Midlands Explorer - Moseley Old Hall

I tried my best to avoid all things royal this past weekend - don't get me started on the subject - but what happens when you take yourself off to a 17th century Manor House near Wolverhampton, is that you end up tripping over them. 

In this case the encounter was with the future Charles II during his flight from defeat at the battle of Worcester in 1651. Having hidden in the famous oak tree, he was given shelter by the Catholic family here, even hiding in the priest hole between the house's upper and lower floors under the garde-robe when Parliamentarian forces came calling, before making his escape via a very circuitous route through England and across the Channel to France. Pity he came back.

On a small enough scale to imagine living in it, Moseley Old Hall is a delight of wooden interiors, including chapel in the attic disguised as a school room, pleasant parlours and bedrooms, and a lovely knot garden. Most impressive were the stump work embroideries of which there were many, along with the Royal and Parliamentary propaganda. 

Hidden London - Strawberry Hill House

Horace Walpole's 18th century Gothic fantasy is tucked away from the river in Twickenham. It fell into a ruinous state and was restored and reopened in 2010.

Thirteen years later and some eight years since my last visit, the exterior could do with a serious paint job. The interior is holding up well. On this Easter Sunday it was a relatively quiet place to come. 

A sunny day with others elsewhere meant we were unbothered by our fellow visitors and had our pick of spots in the garden for the first picnic of the year.

Even the guides were of the more unobtrusive kind. I hate being told the blindingly obvious or the readily researchable.

I love the garish bling of the house. It is mad, really bonkers. Yet one might imagine living there. A pity then that the furnishings and objet were scattered in a 19th century auction.

Go if you love gold, trope l'oil, stained glass and fabulous fireplaces, or want to see a first edition of the Castle of Otranto. Not cheap, but where is these days?

Chiswick House and Gardens

Many are the times I have roared passed the turn off on the A4 on my way out of London, yet I have never visited this lovely park and its beautiful buildings before. As well as a general interest in the idea of the garden and the re-sculpting of the British landscape that took place in the 18th century, started here by a certain William Kent, and a desire to take a stroll around a lake, admiring bird life, including a triumvirate of cormorants drying their wings, there was another reason for visiting that my companion wanted to share.

Some nearly fifty years ago a rather famous group of musicians used the grounds to shoot a promotional film for their new single. The band was The Beatles. The single was Paperback Writer (with Rain on the B side). You can find it on the internet these days, but it was the start of something visually new in the pop world. The fab four sing and play around a huge Cedar of Lebanon, the semi-circle of 'Roman' statuary and the conservatory, which houses a collection of century old, huge camelias, whilst also looking into the mid-distance and 'oozing cool' as the information poster has it.

Best enjoyed on a sunny autumn Sunday when everyone else is somewhere else. Look out for gnarly ash trees, the Indian Bean tree that despite almost falling over in a long ago storm now grows partly along the ground, the noisy cascade and the Japanese maples turning bright gold. The perfect place for a historical stroll.