The Abbott's clotted cream

I live in a part of Winchester called Abbott's Barton (my house, naturally, looks nothing like this).

Abbott's Barton, as it's name implies, was the farm belonging to Hyde Abbey.  I have absolutely no idea why Abbott is spelled with a double 'tt' like this.  Perhaps it made him feel special.

Anyway, this is, or was, the dairy, so it's now called Dairy Cottage (bit of a giveaway that).  Just off to the left of the picture is the brick built barn.  It used to act as the local shop, now it sells exotic fish in tanks (so useful).  On the right, and running at right angles to the cottage, is the massive farmhouse.  It is a really wonderful building of soft red brick and still standing in a pool of green.  The kitchen has a fireplace large enough to roast an ox (no, really). 

So I don't know how old the outer skin of this cottage is.  Old, but not medieval.  The chimney on the left certainly is medieval though and there are steps leading up to the door near its base.  I am not at all sure why you'd have a large fire in a dairy.  Maybe the Abbott was a lover of clotted cream.  When I arrived in Winchester in 1980 the whole complex was owned by the City Council.  They rented out the farmhouse to a bunch of students.  Doh!  At least now it's being properly cared for.

Anyway, this blip was taken on my way back from a walk.  The camera was pretty full of lousy grey shots, but as I was walking up the hill the sun suddenly burst out through a tiny gap in the clouds.  That's why the building's smiling and why it's become my blip for today.

Have a spectacularly lovely evening and a good Friday to follow  xx