Normally on Bank Holidays, I prefer to stay at home having a lazy day and catching up on some of the household chores. I'm not keen on crowds and past experience has shown that usually not just the roads but anywhere of interest is busy, busy, busy on Bank Holiday Monday, especially if the sun is shining.
Nevertheless, it seemed such a shame to waste the sunshine on Monday so we set off for a little jaunt to Clandon Park. It's not that far away from us, traffic was fine and, although the car park was filling up, we arrived in time to find a spot easily.
The house, now owned by the National Trust, is well worth a visit and we were impressed to see how well-preserved everything looked.
Two things make this property a little different from other English country houses.
Firstly, the Maori meeting house, brought over from New Zealand in 1982 by the fourth Earl of Onslow who was a Governor of New Zealand at the time, and which now looks splendid in its new location in the gardens behind the house.
And, secondly, the West Clandon parish church of St Peter and St Paul. This lovely old church which stands at the boundary of the property has many interesting memorials. It is obviously well-cared for by the parish.
I enjoy wandering round old churches and there is something special about a church as old as this (late 12th/early 13th Century) which is obviously still in regular use. You can imagine the generations of people who have worshipped in this spot. If those stones walls could only talk what tales they could tell!
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