So it's the season for Christmas 'Fayre' , Mrs K and I took ourself off to the nearby Levens Hall which is doing a series of Christmas themed weekend events and remarkably only charging under half price admission ! (which probably factored into our decision to pay them a visit as well) .
They boast the oldest and finest topiary garden left in Britain !
For somebody who hates cutting hedges this is very impressive .
I'm told it remains the finest as a change in gardening fashions caused a lot of topiary to be rooted out and the gardens re-modeled.
I could see myself making a right pigs ear out of trimming this !
A sundial - but no sun !
The topiary with the Hall in the background .
Very impressive even to a non-gardener like me .
And so indoors - all very historic-housie fancy plaster cellings and dark carved woodwork . The building started life as a Pele tower guarding the crossing of the River Kent in the 13th century and altered much over the following centuries.
This is where things get interesting - Napoleon's saddle from his less than successful Egyptian campaign - I assume left behind when he scutteled back to France and the British arrived.
My admiring of the horse furniture was accompanied by a choir of carol singers !
Wellington's leather gloves worn on his entry to Paris after the Battle of Waterloo (click on photo to enlarge)
Wellington's specs (from later in his life I expect) this memrobellia was past onto the Bagot's from his sister-in-law - who was probably having a Spring clean - as you do !
A cabinet with porcelain (?) figures of the 'Corsican Ogre' and his Field Marshals .
A book belonging to Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleons brother ?) taken at Waterloo .
A blotter belonging to Napoleon taken from his abandoned carriage after the battle .
And perhaps finest of all - a clasp from Napoleons disgarded cloak found in his carriage after Waterloo (click on photo to enlarge description)
There was even Wellington's campaign bed which he used in the Penninsular campaign ! , I was rather pleased with these exhibits , I had been around the Hall but it was many years ago and I had quite forgotten about the Napoleonic memorbilia - so it made my day !
Back to the more mundane 'Xmas Fayre' .
Another view of the great hall - the event was well attended as can be seen by the numerous visitors.
The obligatory 'Civil Warre' arms and armour - I think every stately home in the UK has these - how many are authentically ECW might be up to debate - however the wheel-lock pistols belonged to the owner of the Hall and are thought to be early examples. For more info try this site -Levens Hall :: Country House South Lakes
Just as we were leaving I spotted these on a windowsill - my wife was somewhat taken aback by my evident joy and enthusiasm - they are 18th century Grenades abandoned by the Jacobites on their retreat North over Shap Fell when they had to lighten the baggage train to get over the Fell on the appalling roads ! - the icing on the cake ! - as Wallace and Gromit would say "a grand day out"
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