Following on from my previous post, Alan and I spent the day in Wiltshire yesterday.
Our destination: Castle Combe which is part of the Cotswolds. It is often referred to as the prettiest village in England and when you arrive there, you can see why. Neither Alan or I had been there before. We both love discovering new places and were pleased to have discovered this special one on our anniversary.
Castle Combe has been used as a location for films and TV including Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989) "The murder of Roger Acroyd" TV episode, Dr Doolittle (1967), Stardust (2007) and The Wolfman (2009).
Top right, we bought a piece of lemon drizzle cake from this stall outside a house and got chatting with the owner as he was painting his windows. He told that us he has lived there for 20 years and loves living in Castle Combe.
We had lunch at The Castle Inn Hotel. We were blessed with clear blue skies and sunshine. As it happens, the same kind of weather as we had on our wedding day 4 years ago.
We chose to sit outside in the small stone walled garden. As we sat down, the delicate scent of roses perfumed the air. It was fairly quiet, we were lucky enough to have the garden to ourselves the whole time. Had we been there at the weekend, it would have been a lot busier.
The garden overlooks the church and little cottages. It all made for the perfect lunch!
Alan soaking up the atmosphere
I quite liked the sink in the "Ladies" and couldn't resist taking a picture of it! I was keeping my fingers crossed that no one would come in whilst I was taking a picture of a sink. They had matching toilets too...Sorry no pictures! ;-)
Market Cross
On our way back home, we decided to stop in Corsham which is not far from Castle Combe.
There were some nice shops
I saw this old type writer in a shop window but unfortunately the shop was closed.
I was really quite taken by this "modern" alabaster effigy. It is a memorial to Eleanor, Lady Methuan who died in 1958. The detail and art work are incredible! Alabaster makes it look more real than stone. The effigy had a beautiful translucent quality and looked peaceful.
We didn't have the time to visit Corsham Court as we arrived in Corsham towards the end of the afternoon. That will be for another time.
Thank Alan for a wonderful anniversary!
I wish you all a very good weekend.
A bientôt!
Isabelle X
P.S: Thank you for your anniversary wishes and lovely comments ;-)
56 comments:
Isabelle what beautiful pictures! Thank you for sharing! What a beautiful place! Glad you had a lovely Anniversary, have a wonderful weekend too! xxx
Beautiful village pictures, all I really like it.
I enjoyed walking through the English countryside and atmosphere which provides.
I am delighted.
I wish you a nice weekend and send a greeting.
What a lovely day out you had and what a beautiful village that is. Your wash basin phot made me smile - have you seen my post on toilets?! Helsie from Lady Helsie's Happenings suggest we could write a book on lovely toilets in the England - are you up for it?!!! ;-)
Oh Isabelle,
you had such a wonderful, lovely day!
I love Cotswolds and muy plan for next year is to rent a cottage there for the summer holidays...that would be great!
Very nice sink in the toilet, really nice!!!
Thank you for this wonderful tour!
Fra
What a beautiful place to be...........Wiltshire !
And what a lot of amazing pictures!! i enjoy it......hugs from me...Ria...happy day....
I LOVE Castle Combe and the area around there.On one trip we arrived early and had breakfast at that lovely hotel,and then had a wonderful walk through the villages of Ford and Long Dean.It is all so beautiful and unspoilt.
Lovely memories!
Bellaboo :0)
Isabelle,
I have only recently come across your blog and have to say that i've thoroughly enjoyed looking at your piccies and finding out a little bit about you.
Thank you for sharing your special day with us, what a beautiful and quaint place - will definately add it to my ever growning list of places to visit . . . just wish I was a little nearer!
Lisa
x
We stayed in Castle Combe, twice...when we came up for the V&H. And we also had a meal in the same hotel as you!
It's a lovely place and I can imagine it is so gorgeous on a sunny day!
;-)
Happy anniversary Isabelle! We stayed in Castle Combe the night after our wedding and it really is so beautiful and Corsham is a regular haunt for me and some of my friends...coffee and a mooch around the shops, its lovely. Only a blogger would photograph the pretty sinks!!
So nice to see these fotos. That is really a beautiful town ! Have a nice weekend!
Bonjour Isabelle !
Magnifique village !
Ces photos me rapppellent des souvenirs car nous avons visité "Castle Combe" il y a 4 ans :-))) Nous avions séjourné près de "Stratford upon Avon" pendant 1 semaine. On a pu vister les Costwolds, très belle région (une de plus en Grande-Bretagne)
Bon week-end !
Sounds like you had a wonderful time and what a fab place to go . Great pictures, thankyou for sharing them, you have really captured the place in your pics and your words!!xx
All these villages are enchanting Isabelle! Charming and romantic!!! I'd like to be there! Thanks for this nice trip!!!
A relaxing week end to you!
Vale
Glad you had a really nice Anniversary and what a pretty place to celebrate it in!!! The sink is so pretty!!!
Kerry xxxx
This bought back so many beautiful memories. Both times I visited Castle Combe the weather has been perfect....perhaps it's always that way....?
Thank you for alerting me to this post, would have hated to have missed another visit there.....so beautiful!
Linda x
what a lovely little town to spend your special day!!!! Beautiful pictures!
Have a nice weekend and greetings to Miss P.;)
Lynda
oh, it is so beautiful there...i am just in love with those sweet and quaint stone walls and cottages...that sink...tdf, never saw one so pretty...have a wonderful weekend Isabelle!!!
Hi Isabelle! oh how nice these villages are!!! I love every single detail! And I'm sure I has been a wonderful anniversary!
Have a great week end!
Mara
Thank you for sharing this beautiful day with us. The pictures of both towns are lovely. I would so enjoy visiting!!
Happy Anniversary to you & Alan!
xoxo
Jane
Congrats to you and your husband. That is a beautiful village indeed! Love your photos! Have a lovely weekend!
Hello Isabelle,
What a wonderful place to spend a special day! Congratulations!
I can imagine that in this beautiful town recording TV programs are made!
I enjoyed the many photos you've taken.
Special of the picture you've made secretly. ;-) What a beautiful sink! Fortunately, you do not get caught!
I wish you a wonderful weekend!
Dear greetings, Helena
A really beautiful village to spend a lovely week-end!!!!!!!!
J'aime l'atmosphère tranquille et romantique de ce lieu!
See you soon Isabelle
Lovely photos. Lovely place to visit. Reading your list of films made there was interesting.
Love that sink!
Julie xxxxx
Makes me want to go there.
Hello Isabelle,
you've taken gorgeous pictures !
A few years ago we also visited several villages in the Cotswold, I think the most beautiful we've seen.
I remember that in one village there was a teddy bear hotel with also a shop.
Glad you and Alan had a wonderful anniversary !
Nice weekend,
Sylvia
Ooohhh Isabelle I'm so glad that you had a fabulous Anniversary in these wonderful places!!! Tank you for sharing all those beautiful pictures!!!!
I'm so sorry to be so in late to answer to your lovely comment but I'm working very very hard in this time and I need holidays!!!
Have a nice weekend and take care my friend
Ooh, you stepped into another county! and it just happens to be sights I know so well as grandparents on the other side were at Hilperton, near Trowbridge (they had the lovely Oriel House which I understand still stands). Glad you enjoyed your anniversary. The pictures, as always, are putting me into deep thought!
Dear Isabelle,
what a wonderful world and so many beautiful pictures from it. Thank you so much for sharing them with us. Now I wish I could visit the Cotswolds too.
As a schoolgirl I was 3 weeks in the near of London and hopefully I can visit England in the future again.
Have a nice weekend,
Tanja
So lovely...I can't wait to visit the UK..so many amazing places to visit. xoxox
Beautiful pictures Isabelle, makes me really want to go!
Mel xxx
I remember sitting in the courtyard of the Castle Inn several years ago enjoying a sunny lunch. It really is a beautiful place isn't it, and how lucky to have avoided the crowds. Happy Anniversary to you both.
Kate x
I would so love to visit all of these beautiful places! What a fabulous time you must have had there. I love that pretty basin!
Best wishes and happy weekend,
Natasha.
Glad you both had such a lovely anniversary. Well done for having the nerve to photograph the sink it is so pretty.
Dear Isabelle, I am so glad that we don't have cameras on our computers so you can't see me drooling away, here. Totally the perfect place for you to spend your special day together. And how thrilling that some Agathas have been filmed there. I loved the old typewriter and the pretty sink.
England is filled with such pretty and drool inducing villages. I remember when we were at Haworth to see the Bronte Parsonage, how thrilled we were that the BBC were filming at the time. Imagine if you had stumbled across a set for a Christie! We actually saw the series recently in Australia that we watched as tourists. It was exciting to see 'Patrick Bronte' when we remembered his character with modern mug of coffee. The BBC people were so lovely to us that day and kindly had a little break to their filming so the Australians could visit the Parsonage. It really made our trip there to see all the actors in costume as you could imagine! Best go and do some writing. Thanks for another super post. I love reading these with a coffee on a Saturday morning. Have a good weekend. xx
Of Course it was in 'Stardut' What a completely magical place, so beautiful. In particular I'm loving the colour of all the front doors. L x
Lovely photos are always!
So glad you and Alan had a great day out.
I took a photo of the wash basins in a ladies toilet recently on a day out too! Mine were all modern, but so clean and well maintained, it makes a nice change!
You are right the effigy is beautiful, spooky, but beautiful.
Lisa x
Oh my goodness Wiltshire has the most beautiful villages and you were lucky with the weather too - sunshine and blue skies make them look all the more beautiful!
I enjoyed your Sardinia post - happy anniversary to you both, Isabelle.
Jeanne
x
Hi Isabelle
What a lovely tribute to West Wiltshire, thank you!
Going back several years I lived in Corsham, and it looks from your pics, as though shabby chic has taken a hold on the shops there!
I've not been to Castle Combe for a long time either, and how glorious it looks here. We used to have special lunches at The Manor House Hotel in Castle Combe, but more often (!) we'd have afternoon tea there. And back in my childhood days our family sometimes went to the village for a Sunday outing.
What a splendid Anniversary day you had - it's so important to make anniversaries and birthdays special, don't you think?
Hoping all is good with you,
Have a lovely weekend,
Denise x
Isabelle,
You amaze me with the wonderful village you go to see, I envy you :) Glad you enjoyed yourself and hope you have a great weekend :) Enjoy the good weather
All things nice...
Hi Isabelle, Wonderful photos, so glad you had a wonderful anniversary. A definate must on the itinery of places to visit. How did you manage to take photo's without someone popping into them? Looks like everyone was away for the day. Lucky you.
Debbie
What an absolutely dreamy, romantic place. I really, really want to go there. You live near a lovely place. Wow. Thanks~I have enjoyed your pictures. Happy Anniversary.
Dogwood
Such lovely blooms! Have a gorgeous weekend! x
Your blog is breath takingly beautiful. I live in france and love it but am often very homesick for England. Your photos remind me of so many wonderful places.
Hi Isabelle,
Thank you for taking us along! I wrote down several names (hotel where you had lunch in Castle Combe and Corsham), because we are going on holiday in The Cotswold in two weeks time! You beautiful photo's make me look forward to it even more!
If you have more suggestions, please let me know!
Happy sunday!
Lieve groet, Madelief
OK, my suitcase is definitely ready. Now I just have to pack my home and come to live there!! Fabulous, fabulous places. Thanks for sharing and happy belated anniversary.
Monicax.
ive not been there for years, it look like a midsummer murders village but without the murders! fliss xx
C'est l'Angleterre telle que je l'ai toujours rêvée !
Merci pour ces images délicieuses, magiques ...
Belle journée.
Marie-Ange
my dream destination! wishing you a great week... verbena cottage
You really captured the moment! The architecture is inspirational and I love that sink!!!
Yes, that must be the most beautiful village in England. Gorgeous pictures and I can't pick one that is not beautiful. We loved the poirot series and I was always commenting on how beautiful it was there.Also loved miss Marple series which also showed such lovely villages.
Isabelle you always go to the prettiest places in your amazing country. I LOVE the sweet buildings and streets here.
I hope it was a wonderful anniversary for you both.
hugs
...thank you for posting these lovely pictures....You haveno idea how much I want to visit his village!
Hello Isabelle,
Happy Anniversary! It looks like you had a lovely time in that adorable English village. I just love the beautiful stone buildings and the stunning gardens of bright flowers. You must have has a delightful time. Your honeymoon in Sardinia looked like it was amazing!!
Thanks for sharing such beautiful photos!
I'll be back again soon!
XoXo
Gail
Thank you Isabelle!i have been living in Chippenham and i know all these places! i like to watch Hercule Poirot and see these beautiful places again!
your blog is beautiful!!!!!! congratulations!!!! so nice photos....happy anniversary...lory
www.ilfilodelcuorericami.com
What a beautiful village, thank you for sharing such lovely piccies, and thank you for running the risk of been caught taking a piccie of the prettiest sink I have ever seen, I love that sink! :) xxx
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