Valentine Venue

Had a great Valentines weekend. Stayed at the Gainsborough House Hotel in Kidderminster– using a chrissie gift token from Marion :) The largest town in the Wyre Forest District, just 17 miles south west of Birmingham, Kidderminster, on the River Stour and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, boasts Victorian buildings.

On the way up we spent an interesting few hours at the old Bishops Palace at Hartlebury, now a museum. You are guided round by animated portraits on the wall – an inventive and amusing idea. Hartlebury was owned by the Bishops of Worcester for over 1,100 years. There are records of a land grant to the Bishop of Worcester by King Burghred of Mercia in the late 9th century, with records of the first building on the site in 1268, making Hartlebury the centre of civil and ecclesiastical power and influence in Worcestershire.

You enter the grounds through a series of out buildings housing cider presses, butter churns and the most amazing collection of horse drawn vehicles.

The early Castle was fortified and moated ready to house soldiers and quell unrest along the borders with Wales, by the 15th century times had become more settled and the Great Hall was built, transforming the Castle into a place of status and comfort. During the Civil War the Castle received major damage and was abandoned for over 40 years. In the late 1680’s Bishop Fleetwood started the transformation from medieval castle to gracious country mansion and grounds. Successive bishops throughout the 18th century beautified the Castle and surrounding estate to create the Castle in its current form, except for the remodelling in the 1960’s. This most recent chapter in the Castle’s history arose as the Castle was becoming too much of a burden for the Bishop, so the north wing was leased to Worcestershire County Council to house the Tickenhall Collection of rural life. The retirement of the Bishop of Worcester in 2007 saw the end of the Castle role as a Bishop’s Palace.

The Long Gallery charts English History

The Palace is situated in over 40 acres of parkland and garden.

After a walk by the river in Bewdley, which surprisingly ended opposite the Bewdley Brewery, we headed off to the hotel. Valentines evening was spent over an excellent Italian washed down with red wine.

The area is crossed by the steam railway (which unfortunately wasn’t running whilst we were there. The Severn Valley Railway Company began operations in 1970 from Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade, extending services southwards to Bewdley in 1974, then to Kidderminster in 1984

Kidderminster is also on the eastern edge of the Wyre Forest through which we walked on a beautiful spring day. We drove and meandered many country lanes, walked the East side Severn Valley Country Park then drove south to revisit Shipston upon Stour.

Ending the trip with tea n n cake at an olde world candy store

Blizzard of Snowdrops

What a difference a week makes. Last week the snowdrops were snowed under these week they shone in profusion on a bright, crisp winters day.

It is certainly proving to be a good year for early spring flora. The snowdrop collection at Colesbourne Park originated in the plantings made by Henry John Elwes (1846-1922).

The walk begins by circumnavigating the lakeside path passing the old mill building.

The present day collection is down to Carolyn and Henry Elwes, who have devoted much time to replanting and expanding the snowdrops. New varieties are added each year, with the collection now totalling some 250 cultivars. Colesbourne Park is renowned as one of the best places to see large groups of snowdrops. 

In the hollow is the old Ice House.

On the opposite side to the ice house hollow is the Spring Garden, started in 2003. which displays an area for snowdrops, hellebores and other woodland plants.

Like all good garden visits it ends with tea and cake in the manor house.

Snowdrops Snowed Off

We are doubly blessed in Gloucestershire at snowdrop time. We have Mr Elwes’s national collection at Colesbourne Park and the acres of snowdrops at Painswick Rococo Gardens. Both should have been open this weekend but were snowed under.

Saved by NGS and the lovely people at Rock House Elberton. A couple of acres, not far from the first Severn crossing, covered in snowdrops and what a wonderful day to enjoy them. Bright sunshine, crisp and bracing.

There was also a sprinkling of other seasonal flora.

and traditional bee hives.

Hoping to make Colesborne next weekend weather permitting.