Farnham Castle Keep and The Vyne, 27 April 2015

We were off on a minibus trip today.  It changed from the original plan with us driving our car and taking missionaries.  One of the places we were going to see, Waverly Abbey, was closed today due to filming a movie there.  The other place Farnham Castle Keep, closed part of their site due to a movie shoot.  Some dropped out and that made room for all that was going to ride in the minibus.

We went to Farnham Castle Keep, built in 1138, by the Grandson of William the Conqueror, Bishop of Winchester.  This was the residence of Cardinal Henry Deaufort, who presided at the trial of Jeanne D'Arc - The Maid of Orelans (Joan of Arc) in 1431 before she was burned at the stake at the age of 19.

Note the shrub at the bottom of the tree.  I went down and walked around to it and noticed that it had an entrance.  I peeked in and saw a path that led up to the walk that took me to the bench in the previous picture.  And, I found the trunk of the tree to have huge branches, larger than any I have ever seen before.  I could only think of Gabe, Carson, Jere, Jack, and other grandsons that would have a heyday climbing them.

From the top looking out over the town of Farnham.  It doesn't look like much but when we were driving to the castle, there were plenty of streets, buildings, and people everywhere.  There is a hotel at the castle and that part was where the movie shoot was taking place.

We were to The Vyne, in December.  Today it was a bit of a different look with more foliage in bloom and the staircase was open and we were able to tour the rest of the house.  It was most interesting with seeing the room King George VIII stayed in on his one visit to the house.  The library was very warm and inviting.  There were books but not so many that made you feel overwhelmed.  The piano is a spinet and very small.  There was a full grand in another room that I played.  I had played it in December as well.  We enjoyed the walk around the grounds and discovered a nest with an egg in it, belonging to the lovely swan in the water.

John Chute had the staircase built when he lived in the house in the 18th century.  Note, there are no handrails.

This is the ceiling above the staircase.

We tried to decide if this duck was alive.  It never changed position all the time we watched it.  When this other duck came swimming along, we noted they look the same.  I asked the buggy driver and he said it was most likely for real.