A Visit to Arley Hall and Gardens
Photos by Sidney Cohen
Britain is notable for its stately homes and gardens and many are enjoyed by the public.
Next to the village of Arley in the county of Cheshire lies the 'Jacobethan' style Arley Hall and its gardens.
On a late afternoon in late July while Britain was basking in an unusually high temperature of 28C, the husband and I paid a visit. (The heat proved to be the start of a build-up of heat towards Britain's highest ever recorded temperatures two days later.)
We enjoyed the gorgeous gardens and even encountered the proprietor, Viscount Ashbrook, watering a shady section.
Check out the photo of a miniature building - a former "tea house" for the lady of the hall to take afternoon tea with friends. It was welcomingly cool.
The bonus surprise of the visit was the delightful Woodland Walk - a long loop. Some of the tree specimens had been brought back from around the world and were labelled. The bark of a White Chinese Birch was extraordinary.
The tranquility of the photos belies the fact that a very noisy event was taking place in another part of the estate. We kept well away but could not totally avoid the noise - especially in the ornamental gardens.
On arrival back at our elder daughter's home, I fell asleep and slept like the proverbial log right through to the next morning. It must have been the heat.
More detailed information on the history and architecture of the Arley Hall building and its gardens can be found on Wikipedia.
Comments