At Rufford Abbey
After February storms, grey skies and not feeling too well either, I finally got out for another lovely walk in the countryside today. Shirley decided to come with me so Clint was on his best behaviour as we headed east into Nottinghamshire. No overtaking like a poker player on the edge and no skidding round corners at breakneck speed.
Our destination was Rufford Country Park north east of Mansfield. It was once the site of a Cistercian monastery which included an attached abbey but like many of England's great ecclesiastical buildings it was ruined under the instructions of King Henry VIII in 1536.
Lake at Rufford Abbey
Afterwards a grand country house emerged from the ruins. It was one of the ostentatious homes of The Earls of Shrewsbury but then through marriage passed into the ownership of the Savile family. The Saviles support for Royalists during The English Civil War brought more troubles to the estate but they survived to tell the tale.
Leaving Clint under shady trees, we walked to Rufford Mill passing a great artificial lake created during the time of The Saviles and also the grave of a famous racehorse they owned called Cremorne. In the summer of 1872, he became the second of six horses to win both The Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris.
After watching vehicles splashing through the ford at Rufford Mill. we walked over rolling farmland to the charming village of Wellow and then headed south to North Laithes Farm with its rather unique dovecote.
Soon we were crossing Rufford Park golf course before plodding past the chain of rather impressive homes that make up the strange and demonstrably affluent village of Rufford itself. Of one of the houses, Shirley said, "That looks big enough to be a school or a nursing home!"
After five miles of walking in sunshine., I think we had earned our cups of tea and hot pasties which we ordered at the counter of The Coach House Cafe. Soon we were heading home courtesy of The Clintmobile who stayed calm and collected even as we patiently edged past three annoying traffic hold-ups.
St Swithin's Church, Wellow
from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/cst62d9
