Story Search Results

Ghostbusters! #7

...o another era, as nothing had really changed in 100 years – but not for long as they were quite dark! All the rooms were still the same as they had been when the house was first built; same décor, everything – so it was easy to imagine that the Victorian days were still with us, especially when you were an imaginative teenager! On another occasion the local press wanted to do a story on our resident ghost. They turned up, coincidentally, the day after I’d heard more noises in the night. I have always kept a diary and this particular night tells me that I couldn’t sleep and was sitting in bed reading at about 1am when I suddenly heard a young girl cryin...

Midnight Pool Parties #20

...the punk era and we saw the Sex Pistols there when they were just starting out – I have to say they didn’t get a very good reception as they couldn’t even start the first song properly and were actually booed off stage which was a ‘first’ for that club. Their ‘punk’ behaviour almost started a riot in what was normally a peaceful hippy venue!  However, their album 'Anarchy in the UK' was actually recorded live from the 76 Club so our clapping is recorded forever on this piece of vinyl!  (See below)   My mum still wasn’t convinced that Kev was the right person for me and was becoming quite determined to split us up. She tried to talk me int...

Moving On #35

...MOVING ON – THE END OF AN era:      And so, after ten years of growing up and living in a stately home, I have come to the end of my story. After my parents’ divorce it was agreed that my mum bought out my dad's half of the house and he had to leave his dream home forever. He and Gavin moved out to live in Burton-on-Trent and my mum carried on running Mediaeval Banquets for a few more years. She and the singer eventually got together much to my dad’s chagrin. The singer spent a lot more time at the Hall helping my mum run the banquets; however, Piers didn’t really get on with him. When he was about 14 years old my dad received a phone call from Piers...

The War Years and Beyond #40

...ing considerably reduced. Colonel Meynell, who had been seriously wounded in the Second World War, was suffering from his disability and it must have been difficult for him living in such a large house. Therefore, in 1952 the family bought a smaller house in nearby Newborough called Hollybush Park. I remember Mrs Meynell telling us a funny story about how her husband had come home one day and told her he had bought another house. He was very excited about the ‘hard tennis courts, so much better than our grass ones’.  The servants were also excited to have a smaller house to clean! How times have changed!  The header photo is a last picture of the five Meyn...

The Grand Opening #5

...n another era – once I lay down on the bed and fell asleep. When I awoke and climbed out from behind the drapes it was to a roomful of visitors staring open mouthed at me! In another room my dad had his racing car surrounded by displays and photos of his racing career. The Entrance Hall was turned into a café area next to the kitchen, which had once been the old Butler’s Pantry, and my job was to bake scones and make sandwiches for the hungry visitors and groups that often came for a day out. Although I would make the scones earlier in the day, we would always leave a few in the oven so that there was a lovely smell of home baking floating around the place...

Ghostbusters! #8

...o another era, as nothing had really changed in 100 years – but not for long as they were quite dark! All the rooms were still the same as they had been when the house was first built; same décor, everything – so it was easy to imagine that the Victorian days were still with us, especially when you were an imaginative teenager! On another occasion the local press wanted to do a story on our resident ghost. They turned up, coincidentally, the day after I’d heard more noises in the night. I have always kept a diary and this particular night tells me that I couldn’t sleep and was sitting in bed reading at about 1am when I suddenly heard a young girl cryin...