Hampton Court, the magnificent home of Henry VIII and William and Mary seen in the autumn sunshine provided a very enjoyable day out by coach in late September. The Tudor and Baroque architecture provided much to explore, not to mention the gardens with both wild and formal areas, and the famous maze.
The last walk of the year in September saw the Walking Group meet at Adlestrop at the northern edge of Oxfordshire, and walk to Chastleton House, the Jacobean country house owned by the National Trust. After a picnic lunch in the neighbouring churchyard, one of the Trust Guides from Chastleton gave an interesting talk on the history of the house. The walk continued along a different route back to the charming village of Adlestrop, but we plan to visit Chastleton House for a guided tour inside the house at a later date.
We were fortunate with a warm sunny July day when we visited Green Templeton College for a tour of the gardens, followed by a generous tea.
Our guided tour of Kelmscott Manor, now beautifully renovated, gave us a fascinating glimpse into the history of the house and the period when William Morris and his family and Pre-Raphaelite friends lived there.