ICKWORTH HOUSE -A TOTAL FOLLY

On the way home from Bury St Edmunds we saw a sign for a National Trust property - Ickworth House, so we decided to make a small detour to pay a visit. As with most NT properties this time of the year, only the gardens and souvenir shop are open so we were not able to tour the house itself. It is a monstrous property with an incredi ble history.In 1795 the eccentric Earl of Bristol created this equally eccentric house to display his collection of paintings by Titian/Gainsborough and Velazquez and a magnificent collection of Georgian silver. Unfortunately Napoleon nicked his collection before he could bring it over from Europe!Successive members of the family (all oddballs and philanders)gradually completed the building and had a magnificent garden conpleted by the famous 'Capability'Brown.

Shortly after the end of World War 2, the current Earl, who was a London playboy and spending the family fortune as fast as he could, joined a gang of professional jewel thieves and was subsequently caught and jailed.

Then in the 1990's the incumbent was convicted of trafficking heroin, and had in the meantime finished of the millions left in the family coffers supporting his own drug and high lifestyle. And so the National Trust became the owners. The central rotunda is ornately decorated with carvings, and the two generous curved wings joining the rotunda contained dozens of rooms. One of the wings is now used as a high class hotel.

Inside the main entrance is a placard on which is displayed a comment by Queen Vicoria " Ickworth House is the ultimate folly" V ery true my dear, very true.

BURY ST EDMUNDS

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We heard on the radio that there was to be a Christmas Market at Bury St Edmunds, and as it is only 50 miles away we took off yesterday at 8.30 and duly arrived an hour later. It was scarf/gloves and topcoat weather!

We parked on the edge of the centre of town, and walked into a market square which we discovered was the normal Saturday market. The produce stalls were exceptional - fresh raspberries at 2pound for 2 punnets was irresistable.

A short walk through beautiful old narrow lanes brought us to the site of the Christmas Market where there was entertainment laid on as well as a French market providing lots of food options. Cassoulet/croque monsieur/fish soup -all very yummy. Morris Dancers performed non stop -and a female choir sang carols and popular songs beautifully.

We tore ourselves away from all this to see the remains of the 7th Century abbey. Remains is the right word as the photos show. The top ones show a reconstruction of the original south transept of the abbey and the next one the present remains. The window at the rear is clearly identifiable.

The town's name comes from the fact that King Edmund died and was buried here in Medeival times. The town is also famous for being the centre where 25 Barons met and swore to make King John sign the famous Magna Carta the birth of democracy.

WISBECH AND SWAFFHAM

It was quite warm this morning (8 degrees) and we took off for a visit to Wisbech a lovely market town about 30 miles away.It was once only 4 miles from the sea, but land reclamation means it is now 11 miles, but the River Nene still accomodates ships up to 2000 tons. In the town, there is a row of beautiful Georgian houses on each side of the river.One of thembeing the birthplace of Octavia Hill founder of the National Trust. Wisbech has a fine museum which contains (amongst other things) the manuscript of Charles Dickens Great Expectations donated by his lifelong friend Chauncey Townsend, a resident. The market square had the usual stalls with meat/fish/vegetables and fruit plus the bric a bac stuff. Carol was in her element!

It was first mentioned in the charter of the Saxon King Wulphere in the year 664, when it was called Visebec. The first Wisbech Castle was erected by William I in 1086. King John slept there when he visited Wisbech, and who's treasure is still being searched for - lost in The Wash in 1216.

Next stop was Swaffham, another market town of much charm. As it raining we avoided the market (poor Carol) and opted for a Pub Lunch at the Norfolk Hero. We ordered Ploughmans which duly arrived with great cheese and salad. The Publican's wife chatted to us and we found out that her daughter was backpacking thru Oz and was currently in Cairns. Photo at top ( for some reason I am not able to get photos included with text!!)

Starting of homewards we came across a National Trust site Oxburgh Hall. As with most NT Places the house was not open for visitors during Dec/Jan, but the gardens were there to be seen and the NT shop which is a paradise for Christmas presents. The rain stopped and managed to get a couple of photos , one of the glorious colours of the trees which are still shedding their leaves - very late this year as it has ben so warm!

Carol has become a very competent navigator and loves using the back roads as an alternative to major ones - and so we successfully drove home with hardly a missed turn!