Sunday, March 11, 2012
Sunshine in Surrey. Clandon House.
Another day, more sunshine and lots to do.
We were out early and called in at the Dorking car boot sale; it was the first time we had been there for ages. It seems to have picked up a bit. I bought things.
Then on to Woking to trawl the stalls at the Collectables Fair.
I bought more things and I persuaded Bill to buy things.
He is now the proud owner of 2 truncheons. One is a Victorian police truncheon; the other was carried by by somebody in the military police. It is a beautiful wood and heavy - would have done a great deal of damage. Now it just looks beautiful and hands are just drawn to stroke it.
We were in the HG Wells pub in Woking before midday. Bill had a Wetherspoons breakfast and I had a jacket potato with chilli con carne and salad.
The sun was out and the sky was blue - I felt like a walk. There are 2 National Trust properties close to Woking.
We chose Hatchlands......bad choice; it was closed. It will open again on April 1st.
So we went off to Clandon Park - the stately home that had been the home of the Earls of Onslow.
Most of our walking was within the house.
Photography was allowed in the marble hall - where there were few artefacts or pictures. Elsewhere it was forbidden.
Daffodils bursting through to the back of the house.
The formal, French style, garden at the side of the house.
Now we have reached the front of the house and the grand entrance.
Through the entrance to find ourselves standing in a two storey high, white marble and plaster reception hall.
The ceiling was amazing in its detail and for the skill of modelling the plaster and marble.
Using a mirror to study ceiling details without craning the neck.
We walked through dining rooms, sitting rooms, bedrooms - many with yet more amazing ceilings and a remarkable collection of objects.
But Bill is blessed with the ability to look beyond the obvious.
Fire equipment in the basement.
Home then - to deal with some Ebay items. Should have dealt with purchases too - but no, they are still strewn all over the dining room table.
Antiques Roadshow was on. It had been filmed at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum. We have not been there for many years now.
It was founded by a friend of the family - Roy Armstrong.
As a child and teenager I would go to visit Roy and his family with my family. Fascinating!
Certainly, for a while, Christmas would not have been Christmas without a day with them and all sorts of other friends and family. I am still in touch with another of the "young" people who would have been there at Christmas.
We were out early and called in at the Dorking car boot sale; it was the first time we had been there for ages. It seems to have picked up a bit. I bought things.
Then on to Woking to trawl the stalls at the Collectables Fair.
I bought more things and I persuaded Bill to buy things.
He is now the proud owner of 2 truncheons. One is a Victorian police truncheon; the other was carried by by somebody in the military police. It is a beautiful wood and heavy - would have done a great deal of damage. Now it just looks beautiful and hands are just drawn to stroke it.
We were in the HG Wells pub in Woking before midday. Bill had a Wetherspoons breakfast and I had a jacket potato with chilli con carne and salad.
The sun was out and the sky was blue - I felt like a walk. There are 2 National Trust properties close to Woking.
We chose Hatchlands......bad choice; it was closed. It will open again on April 1st.
So we went off to Clandon Park - the stately home that had been the home of the Earls of Onslow.
Most of our walking was within the house.
Photography was allowed in the marble hall - where there were few artefacts or pictures. Elsewhere it was forbidden.
Daffodils bursting through to the back of the house.
Through the entrance to find ourselves standing in a two storey high, white marble and plaster reception hall.
The ceiling was amazing in its detail and for the skill of modelling the plaster and marble.
We walked through dining rooms, sitting rooms, bedrooms - many with yet more amazing ceilings and a remarkable collection of objects.
But Bill is blessed with the ability to look beyond the obvious.
 |
| Bracket fungus in the park. |
Fire equipment in the basement.
Home then - to deal with some Ebay items. Should have dealt with purchases too - but no, they are still strewn all over the dining room table.
Antiques Roadshow was on. It had been filmed at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum. We have not been there for many years now.
It was founded by a friend of the family - Roy Armstrong.
As a child and teenager I would go to visit Roy and his family with my family. Fascinating!
Certainly, for a while, Christmas would not have been Christmas without a day with them and all sorts of other friends and family. I am still in touch with another of the "young" people who would have been there at Christmas.
