On a damp Thursday morning a coach-load of Society members travelled to Otley Hall and Helmingham Hall Gardens in Suffolk.
Otley Hall, the home of the Beaumont family, is a mediaeval Moated Hall - 'one of England's loveliest houses'. After tea, coffee and biscuits a guided tour revealed richly carved beams, superb linen-fold panelling and 16th Century wall paintings, uneven floors and stairs, and fascinating rooms. The Hall was once the home of the Gosnold family. Bartholomew Gosnold sailed to the New World in 1602, naming Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. He also founded the Jamestown Colony. The 10 acre gardens include accurate Tudor recreations and have been voted among the top 10 gardens in Great Britain.
Before World War II the house was frequently visited by Oswald Mosley, the guest of the then owner, Mrs Sherston.
Nearby Helmingham Hall provided us with a sandwich lunch. The Tudor Hall is the home of Lord and Lady Tollemache. Surrounded by a wide moat, the Hall is set in a 400 acre deer park. There are two superb gardens. One has wide herbaceous borders and well tended kitchen gardens. A most remarkable feature of this part was a collection of topiary animals among which a frog with a crown, a long horned snail and a pair of rabbits were outstanding. The second garden is enclosed by yew hedges, with a rose garden and a herb and knot garden containing plants grown in England before 1750.
Having made full use of the tea rooms, plant sales and the shop we made our way home. After a cloudy day without rain in Suffolk we were surprised to find that Norfolk had experienced several downpours with severe resulting flooding only a mile or two west of our only slightly damp passage round the Ring Road.
Many thanks to all members and friends who supported the trip.
Anne Jones