The chapel of St Leonard stands in the outer court. It was built as the parish church by Sir Thomas Hungerford between about 1370 and 1383. The small north chapel (dedicated to St Anne) was added in about 1400 to house his tomb.

It became the castle chapel in the 1440s and was further altered in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 19th century it was used to display the collection of armour and ‘curiosities’ of Colonel John Houlton, then the castle’s owner.

The interior is notable for its many Hungerford family monuments and its wall-paintings. The principal monuments are those of Sir Thomas and his second wife, Lady Joan, with their effigies, which still retain traces of original paintwork and are surrounded by fine later medieval wrought-iron railings; and the lavish 17th-century marble monument to Sir Edward Hungerford III and his wife, Lady Margaret.

Probably between 1658 and 1665, Lady Margaret transformed the north chapel into a shrine for this monument. She added new windows, chequered marble paving, elaborate wrought-iron gates, and an extraordinary scheme of wall- and ceiling paintings, representing a paradise copiously bedecked with Hungerford family heraldry.

The east end of the main chapel displays the remains of earlier wall-paintings, including a nearly life-sized depiction of St George, probably commissioned in the 1440s by Walter, 1st Lord Hungerford.

Begun in the late 14th century, Farleigh Hungerford Castle was for 300 years the home of the Hungerfords, a family that after distinguished beginnings suffered a series of disasters and scandals – some of which took place within the castle walls. A ‘romantic ruin’ since the 1730s, it retains two of its corner towers, parts of its outer courtyard defences and a well-preserved chapel with outstanding 13th-century wall-paintings, family monuments and collection of unusual anthropoid (human-shaped) lead coffins.

Drifting in and out of my dream, I heard an alarm going off. As I came to I reached out for my glasses. Where were they? I couldn’t place my hand on them in the usual place. I had the same difficulty with the light switch so I sat up in order to put my slippers on just as Mr C said the fire alarm is going off. As I put my feet in my slippers I wondered why my holiday slippers were by the side of my bed. It was only then that I became awake enough to realise that I was not at home!

I tried to make sense of the fire evacuation map (it was only later that I realised the map was upside down). Normally I look at on arrival in a hotel I blame lockdown for befuddling my brain.

It was 3am in the morning and as I opened the door the alarm stopped. I noticed a box outside our door; breakfast had arrived. Much later, after another small wobble with the fire alarm, and some sleep, we opened the box to find a “cardboard” croissant and jam, a blueberry muffin (factory produced and packed rather than fresh), an Alpen bar, an apple and a carton of orange juice. This was most unsatisfactory as a breakfast experience in what is advertised as a quality hotel. Mr C abandoned the croissant (too cardboard) and I abandoned the blueberry muffin it was too sweet.

Mum, due to being almost deaf, was not disturbed in the night be the fire alarm. She awoke in the morning to find two breakfast boxes outside her door. Due to allergies she had to mix and match between the two boxes for items to eat.

Plan B came into operation we called in at a nearby motorway service station for bacon butties, freshly cooked pain au chocolate and freshly made tea. We enjoyed these tasty delights as an in-car breakfast picnic. It was a first for me, but it seemed like heaven after the hotel offering.

We visited Bath to see the Abbey and then having time to spare we visited the Circus and the Royal Crescent. Mum didn’t seem to impressed by the vistas they provided. Bath was busy and attractions needed to be pre-booked so we decided to press on. We picked up freshly made sandwiches and left the city to enjoy eating them in a quieter place where we could decide what we would do in the afternoon.

Farleigh Hungerford Castle was nearby, afternoon tickets were available so we booked in and had an enjoyable sunny afternoon exploring the grounds.

Returning to the hotel, we enjoyed tea and cake on the hotel terrace before retiring to our rooms to freshen up before dinner.

During dinner we were partly attended to by the delightful young man who had served us on the previous night. The other person attending to our needs gave us the impression that customers were a nuisance.

After a nightcap we returned to our room to find two breakfast boxes placed outside our room before we had even gone to bed!!!