Mr C woke up at 7.17, precisely two minutes after the alarm was due to go off! When we opened the curtains sunshine blazed through the windows and the Malvern hills were layered in soft mist. Breakfast was freshly cooked to order and lived up to our expectations.
We settled our bill and, before departing took a walk around the hotel’s garden which was delightful in the sunshine. We had hoped to visit the nearby Grade I listed St. Leonard’s Church to see the frescoes. However when we arrived the church was closed and there was no indication of opening times. So we headed off in the direction of Croome where the Shutterchance meetup was taking place later in the day.
On the way, we stopped off at a viewpoint showing the positions of the the armies during the battle of Worcester. Trees were obscuring some of the locations making them difficult to see. We got to Croome early so we took a slight detour down country lanes to Defford before returning.
At Croome our first port of call was a drink in the cafe before venturing into the grounds. The sunny weather showed off the grounds in a favourable light unlike our previous visit when it poured down. The field in front of the house contained several large hay bales which enhanced the scene.
We returned to the cafe for lunch and to find some of the Shutterchancers had arrived so we joined them for a chat until the rest of the group arrived. We all headed off into the grounds, cameras at the ready.
At the house we were able to join one of the attic guided tours which was very interesting because the attic is being used to store items until the property’s various rooms are sufficiently restored to be able to display them. We were shown paintings of former owners and residents of the house and given a brief history about them. Some of the rooms also held restored and partially restored furniture.
In one of the rooms the guide pointed out some markings on the floor that had mostly been covered over with shelving (for now) partially protecting them. The guide advised that this was the place where exorcisms took place when the hall was the headquarters for The International Society for Krishna Consciousness in the late 70s and early 80s.
After the tour, we made our way back to the cafe where everyone was congregating to celebrate a 70th birthday. Yes, there was cake and very colourful it was too. All too soon it was time for us to begin our journey home.
The chancel and screen at St Leonard’s Church have amazing frescoes, well worth visiting *nod* . And photographing, if you are allowed.
But I would have been annoyed to have travelled that far, only to find the church closed.
It was OK we only visited the church on the spur of the moment as something to do before meeting up with friends in Croome.
I would like to go back and visit the church but the website is not very helpful in advising when it is open for visitors!
I have to say the design of this building reminded me of Hardwick Hall!
It has a similar frontage as do other similar properties.
Always good to someone else’s travelogue of their way to attend the celebrations. No garden at my Premier Inn.
The stay here was an excuse to dine in the restaurant. We enjoyed the dining experience on a previous occasion when we were staying in a different hotel.
We could easily have travelled on the morning of the meet up, but we decided to make a mini break of it.
So much luxurious lawn seems so decadent.
It is a Capability Brown landscape which must need a lot of maintenance to keep it in tip top condition.
I love the ceiling and wall decorations in the last photo. Croome is another place I have yet to visit!
The bright colours are from the time when the International Society for Krishna Consciousness was resident. The relief patterns were previously more subdued.