Killerton

The week started off with a demotion to the the beginners dance lesson - our choice - we are not very good and with having missed a couple of lessons found we were leaving each lesson more mystified than when we arrived. We think we have now mastered the basic turn in a waltz and can do the cha cha and quick step but not very well - perseverance is still required!!  We also went to Chess.  The show is up there for us with Billy Elliot, Wicked and Blood Brothers. We didn't know the story well - so did a bit of research - it was written by Tim Rice and the 2 guys from ABBA Bjorn and Benny. The story is about a game of chess during the cold war when a stroppy American (based on Bobby Fischer I gather) plays a good looking young Russian. A Hungarian woman (the manager of the American) falls in love with the Russian and the Russian defects leaving his wife and children in Russia. Next year the competition is in Bangkok - a rematch but the Russian wife turns up - you can just imagine the emotional turmoil.  We enjoyed it immensely but as I was walking out I heard some one say 'it was ok' - you can't please everyone!! My favourite song...
Nothing is so good it lasts eternally
Perfect situations must go wrong
But this has never yet prevented me
From hoping for too much for far too long
Looking back I could have played it differently
With a few more moments, who can tell?
But it took time to understand the man
Now at least I know I know him well
Wasn't it good?
(Oh so good)
Wasn't he fine?
(Oh so fine)
Isn't it madness he won't be mine
But in the end he needs a little bit
More than me, more security
(He needs his fantasy and freedom)
I know him so well
No one in your life is with you constantly
No one is completely on your side
And though I move my world to be with him
Still the gap between us is too wide ...
Friday night we went out for dinner to a little Italian restaurant down the road with Jane and David. We had a nice time with some yummy non-pizza food. We continue to be astonished at the pizzas that they sell over here - needless to say we didn't have one. Its a base with a bit of tomato and cheese - very popular I must say but for £7 it doesn't feel like much value to us when you can buy the same at a supermarket for 50 pence and add lots of your own toppings.  On Saturday, we headed off to Killerton - not far from Exeter - prepared for rather a long trip we were surprised to arrive in just over an hour - that is the UK motorways for you!! Killerton estate is huge - over 6000 acres.  Sir Richard Acland sold it cheaply to the National Trust in 1944 (includes 20 farms and 200 plus cottages).  He wanted money for his socialist party (he and JB Priestley worked together to set up the party). Richard's wife was horrified at his suggestion as so many farmers and families would lose their homes and livelihood.  She was rather fond of the place as while he was away fighting wars she managed the estate (although invalided with childhood polio) and was also a solo Mum. So, she convinced him to sell to the Trust so the farmers could continue to lease the land.  It is spring time over here (sorry to mention this as kiwis head into winter) and so we enjoyed the wander through the garden up the hill, through the wood (more mud - and how did we manage to get on the wrong side of the fence again?) up to the Iron Age Hill fort.  The fort is home to the Killerton Dragon - at least half of his time is spent here - the other half on the neighbouring hill across the valley (you can just see it in the distance - perhaps the mist was his hot firey breath).  The dragon flies between hills as he has a stash of treasure on both hills and needs to protect it which is why no-one has seen him in a while (he is always on the other side).  The rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias were just beginning to flower and the snowdrops and daffodils were out in all their splendour. Here in the garden was the shed which once did house a little bear bought back from overseas!!  Inside the large estate home was a display of fashion in the 1900's - all I can say is I am pleased I wasn't born into the gentry back then - would have found the whole dress up thing maddening and pointless. Six times a day most woman changed - morning dresses, afternoon dresses, evening gowns, suits, blouses and sporting clothes.  And corsets - yuck!! But the hats - I might have enjoyed. After that we took a quick trip along the road to Broadclyst a village forming part of the original estate and now the property of the Trust (or most of it). There is a medieval thatched cottage with some medieval wall paintings inside (which we didn't see cos it is only open in summer). Then we wandered past some more thatched cottages and inn and through the cemetery to the Clyston mill a water-powered corn mill which was also closed but it was a nice walk at the end of the day.

On the Sunday we decided to stay locally and went for a trip to Tyntesfield.  The house is in the throes of restoration and so we couldn't tour every room - but found it fascinating as it was purchased lock, stock and barrel by the National Trust and left just as the Gibbs family were out for the day.  The inventory stands at about 30,000 items and includes things like an unexploded WWII bomb (which we didn't see), a jewel-encrusted chalice, some huge marble fireplaces and heaps of old high backed chairs that have seen better days. Some fascinating wall carvings and wall paper (one room was hand painted cos when the paper was put up they decided it was too dark and so instead of stripping it and starting again the wall paper was hand painted in a lighter colour).  We liked the way the stables had been restored and made into the tearoom.