Under the Greenwood Tree

Today we walked through the lanes and fields to the Country Life Museum at Hamptonne. A notable plant in the woods was the Butchers' Broom, Ruscus  aculeatus. 

A number of folk dressed in costume told the story of the estate and this gentleman was showing people around the house. The site was used in the film of the Thomas Hardy classic, 'Under the Greenwood Tree' and he was an extra, though with only a fleeting appearance apparently. He happily posed in Parson Maybold's porch for me! It was strange to think that filming took place during a very similarly hot period in July of 2005, though the story takes place in the depths of winter in deep snow! 

In the evening we drove to the north-west tip of the island to watch the sunset - the girls in my extra were enjoying it too!