I popped into Farnham on a free morning to explore.
Tag Archives: history
Chartwell in Kent
I visited Chartwell in Kent, the home of Winston Churchill for 40 years.
Penshurst Place
Thou art not, Penshurst, built to envious show,
Of touch or marble; nor canst boast a row
Of polished pillars, or a roof of gold;
Thou hast no lantern, whereof tales are told,
Or stair, or courts; but stand’st an ancient pile,
And, these grudged at, art reverenced the while.
Thou joy’st in better marks, of soil, of air,
Of wood, of water; therein thou art fair.
The first few lines of the poem ‘To Penshurst’ by Ben Jonson published in 1616 illustrate how highly the poet regarded the beautiful country house Penshurst. By virtue of disregarding what makes other houses, it is, in Jonson’s opinion, far superior.
I went to Kent for a long weekend away in the countryside and my first stop was the fascinating Penshurst Place.
Richard Dadd Exhibition at the Watts Gallery
‘He was considered a violent and dangerous patient (…) After he killed his father, his rooms were searched and a portfolio was found containing likenesses of many of his friends all with their throats cut.’
So artist Richard Dadd’s condition was described in his Casenotes from Bethlem, a psychiatric hospital, in 1854.
Continue reading Richard Dadd Exhibition at the Watts Gallery
Ham House
The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge
Even on a very gloomy day, Cambridge is glorious.
Polesden Lacey Roses
It was the scent of roses that made me all agog to see the garden at Polesden Lacey.
Iris Garden at Polesden Lacey
I went to Polesden Lacey while the sun was shining to see the iris garden.
Continue reading Iris Garden at Polesden Lacey
Morden Hall Park
I went to Morden Hall Park ahead of the official opening of the National Trust’s first garden centre at Morden Hall.
It’s a verdant haven in the city.
Continue reading Morden Hall Park
The Homewood in Esher
Any house with a fully functioning outdoor kitchen is bound to get my attention.
Continue reading The Homewood in Esher