“Mad, bad, and dangerous to know”

Because I wasn’t in Madeira as expected, I was able to ring our Arts Society visits organiser and join the trip to Newark and Newstead Abbey.

The British Civil Wars Museum was interesting. Strange, and rather unnerving parallels between the three sieges of Newark and what we’ve been hearing recently. It’s the ordinary folk who truly suffer in these horrendous conflicts. 

Newark is a really lovely market town, with a stunning parish church which is more or less the size of a cathedral.

We then went on to Newstead Abbey, the family home of the charismatic poet, Lord Byron. Our enthusiastic guide really brought him to life in a very endearing way. I couldn’t resist the Lady Caroline Lamb quotation for my title. 

The gardens are just fabulous, and so extensive. I certainly want to go back in a different season, particularly to see the Japanese Garden.