National
Trust Properties 2019
I can't believe that it's that time of year again when I
look back at the National Trust properties that I have visited in the
previous year. Where has that year gone?
I started 2019 with a trip to the south coast of England
and as usual I looked for National Trust properties that I could
visit during my travels. It was a cold, wet and windy February when I
made the trip, but thankfully on the days that I visited two of the
National Trust's wonderful properties, the wind and rain held off
long enough for me to enjoy two very pleasant visits.
NYMANS
My first stop was at Nymans, one of the National Trust's
premier gardens. These are beautiful and extensive late 19th
century gardens, located just east of the village of Handcross in
West Sussex. I could very happily have spent much longer here than I
did, and would have done so, had it not been for the inclement
weather. The house, which was sadly destroyed by fire in 1947, and
gardens were owned by the Messel family until the National Trust took
over in 1953. Although in ruins, the house still dominates the garden
and is a prominent and imposing feature in its own right.
WAKEHURST PLACE
My second visit on this trip was to Wakehurst Place,
close to Haywards Heath, and not a million miles away from Nymans.
Wakehurst is the country Estate of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.
There are very interesting gardens to be found here and delightful
wetland, woodland and nature reserve. But what sets Wakehurst apart
from other country estates is the amazing seed collection housed in
The Millennium Seed Bank, the largest seed collection in the world.
There is some very impressive and important work being carried out
here, and the displays are fascinating and very informative.
March turned out to be somewhat disappointing. Whilst in
the Barking area of London, I had hoped to visit at least one
National Trust property. However, on the designated day of my visit,
none were open, which just illustrates the importance of forward
planning! I did, however, get to look around the gardens of Eastbury
Manor, although officially closed for a private function, the
gentleman in charge very kindly allowed my wife and I to view the
gardens, but not the Manor on this occasion. Eastbury Manor is an
Elizabethan Gentry house built by Clement Sysley and is a magnificent
building. The gardens, although small, are delightful and very
peaceful. I look forward to returning to explore Eastbury Manor more
fully in the near future.
SHAW'S CORNER
May saw me visiting the Luton and Bedford area. Just a
few miles from the hustle and bustle of a vibrant Luton, sits the
modest and pleasingly tranquil Shaw's Corner. Situated in Ayot St
Lawrence, Shaw's Corner was the rural home of George Bernard Shaw. A
very evocative place to visit, with much of interest, particularly to
readers of Shaw's works. The house remains very much as it was in
Shaw's day, and the small but very interesting garden still houses
Shaw's writing hut, which can be found in a delightful, peaceful,
secluded and thought provoking spot among the trees at the bottom of
the garden.
WILLINGTON DOVECOTE & STABLES
My second visit on this trip was to Willington Dovecote
and Stables, close to Bedford. These are perfectly preserved examples
of 16th century workmanship, with the Dovecote very much
still in use. John Gostwick had these built, along with the nearby
church, as part of his large Tudor estate. It is likely that some of
the building materials came from old monastic sites. There is ample
parking on the site, and it is a lovely, quiet, picturesque setting
for a picnic.
The National Trust is a fantastic organisation, looking
after these historic buildings and gardens and ensuring they are
there for future generations to enjoy. I urge readers of this blog to
join if they can, or at least try to visit one or two of these
wonderful properties. They make for a wonderful day out and you won't
be disappointed.
For more details, visit the National Trust website at
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
I can't wait to see what other National Trust delights
2020 will have in store for me.
