A Boat Trip and John Nash’s Loo

 

(photo: Stoke Sentinel)

Before the big push to prepare our first visitors on the restoration tours in September, we popped down to Totnes in Devon for a short holiday break, and a meet-up with our grown-up children. The highlight of the trip was a surprise, organised by our eldest; a ‘Round Robin’ tour that visited four towns in the South Hams, via bus, steam train, foot ferry and river cruise. The last section, an hour and a half cruise up the River Dart from Dartmouth was stunning, passing banks verdant with ancient broadleaf woodland. We also passed the organic vineyards at the Georgian estate at Sharpham, where our eldest is working on a rewilding project.

The Sharpham estate (and Nigel's head!)

During the cruise’s commentary, we also found we had a Betley Court connection with another Dart Valley mansion. As we passed the Italianate country house at Sandridge park, our guide piped up that Sandridge House was designed in 1805 for the Dower Lady Ashburton by fashionable Georgian architect John Nash. “Of course,” the commentary continued, “John Nash is famous for design the Brighton Pavilion and Buckingham Palace.” “AND the loo at Betley Court!!” we heckled, but sadly, the guide took no notice!

Sandridge House, an Italianate mansion, famous for sharing an architect with the WC at Betley Court!

Monday 23^rd August marked the second anniversary of the fire at Betley Court. To be honest, it was good to have the distraction of the holiday, and not to be around the sight and sounds that conjure that day up. Both the Stoke Sentinel and Crewe Chronicle covered the rebuild. You can find the articles by clicking on the link here:

Sentinel Article

Crewe Chronicle Article

It is good to be at the stage, just two years on even to be thinking about having some sort of visitors’ event. On the ‘to do’ list before our first weekend, we have the new website to finalise, then we can put the tickets on sale. The maps and guides are ready to go, thanks to the very talented Andy Taylor at A Spark A Flame A Fire.

Andy Taylor's (from A Spark, A Flame, A Fire) fantastic new designs (apologies to Andy for pinching the image from his Facebook page!)

Some of the signage for the gardens is designed, but none of it is printed, so the pressure is on to get that sent off. There are dozens of other jobs around the gardens, and we’ll get done what we get done. The things that we don’t will just have to be added to the start of the next ‘to do’ list. Considering where we were two years ago, we’ve come a long way, and I’m sure people will be happy to cut us a little slack, given the circumstances.

All best wishes

Ladybird Su