Above: Belles on tour!
Our much anticipated trip to Montacute House was a great success.
Twenty eight belles and friends enjoyed visiting this beautiful house in Somerset, described the by National Trust as a masterpiece of Elizabethan Renaissance architecture and design.
We split into small groups to explore the house, the knowledgeable room hosts gave us a flavour of what life would have been like for the inhabitants.
We were given the official tour of the gardens and an insight into the history of the building and original owner Sir Edward Phelips who commissioned the house to demonstrate his wealth and status.
Thankfully the forecast rain stayed away for us so we had plenty of time for a relaxing time in the gardens with one or two visits to the cafe for lunch and cake! Below are some more views of our day - thanks to April Martel, Fiona Plant, Carolyn Gilman and Wendy Warman for most of these photos.
Fiona summed it up nicely on her Facebook entry:
"Lovely day out with the WI “gang” visiting Montacute House in Somerset. Lovely weather, fabulous company and delicious coffee and cake - the perfect combination. An unorthodox version of “Snog, Marry,Avoid” played with portraits of Elizabethan men made for a hilarious alternative tour."
* = on loan from the National Portrait Gallery - Ed