Chiswick House

In the beginning of 17th century the aristocratic Boyle family bought an estate in Chiswick with a large Jacobean house, as a summer retreat. It caught fire in 1725, and the head of the family, Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, decided to build a new ‘villa’ in the grounds. As the name suggests, it […]

Sutton Hoo – the Story of a Find

In late 1930s an intelligent and gentle lady looked out of the window of her cosy sitting room over the estate that she owned. Her name was Edith May Pretty. He came from a wealthy family of a rich industrialist, who devoted his ample spare cash to educating his two daughters by taking them on […]

Of Daffodils and Leeks – St.David’s Day, 1st March

Of Daffodils and Leeks – St.David’s Day, 1st March This 1st March my front garden boasts 5 daffodils. Along with camellias and crocuses they are the first splashes of colour, after predominantly green British winter. Daffodils are traditionally regarded to be the national symbol for Wales, along with leeks, dragons and St.David, whose day is […]