Our climatically-challenged experience at Stonehenge had us wondering if the rest of day, which we were planning to spend at Stourhead, would be equally as miserable. We couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised! Even in damp, cold weather with intermittent showers, Stourhead is without question one of the loveliest places we have ever visited. (Those familiar with the Keira Knightly version of Pride and Prejudice will recognize the gardens at Stourhead as the place where Elizabeth rejects Darcy's first proposal... in the rain, appropriately. Honestly, if she were paying more attention to the gorgeous gardens rather than her own petulance at the time, she might have prevented herself from saying "Not on your nelly" and the book would have been a good 150 pages shorter.)
The mansion at Stourhead is not the largest or most impressive stately home in England, not by a long shot. But it is grand, and yes, stately.
The library at Stourhead
Now that's a room with a view!
One of the parlours had this lovely old Steinway in it that was just begging to played. I, of course, availed myself, plonked out an elegant slow movement from a Mozart sonata, and attracted something of an enthusiastic crowd who applauded at the end and asked for more. No... it was time for somebody else to enjoy the feeling of a Steinway under their fingers. We moved on.
Glad it's not my job to mow those lawns!
A little neo-medieval gateway between the mansion and the gardens.
Reminded me of Rapunzel's Tower.
Loved those gardens! They were so beautiful! I visited before that version of P&P came out so it was even more exciting for me to see it on film after I'd been there in person!
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