Blickling Estate

We visited Blickling Estate with the Billericay and District Resident's Association (BDRA).  The coach took about 3 hours to get there and a similar amount of time coming back.  Such a distance is not really a viable day trip in a car, because I would be exhausted by the drive and not enjoy the place we were visiting.  It is a National Trust property, so we knew what to expect. 

We were met and greeted by a member of staff (volunteer?), who gave us guide sheets with a gold sticker to identify us as the coach party. After this, we ate our lunch and got a cup of tea from the outside café.  15p extra for a take-away cup and a discount for a re-usable (bring your own) cup. The cups are good quality, but there is no way they cost more than a couple of pence each. I appreciate what they are trying to do, but that price is too much.  

The into the house:

The grand entrance staircase was not always here, but was moved from another location by one of the former owners.

In the ceiling above the staircase is the Boleyn Bull.  A sign that the Boleyn family live here at one time.

Oriental artefacts fill the house.  One room is particularly impressive, with had painted Chinese wall paper.

This tapestry has a 3D element, and is shown under a special light in a darkened room.  It is on an angled table so that it can be easily seen, but not easily photographed.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  It will soon be wrapped back up and put in storage for 5 years.

The stained-glass window above the main stairs was once given to a church, but has now been returned. it is visible from the corridor opposite the tapestry.

The final picture to show here is the Peter the Great room.  Russian influence is also important in this house.

There are many other treasures and a lot of work is done by the National Trust to look after them and restore them.  There are displays about the work.  

Outside, the grounds are lovely, and the walled garden is ready for planting in most places.  Some plants are already in, and others are perennials and are always there.

There is also a museum dedicated to the air force troops who were billeted there in WWII.  They flew bombers from Oulton Airfield and made important contributions to the war effort.

A very good day out.