Today was a circular walk day. There were several temptations. I settled on a route that went to Lake Ozleworth and then to Newark House and Gardens. There really was a lake at Ozleworth:
There were also some challenges en route such as locked gates, of which there were three:
The choices are: climb over, crawl under, turn around. I chose two climb-overs and one crawl-under. Locking gates on public paths is just not done in England only apparently it is.
Then there was this challenge:
Utterly non-navigable, so I knocked on the door of the residence and was answered by barking dogs. FINALLY, I noticed, high up on a stone wall:
The route was partly overgrown:
so much so that the stinging from nettles and thorns and who knows what else is just beginning to fade eight hours later. A consult with the local pharmacist was mildly helpful: it will go away in a day or so!
And partly manicured:
The manicured parts were more pleasant.
Guess who showed up AGAIN, this time at Newark House?
And didn't he get a fancy frame this time?
What I learned: that Newark is a corruption of New+Work.
I was very sad that "below stairs" was closed for some reason because kitchens are always the most fun. There were other bits of interest, though. A wall of stained glass windows that admitted lots of light:
A super ugly bedroom:
at which was served:
First Course: cheat and manchet, ale, pottage, meat pie, brawn, venison, veal, seasonal vegetables.
Second Course: pheasant, lamb, rabbit, heron, peacock or swan, tarts, fritters, jellies, hyppocras, custard, and sugared almonds.
Don't you wish you had been there? BTW Cheat and manchet are types of bread and hyppocras is a cider-like beverage.
The grounds were lovely, thickly treed, with fields of daisies and poppies that just did not photograph well. The star of the property was:
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