Happy Birthday Agatha Christie!

 Did you know that Agatha Christie's birthday is on September 15th?  I'll bet at least a few of you knew that.  I, however, did not....until today....when we decided to visit Greenway, the house that she and her second husband purchased as a holiday home in 1938.  There's a story behind that, but I'm going to leave you in suspense until later. 

Today was quite the adventure!  It began with a lovely breakfast at our B&B, the Brace of Pheasants before packing up to begin our westward journey towards Cornwall.  

We no sooner made it to the main road when I spotted a large herd of Highland Cows relaxing in a field by the side of the road.  How many times have we visited the Highlands of Scotland, hoping for a peek of one of the magnificent creatures, only to be sadly disappointed?

And here we were in Dorset, on what is nearly the opposite side of the island, and we spotted over a dozen hanging out in the fields.  How lucky was that?  Of course, Marty pulled over so that we could get some photos. And, they didn't even flinch!

From here we drove near the coast, admiring the beautiful rolling hills that were accented by the beautiful blue from the water.  Our first stop was Cockington Village in Devon. It is actually part of the town of Torque, which sits on the eastern side of a peninsula on the southern part of England.  Interestingly enough, this area is known as the English Riviera. 

Getting there was a bit tricky, as our cell coverage was nearly nil, and we found ourselves subject to the closure of the main road that leads into the village.  I was able to steer Marty in the right direction,  but I'll admit that at one point, I had to convince him that he just needed to believe me and follow my directions. 

I couldn't blame him for questioning my directions as we found ourselves driving down a steep, extremely narrow road, that was flanked on either side by embankments considerably higher than our car.  But, once at the bottom we soon found ourselves just outside the village, and made our way to the parking lot. 

Marty had been sure that the place would be empty due to the detour, but it appeared that a whole lot of people somehow figured out how to get there because the parking lot was pretty full, and the place was buzzing with walkers.  

We both agreed that it was well worth the scary adventure once we arrived at this fairy tale-like village. 

Don't you agree?  

We walked through the park to check out the manor house as well as the stables behind the building.  The area is now used to feature local artists and shops where they sell their trade specialties. 

A lovely rose garden sits behind the house, and next to the stables. 

and within easy walking distance stands an Anglo Saxon church that has stood here since the 13th century. 

We headed back into the village to enjoy a Devon Cream Tea. 

It was probably one of the best cream teas that we've enjoyed.  The scones were perfect, and the Devon Cream was the REAL Deal!  With home made raspberry jam atop, it was melt in my mouth deliciousness. 

and what better than to be entertained by this delightful creature? 

After our tea, we went back out on the road to head further south to Greenway.  I had read that it was essential to reserve a parking place in the lot, and when I went to do so last evening, the only time slots left were for 3:00 PM.  In retrospect, that should have been a clue regarding numbers visiting. But, what was I to know? 

We arrived with just a minute to spare for our designated 3:00 parking slot, and headed down the long walk to the house.  The place was buzzing with activity. We did manage to get a photo without any heads in the background, though.  

We were really quite surprised by the amount of people visiting this house, well off the beaten track, on a Thursday afternoon in mid September.  Upon speaking with a National Trust Guide, we then learned that this time of the year is always extremely busy for visitors to Greenway, as it appears that dye hard fans of the famous author flock here the week of her birthday, which is September 15.  

It certainly seems that I'm always learning something new! 

The house in itself is not all that large.  There has been a structure on this site since Tudor Times, but it was completely remodeled during the Georgian Era, and renovated in year since. 

Agatha Christie, who was born in nearby Torquay, purchased the house along with her second husband, to use as a vacation get away.   The house is loaded to the brim with artifacts that Christie and her husband had collected over the years from their many travels. I'd liken it to a small museum with quite a number of artifacts that had been held precious by Agatha in years past.   Here are just some unique items that captured my attention: 

There were two St. Louis XVI tapestries hanging on opposite walls in a hall room. They were purchased as part of a collection.

The kitchen housed a beautiful blue stove, along with a rooster, as you can see, that captured Marty's attention. 

And there were the servant's bells in the hallway, although it isn't clear whether they would have been used during Christie's time in the house. 

Moving on, the dining room had some interesting items on display.

including a porcelain lobster plate.  Apparently that particular seafood was one of Christie's favorite meals, and it was served at Greenway, in this dining room for her 80th birthday.  I'm not sure if she was served it upon this platter. 

During World War II, the United States Coast Guard requisitioned the house and they would use the boathouse area for D-Day practice drills.   During the time he was stationed there, a lieutenant by the name of Marshall Lee,  designed a mural that spreads across all four upper walls of the library room.  It depicts the places he had traveled with the US Coast Guard in the 11 months prior to their stay here at Greenway. The detail is really quite remarkable. 

Following the war, he offered to paint over the frieze, but Agatha Christie felt it was a tribute to the bravery of these young men and decided that it was worth keeping from a historic perspective. 

This same room was filled with books and trinkets purchased over the years by the couple as gifts for each other.  There were certainly some very unique items.  

The house was gifted to the National Trust in 2005, and opened for public viewing in 2009.  

In 2013, as a final tribute to Christie, the final episode of the Poirot Series, Dead Man's Folly, was filmed on location at Greenway. It certainly seemed a fitting place as the setting fit the descriptions in the book.  And, it was this location where the title was written. 

Among this tribute were several copies of Christie's Poirot novels.  The house was certainly not lacking in multiple copies of her many books that she had written over the years.  There seemed to be shelves in every room that contained her writing among their holdings. 

The tour of the house took us less than an hour before we headed out to enjoy the rest of our time there on this glorious day. 

We spent some time perusing the surrounding landscape. 

 There was a lovely fountain in the Fernery. 

And brilliant flowers blooming in the fields surrounding the grass designated for Clock Golf. 

 

There was even a tennis court hidden among the walled walkways. 

The trip was certainly worth the experience, and Marty and I both left with a new found knowledge of this famous author. 

We made our way to the car park, and before leaving the lot, Marty decided to "modify" the suggested route to our hotel.  Within short time, he was regretting that decision, as we found ourselves on roads that were only as wide as the car, and lined with tall hedgerows along the edges. Would you believe that the posted speed is 60 MPH? 

And, would you believe that some drivers actually take that speed limit seriously?  Well, you can certainly take my word for that, as on more than one occasion, we found ourselves turning a bend, only to have a driver facing us at high speed.  Luckily, it seems that everyone's brakes work well!

They would tuck into the side of the road at a lay by, or even back up, if necessary, so that the two cars could pass by within inches of each other.  A bit stressful for the driver, and I was worried I'd eat a few hedgerows, but, luckily, Marty was able to maneuver quite admirably. 

We finally arrived at our hotel, which is actually owned by a Benedictine Abbey.  It stands on the grounds near the active church, although we can only see the top of the towers peeking through the trees. 

There were a few minutes of panic when the receptionist realized that an earlier attendant had given away our room.  But she was able to remedy the situation within short time. 

And, since I had reserved dinner a few weeks ago, we were shown to this lovely table featuring the "comfy" chairs.  How lucky was that? 

And, tonight, I decided to splurge and order a scoop of Vanilla Clotted Cream ice cream,. 

It was delectable! 

  

Until tomorrow!

On Our Way to Cornwall!

 Greetings! Marty and I are on a new adventure,  this time exploring the southwest section of Great Britain as we make our way to the southwest corner of Cornwall. 

We landed at 8:30 am and within short time, we were set up with a rental car, with Marty breezing along the highway as we made our way southwest to the National Trust site, Mottisfont.  Because Marty and I are Royal Oak members, who partner with the Trust, I generally use our membership as an opportunity to explore their various chosen gems.  (Not to mention that we visit at no cost!)

You can see that it was a beautiful day with lots of bright sunshine, and the temperatures were quite comfortable, which was certainly a pleasant surprise! 

The back of the property had some lovely gardens,

and the stable yards featured some interesting sculptures. 

But what makes this house unique, is that it was once an active religious community, run by Augustinian monks. The Black Death significantly diminished members, and, it eventually was a casualty of King Henry VIII's proclaimed Dissolution.

The king gifted the priory to William, Lord Sandys, his Lord Chamberlain.  The king stipulated that recipients of these once holy properties, had one year to make improvements, or he would take the property back into his own hands. 

Lord Sandys chose to modify the priory by incorporating it into a house to avoid demolition which was all too common.  He was able to begin in short time to appease the king. 

He designed and built a huge Tudor mansion on the surrounds of the original priory, encapsulating much of the structure within the walls.  There were several rooms that featured a window sized cut out in the wall, where one could view the original granite stone building that was hiding beneath.   In this particular room, there was a small stained glass window above the door.

Outside, tucked in a corner in the front of the house, stands this graceful mosaic of an angel, hidden from view of the casual bystander. 

On the bottom floor there is the kitchen,  where one can enjoy an afternoon Cream Tea, which is a common Trust Treat to enjoy. 

Believe me, functioning on a few hours of sleep, with virtually no breakfast, this was a much appreciated delight!

On the top floor of the house there are special galleries, which represent various themes throughout the year.  Presently, the rooms are devoted to books written and illustrated by John Birmingham.   Among those features were "Mr. Grumpy", "Borka", and some other well loved children's books. 

I couldn't get over how the rooms had been transformed to entice children who would certainly be eager to read the copies of what they were viewing on the walls. 

So much intricate detail stenciled and painted right on the walls!  All to be removed and replaced with something different in the near future. 

I must say, I was quite impressed at the thought, talent and time that would have gone into these showcases. 

By now, our tour was complete, and we decided to forego the walk to the fly fishing hut, and head to our next destination.  Which, I must say, is becoming a bit of an issue, as we have little cell service to help us maneuver in the right direction.  And, the road atlas dated the year 2000, could probably use an update.  

But, we finally had our directions ready, and began  the journey to Kingston Lacy in Dorset, another National Trust venue.   As is typical with so many of these houses, we needed to ignore the GPS and follow the brown signs which eventually led us to the parking area. 

Around the corner, along the walk, this magnificent building stands.

It was originally the home of Sir John Banks, and his wife, Mary who were Charles the I sympathizers.  Because of their loyalty to Charles I, their home, Corfe Castle, which is a few miles south, was blown up during the English Civil War, forcing Mary to flee north, since the castle was then in ruins, taking her children with her.  

Sir John Banks built the structure that now stands, although there were several stages of remodeling over the years. It was gifted to the National Trust in 1981. 

Walking in through the front door, one is greeted by this magnificent fireplace. 

Down the hall, in a solarium, stand three large statues

one is a statue of Lady Mary Banks, holding a key in her hand

and here sits Charles I, sitting upon a shield carved with the likeness of Corfe castle prior to its destruction.  (It's difficult to see in the photo, but the engraving was quite detailed.) 

Charles sees this view every day, when the windows are let open. 

Pretty awesome, don't you think? 

 The agreement made with the National Trust stated that the art collection in the house was to remain intact, without being split up.  Several of the owners were avid art collectors, adding pieces over the years from famous artists.   The result is more like that of a museum than a home. 

I asked about the keys hanging on the two plaques on the wall, and I was told that the keys came from Corfe castle.  Once the castle was destroyed, there was no need for the keys, as there were no doors to open and close.  And, so, the items were kept by the family members, and now hang as a reminder of the destruction. 

This house holds a vast collection of various painting purchased strictly as art collections, along with other segments, such as these painted door panels, designed by William John Banks, a dependent of Sir John. 

The young woman in the center of this canvas, would marry into the banks family, and bring a dowry that would pay for many of the future renovations that were made.

And the beautiful girl with the pearl necklace, had eyes that followed me as I walked down the hall. 

I wish I knew how the artist managed that trick! 

A marble staircase was added in the mid 1800s, replacing the original set of wooden stairs.   William John Banks was a world traveler who sought to add the beauty of the world into the family residence. 

And it's quite apparent that he did just that. 

Many of these alterations were begun by Willam John Banks as early as 1834.  Not only did he have a vision for improving the beauty of the house, he also had a passion for travel and made the journey to Egypt several times as a young man.

On the bottom floor of the building, these Egyptian stones stand on shelves, within easy view of the visitor.  There are dozens of them. At first, I though that they were copies, but when I asked, I was told that the house holds an extremely impressive collection of Egyptian items, that were discovered hidden away when the Trust bought the property. 

Egypt is aware that these treasures are on display here and the country is proud to have them protected in such a stately home. 

One of the odd items in this same room, is an actual crocodile head, which has been converted into a bank.  There is a large, gold slit on the bottom where his tongue would have been.  I can't help but wonder if there are some coins in there? Does anyone want to take a gander? 

Downstairs, in the kitchen, the top of the one wall is lined with bells that lead to the various rooms of the house.  Most are familiar with this type of feature, particularly if one is a Downton Abbey or Upstairs/Downstairs fan.  But, these are unique bells, as each one of them has a tiny pendulum that swings when the bell rings, and continues to vibrate back and forth for several minutes.  Let's face it, the only purpose of such a design is to hold the servants accountable.  There could be no excuse stating that one heard the wrong bell ringing. 

We headed out the back door, and towards the garden entrance.  As you can see, the back looks equally impressive. 

There were some lawn chairs for relaxing, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back up and out of it, so I passed. 

An obelisk stands a distance from the house.  It dates from several hundred years BC, and has quite an inscription on it.  We were told the story that the structure was in a boat on the river, nearby, but due to its weight, it collapsed the boat and was immersed in the water for two years until William John had it removed, and transported to the ground where it now stands. 

The inscription on the plate has some verbiage complaining about taxation.  In 2000 years BC.  Guess some things never change!

By now, we'd completed quite a full day, considering that we were pushing through on just a few hours of sleep.  So, we once again struggled with the GPS, but finally managed to find the route to our B&B.

We're here just one night.  And, that's a good thing, because this place has to be the most "in the middle of nowhere" that we've ever seen. 

It states that it's in the village of Plush.

I'm pretty sure that sign is the center of town.  The circle on the top says "Plush".  And, there's really not much else here, but the Brace of Pheasants, which, as you can see, are well represented. 

Surprisingly enough, the pub was full of people for dinner.  And it's not too surprising as the place has an excellent chef.  No disappointment there! 

I'm off to bed.  Need to catch up on that beauty sleep!