A Truly Beautiful Day in the Country!

 

We awoke today to blue sky and sunshine!  Truly a complete surprise!  Yeah!!  Finally!  Up this morning about 5, and showered, breakfasted and out the door by 8 to get to Phil and Dan’s by 9.  We made very good time today, and were even early – 8:45 actually, as the plan is to get to the village of Castle Acre early.  There is a ruined castle there that the boys love to run around in, and the ruins of a huge priory that was dissolved in the 1600’s by Henry III to explore.  Then, we had a noon booking at The Ostrich, the local pub – R has been hankering for a “real” pub lunch, and then back to the house by 3 pm for the final of the FA (Football Association) Cup match between Manchester United (aka ManU) and Manchester City football (i.e. Soccer) teams.  Whew!  So … back to the beginning!

 

As Dan had some errands to do, Phil, the boys, R and I drove to Castle Acre first.  Being a Saturday, and a truly beautiful day as well, the main roads (basically, the A10) were already getting crowded.  But, traveling with locals, Phil knew of some back roads that were just beautiful and much less crowded, and we breezed along through narrows lanes and past stunning fields. 

 

Castle Acre village is truly stunning, and is entered through a wonderful gate.  As I said to Robert, there are probably thousands of small villages like it scattered all throughout England, each one more beautiful than the next!  Phil says that there are unattractive parts of the village, but if there were, we certainly didn’t see any of them, that’s for sure!  There is a lot of flint that is used in construction locally, and you can see it in the different buildings – from the walls of the original 10th century castle to the houses and shops in the village now – just beautiful! 

 

We parked by the original castle – It is a rare and complete survival of a Norman planned settlement, and one of the best-preserved monastic sites in England.  The castle was the work of a great Norman baronial family, the Warennes, mainly during the 11th and 12th centuries.  It was founded soon after the Battle of Hastings(1066) by the first William de Warenne, a close associate of William the Conqueror.  It is a superb and well-preserved example of a motte-and-bailey castle, and remains one of the most impressive Norman earthworks in the country.



Part of the windmill we can see from our back garden!

Our little cottage from the back!

Gate entering Castle Acre

Castle Acre

 





From the castle, we walked through the village (stopping at the Wattle Café for drinks and a fruit scone for Rand a piece of courgette (zucchini) and lemon drizzle cake for me, and a green smoothie for Philippa).  From there, we met the boys and Dan at the Priory, which is located at the other end of the village.  

 






R's fruit scone

My courgette and lemon drizzle cake

Castle Acre Parish Church

This important Norfolk site is one of the largest and best preserved monastic sites in England, dating back to 1090.  It was home of the first Cluniac order of monks in England and the Cluniac love of decoration is everywhere reflected in the extensive ruins.  It was founded by the Warenne family soon after the Norman Conquest, and for almost 450 years, it was the home and workplace of monks and their servants a refuge for pilgrims, and a stopping point for royalty, clergy and nobility.  It was also part of a vast monastic network centered on the great Abbey of Cluny in France.  Today the priory remains are among the finest and best-preserved monastic ruins in England.  After almost a thousand years of development, England’s monasteries – then about 800 in number – were wiped out in the later 1530’s during Henry VIII’s Suppression of the Monasteries.  At Castle Acre the deed of surrender was signed on 22 November 1537 by the prior.  Much of the church was almost immediately demolished.  What remains are the ruins we see today.  They are still amazing!



Priory Gateway




 







R's fish and chips and mushy peas

My steakburger and chips

Beautiful vintage Rolls Royce in front of the pub!

Enjoying a lovely afternoon watching football!

From the Priory, we returned to the village and The Ostrich, for our lunch reservation.  And, I think I may fairly say that a good time and meal was had by all!  Dan and I had very good steak burgers with chips.  R had fish and chips with mushy peas.  Phil had an interesting chicken tangine dish with harissa.  Leo had soft tacos, which he said were amazing, and Hugh had a Philly cheese steak sandwich which he also seemed to enjoy very much!  

 

After that, we had another lazy drive back to Watlington with even some time left over for Hugh to teach Robert and me a very interesting computer game about flags!  Hugh is really an expert, and the game is really fun – I’ve already downloaded it on my phone!  And then it was time for the football game!  As games go, it wasn’t the best football game I’ve ever watched, but it was closer than I thought it would be, and fairly tense right up until the end!  And, in the end, Man City defeated ManU by the score of 2 – 1, so, as I say, a close game.  Philippa made some truly amazing chocolate brownies for half-time – she is truly amazing, and an incredible baker! – and shortly after the game was over, we truly waddled out of the house for the drive home.  

 

I will miss them SOOOOOO much!  It was SO great to be able to spend a couple of days with them all, especially with all of their busy schedules!!  Have to admit that it was a bit of a teary farewell, at least on the part of the ladies involved!  (Boys aren’t nearly so sentimental!!). However, Phil had to help get me backed up properly out of the driveway, so at least we did part laughing, which is always a good thing!!!

 

So, until tomorrow!

m

xxx

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