National Trust – Page 5 – My Days Out Blog

Cragside, Northumberland

National Trust
Cragside was bought by the Victorian industrialist and arms manufacturer Willian George Armstrong, and the house was greatly extended between 1863-1884. Externally, the house is a jumble of English baronial styles, with mullioned windows, battlements, decorated barge boards, shouldered gables, tall decorated chimneys, steep roofs, and mock timber-framing, and has an irregular outline. Inside it has a number of unusual features incorporating Armstrong’s ideas, often very advanced for the time, including a water-powered spit turning mechanism, electric lighting from a hydro-generator on the estate, a hydraulic powered lift and a sauna suite. There are several rooms with elaborate Victorian interiors. The large drawing room, finished in a Classical Renaissance style, has a vast chimney piece, elaborately carved in marble. A long gallery is lined with pictures and other objects.

From the house, there are spectacular views over the woodland below. A rockery garden plunges down to a stream and an arched metal bridge. Out in the estate there are several of Armstrong’s installations to visit, and 40 miles of footpaths to explore. You can walk to the pair of lakes above the house and back in an hour or so, but the signposting on the paths is vague and the climb is steep.
The exhibition centre & tea rooms are next to the lake visible from the entrance. The formal gardens are 1/4 mile from the house, or from the main car park. The’re quite pretty but could be skipped if you are short of time.
A ‘hopper’ minibus provides free transport around the above-mentioned ‘near’ parts of the estate for those who have difficulty in walking. You can drive your car around a 6-mile one-way circuit to access the ‘far’ parts of the estate. Cragside is a clear candidate for an ‘all day visit’.
Visited 2012 and 2016.

View of Iron Bridge and house — Iron Bridge and house

Dining Room stained glass — Dining Room glass

Wallington, Northumberland

National Trust.
The 18th century house stands in extensive grounds, and the south front can be seen from a mile away on the approach route. Behind the house (north side) is a green surrounded by stable blocks etc.

Inside the house, one you leave the entrance hall, the preferred route is to turn right and go around the ground floor in an anti-clockwise direction, finishing with the south front rooms (Library, Drawing Room and Dining Room). Then go upstairs. Alternatively, you could go upstairs first. Noteworthy items in the house are the fine collection of Chinese porcelain, the pre-Raphaelite murals in the central hall, and the plasterwork in the south-facing ground floor rooms. Pictures, furniture, porcelain figures and a collection of dolls’ houses may also be of interest.

Outside, the Walled garden (half a mile from the house) is said to be well worth a visit. Unfortunately I was unable to see it because of lack of time. A full visit to house and grounds could take several hours.

Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland

National Trust:
The house is impressively composed, with a central block and two wings. At a glance, it looks complete, but the central block is a fire-gutted shell which was burnt out in 1822. It has been re-roofed and re-windowed to keep out the elements. It was originally built in 1719-30. The architect was John Vanbrugh, who also designed Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace. The survival of the shell is a testament to the strength of its construction.
The east and west wings formerly contained stables and the kitchens. The kitchen block has since been converted to residential accommodation. Note the two stone spiral staircases in the central block, and the two rooms not gutted by fire. In the grounds are formal gardens and a small Norman church.

Long Crendon Courthouse, Bucks

National Trust
The timber-framed Courthouse dates from the 15th century, and was used for legal meetings of the three manors into which the surrounding farmlands were divided, and later for other purposes. In the 1890’s it was derelict and under threat of demolition when it became the second property acquired by the nascent National Trust. For a time one of the radical founders of the trust used it for residential workshops for poor boys from the cities, to broaden their minds and foster comradeship between boys and men. After a dispute, the building was re-dedicated to more conventional use, and today the ground floor is let out as accommodation and the upper floor houses a village exhibition.
In the 1980’s the building was (again) refurbished to remove some of the heavy brick infill from the walls and replace the brick with lightweight synthetic panels.
The Courthouse is worth a visit if you are in the region, to see the exterior and the interior, and the exhibition. For no obvious reason, the Courthouse is only open for three days a week in season, plus bank Holidays. Visitors are advised to phone to check availability before travelling a long distance. Allow time to stroll around the village and see many other timber-framed buildings which look as old as the Courthouse.

Attingham Hall, Shropshire

National Trust
Successful politician Noel Hill, later 1st Lord Berwick, built Attingham Hall, a grand Georgian mansion, in the 1780’s on the site of an earlier house. Successive Lords Berwick completed and furnished the house, and made alterations such as adding the picture gallery with its innovative iron-framed roof lights, and demolishing the remnants of the earlier building on the site.
Attingham came to the National Trust in 1947, and for many years parts were let out as a Further Education college.
The grand rooms on the principal floor are all on display, with masculine styled rooms on one side of the house, and feminine themed rooms on the other. The principal rooms with their superb decorations and plasterwork are well worth a visit, but upstairs seems to be a work-in-progress and most of the upper floor is not open to the public. The service basement and kitchens are open to visitors.
There is an extensive park including an imposing stables block, and a walled garden.
The NT guidebook rather irritatingly does not contain a floor plan or room guide, so if you see a separate floor plan available you might want to avail yourself of it.
I visited again in 2023, again touring the principal rooms. There is no general access to upstairs, but an extra-cost guided tour is available to visit a two-floor apartment in the East Wing which contains a number of furnished and grand rooms. This apartment was occupied by the last (8th) Lady Bervick, and then was leased to a Mr Cohen, a Regency furniture collector, who died quite recently. The rooms are as he left them. This extra tour is well worth the fee. You are advided to book it at the reception on arrival to save yourself a lot of trekking about, later.
In 2023 I also visited parts of the grounds, including the ice-house (disappointingly just a hole in the ground), the Bee House, and the large Walled Garden. The latter is worth the walk. Nearby are some excavations uncovering lost pleasure ground fratures. The stable block, on the entry route, is also worth a look around. If you make an all-day visit, there are circular walks around the extensive grounds and estate.

Ty Mawr Wybranat, Conwy, Wales

National Trust
Ty Mawr Wybranat is a traditional stone-built upland farmhouse, set in the heart of the beautiful Conwy valley. The site is very important in the history of the Welsh language, as Bishop William Morgan once lived here. Morgan translated the Bible into Welsh, and in the process produced a standardised version of Welsh and guaranteed the survival of the language. The buildings indicate how people once lived here without modern comforts, and house an impressive collection of Bibles in nearly 100 languages. Don’t miss the opportunity of chatting with the warden.
In former times the region was much less isolated, as a major drover’s road went through the valley (think mediaeval M4).
Surrounding the property are opportunities for woodland walks.

Warning for Satnav and Google Map users:
The National Trust direction to approach via the village of Permachno (A5/B4406) should be treated as an instruction, not a suggestion! This route is single-track, steep, narrow and twisty, but at least it’s a road, and leads to the car park 500 yards above the house. The alternatives are farm and forest tracks – you can get a road car through, but when you find what they’re like – gated, overgrown, and no passing places – you’ll soon wish you hadn’t started. Do not approach via a turning off the A470.
You can walk from Pont-y-Pant railway station, (2.5 miles) but be aware that this is a bog-and-mountain trek, not a nice stroll. You should take hiking boots, OS map, and compass as there is no obvious trail.

(Don’t complain about the bilingual road-signs when visiting Wales: the Welsh-speakers are very fond of them and would be quite happy to have them monolingual – in Welsh! The rebels used to drive around at night covering English-only signs in green paint…)

Plas yn Rhiw, Gwynedd, Wales

National Trust
Plas yn Rhiw is a house of 16th century origins, rescued from dereliction and restored by the three Keating sisters, who bought it in 1938. Architect Clough Williams-Ellis (of Portmeirion fame) had a hand in the restoration. Externally the house has an imposing Georgian frontage and beautiful gardens on a steeply sloping site overlooking Cardigan Bay. Signs of the raising of the 2nd storey walls in the early 1800s can be seen in the stonework. There are spectacular views from the house looking across the bay. Outbuildings from an earlier period of the estate’s history, some ruined, lie near the house or in the gardens.
Inside, many of the rooms seem cramped and old-fashioned, and contain a clutter of the Keatings’ possessions. Elegant Georgian chairs, fur coats and gloves indicate comfortable gentility. Contents include Honoria Keating’s landscape paintings, period furniture, a library reflecting their interests, and 1930’s domestic electrical appliances.

The site near the tip of the Gwynedd peninsula is somewhat remote, but the effort of getting there is well repaid.

Rhiw seen from front garden — Rhiw from front

View near Plas yn Rhiw — near Plas yn Rhiw

Chirk Castle, Wrexham

National Trust
The castle was completed in 1310 by Edward I to help subdue the Welsh, and is still inhabited. Though much altered and restored, the outline of the mediaeval castle remains, with a luxurious mansion constructed inside it. The towers must originally have been higher, as in the other Edwardian Welsh castles. The accommodation is constructed around a central courtyard, originally the inner bailey.
The North range, dating from the early 17th century, contains fine rooms mostly in a neo-classical style, but with a hall styled by Pugin.
The South range, dating from 1529, was built by officials working for Henry VIII. It contains a chapel and servants’ hall.
The East range was much damaged in a Civil War siege, then rebuilt. Its current form dates from 1846, when an open colonnade was enclosed.
The West range of c.1300 survives largely unaltered and has some rooms in the thickness of the wall.
Outside are some fine formal gardens, and the laundry rooms.
On the approach you pass the fine gates by Davies. The car park is quite a long way further on.
Chirk is well worth a visit.

Chirk dining room — Dining room, North range

Chirk, Cromwell Hall by Pugin — Hall by Pugin, North range

Greys Court, Oxfordshire

National Trust
Greys Court is a former family home and estate, in a rural Chilterns setting. The 16th century house and the gardens were home to the Brunner family until recent years. Following the death of the last resident, the National Trust carried out major repairs and refurbishment. Some of the buildings face a central green. There are also a series of walled gardens, some medieval towers, and an old well house enclosing a Tudor donkey wheel.
Most of the rooms are presented as they would have been when the Brunners lived there.
The house interior is worth a visit, and the various buildings in the grounds are also of interest. Younger visitors may be disappointed to discover that the medieval towers are not accessible. Out in the grounds is an ice-house which has a thatched roof instead of the usual vault. The walled gardens will be of interest to garden admirers. Walks are possible in the wider estate.
Practical details: For the final approach, follow the brown signs and ignore your Sat-Nav, otherwise you will probably find yourself on a long narrow twisty single track country lane.
A visit here can be paired with a morning visit to nearby Nuffield Place.

Greys Court Dower House (private) — Dower House (private)

Greys Court North-east Tower — North-east Tower

Greys Court South-West Tower — South-West Tower

Nuffield Place, Oxfordshire

National Trust
The former home of motor car manufacturer William Morris (Lord Nuffield) came under NT management recently and was first opened by them in April 2012. During his lifetime, Morris was famous for the amount of money he gave away: about £30 million (far more in today’s values.) The house is presented much as Morris left it, with his furniture and fittings. It was originally built in 1914 for a shipping magnate. Morris bought it in 1933 and had it furnished to reflect the tastes of the 1930’s. The gardens were laid out just after WWI. Lord and Lady Nuffield were both keen gardeners.
The house is in a rural setting, with paddocks and outbuildings, and with well-kept gardens around the house. By millionaire standards, it is not particularly lavish. (See, for instance, Eltham Palace, built in the same era.) The downstairs rooms are comfortably furnished with period reproduction furniture and a collection of china and other items. Also on show are a radiogram and two early TV sets which no doubt were all top of the range in their day.
Upstairs, the principal and guest bedrooms are mostly set out as they were in Lord Nuffield’s day. His wardrobe containing a set of tools and other curios is popular with visitors!
Nuffield Place is well worth a visit. Part of the interest lies in finding out about Lord Nuffield and his car company. A visit here can be paired with an afternoon visit to nearby Grays Court (NT).