A Birthday Picnic - Clarendon House

On a crisp winter day under an endless cerulean sky, we picnicked before the grand portico of Clarendon House on the gravel drive taking advantage of the sheltering bulk and reflective warm stones of the northerly aspect.

We set up my 100 year old folding card table and spread linen with pastries, meringues and other morsels and enjoyed the sun and still quiet.

The house is closed in winter but you are still welcome to squeeze between the laid hedge and walk the long gravel drive and English elm avenue to visit the grounds.

Clarendon was built in 1838 by James Cox.

Julien calls it "his castle" or sometimes "the palace"

He is very familiar with the house and regularly visits and imagines games of knights and dragons.

Come inside...

I'll show you a couple of the rooms

That's an original Glover.

The artwork is reason enough to visit the house.

I wish we had shutters on our front windows.

There are dozens of rooms and the views from upstairs over the plains are beautiful.

Looking south....

from the blue bedroom. One of my favourites.

And the downstairs rooms are equally fascinating with their large windows semi subterranean and large sandstone flagstones and storage areas. There are numerous outbuildings and along with the precious colonial artwork, a superb collection of gowns on display dating from 1830's to 1960's.

Maintenance of these old homes is always an ongoing issue and the roof has been recently replaced with slate from England at a huge but necessary cost.

The rear stairs are experiencing some subsidence and are being monitored to best evaluate the remediation. Weather and earth movement all play their part in the shift and flex.

A dynamic team is trying many ways to keep Clarendon alive and seeking various income streams from the property with functions and events. A fleet of volunteers work the gardens and the house. I highly recommend a visit and if you've "been before" come back again, there is so much to see.

For more information see HERE

and their facebook page.