June 2008

Southill Park

We were blessed with a glorious sunny spring day for our visit to Southill Park on Tuesday 6th May. The Palladian mansion was built around 1726 for the Byng family (the body of Admiral Sir John Byng, who was blamed for the loss of Minorca to the French and executed on the deck of his own ship in 1757, lies in All Saints Church, Southill); but when they fell upon hard times, it was bought in 1795 by the successful brewer Samuel Whitbread. He commissioned the prominent Georgian architect Henry Holland to remodel the house, the work being completed in a rather more flamboyant style by his assistant, Charles Heathcote Tatham.

The house continues as the Whitbread family home to this day, currently occupied by Charles Whitbread and his family. Mr Whitbread, and the house's archivist James Collett-White, were our guides. The house is filled with furniture and other treasures from the Georgian period, including many paintings of senior brewery employees by no less an artist than Thomas Gainsborough. We also explored the beautiful garden and park which was landscaped by Capability Brown. Our visit concluded with tea in the formal dining room.

St Paul's Walden Bury

The morning rain passed and we were able to enjoy the beautiful garden and park of St Paul's Walden Bury, near Whitwell, on Thursday 15th May. The house was the home of the Earls of Strathmore and was the childhood home of the late Queen Mother.

We were greeted by Mr Fergus Bowes Lyon who pointed out to us the original Georgian house, possibly designed by Robert Adam, and the later larger Victorian extension. The house has been in the same family since 1725 and it was the original owner who laid out the extensive gardens and park around that time. It includes many specimen trees in avenues flowing out from the house, formal woodland, statues, temples and a ruined orangery. On the eastern side is a lake with, at one end, a temple designed by William Chambers. The rain held off and we were able to spend a pleasant afternoon wandering around and exploring the well maintained grounds.

Maydencroft Manor

We visited Maydencroft Manor on Tuesday 20th May, a bright if chilly evening, and were greeted by our hosts Mr Robert and Mrs Frances Williams. We started our tour by visiting the beautifully restored tithe barn, also home to a colony of bats, and where it is believed John Bunyan, of "The Pilgrim's Progress" fame, preached to his followers. We then toured the immaculate grounds, maintained almost single-handedly by Mr and Mrs Williams, and saw the new cricket pitch and the remains of the old moat.

As we walked around the house, Mr Williams described the various architectural periods from the 15th century, through the time when King Henry VIII may have used the house as a hunting lodge, to the later expansion around 1615. We were later shown around the ground floor of the house and saw many items associated with the house and the family, including the skilful embroidery made by Mr Williams.

We have made this visit many times before but it is always a delight, mainly because of our hosts' knowledge and enthusiasm for the house.

This page updated 12 July 2008