Shugborough Hall and Historic Estate

Shugborough Hall is a beautiful maintained Georgian Estate in Staffordshire.  Formal gardens ( see below) frame the expansive home. It sits on a huge amount of ground with woodlands and farming land. Shugborough is proud to promote its status as a working historical estate, meaning that the owners still live in part of it, while the National Trust look after other parts. Its gardens and farm are managed by the owners and from the look of things, they are heavily involved with ensuring that correct historical accuracy with costuming and techniques in farming and servants quarter jobs are maintained. 

One of them most important parts about this estate is that is was owned by the Lords Lichfield. The last one, Peter was the famous photographer. 

His work is on show at a few other National Trust homes, but it was exciting to se his studio, his gear ( from the 60s!) and to appreciate how influential he was, given the actresses, heads of state and royalty he photographed. 

His apartments have only just been open to the public and was a delightful sneak peak into the lives of the incredibly rich and influential. 

The approach to the Estate. Grandeur plus. Only a little of it is open to the public. 

In the gardens at one of the bridges going over the stream which runs in front of the Estate.

The library with mannequins showing the fashion of the late 1800s. 

Hunting was a big drawcard for visitors to the Estate. Very eerie to walk down this hallway. 

Like to play cards?  well why not throw up a tent, or a bit of a building so you can.. or you could build a "temple of the winds" so you can play cards every week.. why not..

Oh my! Can you imagine having dinner here every night?  Just lush! gorgeous classically inspired paintings surrounding you and everything dripping with gold; perhaps it may be a bit much?  I am prepared to take the chance though.

This is what is above the dining table. This piece took nearly a year to complete and is inspired by a classical carving in Greece. 

Museum of Childhood

It was  a pretty wet miserable day today, and one I reminded the kids that will continue probably till summer decided to grace the UK again.   We really have been blessed with beautiful weather and a real summer, so we can't complain once Autumn starts to remind us its nearly done and dusted. 

Nearby in Sudbury, there is a museum of Childhood, which we spent a few hours in. It goes through what childhood toys, responsibilities and roles children took on over the ages.

We have been to Quarry Mill a few months back so the kids had some idea about the Industrial age and all the changes in a family structure with child labour coming about though the mill and mines. Both kids had some hands on experiences climbing up a fake chimney to see what it might have been like being a sweep.

We were frog marched into an 1876 Victorian Marms classroom, where the kids learnt what it was like to be in a classroom back then. 

They wrote on slates and did a lesson on poetry, as well as learning some of the good old fashioned ethics instilled into kids back in the day. Its surprising ( an quite shocking) how much of it is still a huge influence in schools today. I've always known that schools aren't there to educate, but to pacify and to brainwash the masses in becoming a complacent workforce. At least the Victorian schools didn't make any bones about coming out and saying it. 

The toys and collections were drawn from two main collectors items and ranged from items in the early 16th century to modern day toys. We were fascinated with the mechanical toys from the 16th century, not realising that the clockwork systems were so intricate back then. 

Baking Time

I've gotten my farm/housewife groove on again; feeling relax and creative enough to want to cook things other than utilitarian meals. 

I have a pretty free hand in what I cook, so am introducing some of my favourite treats  and tried and true recipes. 

We made Anzac bikkies ( crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle.. mmm just perfect)

And Ive just made the worlds best scones. Light fluffy and moist. My Aunty Pam would be proud! 

After picking heaps of blackberries, I made a huge batch of blackberry jam - jars and jars of it.. and it was super yummy!

And with that much jam..what does one do?  make Jam drops of course.. Its something I believe they ( the UK) don't do much here.

I am pretty happy that my cooking has been well received. It been relaxing and a treat for me to do. We still have a few more days here, so muffins, cakes and more desserts are planned.