Tyntesfield

Recently I visited the National Trust property Tyntesfield, which is in North Somerset and around 7 miles from Bristol. It is built in the Victorian Gothic Revival style, and full of really interesting collections, rooms, furniture, and pieces of art. It was on my list to visit this year, but seeing it in the Sherlock special trailer meant that I had to see it for myself! (And yes, I am counting down the days until that episode in broadcast). 

The central staircase

Originally built in the 1830s as a Georgian mansion, it was extensively remodelled and expanded in the 1860s. It was bought by the Trust fairly recently in 2002, and there are many rooms that are still full of collections from floor to ceiling. One of these is open to the public to understand how the house was when it was taken over, and how expansive the collections are. In many other rooms, the Trust has done a fantastic job of recreating the Victorian splendour of Tyntesfield in its prime.

The billiards table with electronic scoring

There are some fantastic objects and pieces of furniture on display throughout the property, including the late Victorian full-size billiards table, with electronic scoring, and its scoreboard, which both stand in the billiard room. Tyntesfield was, in fact, one of the first houses to have electricity installed.

The private chapel

There are a range of rooms that are open in the house, including the higher status rooms in the front of the house, and other rooms that would have been used by the staff. As we visited in mid-November, the house was being prepped for Christmas and undergoing conservation work, which meant that, unfortunately, some of the rooms were closed. However, there were lots of helpful guides of hand to explain what was happening and how the rooms usually looked. Tyntesfield is also open everyday of the year (except for Christmas Day), so I have plenty of time to go back and explore the rest!

Snippets of the top floor tour

The absolute highlight of my visit was the ‘backstage’ tour, which took you around the areas of the house that were occupied by later generations of the family, including the children’s nursery, the servant’s quarters and other rooms. The volunteer who took us around was extremely knowledgable, and with only seven of us in the group, there was plenty of time to ask questions, and take our time looking around. We couldn’t pre-book this tour online and although it wasn’t advertised at the ticket office, we could book our tickets there. From what I can see on the website, these tours aren’t happening with all of the extra things happening over Christmas, but it’s worth asking, and if not, just try out one of the other activities instead! As one of the most popular National Trust properties in the South West, it is also worth reserving your general house tickets online if you want to get in early on the day. 

Overall, it was a great visit, and I will certainly be heading back very soon. 

More information is available at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield

A Birthday in Bath

A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my 24th birthday, and decided to spend the day with my family exploring the World Heritage Site of Bath. I have only visited the city once before, although my parents actually met and lived there for several years. We decided to be proper tourists for the day and visit the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey.

The view from the terrace

The Roman Baths are the best-preserved example of ancient baths and a temple complex in Northern Europe. Completed in AD 75, the Romans had to control the only thermal springs in the UK. Today, the water still flows through the infrastructure from the first century. The site was considered sacred before the Roman conquest, with the Dobunni (the tribe in that area of Britain in the first century AD), believing the springs sacred to the Goddess Sulis, and the Roman temple dedicated to Sulis Minerva. One of the most famous objects from the Baths is the gilded bronze head from the statue of Minerva from the temple, which is now on display close to where it would have stood nearly 2000 years ago.

One of the artefacts housed in the museum

The Baths now have a large museum around them, with many different rooms full of objects discovered from the excavations, telling the history of the Roman Baths. You are mostly led around by a free audio guide, which also has a section for kids, and additional dialogue from the author Bill Bryson. I was surprised by just how much there was to see!

Archaeological remains 

There are many archaeological remains now on view, and one of my favourite areas of the museum was the excavated buildings that can be seen from a raised platform. There is something really amazing about being able to see the walkways and steps that were used by the people visiting the baths and the temple. 

Water flowing through the original Roman structure

Another great thing is that throughout the Baths, you can still see the water flowing through the infrastructure built in the Roman period. One small piece of advice would be to remember a bottle of water, and be prepared for humidity! This comes from the heat of the hot springs, but also the water sprayed onto the remains that are on display.

The Great Bath (with added priest)

The absolute highlight is, of course, being able to walk around the Great Bath, the centrepiece of the bathing complex, and possibly one of the most famous Roman sites in Britain. Today, the steam still rises from the water, and you can walk around the adjacent rooms which have been excavated, and roofed, which give a great sense of the actual dimensions and layout of the complex. A really nice touch was that you can taste the water of the baths at the end of the tour, or in the Pump Room (although don’t be too excited about the taste!).

The overall experience was absolutely fantastic. It took around three hours to fully get around as there was a surprisingly large complex of rooms to explore and collections to see. An adult ticket costs £14, but don’t be put off by the price, it is completely worth it! My only tiny gripe would be, as someone who is not the biggest fan of audio guides just because I like to read things at my own pace, I would have liked more information written around the museum explaining the history of each section of the Baths and the excavated remains. It is somewhere that I have always known about, so it was fantastic to see it in person.

The exterior and interior of Bath Abbey

In the afternoon, we visited Bath Abbey, which is right next door to the Baths. There has been a church on the site for over 1000 years, including a massive Norman cathedral, although it lay in ruins by the 15th century. In 1615, the building was repaired and used as a parish church. It was developed in the 19th century, and the Abbey today is largely thanks to Sir George Gilbert Scott, the leading architect of the Gothic Revival. He transferred the interior of the abbey, the most significant change being replacing the wooden ceiling with the stone fan vaulting that is there today.

The abbey is free to enter, and I would really recommend it. It doesn’t take long to have a look around, and is obviously such an important part of the heritage of the city, so makes for a well-rounded trip to Bath!

It was a great day spent with my family, and Bath is a fantastic city in any weather, so I look forward to visiting sometime soon, hopefully before Christmas to explore the markets and do a bit of shopping!

If you want more information about the Roman Baths, just go to: http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/

Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum, Devon

Earlier this year, I visited Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum in Devon. It was a few months ago, but I wanted to share the experience with you, as it was a really fun day, and it is well worth a visit!

If you visit Arlington, you won't be able to miss the resident peacocks!

The house was built in 1823, and extended in 1860, but the estate itself was in the Chichester family for over 500 years, before being given to the National Trust in the 1940s. The outside itself certainly doesn’t give anything away, but the interior is full of the family’s collections. The collections include model ships, shells, taxidermy, and a large selection of pewter.

The hall of Arlington Court

The grounds and gardens of Arlington Court cover around 30 acres, and include the formal Victorian garden, with a conservatory rebuilt in 2012, and the walled garden which was reinstated in 2003. A short walk from the house is St James church, which was largely rebuilt in the Victorian period. It's a lovely little church, and well worth taking a trip to. 

The interior of St James Church

There are many great things about Arlington Court, a personal favourite thing for me was the bat-cam room in the cellars. A simple idea, but a great one, giving a glimpse into a species of animal that is present at many historical sites, but often gets little attention.

Visiting in May meant that the Victorian Garden was in full bloom

A short walk along from the house is the National Trust Carriage Museum. It houses nearly 1000 items, the highlight of which is undoubtably the Speaker’s State Coach. 

The granary at Arlington Court, which stands on carved toadstools

Arlington Court is now only open at the weekends over the winter. It is definitely worth a trip, but with its extensive grounds and gardens, I would recommend that you go on a day with good weather, or wait until the Spring (although that’s no guarantee for a sunny day!). Located just to the east of Exmoor, there is plenty to do in the area. 

For more information about Arlington Court, visit http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/arlington-court/

York Art Gallery

York Art Gallery and Exhibition Square (©York Museums Trust)

York Art Gallery, part of York Museums Trust, reopened on the 1st August 2015 after a major redevelopment, spanning over 2 years, and costing £8 million. I first moved to York in 2013, and left this June, so I never had the opportunity to visit whilst I lived there, even though I only lived around the corner, and studied at King’s Manor, right next door. Recently, I went back to York, and one of my priorities was visiting the newly opened gallery. I am really glad that I had the opportunity, as the redevelopment has been very successful. 

The gallery originally opened in 1879 for the Second Yorkshire Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition, and in 1892, it became the City Art Gallery. The gallery’s collections and exhibitions are varied, and include more than 2,000 ceramic works, a number of Italian Old Masters, and artworks depicting York, including L.S. Lowry’s paintings of Clifford’s Tower (on display until March 2016). They also have the largest collection of William Etty works, and his statue stands at the front of the gallery, in Exhibition Square.

The newly refurbished gallery has a number of different spaces, filled with different artworks from its collections, and loaned from elsewhere. The renovation celebrates the architecture of the building, including its original Victorian features, and many rooms are flooded with natural light. Instead of listing off all of the exhibitions and displays, here are just some of my favourites, and some highlights from the collection.

One of the most unique aspects of the gallery is the Centre of Ceramic Arts (CoCA), which displays the Trust’s collection of British studio ceramics. It includes a 17 metre long ‘Wall of Pots’, which is organised and curated by colour, creating a rainbow across the length of one of the rooms. I found myself spending more time considering the colour, form and technique of ceramics than ever before. It is a unique way of displaying such a collection, but works incredibly well.

In the same space is the Anthony Shaw collection, displayed in a domestic style, echoing his London home. I personally really liked the domestic aspect to the display, which raised questions, for me, about the functions of ceramics, and what they mean and represent in the home. It also offers a glimpse into Shaw’s mind, and his ideas behind collecting in the way that he did. It automatically also becomes a more relaxing environment (although I was worried I was going to knock a piece over!). 

Clare Twomey’s ‘Manifest: 10,000 Hours’, specially commissioned for the new gallery, is incredibly effective. It fills the mezzanine space, echoing the white space and light created by the Victorian roof. Also in the room is Grayson Perry’s ‘Melanie’, one of ‘The Three Graces’, created in 2014. Both pieces, and others in the exhibition, make you question the role of ceramics, and appreciate them for pieces of art, as well as a traditional craft, something that is often forgotten in a more traditional display of ceramics. Throughout the gallery, I also appreciated the ability to walk around many of the works, and being able to view them from all angles.

Manifest: 10,000 Hours, Clare Twomey (©York Museums Trust)

Downstairs is an exhibition titled ‘A Picture of York’, which contains a variety of artworks depicting York itself. The Trust has a collection of 4000 pieces of work like these, and the room highlights some of the most important pieces. The three L.S. Lowry pieces depicting Clifford’s Tower are also brought together, but make sure you visit soon, as it is planned that they will only be on display together until March 2016.

Without a doubt, my favourite space in the gallery is that created by York based artist Mark Herald: ‘The Lumbar Room: Unimagined Treasurers’. It has been curated by Herald, with objects from York Museum Trust’s collections, and his responses to them. As a result, the room is full of unusual objects, and is a mix between museum exhibition and artwork, creating a modern cabinet of curiosities of Yorkshire. Next to The Lumbar Room is The Studio, a space full of different materials that is used for activities and school visits. During our visit, it was open for anyone to use and enjoy. It doesn’t feel like a classroom, and invites visitors to create their own responses to the gallery.

There are many more rooms and exhibitions that I haven’t mentioned, including works from two hundred years of British Art, and the Lycett Green collection, which brings together works from the Renaissance to the 19th century.

The gallery has a great variety of works, of different mediums, and from throughout the centuries. I felt like I also gained a real understanding of the story behind the background of the collection, and the importance of art, and the gallery itself, to York’s culture, and its community. The gallery has a very inviting atmosphere, and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Every detail of the refurbishment has been considered, from the design, to the curation, to the visitor experience. The Museum Gardens have also been renovated to the rear of the gallery, but thanks to the 'Great British Weather', the rain put me off exploring, so I will have to take a look at them the next time I am in York.

The gallery’s website includes lots of useful information about visiting. I would personally recommend parking in Marygate Car Park, as it is just around the corner. If you are getting a train or bus to York, the train station is a five minute walk on the other side of the river (local tip- there is a footbridge across the river from one end of Margate carpark right into the train station itself), and busses stop regularly outside the gallery. There is a cafe in the gallery, with a wide selection of high-quality food and drink, but it is in the centre of York, so there is plenty of choice and other options nearby. 

The gallery has something for everyone, with collections spanning 600 years. One of the best things about it, is its success in representing art created in York and throughout the region, and celebrating the best of York’s culture.

In my mind, it is one of the best cultural attractions in York, and will no doubt remain so for many years to come.

More information about York Art Gallery can be found at: www.yorkartgallery.org.uk


Unfortunately, I was too busy and taken in by the artworks to take any photographs, and so in this post, all images are from the York Museums Trust. 

A la Ronde and Killerton House, Devon

A couple of months ago, we were having some lovely weather here in the South West, and my family and I decided to head down to Devon for the day. We started the morning at A la Ronde. 

This is one of the most unique National Trust properties I have ever visited. Overlooking the River Exe, the 16 sided house was built in the 18th century for two spinster cousins on their return from the Grand Tour.

A la Ronde, Devon

The house inside is really quite remarkable. Every corner of it is still filled with objects from the cousins' journeys around Europe, although it has been altered in layout since that time.

A clever use of space on the ground floor of A la Ronde

The house on the inside has plenty of rooms to explore, including the drawing room, with its unusual artworks by the cousins, and the 'Octagon', the green hallway with eight doors.

Just a small selection of the shells housed in A la Ronde

You may have heard of A la Ronde because of its famous Shell Gallery, with its 25,000 shells. Unfortunately, you can no longer see it up close, as it is has been closed off to visitors for the past twenty years. The only ways of viewing it now are using a mirror in the entrance hall, or on a screen at the end of the tour. You can actually view the 360 picture online at: http://www.rodedwards.co.uk/files/20634/alarondeshellgallery/A_La_Ronde_Shell_Gallery.html. 

As is probably obvious from the image above, as picturesque as A la Ronde is (and as nice as the cake is!), it is not a full day's visit. As we were travelling back up to North Somerset, we decided to spend the afternoon at Killerton House, another National Trust property. If you want to stay in the area, there is plenty to do, and Exeter is only a short drive away.

Killerton House is an 18th century property, originally built as a temporary home for the Acland family. There are relatively few rooms open in the house, as the first floor is used as a temporary exhibition space, and currently houses 'The F-word: the changing language of fashion'.

Killerton House Library

The rooms downstairs are well presented, and the library is very inviting, with a great selection of books on local social history that can be browsed. I personally think that it is important that the rooms are used as much as possible, and to me it just makes sense that libraries have books in that you can read! Making them relevant to the property that they are in is a very simple idea, but one that is not actually put into practice that often.

The garden at Killerton is full of colour, and I thought that having interpretation boards describing the plants and the plans for the rest of the year was brilliant. 

Killerton Chapel

Within the grounds is Killerton Chapel, a mid-Victorian building. Built of volcanic trap aslar (known as Killerton stone), the exterior doesn't really give much away, so the dramatic interior was quite a surprise. On reflection, there are a lot of clues to the nature of the interior, such as the rose window in the west end.

Interior of Killerton Chapel

The whole day was really great, but if you visit, be aware that each properties on their own is a half-day, and you should plan around that. There is plenty to do in the area around Exeter however, so you won't struggle to fill up the day.

For more information about A la Ronde, visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/a-la-ronde/

For more information about Killerton, visit: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/killerton/