Lyveden New Bield AKA My New Home!
The plan for the Bank Holiday Weekend in August, was that we would go camping as a family. The problem was that it rained. Now, I've only just got into camping, as you may well know if you've been reading my blog over the last few weeks, but rain and camping would be a great way to stop me enjoying camping and even seasoned campers Daddy and Top Ender agreed that it would be better if we stayed in a house with an actual ceiling!
Which is ironic, considering where we spent our first day.
Lyveden New Bield is an unfinished Elizabethan Summer Home out in Northamptonshire, now looked after by the National Trust. It hasn't got a roof...
Sir Thomas Tresham started the new build (New Bield is I assume how the Elizabethan's spelt things!) to symbolise his Catholic faith and at a time where being Catholic was effectively illegal he was taking a huge risk.
Obviously I'm not Catholic, I'm a good Mormon girl, and the religious symbolism in the house were obvious enough for me to find (although that may also have something to do with the fact that I studied Religion and have a personal interest in understanding different Belief Systems) but then again so did Daddy and actually some of the ideas that Sir Tresham had included in the build, would be a great idea to include in our own home if we ever get to redesign certain aspects of it!
Then again, seeing as Lyveden New Bield is empty, I could just finish it and move in right?
The Gardens of New Bield are as impressive as you would expect of a house so beautifully designed and we spent so much time wandering around the various parts of the garden, enjoying each area hopefully with the enthusiasm that Sir Tresham would have been pleased to have seen visitors to his home display.
I felt rather at home in the garden, even if we did cheat on the Labyrinth and we didn't walk all around the Orchard (we have our own Apple and Pear Trees to admire). There was a wedding taking place in a Marquee in the grounds, which made me want to start another new Pinterest Wedding Board! The garden is obviously way bigger than what I have, but the different designs and layout gave me plenty of ideas for themes and areas that I would like to replicate at home.
On one hand it is a shame that such a beautiful property was never finished, but I know that if it had been this beautiful example of Elizabethan architecture might not have survived with it's nooks and crannies and hidden Catholic Symbolisms.
The National Trust property is an amazing place to visit, and well worth the entrance fee.
What are your favourite National Trust properties or places to visit?
Which is ironic, considering where we spent our first day.
Lyveden New Bield is an unfinished Elizabethan Summer Home out in Northamptonshire, now looked after by the National Trust. It hasn't got a roof...
Sir Thomas Tresham started the new build (New Bield is I assume how the Elizabethan's spelt things!) to symbolise his Catholic faith and at a time where being Catholic was effectively illegal he was taking a huge risk.
Obviously I'm not Catholic, I'm a good Mormon girl, and the religious symbolism in the house were obvious enough for me to find (although that may also have something to do with the fact that I studied Religion and have a personal interest in understanding different Belief Systems) but then again so did Daddy and actually some of the ideas that Sir Tresham had included in the build, would be a great idea to include in our own home if we ever get to redesign certain aspects of it!
Then again, seeing as Lyveden New Bield is empty, I could just finish it and move in right?
The Gardens of New Bield are as impressive as you would expect of a house so beautifully designed and we spent so much time wandering around the various parts of the garden, enjoying each area hopefully with the enthusiasm that Sir Tresham would have been pleased to have seen visitors to his home display.
I felt rather at home in the garden, even if we did cheat on the Labyrinth and we didn't walk all around the Orchard (we have our own Apple and Pear Trees to admire). There was a wedding taking place in a Marquee in the grounds, which made me want to start another new Pinterest Wedding Board! The garden is obviously way bigger than what I have, but the different designs and layout gave me plenty of ideas for themes and areas that I would like to replicate at home.
On one hand it is a shame that such a beautiful property was never finished, but I know that if it had been this beautiful example of Elizabethan architecture might not have survived with it's nooks and crannies and hidden Catholic Symbolisms.
The National Trust property is an amazing place to visit, and well worth the entrance fee.
What are your favourite National Trust properties or places to visit?