It's time for the next 7 counties on the UK holiday. This time we're off to Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Trowbridge, Reading, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Let's get started!
Stop number 9
First off in this instalment is Devon. The name Devon comes from the Celts, Dumnonii, who used to inhabited the south-western peninsula of Britain at the time of the Roman conquest of Britain. Devon has been a big produced of tin, copper and other metals dating back to ancient times.
Arlington Court and the Carriage Museum is the first stop in the county. The estate has been in the Chichester family for over five hundred years. The house was built in 1823 and the extended in 1860. The stables on the grounds house the Carriage Museum which has a vehicle for every occasion.
The place is Buckland Abbey, Garden and Estate. Cistercian monks call the Abbey home in the 13th century, they built the abbey and the Great Barn. The grounds have many flowering shrubs and trees, an Elizabethan garden and a working kitchen garden. You can also enjoy over 400 acres of walks to explore the farmland, meadows and woodlands.
Time for some sun, sand and sea relaxation at Blackpool Sands Beach. The beach is in a sheltered bay and is surrounded by evergreens and pines.
Time for some exercise so strap on your hiking boots, we're off to check out Becky Falls. The Falls first opened to the public in 1903 and have been attracting people ever since.
Stop number 10
Look out Cornwall, here we come! Historically tin mining was important in the economy and increased during the Middle Ages and the 19th century. In the 19th century, tin and copper mines entered a period of decline and china clay extraction became more important. Metal mining had pretty much stopped by the 1990s.
The first amazing property to visit is Trewithen, which means ‘house of the trees'. The property has 30 acres of surrounding woodland gardens and more than two hundred acres of surrounding parkland. The house is a gem that hasn’t really changed since 1715 when Philip Hawkins first purchased it.. There have been ten generations of the same family living here. Trewithen House on three sides is made from granite from the Pentewan quarries. In 1730 the north side of the house was brick faced.
Hi Ho Hi Ho, it's off to work we go! Poldark mine is the next stop. This is one of the oldest mining districts in Cornwall where evidence of tin production in prehistory proves the antiquity of the industry in Cornwall. The site had tin production above and below ground for thousands of years.
Another industrial location, this one is Cotehele Mill. The mill is thought to have been worked in the Tamar valley since medieval times and that the watermill dates back to the 19th century. Today the mill produces wholemeal flour, which is used at the Barn Restaurant and The Edgcumbe. The waterwheel has 56 buckets, holding up to 41 litres of water. At a normal speed the waterwheel rotates at four revolutions per minute and can produce a maximum of 8.7 horsepower or 6.5 kilowatts.
St Michael's Mount is the next place to visit. You can choose to visit the island on foot or by boat. There is a legend saying that a mythical giant named Cormoran once lived on the Mount, and he used to wade ashore and steal cows and sheep from the villagers to feed his gargantuan appetite.
It's castle time and the first castle of choice is Caerhays Castle and Gardens. The castle was designed by John Nash around 200 years ago.
And now for my favourite, Lanhydrock House. After a devastating fire in 1881 the Jacobean house was refurbished in high-Victorian style. Discover life during the Victorian era from the kitchens, nurseries and servants' quarters to the luxurious family areas, elegant dining room and spacious bedrooms.
Stop number 11
Off we go, this time to Somerset. There is substantial evidence of human occupation from Palaeolithic times, and of subsequent settlement in the Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods. Agriculture is a major business in the county with the farming of sheep and cattle, for wool and the county's famous cheeses. Apple orchards were once plentiful, and Somerset is still known for the it's strong cider.
Cheddar Gorge is the first stop in Somerset, and no it's not real cheese. It is a gorge made of limestone. The gorge is the home of the Cheddar show caves, where Britain's oldest complete human skeleton, estimated to be over 9,000 years old, was found in 1903.
Glastonbury Abbey is the place to visit. Glastonbury was founded in the 7th century and renovated in the 10th, before it was destroyed by fire in 1184. During the 14th century it was rebuilt and became one of the richest and most powerful monasteries in England.
Next is Dunster Castle, a site that has been occupied for over a 1,000 years. During1571 William Arnold was hired to transform the buildings into a traditional Jacobean Manor. In 1650 200 men reduced the curtain walls to rubble but the mansion and two gateways were saved. In 1680 the dining room ceiling and staircase panels were added.
Montacute house is a masterpiece of Elizabethan Renaissance architecture. This is our next place to visit. Sir Edward Phelips has the house built and it was completed in 1601. It was built using local ham stone. There are beautiful gardens that surround Montacute house to explore.
Stop number 12
Next port of call is Wiltshire. The county is notable for its pre-Roman archaeology. The Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age people that occupied the area built settlements on the hills and downland that cover Wiltshire. The counties most famous sites are Stonehenge and Avebury.
What better way to do some exploring than on horse back. Lucknam Park offer short and longer hacks for experienced riders.
Possibly the most famous and visited attraction in the UK is Stonehenge. Stonehenge are the remains of a ring of standing stones set within earthworks. It is believed to have been built anywhere from 3000 BC to 2000 BC.
Salisbury Cathedral is next on the to do list. It is set within 8 acres of lawn and is surrounded by historic buildings and museums. The cathedral is built in the early English Gothic style and has Britain’s tallest spire of 123m.
The beautiful Palladian Lydiard Park is next. Discover the elegant state rooms with in the House and come face to face with the original family. Outside explore the ornamental 18th century walled garden that has been restored to its former glory. There is also a tranquil lake, plenty of rolling lawns and woodlands for exploring as well.
Stop number 13
Beep, beep! Here we come Berkshire. The county is one of England's oldest, possibly dating from the 840s.
First stop is Basildon Park, a Palladian style house built between 1776 and 1783 for Sir Francis Sykes. During World War II the house served as a barracks, a training ground for tanks and finally a prisoner of war camp.
Stop...Castle Time! Donnington Castle is a ruined medieval castle founded in 1386, having been owned by the Adderbury family since 1292. The castle was then taken under royal control during the Tudor period.
Still with the castle theme, it's time to check out the set of Downton Abbey. Highclere Castle stands on the site of an earlier house, which was built on the foundations of the medieval palace. The building is in the Jacobethan style and faced in Bath stone.
The Museum of Reading is the next stop which is within Reading Town Hall. The Town Hall was built in several phases between 1786 and 1897. The principal facade was designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1875 and in 1879 the foundation stone for the new wing, containing a library and museum, was laid.
Time for some relaxation of a different kind, with a glass of wine. This stop is at Stanlake Park Wine Estate, originally known as Thames Valley Vineyards. The first plants were planted in 1979. At the centre of Stanlake Park is a 17th-century Elizabethan country house.
Stop number 14
Next on the list is Buckinghamshire. The name Buckinghamshire is Anglo-Saxon in origin and means. The history of the county predates the Anglo-Saxon period and has a rich history starting from the Celtic and Roman periods. The biggest change to the county came in the 19th century, when cholera and famine hit the rural areas. The county also includes sections of two of the four longest rivers in England.
The first one is a bit different and I can't exactly provide a picture for it. Mumma bear and myself are big fans of Midsomer Murders and we have found a tour that allows you to go to some of the locations shown.
Off to prison, not for real. Just paying a visit to Buckingham Old Gaol. The gaol was built in 1748 in a castle style and the rounded front was added in 1839 by George Gilbert Scott. For around 60 years, the Old Gaol acted as the police station for Buckingham. In 1891 it was also a fire station.
Stop number 15
Last stop this post is Oxfordshire.
The first massive place to visit here is Blenheim Palace. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace was built between 1705 and 1722 in the rare English Baroque style. It is a unique building in its combined usage as a family home, mausoleum and national monument. The palace is most notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill.
Great Coxwell Barn is the next, just for something a little bit different. The barn is large 14th-century structure. At the time when it was built, it was as part of a monastic grange. It is constructed of Cotswold stone and the roof is constructed of Stonesfield slate. There is a dovecote over the door of the east porch.
Next is Heythrop Park, an early 18th-century country house. It was designed in the Baroque style by Thomas Archer. In 1831 a fire destroyed the original interior. A tertiary college was house in the Park from 1922 until 1999. Today the house is Heythrop Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club.
Until next time
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