At Shugborough Hall

Monday 1st Aug

So where was the rain today? It's been warm with sunny intervals...not the torrential rain that we were told would be with us all day. We had packed waterproofs in the rucksack expecting the worst and we could have left them behind.

So back to Shugborough mid morning and purchased two tickets for the farm and servant quarters. Even though we were NT members this only got us into the house and gardens. Any extras had to be paid for as the estate is still run by the local County Council. Parting with the £12 for both of us (concessionary) I can highly recommend paying out for the visit. Each servant room had a guide dressed in 19 century clothes and played their parts well. Asking the kitchen maid about a fridge she looked most quizzical and asked what that was and as for a washing machine..... Yes the £12 was very well spent.

Me doing the wash 19th century style

 From there we walked to the Mill and farm. Heard some disturbing news from the working Miller. NT are due to take Shugborough Hall and gardens back from Lord Peter Lichfield estate
 managed at the moment by Staffordshire county council. The house and gardens are to be kept as is but the farm and working mill will no longer be an attraction. In light of this we were so thankful that we made the effort to go see it today because from the end of September it will be completely different.

Having spent nearly all day admiring the place, needless to say we didn't bother moving on when we arrived back at FS. Just as well as the rain finally arrived by 5ish,  Not going to worry about the weather for tomorrow. It will be what it will be!

Photos of our visit.

Mill and farm

The Miller that told us the news

No rotten eggs...please.

Dairy Maid making cheese.

Shugborough Hall and the Lord Lichfields apartments. He was our Queen first cousin once removed and took photos of the Royal family as well as Charles and Diane Wedding. Lots of his photos hang in the apartments.

Guests befrooms and Lord Lichfields studio with drinks cabinate.

All of Lord Lichfields clothes were still there. He died in 2005 of a stroke.

Strange to walk round his kitchen.

Library

Just dome of the animals in the farm.

Rare breed chickens

English Longhorn. These too may disappear from the grounds when NT take over.

Anyone seen the Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds?'

FS seen from the Hall