Wednesday 18 May 2011

Lyveden New Bield


On Saturday after dropping my daughter off at her Girl Scout camping trip we decided to drive to Lyveden New Bield, which is a National Trust site in Northamptonshire. Driving up to this building is quite impressive and even more so when you released it isn't a ruin but a uncompleted building project over 400 years old.



The building was started by Sir Thomas Tresham around 1595 but the building was not completed after his death in 1605. Due to his son's involvement in the gunpowder plot the family was unable to complete the building of this hunting lodge.

Outside the lodge is a spiral mound also known as a snail mound. These mounds were created in gardens during the Elizabethan period. We were told that the natural incline of the spiral climb allowed women wearing clothes of the period to be able to safely reach the top of the hill to overlook the garden. Here is another example of a spiral mound, which is much bigger and a better picture of what it looks like. I should also mention these are man made structures.
This is the first time we have seen this garden feature and although this one is small it is quite a nice feature.





View of the hunting lodge from the top of the spiral mound.









I apologize for the blurriness of this picture but I wanted to point out another garden feature that you see over here quite a bit and that is the Garden Labyrinth. I have been told that this picture is a copy of the original plans for the labyrinth for this property. It was to be in stones but was never completed. Currently the property is making the labyrinth out of mowed grass to gave visitors an idea of what it would have been. Garden Labyrinth I have been told were used for mediation or for prayer.
But other stories are written about them and they can be found inside churches as well as gardens in the UK.









The only entrance inside the home was here. It would have been the servants entrance I think.








Little Man finding interesting places to hide inside the hunting lodge.










Views from inside the home. Here you can see where the floors where going to be added. This would have been a 3 story home.









The views outside the hunting lodge windows.












There is also a partially constructed moat surrounding the lodge. It was 3/4 of the way completed but again unfinished. You can see it in these two pictures. I was told the moat was to stop rabbits and sheep from entering the grounds.





This was an amazing property to see as it was in perfect condition; what a beautiful day.

Please join Tracy, Lynda and I at the NOBH

11 comments:

  1. WAY too cool momma! Those field trips look amazing!

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  2. What an interesting place! It's amazing that it's still there after 400 years. In America, it would be a shopping mall by now! :)

    You are really having some great adventures with your family! I hope we can visit the UK someday!

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  3. Very cool. It is so neat that you all get to visit these great places.

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  4. You do the funniest adventures ever.I really enjoy reading them. I loved the pictures and the history was interesting.
    Loved it; keep on enjoying those moments!

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  5. Hi thanks for stopping by my blog! I am graciously returning the favor...and I am glad I decided to stop by. What a wonderful adventure you got to go on, I can't imagine what that would have been like, I enjoy things like that...allows me to go to a time where I have never been. I look forward to reading more of your posts!

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  6. Thanks for commenting Melissa:) We love our adventures:)

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  7. Hi Sparklee
    I hope you can visit the UK one day it really is full of history every where you turn.

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  8. Hi Christine
    We are very lucky:)

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  9. Thanks LeAnn for you very kind words and support.

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  10. Hi Katrina,
    Thanks for the follow back:) We got two exciting trips planned this month so I hope you stop by again:)

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  11. Hi Anna-Marie,
    I loved reading and learning about another one of your family adventures! What an amazing story and building! The scenery is breathtaking too! The grass garden labyrinth will be amazing and fun to walk through if it gets completed :) Clicked a vote for you and hope you are having a blessed weekend!

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