In which Tony and Molly give us a guided tour of places ancient and modern
Avebury is slightly older than Stonehenge (they are relatively close to each other and lots of other prehistoric creations, such as huge mounds and barrows). The size of the stones is impressive, but what really moved me was the vastness of the whole project: the ditch and mound on which the stones stand were designed and created by people working more than 5,000 years ago. See the aerial photo (from Wikipedia commons) to get an idea of the extent of this Neolithic wonder.
Avebury manor
A lovely old manor house, Avebury Manor “has been lived in by many people over the centuries. Each room is furnished in a different style to reflect the times in which people lived here, from the Tudor period until the 1930s.”
Gardens
The manor has several gardens, including a large, walled kitchen garden with a greenhouse, espaliered fruit trees, a protected berry patch, and other features.
The manor has many ornamental gardens, including these serene enclosures.
Lacock
We set off to explore the charming, preserved village of Lacock, but not having had lunch and in need of provender and drink, we stopped at the village’s estimable pub, the Red Lion, where we spent a most agreeable afternoon talking, laughing, and enjoying an excellent late lunch. The Red Lion has a large celebrity wall: Lacock, has been the setting for many movies and TV series (Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey, and many others) that need a traditional looking village.
We finished the day at Tony and Alma’s, enjoying tea in their beautiful garden.