Last week Sarah and I went to Charlton house, in her neighborhood. Initially built for a nobleman , a tutor for prince fancy pants, they knew how to treat royal teachers - the house is magnificent. It is free for roaming on your own. It is now a community center, venue, library, cafe. During wartime it was used as a hospital, housed 15 patients. The grounds are lovely, forms Charlton park , used by everyone and their dog. Sausage sandwiches and coffee in the cafe, then a walk through the house. Massive and elegant, original oak staircase, original everything except for one wing that met with a blitz bomb. A few furniture items remain but mostly the rooms are empty. The fire places remain, looking as good as they did in the early 1600’s.
Of course there are more photos but I will take you to the cute little community library that is downstairs behind little doors, short folks back then…
Short doors.
Then Sarah took us to an even older site.
- a little hill with a protective fence surrounding it . Sarah’s neighborhood was incorporated into London in 1885 , or so. It still has a village feel . The history is rich and delicious! I would love the rest of my days here, happily. Charlton is in The borough of Greenwich, beautiful.
Today is a day in, cleaning , washing , painting the house around the corner for my moleskin,,which has gone wanting,,and eating bourbon creams.
The darling orphans! They make my heart sing!
ReplyDeleteSinging back atcha
DeleteOh those fireplaces! All that extravagant decoration. Artisans got plenty of work. We are so boring in this modern age, everything plain and streamlined.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason to be enchanted with England,
DeleteI loved bourbon biscuits when I was growing up in England . It was always a treat if we visited someone for tea and they had some on a plate! Right now I have mince pies, M and S ginger biscuits and Clotted cream fudge.
ReplyDeleteYour painting of the house is wonderful, you are a very talented artist.
Do you knit the orphan's tiny sweaters and make their clothes yourself? I went to a reception at Whatcom Museum last week , it was very crowded. I was the only person wearing a poppy, this surprised me as we had guest artists from all over and I thought there would be Canadians. JanF
The poppies this year are entirely paper, good for the environment and good for funding the veterans because they do not last long so another must be bought.
DeleteYou are so right about bourbon creams, always my favorite. Sounds like you must have found a good supply of English goodies! M& s, superior ginger biscuits. I watched a thing on the tell I vision, how to make proper clotted cream, too complicated ! Plus they started with the best cow as step one.
Greenwich! Pronounced Grennitch by us ordinary folk, Grinnidge by the Beeb. Who are never wrong..
ReplyDeleteSouthwark= suthuck, chiswick = chizick and on it goes.
DeleteIt's nice to see a place so beautifully restored and maintained and put into use as a community center. Great idea. thanks for the visit!
ReplyDeleteIt needs care. Some of the decorative walls are suffering.
DeleteWow! So much to see. I imagine you've barely scratched the surface. Those fireplaces are indeed beautiful but I would bet the ranch they didn't do a whole lot lot to heat those massive spaces. The little library looks so cozy and comfortable.
ReplyDeleteAnd that painting the orphans helped you with! I love it so.
When the prices tutor lived there pretty sure it was dark and cold and damp. I love the cozy chairs in the library, brilliant use of scraps of material. The orphans admire the pink house, looks like candy…
DeleteCharlton House was impressive, thanks for the tour. I'm with Ms. Moon on the fireplaces, reckon most heat went right up the chimney.
ReplyDeleteThat’s why the invented sheep… layers of leather and wool likely kept the tutor warm. The rooms are way too large to heat.
DeleteWhich Prince Fancy Pants? One of the original Georges? 1607 is beyond my reckoning. The chairs in the little library are wonderful, and so is that cat. The fireplaces not so much.
ReplyDeletePrince Henry son of James 11, Henry died too young to move in with his tutor.
DeleteWow, fancy digs for a tutor. And in the 1600's - not so much to know! I love that it's still up and operating.
ReplyDeleteSee, you too should be supplied with a “ house” on acreage with a guaranteed income for the rest of your life…
DeleteThese old mansions are always amazing. Super photos and very interesting history. The last two photos are lovely and fun, and so is the artwork. Thanks for the great tour!
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome!
Delete"short folks back then" but very lofty rooms for them in those wonderful old homes. I love all the carved wood and fancy stuff but I'm very glad I don't have to do the cleaning and polishing! Interesting about the Tumulus. I see the girls got into the Bourbon Creams too. I like the little painting.
ReplyDeleteBourbon creams are just the right amount of crunch and goo!
DeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDelete