a Church in this village and so we had to go and see the inside - more on that in a later post!

The weather here is glorious and this afternoon I will be heading down the M25 for work purposes. I would rather be at home pottering around and tidying up! Our Daughter is off to a friends house later today for her tea and a sleepover - we will have a very tired girl on our hands tomorrow!

They are building new homes a short distance away and there is a big crane in situ. The dog has been barking at it like mad. Our Hound, Charlie would like to think that he is a guard dog but I fear that if we did have an intruder he would only lick their feet! He has a foot fetish! Last week the Other Half took him into the office and a short while later our secretary screamed aloud - Charlie had gone under her desk and started to lick her feet! Mad dog!

Until next time.

June.

Barrington Court in April

I am seriously behind with my blogging. To overcome the problem I am going to do two blogs in one day and I still might have to then do some more!

Last Monday saw us venturing forth to Barrington Court, near Ilminster in Somerset. The property is owned by the National Trust and I have blogged about the place previously. I have extolled the virtues of the National Trust on this blog on more than one occasion but being a member is a good quality gift.We joined when Our Daughter was born. It is easy to visit three or four properties a year and that then makes any other visit free. At the same time, you are of course, preserving the nations heritage! The Trust has many properties with wonderful gardens where you can sit and while away a few hours and have a picnic and if you're not inclined to picnic many of the properties boast their own restaurants.

Our Daughter posed behind some daffodils. The Trust had also organized a Quiz around the kitchen garden which was completed with gusto! There is nothing better than the sound of happy children trailing around a garden searching for hidden clues and the delight they express when they have the answer. A Quiz is never as daunting as a test and nowhere near as bad as an exam and yet is a good learning tool.

I don't remember the name of this early grower. We used to have it in the garden of our previous house. The small flowers look like little bells.

There were many different coloured tulips. I thought this one had an unusual colour.

The Other Half and Our Daughter before the start of the Quiz. Our Daughter had cleverly secreted the clip board with the Quiz behind her back to avoid it being in the photo!

Blossom in the kitchen garden.

Primulas - They may be small but what they lack in height they make up in impact!

Even the lilac was showing off and the scent wafting from this beauty was heavenly.

The bluebells were out in abundance - how brilliant nature is. You would have thought that with all that snow we had last year and the bad start that we had to the New Year that Spring would be late not early. You don't usually expect to see bluebells until the end of April / beginning of May and here they were the second week of April!

What a stunner!

Our Daughter in one of the gardens.

There were a few magnolia trees at their very best.

Even the lichen was vying for attention amongst all that loveliness.

Well, there we have it - two blog posts in one day. I have a blog to record our family life - be it mundane day to day things or the little trips that we enjoy as a family. The problem is that I am very behind and I don't want to loose heart by being so far behind that I want to give up. Over the next few days I will gather some momentum and get on with the task in hand! Please remember that I am a Gemini and that many things on the "to do" list never get to the top but remain forever at the bottom with no prospect of moving to the top of the grid!

Because of the two blogs thing I am now seriously behind with the housework. Whilst we were away a cat sitter came in to feed the cats twice a day. If I tell you that they had a free run of the house  - all five cats are long haired. I have hoovered the downstairs and must now drag myself upstairs to complete the task - I hope that  we have a spare hoover bag!

Until next time.

June.

A trip to Barrington Court

This is Barrington Court near Ilminster in Somerset. It is a National Trust property with beautiful gardens. We went there at half term to see the apple orchard.

As you arrive at the property there is an umbrella sculpture!

The hollyhocks were still in bloom. I love the raspberry colour of this one.

The colour of the leaves were spectacular. Just what I love about Autumn.

Amazingly, some of the roses were out in full bloom!

The red leaves of the creeper against this building were spectacular.

I like the heart shape of these leaves. I think that I should have rotated this photo as it seems to be on its side!

Our daughter!

I like the yellowness of the petals. 

And finally, wherever we go there seems to be a cat lurking somewhere!

Tomorrow's post will feature a recent trip to London.

Until then.

June.