Hill House Stoke Gabriel

Saturday 28^th April 2012

Wet all morning and then heavily overcast in the afternoon. Temperature about 11°.

Checked out of the Premier Inn in Weymouth and drove to the village of Stoke Gabriel in Devon. Hill House, the ancestral home of Lynne’s father in the village is still empty and waiting to be sold. The windows have been boarded up and the house is in a very rundown and sorry state. Had lunch at the Church Walk Inn and spoke to a few of the locals about Hill House. They don’t seem to know what will happen to it but did know about “ Squire Churchward” and also George Jackson Churchward who designed the ‘City of Truro’ steam locomotive. We also spoke to a lady in a craft shop in the village who knew of “Squire Churchward” but didn’t know what was going to happen to Hill House since the current owner passed away recently. 

Garden at Hill House

Continued onto Dartmouth and drove into the city centre for a look. Took some photos looking out over the River Dart, it was a shame it was very overcast. Bought ferry tickets for a trip tomorrow to see Agatha Christie’s home “Greenway” from the National Trust shop which just happened to be right next door to a tea room so we had to have a Devonshire Tea, which was fantastic, lots of clotted cream to go with the strawberry jam and large fruit scone.

Drove back up the very steep hill out of Dartmouth heading for the village of  Blackawton. Found the Normandy Arms Pub that was to be home for the next two nights. Upon arrival we found the Pub closed. Phoned the owner and got a message bank advising the Pub was closed. We are rather annoyed as we had email confirmation of our booking and had actually spoken to the owner to confirm.

As it was now 4:00pm on Saturday afternoon we needed to find a place to stay for the next two nights. On the way into Dartmouth we drove past the Dartmouth Golf & Country Club. Checked on line (thank goodness for mobile internet) and they appeared to have accommodation available so we headed there. The receptionist said the Country Club was almost full, but the Bridal Suite was available for Saturday and Sunday nights, so we now have a suite consisting of lounge room, bedroom, bathroom and dressing room!!!! (who cares if it is 36 years too late!). Unpacked the car and booked a table in their restaurant for dinner.

Inner Harbour Dartmouth

Sunday 29^th April 2012

The weather today is horrible, driving rain, windy and 5°.

Had breakfast and bought wet weather trousers for both of us from the Golf Club pro shop. As car parking is limited to 2 hours, we parked the car at the Park & Ride station and caught the bus into Dartmouth Town Quay where we boarded the 9:45AM ferry ‘Christie Belle’ for the trip up the River Dart to “Greenway”, the holiday home of the late Agatha Christie.

After getting off the ferry we were fortunate to meet up with a National Trust driver in a small mini van who drove us up to the house. Certainly saved us walking in the wind and rain.

Agatha Christie and her 2nd husband, archaeologist Max Mallowan, originally purchased ‘Greenway’ in 1938. All furnishings and collectables in the house were owned by Agatha Christie or her daughter and son-in-law.

During WWII the house was requisitioned and initially occupied by child evacuees. From 1944-45 the house was occupied by the US Military as part of the preparation for the D-Day landings.

In 2000 the family gave the house and gardens to the National Trust which set about restoring the property, particularly the front which was in danger of falling down due to water leaks in the roof over many years. Following the restoration, which was completed in 2009 at a cost of £6.0M, the house was opened to the public.

Boarded the ferry about 12:15PM for the trip back to Dartmouth Harbour. As it was still windy and raining we headed back to the hotel to collect the washing and look for a launderette. We asked one of the hotel housekeepers if she knew where the launderette was in Dartmouth and she very kindly offered to do it for us.

Not much of an opportunity to take photos today due to the weather and we did not want to get cameras drowned.

Dartmouth has a very strong Naval history and the Britannia Royal Naval College located just out of the main village centre. Dartmouth also played a strong part in the preparation for the D-Day landings in 1945 and a large part of the invasion force left from Dartmouth Harbour. Whilst the majority of the roads in the area are typically narrow village roads, there are a number of wider roads of concrete construction which were build by the US military so they could transport tanks down to the harbor for loading onto ships.

Looking up the River Dart

Thursday 26^th April 2012

Cloudy, cold, showery and 15°  

Following a hearty full English breakfast we packed the car, said good-bye to our host Liz, and set off about 9:00AM for Weymouth. On the way we drove through the New Forest area. Lots of wild ponies roaming round and even across the road so we had to be watchful of them.

First stop for the day was at Beaulieu to visit the National Motor Museum. The museum houses over 250 motor vehicles and other historical items relating to motoring, some of which are the cars from the movies “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, the De Lorian from “Back to the Future”, the Flying Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and Mr. Bean’s Mini.  Sir Donald Campbell’s land speed record-breaking car Blue Bird is also there.

The feature display this year is “Bond in Motion”. It is the world’s largest official collection of original cars used in the Bond movies. We took lots of photos.

There was also a Top Gear display including a simulator. I had to go in it. Two laps of the Top Gear test track with Stig, one in a Bugatti and the second in a K2.

The Motor Museum is on the grounds of the ruins of Beaulieu Abby. The Abby was founded by Cistercian Monks who lived there for over 300 years.  We also visited Palace House (once the Great Gate House of the Abby) and now home to the Montagu family since 1538.

Arrived in Weymouth about 3:15PM and checked into the Premier Inn. Drove into the main town area and along the Esplanade at Weymouth Beach. Very much a seaside holiday area with lots of hotels, B&Bs , and games arcades facing the esplanade. We walked along the beach front- quite cold and windy, but some sunshine.

Friday 27^th April 2012

The day started very overcast and showery but improved rapidly and by late afternoon it was sunny with a clear blue sky. Temperature approx. 15°.

Headed out via the small village of Preston and saw a carving in the chalk hills of a horse with a rider, don’t know how old it is. Then onto Corfe Castle  to see the ruins of the Castle which dates back to Norman England. The Castle was a Royalist stronghold in the Civil war and when the Parliamentarians finally breached the castle in 1645 they ordered it to be demolished.

The ruins today sit on a hillside above the picture postcard village of Corfe Castle and are really beautiful.

We had a light lunch of sweet potato & leek soup in the village tearooms and then walked down to the station to see the Swanage Railway, a historical steam railway that runs along 6 miles of track and is operated by volunteers.

Back in the car and onto West Lulworth. Parked the car in the cliff top parking area and walked about 1 klm down a steep path and steps to view Durdle Door. Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch just off the shoreline along the Jurassic Coast, which is absolutely stunning.

Next stop was Lulworth Cove, which is a beautiful horseshoe shaped beach in an idyllic setting – and the sun was shining by now.

Cerne Abbas was the next stop (a few miles north of Dorchester) and saw the Cerne Abbas Giant, a huge outline of a naked man that has been carved into the chalk hillside hundreds of years ago.

Returned back to Weymouth and walked along the beachfront break water. The beach is all pebbles and broken shells with no sand. Weymouth is also the location of the Olympic sailing competition later this year.