Story Search Results

A Home fit for a King #21

In this week's blog I am focusing on the royal family again <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> the stately homes which they grew up in. The main residence for the Royal family is Buckingham Palace which is the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> where many state occasions take place, but Buckingham Palace was originally known as Buckingham House. The building at the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> became known as The Queen's House. During the 19th ce...

Anyone for tennis? #62

With the summer season well <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> truly upon us <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Wimbledon in full swing, I thought a blog about tennis might be in order!  The game of tennis first started in the Mediaeval days <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> involved hitting a ball with a bare h<Span class='highlight'>andSpan> <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> later with a glove.  By the 16th century the glove had become a racquet <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> the game had moved to an enclosed playing area <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> the rules had stabilized.  This was known as ‘real tennis’.  The word tennis came into use in English in the mid-14th century from French, via the Anglo-Norman term Tenez, which can be translated as 'hold', 'receive' or 'take', a call from the server to his opponent indicating that he is about to serve....

The Ballroom #70

Continuing my series on the rooms that were open to the public at Hoar Cross Hall, we move from the Library, through the secret door, to the Ballroom.  Overlooking the gardens <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> the former deer-park, this beautifully proportioned room is elegant <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> gr<Span class='highlight'>andSpan>.  The lower halves of the walls are covered in carved white <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> gold wood panelling which is complemented by the original h<Span class='highlight'>andSpan> printed blue wallpaper, again over 150 years old (see photo below).  Incredibly the original wooden printing blocks for the wallpaper were in the house when we moved in <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> were on show to the public in this room.  The fireplaces are made of marble with carved wood overmantels wh...

The country house in society #48

Country houses are to be found throughout the British Isles <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> are a peculiarly English phenomenon. Houses range from mediaeval manor houses to classical Palladian mansions, elegant Georgian residences to the Gothic buildings of the Victorian era. A great many have survived for two main reasons: Britain has been Spared much of the havoc of war <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> revolution affecting other countries. Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire   Wentworth Woodhouse (above) is one of the largest stately homes in Europe <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> was visited by King George V <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Queen Mary in 1912. It is now with the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> is much bigger than this photo shows!   The...

Things that go bump in the night #3

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT!     Going to sleep in a big old house is quite scary when you’re young but going to sleep in a big old house that’s haunted is even more scary!!  That first winter at Hoar Cross Hall was like that.  Every time there was a windy night I could hear a window banging in the attic – all night long it kept me awake.  The next day I would go upstairs to close it but there would be no windows open or even loose.   They were all tightly shut as they had been for 20 years.  I remember st<Span class='highlight'>andSpan>ing there in the attic rooms feeling a tingling down my spine <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> goose bumps all over as I felt the atmosphere closing in on me -  <Span class='highlight'>andSpan>...

Things that go bump in the Night #3

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT! Going to sleep in a big old house is quite scary when you’re young but going to sleep in a big old haunted house is even more scary!! That first winter at Hoar Cross Hall was like that. The attic rooms were on the floor above our bedrooms – there were about fifteen rooms which had been used for the servant girls to sleep in. Every time there was a windy night I could hear a window banging in the attic – all night long it kept me awake. The next day I would go upstairs to close it but there would be no windows open or even loose. They were all tightly shut as they had been for 20 years. I remember st<Span class='highlight'>andSpan>ing there in those d...