Recently we went to Norfolk to spend a week with my parents. Each day we went out and visited some historic places, such as Ickworth Estate, in Suffolk, on our way to Norfolk. Ickworth is a National Trust property, with a hotel in one wing.
The house comprises of a central rotunda with an east and west wing. The family lived in one wing, the other side built merely for symmetry!
The needlework related items caught my eye as usual.
Silver fish used as scent bottles, vinaigrettes, etuis and ornaments.
Portrait of Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales
The next morning we visited Mannington Hall in Norfolk, a privately owned medieval, moated manor. The house isn't generally open to the public, but the estate has some nice walks around it and the gardens were pretty, especially the hydrangeas.
We enjoyed a lovely, but rather hot walk around the estate and across the meadows.
Back into the garden.
The following day was even hotter at 30'C and we went for a walk with friends. We walked from Sheringham Park to Weybourne beach and back again.
Another hot day, we were blessed with such good weather all week. We visited Burgh Castle that isn't a castle, but is the ruins of a Roman fort.
We sat in the shade provided by the walls and had a picnic.
After our lunch we walked inside the walls,
The following day we drove to Houghton Hall to see Antony Gormley's Time Horizon sculptures.
Upon arrival we saw the white fallow deer. A herd has been on the estate for 300 years.
Dragging ourselves away from the deer, we went into the stable block for a cup of coffee.
We then walked around the grounds of the house, looking at the statues and other sculptures.
Full Moon Circle by James Long
Houghton Hut, Rachel Whiteread
Skyspace Seldom Seen, James Turrell
Houghton Cross, Richard Long
On our last full day in Norfolk, we went to Pensthorpe Nature Reserve.
Turtle Dove
Avocet
Black-tailed Godwit
Tufted Duck
Bearded Tit
Cormorant
Common Crane
Greater Flamingo
