The Ordinary versus the Extraordinary – A year of travelling with three children: 5 August 2015 - Baddesley Clinton, another National Trust property nearby

Tim, Annika and I went for our morning constitutional which is always good. Tim asked me why I always bring my camera! Well, I nearly lost it at Tesco but it was kindly handed into the Customer Service Desk...and I missed the beautiful robin I had hoped to take a photo of! So glad I got my camera back!!

School was fairly efficient today which was good although the big kids are finding their work load increasing as the semester gets under way. It is harder to have to read all the information than to sit in a classroom and just listen. Luke takes up the majority of my teaching time so I more or less leave the big kids to do their own work. Occasionally they feel my time with Luke is not justified but there is little option: he is much younger. Luke is making progress and I am very grateful!

Baddesley Clinton - bridge over moat

We decided on Baddesley Clinton for our afternoon excursion as we were interested in the moat and stories of the Priest holes there. Not one National Trust property is the same, none have been disappointing and all have been interesting!

Once thought to be a drawbridge

Baddesley Clinton was in the Ferrers family since Tudor times and the house has undergone various renovations and extensions from 14th, 15th centuries, Victorian times and also from 1940-80's when it was bought by the National Trust.

Courtyard with seven diamond Coat of Arms - the Ferrer family.

The house was built from Arden sandstone quarried on the property and typical Tudor oak frame, quite low in places. The house is smallish compared to some we've seen recently but the moat was impressive. The courtyard planted with a seven diamond shaped beds of marigolds and the Tudor exterior with black and white gables and stone walls was very lovely. From the outside, the stained glass windows and slightly yellow looking old windows gave a feeling of intrigue.

Tudor gables

The Ferrers family were Catholics - not fashionable in Henry VIII th's times! They were known to have at least 8 priests living there who they managed to hide from detection by having several priest holes hidden strategically within their walls. It is always good to see a bit of historic cleverness and secret cabinets! One of these priest holes was even behind a fireplace which rotated to let them in behind the wall, then the fire was lit, so no-one would suspect there was anything behind the wall! Sneaky!

One priest hole - down the garderobe (toilet) shaft!

We heard many stories from the volunteers but two were most important: one a murder and the other covert operation! In 15th century, Nicholas Brome, with his fierce temper, son of the Under Treasurer of England, arrived home earlier than expected and found a local priest flirting with his wife and promptly stabbed him! The Victorian owners who wanted to preserve the story with a bit of extra drama, added some pig's blood to the Drawing Room floor, the stain of which is still there...only years later it was tested to reveal that it is pig's blood and that the murder probably didn't take place there either but in the chapel.

Low internal doors

Oak carving of dog's head - a lead holder?

Coats of Arms in stained glass

Ornate marble firepace

Dominoes from bone

Tudor bone and oak chest

Drawing room

Dining Room

They loved their Coat of Arms - it was everywhere!

Note: playing card in left corner of Ferrers 7 diamonds indicating someone marrying int the family

Stirrup cup - turned up and drank from before fox hunting

Charles 1 cabinet

Dining setting

Above the fireplace in the bedroom

Victorian plate depicting the Samaritan woman at the well.

"EF" - Edward Ferrers.

Pull string for service! I like it!

Nicholas must have been a smooth talker because he had already committed a murder and was not punished for either of these killings. He was, however, required to pay for the Church tower for the church on the grounds, St Michael's and he is also buried there, standing up, right in the door way, so as people walk into the church, they walk on him!

In 1517, Nicholas died leaving the house to his daughter who was married to Sir Edward Ferrers. The house stayed in the Ferrers family until 1940 when Thomas Walker, a distant relative of the family, bought the property. He actually changed his name to Ferrers. It was sold to the National Trust in 1980.

Trapdoor at rear for Priest hole

As a Roman Catholic family they gave refuge to priests with their clever hidden priest holes and secret passages. Nicholas Owen, a lay Jesuit priest was the mastermind behind the hidey holes but he was caught, tortured and killed by the Protestant English Government.

Chapel with paintings by Rebecca Orpen including triptychs and other religious paintings

Painted and embossed leather

This window signifies a Ferrer female married to another family - coat of arms on the right side.

Looking out

The paintings throughout the manor were painted by Rebecca Orpen, married to Marmion Ferrers, 1867, and are truly lovely oils depicting the people and scenes from the manor.

Rebecca Orpen's painting studio complete with unfinished work.

Crown from the maidenhead of Queen Elizabeth I's ship

This fantastic eagle was originally the maidenhead on a German training ship, and was then made into a lectern-but probably not one used by the priests - more a souvenir than a religious icon.