400 year old summerhouse and 650 year old oak tree

Today we went to meet up with the family at The Vyne NT house and gardens near Basingstoke. This photo shows the summerhouse which was built over 400 years ago and was originally two stories to give a good view from the first floor. Next to it is the “100 guineas oak” which is over 650 years old…see info in the extra.

Luckily after a chilly start the sun came out and we could eat the picnic I took outside. We also went in the house and the volunteers there were extremely good at explaining fairly briefly and to young children about some aspects of the house. We discovered that Henry VIII had visited and in his day the house was much bigger with a gatehouse similar to that at Hampton Court, plus a moat. Also one of the roundels on the wall  in the ‘Stone Room’ is very similar to several at Hampton Court as made by the same person….see extra. 

There have been lots of crowns for children to spot and count since the coronation…they are still there…lots and lots of small knitted and crocheted crowns, not what I had expected! There are over 100! Now a bit bedraggled so not worthy of a blip!