Spring 2011

Friday 8th April,

Today the weather was so good we decided to have a day out and thought we would visit a National Trust place. So first off we chose Baddesley Clinton Taking its name from the Saxon who first created the clearing or ley in the woodland it became known as Baddesley and following the Norman conquest the land was taken over by the Clinton family, hence Baddesley Clinton. The current house and moat dates from the 15th century and for 500 years it was the home of the Ferrars family.

Baddesley Clinton

The interiors of the house represent the Elizabethan era when the house was a haven for persecuted Catholics.

We had a very nice lunch in the restaurant before looking around the house then after spending time in the grounds we moved on to Packwood House another Elizabethan house in the care of the National Trust just two miles away from Baddesley.

Packwood House

Packwood was also an Elizabethan house, originally owned by yeoman farmers, which was added to over the years until the final owner wishing to restore it to its Elizabethan state, removed the later Georgian sash windows and other Georgian and Victorian additions and replaced them with genuine period windows and other fittings obtained from other Elizabethan properties that were being demolished. Again using genuine Elizabethan fittings from other houses he created a Great Hall with solar window from an old barn, and built a long gallery connecting it to the main house.

Packwood has a yew tree garden representing the sermon on the mount. Laid out on rising ground the highest yew represents Christ immediately surrounded by his apostles then the further trees represent the other followers who also came to hear.