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Christmas High Jinks #87

...a lot of visitors; however, there was no-one about that day and the children made their way inside.   “Gosh it’s so gloomy in here,” said Gavin.  “I don’t know why people want to visit this place – there’s nothing to do.” They wandered down the aisle looking at leaflets on the way.  When they got to the altar they noticed two enormous candles at each end of it. “Let’s light the candles,” Gavin shouted.  “That will brighten the place up.”  With that he climbed up onto the altar, found some matches nearby and quickly lit the two candles.  They noticed some other candles nearby and lit them.  Then they saw a small chapel to...

The Kitchen Maid's Story #35

...here were visitors arriving and her statement below shows the implications for the staff of a large country house:- “I don’t know who they were, but they were a lady and gentleman, a valet and lady’s maid, a grown-up daughter, and a very young child.  Young enough to have a nanny. That meant three extra in the dining room, two extra in the steward’s room, an extra nanny, and an extra child.  All on different sorts of food.” They also, respectively, occupied different sorts of dining areas! Jenny’s day was seventeen hours long as the extra visitors made extra work! There were the vegetables to peel, the fire to keep up, bread sauce to make, gravy...

The Kitchen Maid's Story #34

...here were visitors arriving and her statement below shows the implications for the staff of a large country house:- “I don’t know who they were, but they were a lady and gentleman, a valet and lady’s maid, a grown-up daughter, and a very young child. Young enough to have a nanny. That meant three extra in the dining room, two extra in the steward’s room, an extra nanny, and an extra child. All on different sorts of food.” They also, respectively, occupied different sorts of dining area! Jenny’s day was seventeen hours long as the extra visitors made extra work! There were the vegetables to peel, the fire to keep up, bread sauce to make, gravy, gro...

Becoming a rock chick #16

...open and visitors would wander outside and look at our pets – I imagine an over enthusiastic child had opened the hutch and not shut it properly because they escaped into the house and got into the library, it being the nearest room to the back door. I happened to be coming into the house on this particular day when I heard a woman scream “Rats, rats – on the bookshelves!” I rushed into the Library through the secret door (which made the visitors jump even more) to find them looking at our guinea pigs! How could they think our lovely pets were rats? However, we did get rats in the house but that’s for another blog! The guinea pigs were safely put back...

The Kitchen Maid's Story #37

...here were visitors arriving and her statement below shows the implications for the staff of a large country house:- “I don’t know who they were, but they were a lady and gentleman, a valet and lady’s maid, a grown-up daughter, and a very young child. Young enough to have a nanny. That meant three extra in the dining room, two extra in the steward’s room, an extra nanny, and an extra child. All on different sorts of food.” They also, respectively, occupied different sorts of dining area! Jenny’s day was seventeen hours long as the extra visitors made extra work! There were the vegetables to peel, the fire to keep up, bread sauce to make, gravy, gro...

The Chapel #68

...that the visitors could enter.  At the other end of the corridor was the back door leading to the gardens plus doors to Lady Dorothy’s Boudoir and the Library.  The Boudoir (which means 'ladies dressing room or private sitting room') has a carved wooden fireplace dating from the 18th century and complements the elegantly gilded and moulded ceiling. The walls were covered with William Morris damask, which was a beautiful gold coloured silk fabric; unfortunately it is no longer there.  In this room we had on display a four-poster bed and during the first year at the Hall we used this room to display my father's racing car and memorabilia!  What would Lady D...