Sunday 25 April 2010

West Somerset cottages





Yesterday we went to Selworthy on the Holnicote Estate (Somerset), the land is owned by the National Trust. Alan had been there several years ago and knew that I would like it so suggested that we go there. He was right, I loved it!

It was sunny and the sky was hazy rather than a clear blue which was shame in terms of photography but that certainly did not stop us from enjoying the day.






As soon as we arrived there which was mid afternoon, we had lunch and cake in the tea room. I can confirm that the lemon meringue pie was delicious!!! We brought back a pot of honey for Miss P as she loves honey.


I bought some postcards (In a couple of weeks time I think that Selworthy will be more colourful, not all the flowers were out yet...)


We walked around admiring the cottages & gardens


We sat down, took in the sweeping views and enjoyed the peace and quiet...

Just before leaving we walk to the church







Stunning views from Selworthy Church

As we arrived quite late in the day, I didn't get a chance to visit this shop. It was closed by the time we reached Watchet.

I did have a peak through the window...

I look forward to having a good look around next time I go there. The inside looks lovely!

We headed towards home but as it was still light, we decided to take a turning in to a small narrow lane and see where it would take us. We ended up in this very pretty little village which had sweeping views towards the sea. We saw the West Somerset steam train go by in the distance.



We walked around the village and then went to see if the church was open. Unfortunately it was locked so we walked around the graveyard looking at the tombstones and views around. I usually look at the tombstones when I visit churches, I find them interesting. I wonder who the person was, what they looked like and find some of the words chosen by loved ones very moving at times.




As I approached the white blossomed cherry tree on the right hand side of this photo, I spotted a lady holding a camera. She was taking a picture of the tree. I smiled at her and commented on how beautiful the tree looked. She smiled back and told me that she had planted the tree with her friend to honour the friend's Mother whose grave was there.

When it was planted, the tree was very small. It has grown substantially over the years. It is a very beautiful tree which bears edible cherries in the summer.

On this day, the lady was there to visit her friend's grave (the one she planted the tree with). Her friend had very recently passed away and was buried along side her Mother and the tree that she had planted for her. The lady went on to say that her friend loved the view from there as it overlooks the sea in the distance. We both agreed that it was a beautiful place to be buried.



We had a really good day

I hope you have a wonderful time this weekend!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

54 comments:

Elderberry-Rob said...

I haven't been to Selworthy for 30 years or more and it hasn't changed, it is beautiful and one of the few villages that displays so many thatched roof cottages. It was lovely to see your pictures, thanks.

Marigold Jam said...

Like Mrs Yappy Dog ist's years since I went to Selworthy but now I want to go again! It's such a beautiful village isn't it? I noticed the honey jar in your picture and smiled as I have just had the last scrapings from a jar just like that brought back from Exmoor by a friend and just said to my husband I will have to go to Exmoor to get some more as it was so delicious so now I will also have to visit Selworthy whilst getting my honey!

Jane

Pea Green Kitty said...

Absoloutley stunning pictures despite the hazyness. Thank You for sharing your lovely day.
x

Kissed by an Angel said...

What a lovely day you had!! gorgeous photos too!!
xxxx

Parisienne Farmgirl said...

Oh my - I am green with envy. I have always wanted to visit this area.
It looks like you had a wonderful, wonderful day. Your photos are lovely - thank you so much for sharing.

Parisienne Farmgirl

Annie said...

What a beautiful village and wonderful photos thanks for sharing the views.
Ann x

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

What a charming place! I love all your images and hope you get back to that lovely looking shop! Glad you had a nice day and appreciate you taking us along!
Have a great day...
:)

Arantxa Fariña said...

Wornderfull pictures,it's a lovely place.

Kind regards!!

Sarah said...

How funny - we were at Dunster Castle yesterday and I was really taken by the pretty villages around, so I think we'll have to take another visit there and take in Selworthy! Thanks for sharing.
xx

It's me said...

Hello Suzy.............what a beautiful trip this was....i'am glad i read your post today i enjoy !!!

lemon meringue pie that's delicious!!! ..................yummie yummie !!

Have a wonderful sunny sunday ..........hugs from me Ria

Unknown said...

Hi Isabelle. We do live in a fabulous region, don't we. I very rarely venture out of Devon...there's so much to see here but having seen your lovely photos I will try harder to go further afield. Hope your Sunday is restful, Lucyxx

Catsngrams said...

What beautiful pictures. Your country has so much history and holds it still. The United States has lost that. Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us. My ancestors came from England and I love see pictures of the countryside there and in wales thank you so much.

Lyn said...

I have never been but it does look so beautiful and what a love story about the tree on the grave, it looks like a lovely place to lay to rest.
Love
Lyn
xxx

Cinzia said...

WONDERFUL!!!! oh yessss, WONDERFUL!
Cinzia

All things nice... said...

Isabelle,

Oh those thatched cottages are so pretty, just what I like, I love all the character and the natural setting of those cottages, your exactly like me, I like photographs of our built heritage with lots of character and traditional materials, that really looks like such a quaint place to visit. The most peaceful place in our town is the graveyard where my grandmother is buried it swipes down to the lake shore and is truly relaxing. I always think I would like to be buried somewhere nice like that in a natural setting. Thanks for sharing your lovely tour with us...

All things nice...

Blondie's Journal said...

It sounds like you had a wonderful day, Isabelle. Sightseeing and visiting and of course, a wonderful lunch.

The story of the lady in the graveyard was very touching. How comforting to know her friend is buried beneath the beautiful tree that looks out over the sea. I do think about those things.

Your pictures are lovely. The views spectacular! Thanks so much for sharing!

xoxo
Jane

Sylvia said...

It seems you had a great day, Isabelle !
Beautiful village and cottages !
That lemon pie looks delicious.
Have a nice week,
Sylvia

ted and bunny said...

A really perfect day- the story of the tree was quite touching, thankyou for sharing it
xx

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

What a wonderful outing Isabelle and one I will be putting in my notebook of places to go on a sunny weekend. We are National Trust members and really don't make the most of our membership.. so will definitely be going to Holnicote Estate now.

A wonderful day out would have worked wonders for your recent malaise.. Hope you are feeling much better now.. and honey is so good for colds.

Love
Michele xx

THISNTHAT said...

I've never been there but it will go onto our places to see list now. Thanks for the virtual visit.
Lesley X

Les Cotrions said...

Thank you for this so nice trip Isabelle!!! So beautiful cottages and village! Your countryside is so green!
Happy new week!
Vale

Monica said...

Hi Isabelle,
what a fabulous trip! That meringue pie is very inspiring ;)) and the cottages just wondrous!
Monicax.

Carolyn said...

Thank you for taking me along on such a beautiful tour. I can see why you enjoyed the day.

Carolyn

Cape Cod Rambling Rose said...

Such a gorgeous excursion you had! That is a beautiful place, and the architecture makes me swoon! I do love the Free Range Eggs photo you took! ;)

KC'sCourt! said...

You should have let me know you were visiting Selworthy Tea Rooms, I live ten minutes from there by car you could have visited - would have love to meet up.
The weather was lovely to sit outside there wasn't it, a very pretty place we go at least once a year for a treat!

harmony and rosie said...

Looks like you both had a lovely, relaxing day. Selworthy looks beautiful.

I hope this means you are much restored now!

Take care,
Kate x

Enitram said...

What a beautiful day with sun!!!!!!!
Wonderful cottages!!!!!!
A lovely place, isn't
Good week to you!!!!!!

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

Hello Isabelle, I almost wish I could become a pixel and shrink myself to squeeze in the laptop to live in one of those cottages. My heart was pounding just looking at them. It made me feel quite emotional! Daisy no doubt, would have the same reaction to the pie or the honey. She loves to sneak honey from my pantry. I do love peaceful graveyards as well and such a poignant tale of the friend and her mother. If this was a Barbara Erskine novel, the lady you met would turn out to be a ghost who needed your help for something. Alan was probably relieved the shop was shut.
Another classic Isabelle post. We will have to add this village to our list of places to visit when we next come to the UK.
Keep yourself well, dearest. xx

Jess said...

I'm only up the road in Bristol and I've never been to Selworthy. I so want to go now after reading this! We live in such a beautiful country and I appreciate it all the more now I'm back home after getting stuck abroad a few days ago! Thanks so much for the inspiration :) xx

Lululiz said...

Gorgeous photographs, you captured the atmosphere so beautifully.

Country Style Living said...

Very pretty villages, with some lovely cottages and gardens...love the view from the bench!

Joshy and belle said...

what a lovely place, wish i could live in one of those cottages! fliss xx

Reading Tea Leaves said...

Oh Isabelle what a wonderful day out - those beautiful villages and cottages are so quintissentially English. I love the way you have photographed them, your collages look like postcards! Lovely churchyard and such a touching story of the tree.

I can see you visiting that shop many times - it looks fabulous!

Jeanne
x

PASSIONEDECO FRANCESCA said...

Hello Isabelle,
I have reached your blog thanks to a comment you left at "La maison des lilas" by Flaviana who is a very good friend! I am definitely in love with your blog and the area you live in. It could sound a little obvious and maybe you're bored of hearing that but my husband and me are great fans of Inspector Barnaby most of all for the wonderful locations and beautiful houses such as those shown in your blog!Thank you for all this beauty. I will follow you.Francesca from Italy

Cielo Azul Jewelry said...

HOLA! It's so nice to meet you=0) I love your blog and you have such lovely photos!

xoxo,
Carol

Louise said...

This has been my first visit to Selworthy , it looks like the perfect English Village...thank you for the lovely photos

Louise xx

VintageWantsNotNeeds said...

Lucky you living in such a beautiful part of England. My sister in law lived in Devon and we really miss our weekend trips down there.
Thanks for sharing your trip to Selworthy.
Debbie

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful area you live in I adore the thatched cottages .what a shame the little shop was closed but glad you had a great weekend anyway

bellaboo said...

What a wonderful post! The lovely thatched cottages,the story of the lady and the tree and your great photos.Just the sort of place we would enjoy visiting.

Bellaboo :0)

BusyLizzie said...

Wonderful post! Sorry Heartfelt was closed when you were there, if it was Sunday.. Becky was up in Bath at the Vintage fair! xx

VintageWantsNotNeeds said...

Hi Isabelle,

I have an "I LOVE YOUR BLOG" award for you!When you have time please call into my blog where you will find your award!!xx


Debbiexxx

xo.sorcha.ox said...

Just this weekend past I was talking with the M-i-L about how wonderful thatch-roof cottages are to look at, but how they must be a handful to maintain! You would see nothing like it here in Australia.
Wonderful blog, btw. :)
~S.

Flaviana said...

Oh Isabelle, you can't even imagine how delighted I was looking at this post! Truly beautiful places which I've always wanted to visit but..I've been in Britain many times and never dared to hire a car because I just know I won't be able to drive the "wrong" way ahah..Need to find courage 'cause I'm missing out!
Hugs
Flaviana

Anonymous said...

Hello Isabelle,

your blog is very lovely.
You make very nice
photo's.


greadings send you
Conny from the Nederlands

Bleudelavande said...

Woooowww such beautiful place!!!! Tank you for sharing!!! I'm so happy you had a wonderful time!!!!
Hugs

Alex said...

It looks so quintessentially English - what a lovely day you had!

Julia said...

You take the most beautiful photographs Isabelle, they always make me yearn to visit wherever it is you have been!
What a lovely, although sad story of the lady in the graveyard, it must have been nice to meet her there and discover all about that beautiful tree. My fiance also is fascinated with graveyards, I myself am drawn to the peaceful mystery of them. Thank you for sharing such a gorgeous day with us.

Love Julia x x x

Madelief said...

Hi Isabelle,

Such beautiful pictures from Selworthy! It brought back a lot of lovely memories from the 1980s when my husband (then my boyfriend) and I spent our first holiday together there!

Have a lovely evening!

Lieve groet, Madelief

Bernideen said...

Thank you for visiting my blog and I put a link on my blog to you!

Nice to meet you Suzy!

Vicki said...

Hi, Isabelle,
It sounds like you had a lovely day. The cottages looked just like I had them pictured to look there and the beautiful gardens as well. I, too, find it interesting to look at older cemeteries. There is a lot of history to be studied in one. I hope you are having a delightful week, my friend! Love and blessings~ Vicki

Duchess of Tea said...

Lucky you Isabelle darling I love the area, it is my absolute favourite. My friend Kate lives about 7 kilometres from Minehead and when I visit her we always spend a day walking through The Coleridge Way, lovely lovely place.

Darling, thanks so much for popping over to Bernideen's place and joining her followers, very kind of you. She is a lovely lady, one of my first followers and a great inspiration.

Sweet dreams
Love & Hugs
Sleepless Duchess

Jan Hennings said...

Your photography is amazing and the cottages are gorgeous. The cemetery photo's are very intriguing!

Jill said...

Your photos are lovely, I must make the effort to re-visit Selworthy again, as it is not too far for me. Love your blog and hope you re-visit the lovely shop that you found in Watchett.
hugs
Jill

Carole said...

Always enjoy seeing the places you and your family discover. That village is picture perfect. Hope you get back to that shop soon.

xxx
Carole