Friday, July 24, 2015

England, Day Six






Today is going to be one of those English weather days!  Yes, it is raining and it's a little chilly.  What we have found is the weather changes quickly as the day progresses and we just keep up with the plans of the day.  Today we are going to Arnside Silverdale.  Arnside Silverdale is a little village on the edge of the Morecambe Bay on the estuary of the River Kent.

Travelling to Arnside Silverdale was just beautiful, but they were all small roads!  Hold on, we are on our way!


Hedgerows on Narrow Roads







When we reached Arnside we decided to park the car and take a look around the area.


Our rental car

We walked across the street to take a look at the shore line and check out the pier.  This area is prone to high tides that come in rather quickly.  They have warnings all around about listening for the sirens.







Leaving the quaint little village of Arnside, we travelled to the Troutbeck Valley to see Townend.  This was a beloved area to Beatrix Potter.  She bought Troutbeck Park Farm in the area as she was afraid that the area was being developed too quickly.  She raised her famous Herdwick sheep in the valley.




The photo above is of one of the earliest bank barns in the UK.  The oldest part of the barn was built in 1666 by George Browne.  These barns had places for cattle, sheep and plenty of room for storage.  I just love the stone that was used in this barn.  The same stone used on many structures in the Lake District.




  
As you can see Townend is just to the other side of the street of the bank barn.  I must tell you this is the loveliest spot!  It was so peaceful and serene here.  Let's go and see when we can go inside.


Pegs


There was no one to greet us, but fellow visitors told us to take a peg (clothespin) from the rope for our time to visit.  We took our 12 noon peg and when all of the pegs were taken that was all that were allowed in for that time.  We had a half hour or so to look at the garden before our time.






View from Townend Garden




We were so excited to see the birds in the garden and a beautiful little English Robin.  He is much smaller than our robins in America.  This was the best photo I was able to get.

It's now time to go inside Townend.  Watch your step as it is dark and the floors are uneven.  The kitchen is where we enter.




George Browne handmade all of the furnishings at Townend--he was a master craftsman.




The Brownes were neighbors of Beatrix Potter and she called on the family often.  She wrote how strange it was that Mr. Browne made furniture and put false dates on them.  It seems Mr. Browne wanted to appear more wealthy, so when he made furniture, he carved dates one or two hundred years earlier.

He raised Herdwick Sheep and his awards are displayed in the kitchen.




Upstairs Bedroom


Second Bedroom


George Browne carved this bed in 1872 not 1672


Now we approach the dining room and sitting room.  There are books lining the walls and the table is set with food that would have been served during Victorian times.






Townend was built in 1626 and remained in the Browne family until 1943 when it was acquired by the National Trust.  It is a farmhouse that has many interesting stories to tell about its long history.  The Troutbeck Valley is so lovely and Townend takes its place there so beautifully.

The docent mentioned to us a lovely little tearoom/cafe if we wanted to take a short walk down the road to Annie's Clock.  Let's go have some lunch.


24 comments:

  1. That does look like a lovely, quaint area. The weather added to it's charm--but then I didn't have to be out in it! That is interesting to know about the fudged dates! I should remember that if I should come across something with a carved date. That dough-covered dish was very elaborate. I'd almost hate to cut into it because it was so pretty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cathy, the Troutbeck Valley was beautiful. We were thankful that it was not pouring rain when we were there. George Browne must have been a very insecure man to have carved the older dates on his pieces. He really should have been proud of his workmanship instead --they were quite lovely. ♥

      Delete
  2. Absolutely beautiful, stunningly so. It makes me want to wander there. The Brownes Home is quite charming, too, with its low ceilings and quirky charms. I can see why you loved it so.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vee, there is a walking trail that meanders through Troutbeck Valley up to Townend. It would be wonderful to experience that trail. In fact there are walking trails all through England--oh to be younger and do that! ♥

      Delete
  3. I've been there and this brings back wonderful memories. Thanks for taking us along.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it wonderful, Amalia? We just loved this area. Thanks for coming along! ♥

      Delete
  4. Oh Townend, my heart is there, it is my favourite place to visit. The gardens & the house, barns etc are beautiful, so homely & the surrounding Trout Beck too. Steep roads again for you, were you use to them by day 6.
    Did they ask you when entering the kitchen about the glass bowl, I knew the answer & told our eldest Son for when he got asked the question visiting this Spring, maybe they were there when you were, it was the end of April.
    I loved all your photo's of your trip.
    Fondly Michelle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michelle, I can see why you say that your heart is there. I think I left some of my heart there also. Yes, these were some of the steepest roads we were on. Grayden was getting used to them, but I was still a little leary! I meant to mention about the bowl being filled with water so the candle light could illuminate more into the dark room--brilliant! We were in Townend in May so we missed seeing your son. Troutbeck Valley is just lovely and I see where it must be a favorite for you to visit! Have a lovely weekend. ♥

      Delete
  5. Aren't these old cottages just amazing? How they were built to last ~ mind, everything build a long time ago seems built to last, doesn't it? I adore the interiors, that four poster bed would be such a grand place to snuggle down to sleep on a long, cold winter's night ~~~ regardless of when it was made!
    I wonder if Troutbeck Valley was one of my Daddy's camping and fishing haunts? It is certainly local enough to Manchester that he might well have left the city behind and some 70 years ago would have been an ideal place to hide away for days on end ~~~
    My Aunt moved to near Settle, and oh! how I think I should arrange a visit after seeing your travels ~~~
    Looking forward to the next instalment with eager anticipation!
    Deb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deb, you must visit the Lake District! We loved it so much! There is so much to see and do there! Your Aunt's place would be a good starting point for a visit. You are so right about how homes were built ages ago. Townend is having to replace a major beam because of wet rot, but hey, it's so old who's surprised? I love that the National Trust takes such care of these old places so we can visit and enjoy them. Have a great weekend! ♥

      Delete
  6. A perfectly charming day ~ from beginning to end! Thank you so much for sharing the stories and photos of Troutbeck Valley, Martha Ellen. I can see why Beatrix Potter also loved it so much! Is it very far from Hilltop? Oh my, I can't imagine parallel parking on the other side of the road!! Grayden did an amazing job driving in England. (Driving is the part that really worries me!!) You have taken us so many wonderful places... and it's only Day 6. It must feel like a dream to look back at your photos! Big hugs!
    ♡Dawn@Petals.Paper.SimpleThymes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dawn, this was one of my favorite days in England! Townend is only 11 1/2 miles from Hilltop, but that is on some very small and narrow roads. Driving was one of our greatest concerns also when we planned our trip. Grayden did a wonderful job, if I do say so myself. If you just plan your days and itinerary and get your GPS plotted it makes it less stressful. We would do it again in a heartbeat! Our trip does seem like a dream, but it's so much fun sharing it with you. Thanks for all of your kind words. ♥

      Delete
  7. Whoa! Sirens for high tide!! Sounds a bit foreboding...

    Love the pegs for tour times! That is a charming and simple idea.

    Again, Martha Ellen, you have been a wonderful armchair tour guide! You truly have a knack for sharing the right photos and bits of information, enhanced by your obvious enthusiasm about your visit. Perfect. Who of us does not now want to go to Arnside Silverdale and see the long bank barn and Townend?! So lovely! And I love that Miss Potter purchased some of the land there to prevent overdevelopment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheryl, we definitely paid attention to the warnings in Arnside. The tides come in so quickly because it's such a narrow opening to the River Kent.
      I've had so much fun sharing our trip with you---it's a great way to relive the dream of a lifetime. Thank you for coming along on our journey. Have a lovely weekend. ♥

      Delete
  8. What is it about England!! That looks like such an interesting site to visit and I love the countryside with its narrow hedge-lined roads and drystone walls. Utterly charming! I laughed when you said the robins on America were bigger. Everything in America is bigger! Lol I should never have told new British friends that Stonehenge seemed smaller than I was expecting. Fortunately, I think they've forgiven me. :-)). I'm so enjoying your trip!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Judy, the English robin is a completely different bird than the American robin. It's called a robin still--I do know for sure our roads are bigger! Thanks for coming along. ♥



      Delete
  9. Funny Mister Browne, pre-dating his furniture! He should have just signed his own name and date, but how could he have known his home would be revered as a museum. I remember watching a particular version of The Secret Garden, where Mary Lenox meets the little robin for the first time, and thinking, "That is not what a Robin looks like! It is much too short and smallish!" I love this, just everything about the places you've visited is so comforting, so very very OLDE English. I think part of my heart must be somewhere in that country, because following your trip ignites in me such a longing for it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jeri, we learned that Mister Browne wanted to appear to be a wealthy man and was always trying to impress folks with his really "old" furniture. Very strange indeed! I feel the same way about the places we visited--my heart just felt so at "home" ---particularly in the Lake District! ♥

      Delete
  10. Everything is so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this lovely tour, and warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. My grandparents on my father's side are from Kent. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by, Linda. I appreciate your kind words warm greetings--Our humidity is back today--oh no. Well it is summer in Va and that's the way it is. Thank goodness for air conditioning. Have you been to England? I'll stop by to visit soon. ♥

      Delete
  11. What a beautiful area to photograph. That's one of my favorite things about blogging...seeing places I've read about but will never get to visit. Thanks for taking us along! Sweet hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice to meet you Diane. Thank you for coming along on our journey. The Lake District was just gorgeous! ♥

      Delete
  12. A post filled with English beauty! Love the pegs lined up and a building from 1660s? That's real history! And well preserved it seems.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The charm of England never leaves my thoughts, Dotsie. Yes, the bank barn was built in 1666! Our nation was just a babe then! The bank barn is so lovely and it is still in use! They certainly knew how to make a building last! ♥

      Delete

Your comments will show after moderation. Thank you. ♥