We were up early at the thatched cottage and walked with Colby to a nearby playground just after breakfast. Along the way, we passed a house with the largest pink and red poppies we’ve ever seen! We came back and spent time in the back garden, then packed up to leave by 10.
We drove about 45 minutes to Ickworth, an estate that was in the same family over 500 years. After many additions and through centuries of “feast and less,” the Hervey family had allowed the estate to fall into disrepair. In the early 1900’s, the 4th Marchioness and the daughter of a Victorian railway contractor, brought with her to Ickworth a considerable dowry which she used to remodel the house. In 1956, the 4th Marquess presented the house and estate to the UK Treasury in lieu of death taxes. The UK Treasury passed Ickworth to the National Trust. It’s rotunda and Italianate Garden are exceptionally beautiful, and there is a luxury hotel in the West Wing. We walked about the gardens and grounds, explored St. Mary’s Church (over 900 years old), and had lunch. We still had time for Colby to play in Ickworth’s Adventure Play Area.
We took the train from Bury St. Edmunds back to London, with a stop in Stowmarket. We arrived at Claire’s house by 7. It was a long day. We enjoyed seeing new sites and we had a good time with Colby.
