KNOLE AND IGTHAM MOTE

Now that we are into April, the National Trust sites are open once more. There are a large number of places to visit in Kent and Sussex, counties which are easily accessible to us from Basildon.

It was a perfect day -unbelievably 24 degrees - found the sunscreen and took off to visit a couple of places. The first one, Knole is one of Englands great show houses set in a magnificent deer park.It's connection with Henry V111 as well as literay connections with Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville West (the Sackvilles still occupy part of the house) provide an interesting history. The name comes from the nearby Knoll in the park (Henry was not a good speller!) and there are 13 rooms presented in much the same way as they were in the 18th century.There is a wonderful collection of Royal Stuart furniture, and paintings by Van Dyke,Reynolds and Gainsborough. There is an ongoing preservation of many of the ancient fabrics,which, with the onset of age have deteriorated badly. There were lots of families picnicking in the park -a bit off putting with the sight of barechested Poms flaunting themselves in the sunshine.

Not far away is the magnificent 14th century moated manor house of Igtham Mote. Set in a sunken valley and dating from 1320, this wonderful old building was acquired by an American Charles Robinson in the 1920's for a few pounds when it was threatened with destruction. He embarked on an extensive restoration programme and modernised some of the features to make the property habitable. He gave it to the National Trust together with an endowment when he died and further restoration has since taken place. Another fine example of preserving the Heritage for fututre generations.