harlaxton manor

Harlaxton Manor

Posted on by JimsGotWeb in Europe 8 Comments

Harlaxton Harlaxton manor overviewManor was built in the 1830s by Gregory Gregory, a wealthy Nottinghamshire businessman, to replace the original Elizabethan Manor House in Harlaxton Village and was an experience in itself. The luxury of the house was extraordinary, it has over 150 rooms, and you could really get a feel of what life was like for the wealthy in England in the 1800s. Back in that time the servants lived and worked in a separate part of the house and most of them were never seen by the owners. There is a staircase that’s in the middle of the house that the servants would use to get to different parts of the house without bothering the owners. There are still a lot of staff that work there to keep the place running, but things are different now, it’s just a place of employment for them, they have their own lives and are a large part of the Harlaxton experience.

 

 

The grHarlaxton Gatehouseounds of Harlaxton Manor are amazing! The formal gardens were created as an integral feature of the stately home built by Gregory Gregory. Highlights of the Gardens include French-style terraces, an Italian Garden, a Dutch ornamental canal, and English landscape walks.  The 6.5 acre walled garden is one of the largest in Britain. Here is a picture of the Gatehouse, located at the beginning of the driveway of Harlaxton Manor. It’s use is for sabbatical rentals and is completely furnished.  It contains two one bedroom apartments, one on long-term lease and the other available to individuals.  The available flat is suitable for a single person or a couple and contains a kitchen/dining area, bedroom and separate bathroom, and a top floor living room overlooking Harlaxton Manor itself.

 

Harlaxton DriveHere is a picture of Harlaxton with a view of the front circle drive. On the right is the front entry way and on the left is the current cafeteria, which originally was a service wing built in 1843 and housed the brewery.

 

 

Harlaxton Drive FrontThis is a view of the circle drive facing the front gates. If you saw “The Haunting” remake in 1999, you might recognize the setting, all of the outside shots were taken there.

 

 

 

 

 

Harlaxton Manor GatesThis view is looking at  Harlaxton Manor through the gates, which were removed for the filming of “The Haunting” to film the scene where a car rams through them. While the gates were off they were completely refurbished.

 

 

Harlaxton Manor conversvatoryThe Conservatory is unique in design and was a later addition to the house, but by 1977 had fallen into disrepair. The first part of the Manor to be refurbished, it is an extraordinary mixture of Baroque and Elizabethan shapes and ornament.

Have you been to Harlaxton? Please leave a comment and tell me a little about your experience there.


Grantham, UK pictures and information from our visit

Posted on by JimsGotWeb in Europe 1 Comment

Grantham, Lincolnshire, UK

Storefront of  grocery store in Grantham, UKGrantham is about 3 miles from Harlaxton Manor, which took me about an hour to walk, and 120 North of London by train. The birthplace of Margaret Thatcher and where Isaac Newton went to school, there is a lot of history there. The Arnold Graham convenience store at 47 Swine Gate is a great place to pickup some fresh produce.

 

One of the oldest pubs in Grantham, the Beehive Inn dates back to the 16th century and is named for the living beehive in the tree outside. Since at least 1830 there has been a hive of bees in a lime tree above the pub’s sign. This unique feature has protected status from the local council.

 

The Blue Pig Inn is located at 9 Vine Street in Grantham. They weren’t serving food when we were there, I think they were looking for a new cook. It’s off the beaten path and mostly frequented by locals, but you have to at least check out the cool sign.

 

 

The Angel and Royal Hotel on the High Street in Grantham, originally known as The Angel, was established in 1203. It has been visited by seven kings of England and various other members of Royalty, including the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII.

 

Want some delicious fish and chips? “Relax” Fish Bar is located at 71 Westgate, Town Centre,  in Grantham. I stopped here for a quick lunch and would recommend it to anyone looking for some tasty fish and chips.