Hidden Stroud, Part II

The Orangery

Visitors who come to Stroud will be directed first to the Award-winning Farmer's market, every Saturday, and to the Shambles Market, in the old market quarter, by the mediaval town hall. Stroud is, after all, a market town.

Longer-stay visitors may also make it to the Museum in the Park. I always take my visitors there! It has been open for about twelve years, and is housed in a listed 17th century wool merchant's mansion in the green and elegant Stratford Park, five minutes' walk from where I now work.

Museum of what ? asked my mother before she went there, but she managed to spend half a day there, though she came back saying that she felt rather old, having seen many household inventions that she remembers using!

Just behind the mansion is this old orangery, once part of the estate. It is not signposted, so few venture there for they do not know of its existence. As far as I could see, there were no oranges in it, but the structure is intact. There is also a 'secret garden', which I would like to blip, but at the moment it is in need of urgent restoration: there is only ivy, and a wrought iron gate to speak of its mysteries. Perhaps one day a robin will lead me in there... Recently I tried to sign up for a photography workshop in the secret garden, but was too late to register.

I've been fired up by the idea of Hidden Stroud, and have thought of a few other places, as well as the secret garden. Tried to blip one more today, but end-of-season work was in progress so I thought I'd go back one day when the place was deserted.

Today was my first day of actual work. The students came back to their very special school, and it was a delight to see the ones I know from my volunteering time. It was gratifying to see them choosing to play with the things I'd put out, and also to be shown the music cupboard, which is treasure indeed. The other staff seem happy to have a designated playworker, as well as TAs and physiotherapists in place, so it was a pretty good beginning.

Hidden Stroud, Part I here
Hidden Stroud, Part 0 here

My sister TMLHereandThere has blipped the inside of the mansion here

CleanSteve has blipped the inside of the tower in Hidden Stroud, Part I, here