Kingston Lacy

The last day of half-term and the family wanted to do something together. In the morning the weather didn'tseem to be as bad as had been predicted so we decided to go to walk in the grounds of Kingston Lacy, our nearest National Trust property. We had suitable clothing and footwear for a walk in poor weather but by the time we had reached our destination the weather had turned from poor to bad so we abandoned the idea of a walk and looked round the house instead.

We had a peep at the rain-sodden garden from the windows and were happy to be inside.

The house had quite a different feel from previous visits made in bright sunshine. Today the light level was low and and the rooms were dimly and atmospherically lit by wall and table lights.The library, the oldest room in the house, which had escaped modernisation, looked especially inviting.

Here is a photo of the last member of the Bankes family to live in the house when it was a private residence, Henry John Ralph Bankes, 1902 - 1981. He left Kingston Lacy, it's contents and it's extensive grounds to the National Trust.

There were sufficient volunteers on this visit for the upper rooms to be open for viewing.

The house is crammed with paintings, many of them depicting family members. This charming portrait of a little girl was hanging on a wall outside the tented bedrooms.

After looking round the house we went for coffee and cake in the former stable block, passing the laundry en route. It would be a good place to hang soaking clothes after being in the garden on a day like today!