Today I'll continue sharing our Golden Anniversary trip to Great Britain. I know, do you think I'll ever record it all? Thank you for sticking with me as it is important to do so! We saw so many beautiful sites I can't possible leave any of them out! Today I'll share our trip down to Plymouth to a couple of spots. The first place is Saltram.
As recorded in my journal, it was a rainy foggy morning as we drove down the A388 to visit a most beautiful property home of the Parker family for 300 years.
The further south we drove the skies began to brighten for a glorious day to view the grounds and home. Since the home didn't open for a couple hours we enjoyed viewing the lovely gardens.
A sweet little duck greeted us as we began our tour of the gardens. It's a lovely spot for wildlife here at Saltram.
Beautiful old ancient plantings of trees and lovely flowers still blooming on this beautiful October day.
The gardens are enormous and made me so happy! Follies and points of interest dot the landscape.
The Castle Folly was so darling.
With table and chairs inside and lovely flowers. The attention to detail in this folly was exquisite with plastered detail and a fireplace.
I loved the cyclamen plantings under the alley of trees as we continued our walk through the garden.
I loved the cyclamen plantings under the alley of trees as we continued our walk through the garden.
We never pass up a chance to visit a tearoom and here on the property is the Chapel Tearoom. You can enjoy tea alfresco or come with us inside and we'll have a little refreshment.
I enjoyed a lovely cheese scone and strawberry jam.
Grayden had the fruit scone with clotted cream and jam. Of course I had a pot of Earl Grey and Grayden had coffee.
Walking back toward the home we are struck the beauty that surrounds this magnificent property. As you may have guessed Saltram is owned by the National Trust. They take wonderful care of this beautiful estate. It is said to be "the most impressive country house in Devon." The house has been altered several times by architect Robert Adam who expanded the original Tudor house twice. In 1957 the Parker family donated the home to the National Trust in lieu of death duties. The name Saltram comes from the fact that salt was harvested nearby and ham is the old word for homestead.
As we enter the home you can just imagine the wealth of the Parker family. John Parker inherited the home in 1743 along with his wife Lady Catherine Parker. Together they made great changes to the manor house to a Palladian mansion.
The plaster work in this great mansion is wonderful. Chippendale furnishings fill the home along with Wedgewood ceramics. Priceless portraits line the walls by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
The plaster work in this great mansion is wonderful. Chippendale furnishings fill the home along with Wedgewood ceramics. Priceless portraits line the walls by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
We were invited to visit the bedrooms as the Saloon was being renovated. Scaffolding was placed around as busy workers continued the task at hand of restoring the carpet.
The furniture in every room we entered was beautiful.
Each room also displayed the most unique wallpaper.
A wonderful library is usually seen in large mansions such as Saltram.
The desk in the library is from Paris that dates from 1692.
Saltram was used as several of the local settings in the 1995 film of Sense and Sensibility , based on Jane Austen's 1811 novel.
Thank you for joining us as we continued our trip celebrating our Golden Anniversary.
Oh, I was surprised to see that there was more to the trip. What a delightful stop this one was! I would have loved to watch the work going on to restore by hand the carpets. And, wow, on that library! It would definitely be my favorite room in this fabulous old home.
ReplyDeleteMary, our trip was packed full and I still have more to share here. The National Trust does amazing restoration work in the properties they protect. The Saloon was undergoing extensive work while we visited. It would be great to return and see the results of the labors. ♥
DeleteI totally enjoy all your English posts! I doubt I'll ever get there so your tours you share really are special for me. Thank you!! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you enjoy these posts, Teresa. I'm determined to finish them as they were quite special to Grayden and I. ♥
DeleteI confess I am not a fan of converted chapels, the ceilings are too high and they are dreadfully chilly as the heat rises. Then again, maybe that's the original intention, not to let you become too comfortable attending service sitting on hard pews so you stay awake? Your cheese scone looks utterly delicious {nothing wrong with Grayden's fruit one, just the cheese looks so tempting} and served with cheese makes a super light snack. Gardens in Autumn are so beautiful. Gone are the heady, firework displays of Summer and they now soften into Winter preparing to burst forth again in Spring. There is a subtle beauty in an Autumn garden that speaks to my soul.
ReplyDelete~~~Waving~~~From Across the Pond~~~Deb in Wales xoxo
Deb, I wish chapels would remain chapels even though it was a lovely tearoom. I'm a huge fan of cheese and really enjoyed English cheeses. I couldn't resist the wonderful tasty cheese scone at Saltram. Love your description of Autumn gardens and the subtle beauty they convey...I feel the same, my friend. xoxo ♥
DeleteVery intriguing...my ancestor is John Parker associated with salt mines...not sure, but must continue with my genealogy studies. Such lovely gardens and a beautiful home. The decorative feature that charmed me most, and can be done anywhere in any home, were the mismatched tea cups and saucers. It’s the simple things!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, Vee, you must continue with your genealogy work. Wouldn't that be something if it were the same Parkers? We often saw mismatched teacups in the tearooms around England. So charming and like you say "it's the simple things!" ♥
DeleteI've enjoyed all your travel posts on England, Martha Ellen, but I think of all the homes, this might be my favorite. It seems a little more accessible to me. Very elegant, of course (not everyone has tapestry walls and Joshua Reynolds) but a bit more homey and liveable than some of the others. And that scone looked FABULOUS!
ReplyDeleteJeanie, Saltram was quite special indeed. The home with all of its appointments made me sigh. The gardens around the mansion were so English and filled my heart with joy! The scone was FABULOUS! ♥
DeleteWhat a wonderful post! It is so beautiful, that I've started feeling as if I was present there.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you enjoyed Saltram, Krishna. ♥
DeleteThat was a lovely trip! The food looked especially delicious and I would be drinking coffee too! That castle is beautiful. I love the grounds and the beautiful bedrooms. That desk was very fancy. Hard to believe it was made so long ago!
ReplyDeleteLiz, the gardens around Saltram were extraordinary. No one knows gardening like our friends in Great Britain. The weather of course is to their advantage along with perfect growing conditions and a lot of attention!
DeleteI'm so enjoying this trip. The nature, the grand homes, the sense of history. And didn't we have a lovely tea? The teacups are so pretty.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Amalia, I'm so glad you enjoyed tea with us! Thank you for coming along with us! ♥
DeleteWhat a lovely property. The interior is so grand. I really love the library. Thanks for the continued sharing of your golden anniversary trip!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ellen.
DeleteAnother fabulous post.
ReplyDeleteYou really are adding to some wonderful trips and special memories.
I always enjoy your photographs and the written commentary is wonderful.
Thank you for taking time to do this and sharing it with your blogging friends.
All the best Jan
I appreciate all of your lovely comments, Jan. It's important to me to record this wonderful trip to England. We enjoyed it so very much. All the best to you, my friend.
DeleteGood Morning, Martha Ellen. Just sipping on my coffee and reading my favorite blogs. That sweet duck greeting you is the start of a wonderful day. The gardens are so green and lush, and I love those purple flowers. The Castle Folly is charming with the fireplace, and it seems that the table and chairs match it just right. The tea room is lovely, and the fruit scone and jam looks Yummy. Oh, look at those grand fireplaces! - so much detail in them. Nel would love the library. What a charming tour, and an interesting place to visit. You have so many special memories from your anniversary trip.
ReplyDeleteHave a very nice weekend, Martha Ellen.
~Sheri
Good afternoon, Sheri. Saltram was such a beautiful place. Wouldn't it be fun if we all could go there and have tea? I hope your weekend is relaxing and enjoyable!
DeleteI enjoy reading about your adventures and seeing wonderful architecture and gardens. Fine old mansions I do enjoy. The gardens another. I love the library the best, being surrounded by all of those books. That is a room I would call mine. The scones especially the cheese one looks so good with the extra sliced cheese. I would have to forego the tea and have coffee. My husband will take tea. He has his tea every afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThe castle folly and the furnishings with fireplace, adore! I showed it to my husband and he said something more on the order of a shed for me. Well I am sure the castle folly would be expensive to have. Hmmm will have to check into that. Love it!
Betsy, your husband sounds like he has a good sense of humor! Having a folly in my backyard would be along the same lines as you. We can dream, though. Your grands have a wonderful folly in your garden that would suit me just fine! I hope you enjoy a restful weekend.
DeleteSaltram is an amazing "country house"! I am soaking in its beauty and charm on this lazy Monday morning! (I am a bit under the weather, so it is a good time to catch up on all of the blog reading I missed when I was without a computer last week.)
ReplyDeleteWe love the movies based on Jane Austen novels. I'll have to pay particular attention the next time we watch Sense and Sensibility.
I'm so sorry to hear you aren't feeling well, Cheryl. There seems to be something going around here as well. Our grandson was a little under the weather yesterday as we celebrated Grayden's birthday.
DeleteI'm so glad you were able to stop by and look at Saltram. Yes, it's was quite the country house!
Take care of yourself and feel better soon.
Hi Martha Ellen
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful gardens and such delicious scones in the tearoom! What a beautiful house Saltram is! I'm so glad they allowed photographs so that we could see the interior. The library was magnificent and I liked the intricate wallpaper in some of the rooms, and the portrait gallery. You had a wonderful golden anniversary visit to England.
It's lovely to have you visit Saltram with me today, Pat. It was quite grand and glorious in a most special way. These stately homes are really wonderfully restored by the National Trust. Thank you for stopping by.
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