We spent the afternoon looking through a National Trust property, home to the Edgcumbe family since 1358-1947, when it was given to the National Trust.
the Tudor Great Hall is the entrance to the buildings.
The armoured wall contains a peephole from an alcove in the dining room above so you can see who’s there and decide whether you want to go down or not.
The main stairs lead to the living areas – and eventually the accommodation.
Apparently Henry VIII had to be carried up these stairs when he visited. Actually they were the easiest stairs I saw.
All the upper rooms have walls fully draped in tapestries – every wall. It may have added to the mystique and warmth but it was quite claustrophobic for my taste.
The dining room and ‘punch room’ (there is a wine cellar in the corner) made up the parlour (an upper great hall) until remodelling occurred in 1652.
At the rear of the chapel is a rare survivor of the Tudor period, a mechanical clock, dating freely 1500.
Outside, the grounds of the estate are just as interesting.
Each Christmas a special garland is produced to decorate the Great Hall. It comprises 32,000 diaries flowers, grown in the gardens, harvested over many months and dried before being hand woven in this Christmas decoration.
Father M 