A Warm and Seasonal Welcome in The Heart of England

We've been travelling around the country this month, doing a bit of Yuletide and pre-Christmas visiting. 

A couple of days ago, we found ourselves at Baddesley Clinton, which describes itself as a "secluded intimate estate set in the heart of the Forest of Arden, with 500 years of fascinating and unexpected stories".

Being there on a snowy, December day was a particularly nice time to visit, made even more special by the colourful dried flower arrangements displayed around the house.

Volunteers have been hard at work during the year growing, drying and assembling the dried flower arrangements of garlands, baubles, wreaths and other arrangements which now adorn the house in an unusual but beautiful festive display.

This moated manor house has to be one of the nicest National Trust properties I have visited, due to its lovely, intimate, family feel, without being too big or too small.  

Built as a family retreat in the late 1500s, there are friendly guides on hand in most rooms who are able to reveal lots of interesting stories and information.  And this house does indeed have some interesting tales to tell - stories of murders, ghosts, persecuted priests, the Gunpowder Plot, links with royalty, artists, love and loss - it has them all.

Definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the area, and make sure you leave enough time for a walk around the gardens, a visit to the second hand book shop, plant centre, gift shop and restaurant (which serves particularly nice cream teas!)