Monday 12 October 2009

Thatched cottages & conkers in Dorset



On Sunday we had a FAMILY day out, no work & no thrifting for vintage things. Just walking, exploring and collecting leaves & conkers.

We went to MILTON ABBAS in Dorset. It is a village that I used to visit frequently when I lived 8 miles away from there. I lived in Dorset for 3 years (1981 to 1984)

Milton Abbas is a beautiful village. I hadn't been there for many years so yesterday's visit was a trip down memory lane for me. Neither Miss P or Alan had been there before, they were both taken by the pretty cottages.
One thing that struck me on arrival is that there were a lot more cars than I previously recalled, a sign of our times. That was a shame, as the village looks so much nicer without all the cars there. I know, people live there and need them...still a shame though...The tea room was no longer there! ;-(( I was looking forward to a cream tea...

Despite it not quite being as it was when I used to live in Dorset, it still remains a lovely village which I enjoyed going back to. You can tell from all the photos on this post!



The village has a lovely pub called THE HAMBRO ARMS




Before


After


Walking down the village, Miss P & I had fun choosing which cottage we would live in given the choice. We often like to play that game when walking around a pretty place.


It was not an easy choice but this was the one for me. Same cottage as shown in the first photo. Photo doesn't really do it justice.



This was another contender
















and that was also another contender! You can see how it would be hard to choose.




Walking away from the village we headed towards a footpath




We walked 1/2 mile collecting leaves and conkers on the way until we reached...


Milton Abbey and MILTON ABBEY SCHOOL (Independant boarding school)

Arriving there, brought back lovely memories. Here, is where I learnt to shoot (riffle & pistol - targets only). There was a shooting club held there once a week in the evening. I loved it! It was very well run, family run and friendly. I was about to be put forward to join the Dorset Women's Team but a move to Kent put a stop to that...I tried to find a decent club close to where I had moved to in Kent but none were as good or as NICE! I do sometimes wonder what could have been... I know that it's never too late but now I have so many other things to do & plans AND a husband and child which I did not have then. Then, was my opportunity!




Views from the abbey



Inside the Abbey

The detail is so beautiful, the work that went in to this is amazing.








On our way back we drove through Sturminster Newton - Dorset where I spotted this lovely looking shop AGNES & VERA. But that will have to be for another visit, it was closed.

I simply love that shade of green!




Great window display.
Peeking through the window made me want to come back again when it is open.


I couldn't resist these fun looking recipe books which I bought at the Abbey.

I love Dorset and can't wait to go back again soon...

I hope that you all had a good weekend!

A bientôt!

Isabelle x

62 comments:

...Nina Nixon... said...

Such beautiful cottages all English and quaint. I can see it must of been a tough choice.

Have a lovely day,

Nina x

Clare said...

How beautiful. what a lovely place no wonder you had difficulty choosing which house!

Sarah said...

What lovely cottages and very English! Simple weekends like that the best - although that shop looked very interesting!

Michela said...

Gosh! It would be really hard to choose one of those charming cottages! Thank you for sharing your interesting walk!
Have a good week!

p.s.thank you for your enthusiastic comment about my new blog!

Vintage Sandy said...

Oh what lovely cottages I love the thatched roofs & the English countryside is amazingly beautiful....beautiful pictures keep sharing them please!!

Thedarkerside73 said...

Looks like you had a lovely day out. I love those houses, I would of been spoilt for choice choosing which one I liked best too!

It looks very peaceful there. That shop looked lovely! Love the name too.



MBBx

The Curious Cat said...

Dorset has so much to offer hey? I love those thatched cottages too...wish I could live in a little village like that! Can you not find a shooting club now? xxx

{Love, Love, Love} said...

What a lovely looking village and the shop looks like a good find too! x

KC'sCourt! said...

Looks very pretty. The simple life I wish I could live it.

andamento said...

Great photos. I love visiting all these interesting places via other people's blogs!

Les Cotrions said...

Hello Isabelle! This village looks so pretty! So lovely cottages and a very difficult choice! The Abbey is stunning and so many sweet memories for you! I can say you had a freat day yesterday!
Hugs
Vale

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

They are some dreamy cottages!

Victoria xx

All things nice... said...

Isabelle,

That is my dream village, it is so charming, I'll have the wee stone cottage with the blue door :)I went on holidays to Dorset years ago as a child to Wareham, I have very little memories of it, but I do have two wareham bears.

All things nice...

LissyLou said...

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE!

blushing rose said...

TY for inviting us on the stroll through this beautiful village. You were so informative. I just love those roofs. And that exquisite Abbey ...

Have a wonderful crisp autumn day. TTFN ~Marydon

julie said...

what a beautiful village. I agree with you - as soon as I saw the first photo, I thought, ooh, that's my dream cottage brought to life! Sounds like a lovely day out - that shop looks like it would be full of lovely treats ! x

Marigold Jam said...

Must go and have a look at Milton Abbas some time soon. Am going to Sturminster Newton tomorrow - doing a machine embroidery day course - so will have a look at Agnes and Vera and report back to you!

Jane

Unknown said...

Oh! I stayed here as a child, such a wonderful charming place, thanks for bringing back such lovely memories, I must return there, as I am in love with the look of Agnes and Vera, Have a sweet day!x

Funkymonkey said...

It sounds like the kind of day out that I love. I hope you get to visit that wonderful shop!

Tracey

Hen said...

Hi Isabelle,
What a lovely day you had. I love Milton Abbas, when we were first looking for a cottage in Dorset, it seemed idyllic. Eventually, a cottage did come up for sale but they are so tiny. The cottage which you love, although it looks like one dwelling, most of them are actually two; inside the front door, there is an inner hallway with two further front doors and they are miniscule cottages. I agree, the cars are necessary but do spoil the place. I also thought that as somewhere to live, you'd get fed up with the tourists, too! It's a beautiful area of Dorset though. Shame about the tea room! I shall seek out Agnes and Vera, thanks for that tip.
Hen x

spilledflour inc... said...

aaaah memories!.....although my mom know lives over on my side of the world she does have conkers all over her house....to detour the spiders.....great great great post!.....thanks!

koralee said...

What a charming village and those cottages are amazing. We have nothing like this in our area and so I am delighted when I see an area with such charm and charater. I think I would move in an instant if I could! Thanks you for this lovely post today!

Lori said...

i would choose the one with the blue door set in the middle of the three arches...but they are all so lovely...and charming...what a sweet place to visit!!!

A Bun Can Dance said...

Hi Isabelle
I've not been to Milton Abbas before, so it was great to have a virtual tour! How pretty it is! Sturminster Newton has an EXCELLENT fabric shop (new fabric) called Hansons which is where I have bought a lot of my fabrics in the past.... of course I am now having to avoid it for 12 months.... tricky!! They sell beautiful wool too.
Thank you for sharing your lovely day out!
Denise x

My name is Riet said...

That is one of the most beautiful places in England.St least I think so. The lane with all the cottages. Wonderful. The church and the other buildings. Fantastic

Anna said...

Oh so beautiful, I love those very english cottages.

Anna x

Lisa said...

A truly picturesque village,so many lovely homes to choose from!
Lisa x

Floss said...

To be honest, I forget what I am missing now that we're in France! We have wonderful sights here and the novelty and surprise have made me forget how wonderful Britain can be too. Thanks so much for sharing your day out with us.

heidi said...

hi isabelle,
yes we too play that game 'which one would i live in'!!
lovely place with wonderful properties,get you learning too shoot!!
glad you had a lovely weekend. x

elsy said...

beautiful village, i would choose the one storey thatched......shall add it to my places to visit one day

Midsummer Stitches said...

What a lovely village, pretty as a picture!

Sylvia said...

Beautiful cottages, Isabelle !
A few years ago we visited Dorset,
in the small village of Corfe Castle was a teddy bear shop. I saw a gorgious bear in the window but the shop was closed that day and we had to move on. Friends, who lived in Weymouth, brought the bear on a visit to Belgium. A few years later we went to this shop again. The lady of the shop was so pleased that this bear came to Belgium.

Have a nice week,
Sylvia

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

Dear Isabelle,
I do adore these posts. What a lovely family day out. I could happily live in any of those charming cottages. I think they all have my name on the door:) It really does look like Miss Marple's village. Next time we come to England we shall have to visit this lovely spot. I am surprised to read about your shooting. I imagine your gun would have a lovely piece of lace around it. Enjoy your week. xx

Unknown said...

Oh it does look like such a wonderful village, so beautiful...I would love to visit a place like that!!!

:) T

Fruehlingbitte-Naturseifen said...

Perfekt! They all look so lovely, thanks for sharing,
All the best from Germany,
Silke

basiclabelSweden said...

Beautiful cottages, this is the first tim her! In my phantasy its look like i'am on a set off Harry Potter ;o)

Thank you for sharing with us.

Greeting from a Duths in Sweden

Anonymous said...

You have taken some wonderful pictures of these lovely cottages, it looks like you had an enjoyable day all round. Thank you for sharing with us. best wishes Julie.C

Mr Jones said...

Hi Isabelle.. lovely photos. Suddenly homesick for UK.. Am in dusty dry Bikaner (India).
Speaking of fabrics I have a pic for you on my next posting... Chiffon sari as a tablecloth. Very vintage kinda of Cath Kidston. In the middle ofBikaner. Hmm.. wonders never cease.
TTFN!

OhSoVintage said...

What wonderful photos of such a beautiful place. I lived in Dorset when I was a little girl many years ago.
Ruth x

Lila said...

Hello Isabelle,
What a lovely page! Got here while blog hopping and now I'm sure to be a regular visitor. Hope to visit Dorset someday..

A time to dance said...

It would have to be the one with the blue door...it looks like chocolate box heaven....

Julia said...

Hi, came across you on the Dorset Cerals Blog Award site.

I visited Milton Abbas in 1996; the village, the Abbey and the School - it's so pretty. From a photograph I took at the time, I did a nice watercolour painting with a view from near the top of the village by a red telephone box, looking down the road. I gave the painting to the friend I went with and I believe she still has it! Thanks for the trip down memory lane!:0)

Vicki said...

Hello, Isabelle,
I so enjoyed my stroll through the quaint village of Milton Abbas. I would have trouble choosing a favorite cottage as well. I do hope one day to be able to visit your country and see some of the countryside and smaller villages. That last shop looks like a wonderful place to visit. Love that color of green, too. Blessings to you, dear friend! Vicki

Sonia said...

Simply amazing!! I have friends in UK but have never been except going through heathrow or glasgow?? airports. But It is so neat to see the beauty of english country through your camera lense. Just keep 'em coming.
Hugs!!
Sonia

LiLi M. said...

Whow Dorset sure looks great and I would have difficulties too to choose a cottage! I think the UK is so beautiful! Full of old buildings, as you cherish your heritage, very unlike here, we dutch always have to march the modern march :-( Are you having such great plans for this weekend? I do hope so, so that we can enjoy your photos! Anyhow have fun!

mamas kram said...

Beautiful pictures from a lovely place! I definitely want to make a visit in England once. Then i could admire the beautiful cottages and shops too.
Have a nice Weekend, Doris

Alice JEans said...

Oh Darling, I love the Agnes and Vera Shop - my fav. shade of green also !! How adorable !! Your blog is just divine....I am going to become a follower - so lovely to meet a fellow vintage lover !!

sarah-jane down the lane said...

Hi Isabelle,

The yellow door for me! We can be neighbours wouldn't that be fun? Loved the shop Agnes and Vera! Great names and gorgeous green coloured facade too.

Glad you had a nice time, I dont seem to find any spare time at the moment! But I will be watching Strictly tonight!

Love Sarah x

lady jicky said...

When I think of England this is the sort of place I imagine.
I too love that shade of green!

BusyLizzie said...

what a beautiful village, I must add that to my list of places to visit...and well, that green shop front is just DIVINE! Fab, fab, fab, Lizzie (aka Mrs green shelves)

KC'sCourt! said...

I have an award for you over on my blog!
Julie xxxxx

Bleudelavande said...

Wooowww my dear, what fabulous village!!! I love all those cottages!!! The Doesrt look so magic!! Tank you for sharing!!!
Have a nice week my friend
Hugs

Teena Vallerine said...

Oh my I feel like I've had a day trip! Wonderful - thank-you t.x

MelMel said...

My goodness what abeautiful post...just my kind of day out!
Thank you for the lovely comment!xxx

Tilly Rose said...

Hi Isabelle....loving your blog! I'm very envious of the village...those cottgages are just gorgeous.
Nice to read you have similar interests etc as myself. I've just started my own blog and loving finding others. feel free to drop by sometime -www.tillyroseblog.blogspot.com
Karen x

The Sunroom said...

Isabelle,
Fabulous photos - love them :-)

Beach Bygones said...

Wow, it looks stunning. The shop looks fantastic too, very inspiring. I know what you mean by cars. We returned to Suffolk 3 years ago after being away for over 20 years and when I go through some of the local villages now the cars seem to really stand out.

David said...

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Chicago Chic said...

WOW. I need to visit.

Dorset holiday cottages said...

No wonder it was difficult for you to choose. But whichever your choice is, you won't feel bad at all..

kmi houseplans said...

This is superb, it is so creative thanks for sharing the same.

maddie said...

I love living in Dorset, I have visited Milton Abbas several times and have done a photo shoot there with my close friends, it was the perfect setting. I also live 5 minutes away from Stur, and I LOVE Agnes and Vera. one of my fav shops locally. Sturminster is starting to become a top end local town and has some great new shops, including the lovely florist, http://www.rusticrose.co.uk/. Thanks for doing this post, it reminds me how luck I am to live in such a stunning part of the world. xx