A Grand Day Out

I was thrilled and excited today as David had said that they was somewhere here I might like to visit.  He had seen in the Nicholson that not only had Wightwick Manor got a good collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, drawings and sketches.  Ceramics and original rugs but it was open today! Hurrah.  The Pre-Raphaelites are my fav.

It's a NT property (You will remember that we have let our membership lapse two months ago) but its only open two  days a week.  How lucky is that?

Not open until 12pm, so we went off together on bikes to look at the countryside hereabouts.  

Back at the Manor and up the sweeping path to suddenly view the property

Not nearly as old as it might appear.

Well a fabulous place and I would urge all Staffs to Worcester Canal boaters to time their stop here to be on either a Saturday or a Thursday.  Gardens were lovely too if you hate arty farty stuff.

Someone in charge of the gardens had been very clever producing these

Beauts.

Not an easy feat in September to look as good as they did. (Although one Christmas Day Nanny brought me in a rose from our garden).

This is the front door

It was such a warm day that we found a sunny spot and just sat awhile.

The house and NT are very behind the times of course and don't allow photography so I only got this shot before being told off.

It is painted glass in the drawing room one of many.

Sign that autumn is racing around the corner.

This was a whopper although David is small.

We were amongst the last to leave, and as we walked out of the grounds, we had to vault the gates as they had been closed much earlier.  Viking Princesses have no problem with gate vaulting.

Supper was a shared baked camembert with roasted beetroots, crisps, salad and chutney.