Saturday 25 October 2014

Autumn in Upton House



 
A visit to Upton House, the country home of a millionaire in the 1930s and a National Trust property today.
 



 
The battle of Edgehill was fought just 1 mile from Upton, so a Civil War Camp was established in the grounds, just for this weekend.
 
 

 


The battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War - its inconclusive result prevented either faction gaining a quick victory in the war which eventually lasted four years.





The smells coming out of the cauldron were enticing




 
and lots more food was being prepared.
 

 
 
 

 
Basket weaving was in progress
 
 
 


and there's always time for a well-deserved rest and for pipe smoking
 
 
 
 
 
and a hold and cuddle are always welcome.
 

 
 


We walked along the big avenue, got to the back of the house and reached the big lawn at the end of which is the ha ha





 
the house





We stood on the bricks at the edge of the ha ha and looked down the big drop to the vegetable garden and the mirror pool beyond




 
zooming in
 
 


I suddenly heard gun shots and dogs barking. My heart sank. I looked across the mirror pool to the field that borders the grounds and my suspicions were confirmed. A hunt. The folly, selfishness and sense of entitlement of these arrogant, cruel people made my blood boil and I felt so sorry for the poor fox ...





By the mirror pool is a beautifully trimmed hedge that is so perfect it looks unreal




 
A last look at the honey-coloured, mellow stone of the house
 
 
 

 
before taking the path down to the small pool and the bog garden
 

 
 


wonderful roots of this old tree - and what about the luminous colour of the grass?




 
looking closer.
 
 
 
 

 
The small pool
 
 
 



with lots of golden carp





The bog garden area was closed to visitors





 a sign said 'stop and admire', so we did
 
 
 


the richness of autumn colours is such a joy at this time of year
 

 
 
 

looking back at the path we had just taken





Looking up at the steps that lead to the ha ha and eventually the house
 
 

 
 
 
lots to see in the vegetable garden
 

 
 


The mirror pool is not at its best at the moment. It's in the process of being drained at the moment.




 
 
 

4 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. It's particularly pleasant in the spring and summer Linda. The mirror pool is something quite special so I'm looking forward to the summer when it will have been restored.

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  2. Were the hunt people really chasing a fox across NT land when it is illegal and the NT objected to it all along? No doubt they would claim it was just a trail laid in advance, but still...

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    Replies
    1. I'm not sure of the answers to any of your very sensible questions, Avril. The only thing I can think of is that maybe that field was not NT land - we were standing at the ha ha so had uninterrupted views. I don't know who owns that field. I was furious...

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