On Tuesday, a group from the Anglo-American Women's Club (AAWC) attended a private tour of the Stanway House and Gardens. This was organized by an American friend whose husband is the big cheese in our SUSLO community.
From Wikipedia: Stanway House is an example of a Jacobean manor house. The manor was owned by Tewkesbury Abbey for 800 years then for 500 years by the Tracy family and their descendants, the Earls of Wemyss (pronounces "weems"). Sir William Tracy was one of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170 upon orders from Henry II.
It was an interesting day, but I was a little disappointed at the interior tour of the house. However, it is a private residence, so the areas we were allowed to see were few. Overall, the house is gorgeous, especially from the outside. The interior was a bit run-down if you ask me. Upkeep of a house so large definitely pulls on the purse strings. My favorite part was the Jacobean entrance with gate house and the tithe barn. The workmanship never ceases to amaze me especially when you look at the beams and construction of the ceilings. The photographs are accredited to another American friend who actually remembered HER camera! Thanks, Ann!
The scallop shell was part of the family's crest and it is seen in portions of the architecture everywhere. After killing Becket, Sir William de Tracy went on a pilgrimage for forgiveness and adopted the scallop as a remembrance of this pilgrimage.
The Tithe Barn
The final portion of the tour was a viewing of the fountain. It works via gravity only and once it's ready to spout, it shoots 300 ft. into the air for approximately 20 minutes. During the summer, people can come and view the fountain spouting and kids can run through the water spray that falls. We'll be back...
From Wikipedia: Stanway House is an example of a Jacobean manor house. The manor was owned by Tewkesbury Abbey for 800 years then for 500 years by the Tracy family and their descendants, the Earls of Wemyss (pronounces "weems"). Sir William Tracy was one of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170 upon orders from Henry II.
It was an interesting day, but I was a little disappointed at the interior tour of the house. However, it is a private residence, so the areas we were allowed to see were few. Overall, the house is gorgeous, especially from the outside. The interior was a bit run-down if you ask me. Upkeep of a house so large definitely pulls on the purse strings. My favorite part was the Jacobean entrance with gate house and the tithe barn. The workmanship never ceases to amaze me especially when you look at the beams and construction of the ceilings. The photographs are accredited to another American friend who actually remembered HER camera! Thanks, Ann!
The scallop shell was part of the family's crest and it is seen in portions of the architecture everywhere. After killing Becket, Sir William de Tracy went on a pilgrimage for forgiveness and adopted the scallop as a remembrance of this pilgrimage.
The Tithe Barn
The final portion of the tour was a viewing of the fountain. It works via gravity only and once it's ready to spout, it shoots 300 ft. into the air for approximately 20 minutes. During the summer, people can come and view the fountain spouting and kids can run through the water spray that falls. We'll be back...
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