MISS ELAINEOUS VISITS PAINSHILL... AGAIN...!

This is the third time I've been to this magical park, but this time I had to do it alone, as my SuperDean was unwell.

  It was a bit of a palava to get to, as TFL trains were not running.  I had to take a bus to Gants Hill, take the Central Line to Bank, then the Waterloo and City line to Waterloo (incidentally, this was the first time I'd ever used this line and I was very impressed- the one-stop-only journey took three minutes- wow!), the train from Waterloo to Cobham Stoke d'Arbernon and then a 2.6 mile walk at the other end.  I don't exactly hang around, and flattened the walk in thirty minutes.

The day was sunny, but a very chilly 1 degree Celsius.  Brrr!

Just to re-cap on the history...

Painshill 18th century landscape garden was created between 1738 and 1773, by the Hon. Charles Hamilton.  Born in Dublin in 1704, Hamilton, the ninth son and 14th child of the Sixth Earl of Abercorn, embarked on two Grand Tours across Europe before acquiring the land at Painshill. With ancient artefacts in his luggage and Italian romance and natural beauty in his head – along with exotic plants seen on his tours – his vision was to create ‘living paintings’ in a new style of magical garden.

Inspired by Renaissance art and his Grand Tours, Hamilton went on to create a sequence of breathtaking and surprising vistas at Painshill. The landscapes form living works of art into which Hamilton placed follies for dramatic effect... (Source:- Painshill website).

As I've traversed the park before, I was able to relax and take time chilling out, admiring the scenery.  Here is my pictorial journey.

The town of Cobham is almost picture postcard attractive- here is Cobham Mill...

And a couple of River Mole bankside views...

The beginning of Painshill's trail, and the vineyard...

The stunning Gothic Temple.  It's my favourite Painshill folly.

The sweeping view from the temple.  The Turkish Tent seems far, far away!

The temple floor and ceiling...

Me in the temple.  Okay, I confess- this was taken during my previous trip!

The view back to the Sabine Statue...

The sun reflected on the water...

The Giant Cedar...

Grotto Island, with sunshine diamonds...

The grotto entrance...

Sunshine reflected onto the pooling water outside...

The inside of the grotto is crafted using crystals of calcite, gypsum, quartz, fluorite and other minerals and stones.  It's the first time I've seen it lit up by sunlight and it was magnificent- if very, very cold.

The main grotto chamber...

Grotto pool...

Clear water, across to the Gothic Temple...

The Chinese Bridge...

The Woollett Bridge...

The Five-Arch Bridge...

In the shady areas, ice was clearly visible on the water...

The Turkish Tent...

The Temple of Bacchus restoration project is almost complete...

The Gothic Tower was open, the skies were clear and, from the top, I believe I could make out The Shard, miles away in London...

Tower views down...

The tower banshee!

I sat in the Turkish Tent and took this photo...

The Five-Arch Bridge...

The moon was up!

The grotto...

The sun on the water, and in the reeds...

The Gothic Temple... again!

The site of the Pump Engine...

The Ice House...

The Great Cedar...

The side of the lake, from the accessible trail...

I then skidaddled, as I'd seen as much as I could, had enjoyed photographing some of the scenery panoramas, was very cold and needed to begin the long-enough journey home.

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MISS ELAINEOUS VISITS 18 STAFFORD TERRACE...

18 Stafford Terrace is the sister museum to Leighton House, and is spitting distance away.  Again, I discovered its existence only very recently, although after a little investigation, I realised that I probably have seen the inside of this house as it has featured on a couple of the history programmes I like to watch.

Formerly known as Linley Sambourne House, this building was the residence of Punch illustrator Edward Linley Sambourne (1844-1910).  He decorated the house in the Aesthetic style; meaning beauty for beauty's sake and making something look visually pleasing, rather than using art as a means of social-political comment.  He was an ancestor of Antony Armstrong-Jones (1930-2017) who went on to marry Princess Margaret.

I was allowed to take photographs but couldn't use a flash (grr!) which meant that the rooms were seen in silhouette and I couldn't get a decent picture of what is, in my opinion, the house's finest asset- its lovely decorated windows.

This lamp reminds me of a dress!

Dining table.

Mantelpiece.

Mirror- weird selfie time!

The hallway was quite unusual in that it had a fireplace in it.  This was considered very posh.

Hall mirror.  I wasn't best please with the selfie aspect, as I was feeling a bit shabby (and not in a chic way!) and in need of a serious hair wash.

Beautiful window with a shell display.

Another mirror... Another scabby moi...

Table and mantelpiece.  The Victorians liked to show off their memorabilia.

Closer view...

The large living room, which was originally two rooms.

Onwards and upwards...

The main bedroom; a shrine to clutter...

Study of a bedroom sink with a reflection of a scarecrow(!)

This family were clearly vain, as mirrors abounded in the house.  Mind you, I'm not one to talk- despite feeling less than best, my phizog appears all over these pictures!

The other bedroom...

I love this bust.  It looked clean and neat in a house which was, quite frankly, a bit of a junk shop.

Mirror time, again...

This bathroom also doubled as a photographic studio.

Bathroom sink.

This uppermost room was, I believe, designated for use as a library.

The maid's room.  Much simpler.

Back downstairs, taking in some of the sketches on the wall.

Back in the main, large room and here are some vases which I liked...

Another mirror!  This time in the khazi...

The khazi...

Lovely toilet vase...

There are some attractive objects d'art here, but you really have to hunt for them, as the Victorians REALLY liked their clutter- too much so, for my taste.  I know they had servants to clean said junk but, even so, I couldn't live with so much of it as it makes me feel hemmed in.  I find these kind of places a bit oppressive.

With this house, it's what you don't see that's as interesting as what you do see.  Before the tour, you are treated to a lovely film about the history of the collection, which is shown in what was the kitchen.  The toilets are in what was the pantry and coal shed.   I know it isn't possible, but I would have loved to have seen these recreated, to give an inkling of what life was like below stairs.  It must be the peasant in me!