vicky's vibes: Traveling...to England 2009 #1

My Favorite place to travel is England, by far. I can't get enough of it. I love the history, the museums, the stately homes, the countryside and just about everything that remains from pre-1850. Just about.
More about that later.

Last May, 2009, Ed and I went to Chawton House Library where I gave them three volumes of La Belle Assemblee, including both from 1816 in which the fashion plates were intace. I also had a volume of 1815 without the fashion plates, but I included loose fashion plates from all of those months. I am on the left and Chawton House Librarian Jacqui Grainger is on the right.

Chawton House was one of the two large estates left to Jane Austen's brother Edward, who was "adopted" by relatives of Mrs. Austen who had no children of their own. He later changed his name of Edward Austen-Leigh.

At right is a painting by Roy Connelly of Chawton Great House made on site in September of 2009.

Chawton House LIbrary is devoted to the study of women writers before 1900. The house is on long-term lease from descendents of the Austen-Knight family to a foundation started by American Sandy Lerner, one of the founders of Cisco Systems. She and the foundation have restored the house and are working to restore the gardens to their 18th century condition. I have visited there several times.

When we arrived at Heathrow, Ed and I rented a car and drove to Wilshire where we had reservations at Stanton Manor Hotel, near Chippenham.
We stayed here several nights, traveling to Chippenham, to tour Bowood House, the Bowood Rhododendron Gardens, and Corsham Court. Most of the people staying in the hotel were there for the Horse Trials at a nearby estate. then we went on to a hotel in Alton for our visit to Chawton.

Bowood is the country home of the Marquess of Lansdowne and family. After WWII, the main house was demolished and various parts of the library and orangery wing were remodeled for the family and exhibitions of their art and treasures.

Corsham Court is mostly Victorian and has a beautiful garden and many art and decorative treasures.

The peacocks weren't parading much that day, just sitting around looking superior.

After our visit to Chawton and the Chawton House Library, we went to Gilbert White's home and garden in Selbourne, Hampshire. White kept detailed records of all his garden plants, providing a valuable resource to later researchers. Such as me.

The next day we traveled around London to Befordshire and drove to Woburn, where we visited Woburn Abbey, a wonderful country estate where all the Whigs hung out in the early 19th century. The Duke of Bedford and his brother Lord John Russell were important politicians and leaders of their party. Many of the great issues of the day were discussed and decided at house parties here.

Our adventures continued the next day with a visit to Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire, the country home of the Viscounts Melbourne and the Lamb family. Emily Lamb grew up here with here brothers. Later she inherited the house and her second husband, Lord Palmerston died here at age 80.

The next day we visited Hatfield House and toured the mansion plus the church, St. Etheldreda's, where Lady Melbourne, her son PM Melbourne and his wife Lady Caroline Lamb are supposedly buried. In the House I found a painting of Emily, Lady Cowper, by William Owen, below.

The church has suffered lately from the floor falling in. A volunteer guide said that many of the burial places could not be identified any more. The Melbourne Chapel was in complete disrepair and I can only hope it is being repaired. Hatfield House is very interesting as the seat of the Earls of Salisbury, with the present earl still active in national poltical affairs. It was built in the time of James I on the estated that once housed Elizabeth while her sister Mary was Queen of England. It was here that Elizabeth learned of her sister's death and her own elevation to the throne.

Following our Hatfield visit, we very gladly drove back to Heathrow and left the car. We spent a bit of time looking at the new Terminal Five before we boarded the Heathrow Express and started the second half of our holiday in London. Below a few more pictures from the countryside (first) half of our trip.