Felbrigg Hall

Nobody volunteered to do this write-up so I have concocted something myself. Our trip to Felbrigg Hall on 16 April was another successful day. The weather was wonderful and enabled everyone to appreciate the gardens, which were in full swing as the weather had been so mild. The blossom in the Walled Garden made a good picture; it was so well cared for and the fruit trees trained on all the walls looked fantastic; even the guinea fowl were fatter than any we had seen before. Brian and I enjoyed a walk through the West Garden, beautifully shaded by the trees, past the Orangery, which had enormous plants there. One or two of the group visited the little church, which was quite a walk from the Hall.

The house was quite small and intimate but lovingly well cared for and the guides in each room were full of interesting information. [The following text is taken from the published information.] Felbrigg is a fine, almost unaltered 17th century house with eighteen rooms open to the public. Visitors enter through the main door and begin in the Morning Room with its collection of family portraits and on through the Great Hall with superb stained glass windows. From here visitors pass through the Dining Room and the splendour of the Drawing Room. The Cabinet then houses one of the National Trust's most complete Grand Tour collections and one of the largest by a single artist, Busiri, who specialised in gouache painting.

Upstairs the Library is outstanding with a superb collection of books built up by successive generations. Following the route through the Yellow, Rose and Red Bedrooms the visitor comes to the Chinese Bedroom with its fabulous hand painted Chinese wallpaper, conserved in 2003. Life below stairs is well represented by the kitchen with its vast array of copperware and the early 16th century charcoal stove. The servants' wing and especially the Estate Office were in use until the death of the last squire.

Hopefully this will reflect everyone's own experience of the day to some extent, but please do think about possibly writing a piece about the trips you take part in. It is always good to have some different views about the days out.

June Peck