We had been looking forward to our R&M visit for some time Slow to come, too quick to go.
Whenever Rod arrives, I always remember his words from an earlier visit - That we live in a ****** museum. Well, I guess with Cheshire and Derbyshire we do....and so not to disappoint :-

Our first visit was to Peover Hall. For almost 1000 years the estate has been in the ownsership of just 3 families. It has some tough times as General Patton used it as his HQ at one time. It has POW's, Refugees and  in toughest of all the weather. It was bigger and then smaller and then back to size after its trials and tribulations. It dates back to 1585. but was brought back to an approximation of the original in 1969.
It's a good restoration with the early wing added to in 1969.
You can see the old part and the new part in the style of the brickwork, but overall it is still a great place to visit

http://www.hha.org.uk/Property/580/Peover-Hall

R&M outside the church of the estate.

Check out the date of this part of the house

Historic hosue or Master E in discussion?

Mal, you live in a ***** museum

Walk round the house, then afternoon tea beckons

The Carolean Stables -  very impressive

Should I, Could I....

The ceiling in the stables. This pre dates Artex

Even I sneeked in this one with my lovely P 

Missing Cat with an appropriate name - Patton was billeted here at one time

The family are into Polo and so this is still an active stable

 

 

Next day it is Chatspemberworthley

 

Nice bit of gilding completed here

This letter includes the signature of Bess of Hardwick, but is too delicate to open

You can now see the size of the "Maxie Challenge" from an earlier post

Grinling Gibbons

This is the beginning of the September Sothebys Beyond Limits Sculpture event

Still my favourite painting on the door

Reflecting on reflections. Would this fit in C&Ds lounge

Much discussion about this

A little Bokeh

This was a visitor - you are invited to play the piano if you wish

A few shots from the "At War" exhibit

 

 

 

The next day we went Styal Mill. The series "The Mill" was set here and quite a bit of filming was carried out on site and in the mill rooms

Spinning Jenny

Fake Horse Dung from "The Mill"

R remembers an office like this

You only got an office like that if you were a big cog

P photographed through the Office / Mill small window

 

 

 

The Water Wheel

 

 

 

It was a lovely visit, as always - this was in between Ireland SW and Russia trips.

Unfortunately I cannot find some of the photos I took, but if I can, I will edit this later.

Note to self...update blog earlier