Thursday was a lovely day - cold but sunny - so we decided to revisit Croft Castle. Unbelievably this is the first visit we have made this year and yet it is one of our favourite places!
I would have really liked to walk along The Dingle or Fishpool Valley walk as the autumn colours would have looked lovely and there is a lot of fungi down there but my feet and ankles were still swollen from cellulitis and as there are steep slopes and uneven walking we decided a wander round the Walled Garden was an easier option.
Autumn colours by the car park.
Croft Castle (now in the care of the National Trust) has been lived in by the Croft family since the Norman Conquest, apart from a period of ~177 years. The estate covers 644 hectares (1591 acres).
The original castle was a motte and bailey located west of the castle we see today. The castle was rebuilt as a walled stone manor and was transformed by Sir James Croft in Tudor times. It was badly damaged in the Civil War. In 1746, due to bankruptcy in the Croft family, the castle was taken over by the Knight family who turned the castle into the current Gothic castle.
We have visited the estate so many times but I still haven't looked round the house although when we visited this time it was closed I believe so it could be decorated for Christmas.
The lion is emblatic of the Croft family's Coat of Arms.
Wyvern
St Michael and All Angels predates the present castle. The first church was built in the C12th and the present church dates back to the C14th, it was enlarged in the C15th and re-modelled in the C18th. The bell turret with ogee shaped cupola was added in the C17th.
Although I was tempted I didn't look inside but if you wish to see the interior please see here St Michael and All Angels Interior
There are wonderful views from the Castle and a super Ancient Tree Trail you can follow which we have walked several times in the past.
Oontitoomps!
Into the Walled Garden which covers 3.5 acres and was restored in the 1950's.
After we'd visited the Walled Garden I had a quick look round the second handbookshop which is located in the old stables.
I was going to take a photo of Timothy when we had tea and cake but B took one look at the prices and frankly small pieces of cake that he refused to buy any! In recompense, I think!, he bought a reduced white pot rose from B and Q on the way back to Hatfield.
Friday - we popped into Leominster (I put the photos in the first post of this visit) and Saturday we came home. We shall probably make just one more visit to shut the caravan down for the winter. I would really like to continue going in December (3 months is a long time not to visit a place I love and escape to!) but after last year's experience with the frozen pipe when we had temperatures of around minus 6 or lower! we have decided it is not worth the risk! I just hope everything is ok after last week's cold spell!
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
6 comments:
As someone who bakes all her own cakes, I refuse to pay what it would cost me to make one entire cake for a tiny slice somewhere. No way Jose! Croft Castle inside I found rather disappointing, and as Keith was so ill when we visited, we couldn't explore the grounds. Lovely photos of your day out anyway.
Thanks so much BB - to be honest I am often disappointed in NT cakes - homemade is much better :) I remember you visiting the interior of Croft Castle and being disappointed by it. I will try and go in one day. The church is well worth a visit and the grounds and walled garden are lovely. So many footpaths and trails to follow - The Dingle/Fishpool Valley walk is lovely as is the Ancient Tree Trail if you should visit again.
sorry you missed out on the cake, but these places do so often overcharge and give meagre portions.
lovely photos and it looks as if the area escaped the weather. Some areas did not get away so lightly. They might never recover.
It looks lovely there and I assume those are Beech trees at the beginning of the post, which turn lovely colours. It's nice to have places to visit in winter which are interesting even if there are no flowers. I was amazed at the size of the Walled Garden - 3.5 acres! Can you imagine?!! :-)
Thanks so much Debbie - I agree they do overcharge. Tea and cake anywhere is expensive these days :( I think parts of Herefordshire and, of course, Tenbury Wells have been badly affected with flooding.
Thanks so much Mandy. I am pretty sure they were Beeches. Not sure if the place will be open Jan and February. Some NT properties only open at weekends in the winter. It is a fantastic walled garden with herbaceous borders, pond, orchard and vines! They make their own wine but it is very expensive!
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