Today started off with a trip to the dentist, which, true to form consisted of about 30 seconds in the chair and a bill for 20 quid (or so) to be told that they are all fine and to come back in a yearâs time. Still, if it keeps me on the NHS dentists lists⦠😉
So, we escaped from there quite early and I showed Emma Fordingbridge, before we headed off home for a spot of lunch. Then in the afternoon we drove across the forest to Mottisfont Abbey. It has been ages since Iâve been to Mottisfont, but it was delightful as ever, and we wandered in the gardens, watched trout in the âOphelia Streamsâ and took in the scents of rose garden.
Before then, we toured the house, although thereâs not so much of the house to see. The stand-out room in the Rex Whistler room with the trompe lâÅil effects that envelope everything. Iâve seen it before, and Iâm somewhat of a Rex Whistler fan. We got talking to the room steward about him and the A-Level art project that I conducted on him in North Wales. In doing so, I mentioned that Rexâs brother had, at that time, lent me some books on his brother. I didnât know it until today that Laurence Whistler â an artist himself â had provided the glass engraved door plates in the room. The room steward also told us about a church somewhere in Dorset where all the windows have been designed by Laurence Whistler.
As we were planning on taking a trip down to Chesil Beach and Swanage on Friday (and hopefully a bird watching boat trip) anyway, as soon as we got home we looked this up on the magical interweb. The church is St Nicholas Church in Moreton and is possibly more famous for being close to the burial place of The Other Lawrence â TE Lawrence (of Arabia). Itâs also within spitting distance of where we were planning to go anyway. We decide to add it our list of things to do.
Additionally: The chain is complete. On the way back from Mottisfont Abbey, I got a call from Alexanders that everyone had their offers accepted. All systems are go⦠🙂
