Snowshill Manor & Garden

The weekend before last, on a beautiful Autumn morning, we decided to hop in the car and drive somewhere new.  We ended up in the Cotswold's visiting Snowshill Manor.  

The manor houses the extraordinary collection of Charles Wade.  Comprising of thousands of things, from spinning wheels, keys, and clocks, to musical instruments, Samurai armour and Chinese picnic boxes.  Every room is crammed full of treasures from all over the World.  

The gardens are very pretty too.

On the day we visited, there was also an Apple Festival going on.  Over 400 varieties were on display.

Instead of Apple Bobbing, they held an Apple Fishing competition.

Here are just a few photos of the treasures inside the house.  You'll have to excuse the quality of some of them. Unfortunately, there wasn't that much natural light available.

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Have you ever seen so many spinning wheels all in one place before?  

This is Charles Wade's bedroom. He didn't actually live in the Manor House, but in a quaint little Priest's House with only a few rooms.

This is part of a quilled picture.  It was really hard to photograph as it was behind glass and housed in a very dingy room.  It's absolutely amazing.  I dread to think how many hours of work went into this piece.

Hope you enjoyed that little trip.

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Moseley Old Hall

 Last Sunday we visited Moseley Old Hall in Staffordshire for the very first time.

It's not very big, but is really quaint and charming, with a pretty flower garden, knot garden, as well as a small wooded area.  

Moseley Old Hall is famous for hiding King Charles II after he fled the battle of Worcester in 1651, and Oliver Cromwell.

Isn't the knot garden pretty?

There is supposed to be a resident Peacock, but however hard we searched for him, he proved elusive.  Though we did buy a few of his beautiful tail feathers as a reminder of the lovely day we'd had.

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Cambridge

We're just back from a wonderful couple of days in Cambridge.

I booked this little trip away as a first wedding anniversary treat.

I'd read an article on visiting Cambridge a couple of months previous, in my Good Food magazine, and it recommended staying at Duke House.  The rooms looked beautiful online, so I booked The Gloucester Room.

The hotel did not disappoint.  The room (and ensuite) where immaculately clean and welcoming.  Liz, the proprietor, was lovely.  We all felt extremely well looked after.

Violet said she never wanted to get out of the bed because it felt like a big marshmallow.

King's College.      

Enjoying a punt down the river Cam.

This is the back of Kings College Chapel.

The famous Bridge of Sighs.

We ate a top-notch lunch at a fab pizza restaurant, called Aromi. And, had dinner at Carluccio's restaurant in the evening.

We even tracked down the World's yummiest Chocolate Brownies at a little place called Afternoon Tease.

I can't believe we haven't visited this beautiful place before.

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