Gayhurst is quite spectacular!
Dear Family and Friends
Gayhurst is quite impressive as you drive up the long lane
that passes 3 small fishing ponds and a large field filled with gamboling lambs
and their moms. Your first sighting is actually the church built on the
property which must have been the family’s chapel originally and is still used
for services. You pass the church and the manor comes into view – beautiful yellow
sandstone similar to Cotswold buildings.
Front view - there is a circular drive up to the front door
Back view
Staircase with gorgeous chandelier (no lifts)
The manor has 3 main floors but each floor has several
levels with each apartment quite private – not the usual layout where
everything is off one long hallway. The staircase to each level is fairly grand
until you get to the top floor – which would have been servants’ quarters
presumably – and the stairs are winding and quite narrow. Beckie’s apartment (3
bed, 3 bath) takes up the full length of the back top floor. Much like a comb,
you walk into the apartment to be greeted by a long full length hall and each
room is a “tooth” off the hallway. I’m forever turning the wrong way when I
come out of our room! I’m wearing a hole in the carpet where I’ve been pirouetting
to turn around and head off in the right direction!
Chapel was refurbished in 1724
Slightly overgrown, but the first of three ponds. This one was in the shape of a heart!
The apartment is rented as furnished and the furnishings are
also impressive. The walls are filled with 18 and 19th century
pictures that have incredible frames – very grand. The leaded windows are
decorated with heavy lined curtains that are meant to keep out the cold in the
winter. No double glazing for these windows!! The couches and tables are also
on a grand scale as the rooms are big enough to hold them. Beckie wanted to
live the “English dream” and this apartment certainly does that. Her next one
will be more modern and utility friendly!
This was a "Roman" bath that one of the early owners added as an outbuilding.
The statuary on the top is a three-headed dog with red eyes - some Roman reference presumably.
However, the rooms are all a very good size which is quite
different from some of the places we see on house hunter shows where the British
rooms can be quite small. But as this was built as a grand manor it has the
larger rooms meant to impress. The apartment below has a living room created
from the original gallery and is about 45-50 feet long!!!!
The only downside – which is also an upside – is that it is
out in the country with poor transport links (bus is only every 90 minutes) so we are quite isolated without a
car. However, it is great to be here with Beckie, Kirei and Lee. More to follow
as we have been to Dublin, Bournemouth and London.
PS - editor missed an error last week. It's Newport Pagnell and Olney not as was!
PS - editor missed an error last week. It's Newport Pagnell and Olney not as was!
Much love to all – Sharlene and Phil
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