Well Pat stirred a childhood memory this morning when she asked if I had been to Wightwick Manor, no I had not, but it struck a chord. My friend Tania Hodgetts had lived in a windmill near to the manor, with her mother, Sheila Hodgetts who was a children's author. She wrote 'Toby Twirl' books, very similar to Rupert the Bear books, from which I gather she got her inspiration.
It suddenly occurred to me that Tania had come to tea in January for there was snow on the ground which led to my accident. She could have come for a birthday tea, we lived in this late Victorian House at the time, probably my most favourite house and garden of my childhood. It is now a care home, the lawn to the side has been built on, and the large garden at the back I cannot see.
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| It is still called 'Woodthorn' though |
And it was here that Tania came, in the afternoon we had taken the sledge down to the tennis courts, there was an icy path ideal for sledging. Unfortunately at the bottom there was the tennis hut, which I tobaggoned into at great speed, stopping the jolt with my left arm. Agony ensued, and we went home, I rang my grandfather at work but he did not come back. So when he eventually did turn up and we had sat down to tea, taken Tania home, and then we went to the hospital and it was discovered that I had fractured my elbow, two bones in my arm, and fingers, no wonder I was in agony!
Being left handed had consequences on my writing and any work I did, and after I had had a silver plate screwed into my elbow it took a couple of years to right itself.
When I look at that house now I think how ugly it looks, but the window on the left was the morning room;) the one on the right was the sitting room, then the pantry at the back and the corridor to the dining room (only used on a Sunday).
The kitchen was the heart of the house, the old black fireplace come cooker the warmest place in the house. This led out to the scullery, dishes were washed here, there was a modern cooker and an enormous fridge. The back door led to a small yard with several brick buildings for coal etc and an outside loo. Down the steps past the monkey tree, turn left past the rose garden and then the rest of the garden unfolded itself, large fruit trees lined another two lawns and an old summerhouse which was the children's headquarters and the sand pit almost at the end of the garden fronting a beautiful central bed of flowers. This is where my love of flowers come from!
When I look at that house now I think how ugly it looks, but the window on the left was the morning room;) the one on the right was the sitting room, then the pantry at the back and the corridor to the dining room (only used on a Sunday).
The kitchen was the heart of the house, the old black fireplace come cooker the warmest place in the house. This led out to the scullery, dishes were washed here, there was a modern cooker and an enormous fridge. The back door led to a small yard with several brick buildings for coal etc and an outside loo. Down the steps past the monkey tree, turn left past the rose garden and then the rest of the garden unfolded itself, large fruit trees lined another two lawns and an old summerhouse which was the children's headquarters and the sand pit almost at the end of the garden fronting a beautiful central bed of flowers. This is where my love of flowers come from!
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| Wightwick House, I believe it has some Pre-Raphaelite paintings or glass there |
https://www.expressandstar.com/video/2008/03/18/living-the-high-life-in-a-windmill/
It still looks lovely, but I understand your feelings about the renovations that were made. Our minds are full of cherished memories and we do not like them disturbed by the changes that time always makes.
ReplyDeleteThat is very true Arleen, for a start I remember the front door had glass panels on either side featuring galleons afloat on the sea.
ReplyDeleteWightwick Manor is full of Pre Raphelite art work. It is indeed a beautiful place and well worth the visit.
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