This is the last post about the three weeks we spent in Somerset in an historic home with 2 lovely dogs. We felt very lucky to have found the opportunity to experience many wonderful places in the English countryside. 🏴
There was a vintage Rolls Royce show at the Wells Cathedral on September 9th so we took the dogs with us to check it out. 📸
Steve left for the day to visit some folks who were 2 hours away. The dogs missed him as soon as he left. 😢
Lara was ecstatic when he returned! 🥳
We left the dogs for two days while their owners returned (we would be back). 👋
Our destination was Hidcote Manor and Gardens. Steve's brother Mark told us about it being the origin of garden rooms so we wanted to see it during our short break from dog sitting. Fortunately for us, they had a sculpture show during our visit (Focus Post coming soon). 🌸
Hidcote is a world-famous Arts and Crafts-inspired garden nestled in a North Cotswold hamlet, created by passionate plantsman and talented designer, Major Lawrence Johnston. Covering an area of 10.5 acres the garden takes visitors on a journey through intimate formal areas revealing a different atmosphere or new vista at every turn. Smaller, more formal garden ‘rooms’ near the house, give way to more natural areas that blend in with the surrounding countryside further away.
Beautiful art and early autumn gardens. 📸
They had a lovely garden shop too. 🪴
We were lucky that the rain started on our way out. ☔️
We were so intrigued by the gardens that we drove just around the corner to Mickleton to visit Lawrence Johnstone's (and his mother's) graves.
We took a scenic drive back south towards the inn. 🐑
Stratford-upon-Avon was just was only 20 minutes away so we decided to check it out, despite the rainy forecast. 🌦️
Posing with the Young Will statue outside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. 🎭
Stratford architecture. 📸
We headed back south to Somerset and saw a fair being set up - the Sizzler was next to the town church. 🎡
We stopped in charming and picturesque Stow-in-the-Wolds. Most of the buildings in the Cotswolds are made up of honey-colored local stone. 🏠
Market Square:
... the focus of town life over many centuries, with the medieval market stocks at one end, the ancient market cross at the other and the impressive St Edwards Hall standing in the centre. 📸
We made it back to Somerset and the dogs seemed pretty happy to see us. 😍
On our second to last day, we took the dogs to the Glastonbury Tor. It can be seen for miles away so we were glad to finally see it up close. Glastonbury Tor is a hill near Glastonbury ... topped by the roofless tower of St Michael's Church. The Tor is mentioned in Welsh mythology, particularly in myths linked to King Arthur, and has several other enduring mythological and spiritual associations.
Artefacts from human visitation have been found, dating from the Iron Age to Roman eras. Several buildings were constructed on the summit during Saxon and early medieval periods; they have been interpreted as an early church and monks' hermitage. The head of a wheel cross dating from the 10th or 11th century has been recovered. The original wooden church was destroyed by an earthquake in 1275, and the stone Church of St Michael was built on the site in the 14th century. Its tower remains, although it has been restored and partially rebuilt several times.
I found this photo online since I didn't get one from afar. 📸
The views from the top were lovely ... and the wind was brisk! 💨
The last photo is one of my favorites - we hope to see them again! 😍
