Today we all dressed up and went to Highgrove to visit the king(s gardens). Sadly, he nor Camilla were there. The gardens were incredible. We were not allowed to take pictures but we spent 1 1/2 hours walking the gardens. There were wild flower meadows, orchards, the kitchen gardens, flower gardens and the stump garden where we saw the prince's tree house. All has been built since 1980 when Prince Charles purchased the property. They speak highly of him and his conservation and environmental efforts.
Sorry I can't show you more here, his cows and some birds before the tour.
Next we drove to Charente, a manor remodeled to much of its original state in 1576, they're not sure when the buildings were started but during the medieval age, when it was thought to be owned by Princess Goda, sister of Edward the Confessor.
The estate has many stories, one being that Oliver Cromwell, later the Lord Protector, stayed there while plotting to overthrow King Charles I, which put a curse on the estate (or the room he stayed in).
The current family, the second of owners traced, has had the estate since 1891.
Currently it has been the set of several movies and series, most famously Poldark. 
The tapestry room was the room occupied by Cromwell.
Our next stop was the town of Cirencester, our central location for the next couple of days. The largest town in the Cotswolds.
The evening was spent having a leisurely walk and a glass of wine with the other travelers.
That tapestry is so cool!
ReplyDelete