There and Back

Helmingham Hall is a spectacular place to visit and I have visited several times. On my birthday, Rosey took me back to wander the beautiful gardens (and buy me lunch!) as a birthday treat - it was lovely. Many events are held here during the year, but just walking around the estate and gardens is well worth a visit. The moated hall, built in 1510 and still occupied by the the Tollemache family, the family that built it originally. A couple of the sculptured shrubs in the walled garden A mass of beautiful Allium A general view of one of the many pathways Close up of Allium head Love In A Mist Peony Not sure of the name of this flower Lovely white roses All in all a lovely walk around the gardens followed by lunch in the Cafe - thanks Rosey!    Index of posts  

We visited here while based in a log cabin in Sherwood. We were mainly looking for different fungi on this trip, so this visit combined an historic site, with some fungi hunting. The former Augustinian abbey once belonged to Lord Byron and now has a Mixed Style romantic nineteenth century garden. The priory of St. Mary of Newstead, a house of Augustinian Canons, was founded by King Henry II of England about the year 1170, as one of many penances he paid following the murder of Thomas Becket. Contrary to its current name, Newstead was never an abbey: it was a priory. In the late 13th century, the priory was rebuilt and extended. It was extended again in the 15th-century, when the Dorter (A bedroom or dormitory, especially in a monastery.), Great Hall and Prior's Lodgings were added. The priory was designed to be home to at least 13 monks, although there appears to have been only 12 (including the Prior) at the time of the dissolution. The Valor Ecclesiasticus o