How old?

Absolutely gorgeous weather today although it started off a little chilly.  We had an early start this morning as I had to go on a visit to the crematorium in Sutton Coldfield as part of a course I am doing to have a look at what happens behind the scenes.  That took us across to the other side of Birmingham so we decided that we may as well carry on somewhere else for the day.  We picked Calke Abbey in South Derbyshire which is a fascinating example of a stately home in decline in some wonderful parkland.  The deer were beautiful and as part of a guided walk around the grounds we were shown this ancient oak tree - it's reckoned to be about 1200 years old and the path near it has to be closed in high winds.

The house is full - in dire need of being decluttered but it is to be left in the state that the family left it - very run down and full of all manner of stuffed animals and other memorabilia in rooms which had had nothing done to them for years.

The estate has several tunnels under it which had to be used by the staff so that the members of the family would not be disturbed by the sight of the lower classes!

Go and have a look at it if you're ever in the area.