Having left Windsor Castle, I passed Frogmore House, a charming country estate built in the 17th century as a home for the royal chaplain. In 1792, it was acquired by Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, to be used as a private retreat. As an enthusiastic gardener passionate about landscape design, she transformed the estate into a stunning parkland with a large ornamental lake and a walled garden. Two mausoleums inhabit the grounds. The Duchess of Kent Mausoleum is the burial place of Queen Victoria's mother. The Royal Mausoleum is the final resting place for Queen Victoria, her husband Prince Albert, and other royal family members.
For a time, Frogmore House was used as a storage facility for the Royal Collection of art and artifacts. In recent years, it was used for private events and occasionally as a residence for royal family members.
As I walked beside the River Thames, I stopped at the National Trust Runnymede Holding, where a 2,500-year-old yew tree sits on the ancient site of Ankerwycke on the north side. On the south side was Longmede, where the historic Magna Carta document was signed in 1215 AD. Considered the precursor to many modern constitutions and legal systems, the Magna Carta was created by discontented English barons in response to King John's tyrannical rule. It established that the king was not above the law, everyone was entitled to a fair trial, and the rights of free men were to be protected.
I continued heading east to the historic royal palace Hampton Court. It was built in the 16th century by Cardinal Wolsey, a close advisor of King Henry VIII, but when he fell out of favour the king took possession of the palace, expanding it to the grand residence it is today. This beautiful mix of Tudor and Baroque architecture is made of red bricks and contains 1,000 rooms, 60 acres of gardens, and 750 acres of parkland. The Tudor Kitchens are renowned for feeding Henry VIII's court of up to 600 people. It was operated by 200 staff, producing 800 meals a day while keeping the fires by burning 1.3 million logs annually.
Spooky stories are always a bit of fun, so of course, Hampton Court has its own collection of ghost stories with two of Henry VIII's wives said to be haunting the palace. Jane Seymour was his third and most beloved wife. Dying after she gave birth to her son, Jane is said to appear as a pale figure on the stairs that once led to her rooms. She is the only one of Henry's six wives buried with him in Windsor Castle. Catherine Howard, his fifth wife, was executed due to accusations of adultery and treason. Catherine's ghost is said to be running through the palace's gallery, with her screams echoing through the halls. The last story is of numerous sightings of a Grey Lady. This happens to be Sybil Penn, a servant to the Tudor monarchs who nursed Elizabeth I through smallpox. While the Queen recovered, sadly, Sybil caught the pox and died shortly after.
Taking a walk in the gardens, I took my chances navigating the many twists, turns, and dead ends in the . Next, I went to the Rose Garden to admire some lovely species, including Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll'. This pink shrub rose is named after a famous early 20th century horticulturist who created more than 400 gardens in her lifetime. I finished my garden exploration at the Great Vine. This 250-year-old grapevine is the largest in the world measuring 13 ft (4 m) at the base, and the longest rod is 120 ft (36.5m).
Heading north, I will be passing a few more grand houses and look forward to Richmond Park's wildlife.
No comments:
Post a Comment
It's so good to see you here . . .