A day out

Our friends Dawn and Richard came to stay with us last weekend, a visit we had been looking forward to, for some time.

On Saturday we decided to look at two National Trust properties, despite the overcast, cold and wet weather.    Although we had visited the two properties chosen before, there was always something new to discover about them.

The first one, Chartwell, not far from Westerham, was Sir Winston Churchill's family home.   The house was bought by Sir Winston and his wife, Lady Clementine, in 1922.   They then renovated and modernised the existing house, and landscaped the gardens.

The house looked very gloomy from the outside, but it was a warm and comfortable home inside.   It still contained the Churchills' possessions, including many of Sir Winston's paintings.  

A view across the rolling landscape, with the pond in the centre.   Such a beautiful and picturesque part of Kent.

The vegetable garden still had plenty of vegetables growing, even though it was autumn.   There was also a great array of gourds, drying in the previous sunshine.  Not on this day though.

A very pictureseque and effective way of drying gourds.

We visited the quant old house, beside the vegetable garden, which was once Sir Winston's art workshop, and which now holds many of his paintings.  He was a self taught and accomplished painter, who began painting at forty. Some paintings were not brilliant so he obviously kept all his work.  

The view of the house from the rose garden.  I searched the internet to find out about the history of the house at Chartwell, but it obviously did not rate as being very historical, until the Churchills' took it over, that is.    Just a country house, very large, and situated in an expensive and beautiful part of Kent.  

A collection of National Trust umbrellas.   Luckily there were plenty of umbrellas to borrow, as the rain became heavier as the morning progressed.

We ate lunch in the lovely warm restaurant at Chartwell.    Very welcoming.   Good food too.

After that we set off in the car for Ightham Mote, located near Sevenoaks.  

As it was still raining, we took the small electric bus down the hill to the gate.   Mind you it would have been quicker to walk down.  But still, quite an experience.

Ightham Mote was a medieval manor house built in 1320.   I took the photograph below of the house and moat through the trees as I was leaving, when the sun was shining brightly.

The first piece of information I found out, came from the National Trust speaker.   Within minutes of arriving I learnt that the moat was originally used for defence purposes.   I had just told Richard, the moat was never used for defence but that it was built to provide water for the house, and for keeping fish in.   Talk about providing incorrect information. I am sure that I was told this on a previous visit.

The house was built around a courtyard, which also held a Grade 1 listed very large dog kennel.   During the past five centuries owners made relatively few changes to the structure.   So now we have a complete medieval manor house.

The Selbys owned it for nearly 300 years, then the Colyer-Fergussons lived in it from 1889.   They carried out many of the repairs and renovations to the inside of the house.   The house was saved from being demolished or converted into flats in the early 1950s by an American, Charles Henry Robinson.    He gave it to the National Trust.

The chapel, where currently the Victoria Cross, awarded posthumously to one of the sons of the Colyer-Fergussons, was displayed.

A view across to the old stables, converted into accommodation (I think)

And when we finished our tour, the sun was shining.   What a lovely sight.

A lovely day out, which we all enjoyed very much.  National Trust houses are always interesting and full of information, and going with friends makes the experience even better.