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Published: January 31st 2012
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Stokesay Castle
Elizabethan Gatehouse Are you looking for somewhere picture postcard perfect to visit . Look no further than the pretty Stokesay Castle near to Church Stretton in Shropshire . Described as the finest English castle of its kind its hard to disagree with that statement . Stokesay is set in the rolling Shropshire countryside and it looks charming. They call this part of the world Little Switzerland .
Not the best of places for a motorhome as the lane leading to the castle is relatively narrow and very muddy in the rain. Parking is ample but is on the grass which could make it difficult to drive off if muddy. Another purchase yesterday was a pack of bright yellow plastic treads which are put on the grass to help move a motorhome if it becomes muddy and stuck. The house is filling with motorhome essentials but without the motorhome although we have been told she would be coming into the dealers around the middle of next month.. We thought how useful these would be on muddy fields. We tick off items on our list as we go along.
Stokesay sits next to a pretty grey stone church and a buttercream and oak
timbered Elizabethan gatehouse. Gone are the stark black and white magpie wooden buildings of Cheshire and north Shropshire and are replaced by this much softer painted building style. The white replaced by the buttermilk and the dark oak replaced with softer brown oak. The castle sits in its medieval garden which holds much promise for the season and there are hints of the long filled in moat which is pleasant to walk around in the Spring sun . Inside there is a Great Hall with its open hearth and magnificent carved roof . What a splendid interior. . The solar room is filled with the watery spring sun at this time of the year . One could almost imagine what it would have looked and felt like on a hot summer day. On the whole Stokesay and its gatehouse make a lovely ensemble of buildings. English Heritage owned it was yet another free visit.
The next visit was to the pretty town of Wenlock. Again we were looking for free English Heritage properties in the area . Perhaps the town streets are not the best suitable for motorhomes due to their narrowness and the hustle and bustle of the
townsfolk going about their business. We couldnt see anywhere to park and felt that British towns need to take a lesson from our French friends and provide aires for motorhomers and make them more motorhome friendly. The grey haired nomads bring in much needed custom to small towns and the french make the most of them.
We did find the Priory and it lies behind the main street , a lovely peaceful spot - it doesn't take much imagination to realise why the monks chose such a lovely place. Quiet enough for contemplation when it was built in the 12th century and even today it feels very quiet . The priory is sadly now extensively ruined. It was built by Cluniac monks. Although much ruined it is still possible to see the remains of the intricate stone carvings and embellishments to the walls and the structures still standing. .
The garden is laid mainly to grass and the trees manicured neatly in the topiary style - squirrels seemingly the most popular shape. A delightful way to spend a few hours taking in Wenlock Priorys quiet beauty.
The remaining purchases for the motorhome relate to the opposite function
to cooking - the toilet area. It seems that ordinary toilet paper does not disintegrate quickly enough so two packs of special toilet paper purchased. Probably not enough but hard to work out how much toilet paper is required for a four week trip. Toilet cleaners were available in a wide range of colours that looked oddly like the dispensary jars in a old chemist shop. The lightest most versitile bottle was bought - never realised that we would be thinking weight in everything we buy from now on.
Holiday dates sorted and the first trip in Suzy will be May, hopefully by then she will be much loved, have her gas supply sorted out, her satellite dish and her solar panel. Some ideas already in place but now planning can start in earnest. Countdown 29 days until I semi retire and we get the chance to go an introduce ourselves to her.
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