Tuesday 25 March 2014

Visiting the Past

 
 
 
 
 
 
As a little girl I lived in the past in my head. I wanted to live in a castle with a moat, use a longbow and ride in tournaments. Whenever we visited somewhere, usually with our mum and dad's trusty National Trust card, I was completely transported, off on an adventure in another world.

Little Moreton Hall isn't all that far from us but I've not been back for years and thought we'd take the boys for an explore. It really is astonishing and shouldn't still be standing up. There are sloping floors, wonky walls, twisty staircases and hidden hidey holes. I love it.

NT activities are brilliant for kids and our two spent absolutely ages writing stories with quills. Outside the knot garden and moat are great to explore and I think there'll be another visit with a picnic, on a warm sunny day, sometime soon.

10 comments:

Linda Metcalf said...

Great photos ...you are so lucky to live in a country of such history....never lacking for places to see and visit!

Sian said...

I love Little Moreton Hall - revisited a couple of years ago with my Mum and had such a good time exploring. It's so interesting to see how the house has evolved under its various owners.

SandyshoesCornwall said...

What a lovely visit, it's really interesting to see what is up in your neck of the woods. I've been really impressed by how the National Trust has tried to engage with people more, through interaction. We went to Lanhydrock at the weekend, and I was able to safely carry my two year old round thanks to the funky hip seat they provided. There were even vintage themed toys in the nursery that he was allowed to play with, and a (fake) spider in the bath! Needless to say it meant that I could actually enjoy visiting the house without feeling frowned upon for bringing such a young child with me. If you can inspire whole families to love their nation's heritage, then it makes it much more likely that they will continue to support it in future. Antonia x

Neighborhood Watch said...

When I was a little girl, we lived out west in New Mexico. I pretended to live in the old farmhouses we visited and be a homesteader sort of like Little House on the Praire. Hahaha--very funny how location frames our imaginations.

Unknown said...

I love Little Moreton Hall, too; we've visited a couple of times when stating with my brother-in-law. We love using our National Trust card and our girls have adored our visits too, over the years, and used to just love doing the quizes, when they were a bit younger. Lanhydrock, that Antonia mentions, is one or our very faves. I do hope our girls, like you, hang on to their love of these places. Jen

Pat said...

As mentioned by Linda, to live in a country so rich in historical buildings is such a wonderful thing. South Africa is relatively 'new'!

Jay said...

I remember visiting there when I was a small child living in Staffordshire, many moons ago - I recognised it though!

Anonymous said...

I remember visiting Little Moreton Hall as a child, and loved it, but have never been back. Reading your post has inspired me to go back - thank you!

Anonymous said...

I have some lovely pictures from here when my girls were younger we had a great time. Have you visited Gawsworth Hall near Macclesfield? It is also one of our favourites and quite similar but is lived in by the family. Last time we went there was some part finished knitting on the settee and a Radio Times with glasses on the side table. The family sat out in the kitchen whilst the visitors wandered around their house - quite strange really but they have a wonderful little internal chapel. Sadly the old pavillion tea room is no more it has been replaced by a barn like building. They do an open air theatre in the summer but we have never made it yet.

Sheepskinsandfairylights said...

I remember visiting with my two. We all stopped dead in our tracks as we walked towards it and looked up in awe. Just fabulous and so impressive, xx