Lacock-Wiltshire2011-1

Lacock,

Wiltshire

13th February 2011

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The weather had turned for the worse by the Sunday morning as we packed up and left Paddington Farm. The general consensus given the fact that it was raining was that a visit to the National Trust village of Lacock in Wiltshire seemed a distinct possibility. Zoltan was keen on a visit to Stonehenge however agreed to take a "rain check". Lacock is an extraordinary place and despite the presence of motor vehicles and the wet conditions, a delight for photographers. By the time we had arrived, several of the hiking club folk had already been around the village. From the pay and display car park at one end of the village, a path leads off to the village centre. Zoltan exhibited extreme patience whilst we made our way through the village to capture it on camera; in my case, I am prone to taking 5 photographs where one would probably suffice. The variety in terms of architectural style of the houses, some of the Tudor period, is quite appealing. The village church is St Cyriack and a sign at the gate welcomed all and sundry to enter.

Karen Bolger, Visitor Services Manager states: “Walking alongside the River Avon, this route explores the historic market village of Lacock, as well as offering views of Lacock Abbey from the beautiful Wiltshire countryside. “My favourite part of the walk is the point at which the tower of Lacock Abbey creeps into view. This Tudor addition to the abbey building always looks impressive, and was no doubt built to have this impact, but it does look particularly statuesque from this viewpoint. The views and surroundings change with the seasons so any time of year is a good time to visit, although it can get rather muddy in the winter. The terrain is generally flat, allowing a gentle pace and the chance to really take in your surroundings.”

Spoilt for choice in terms of tea-rooms, we found one on the way back to the car park; indeed, a cappuccino and a slice of cake was most welcome at this time. Thereafter we made our way back to Hertfordshire. It had been a fantastic weekend, albeit that the Saturday walk had been fraught with difficulties, more than made up for the stroll around Avebury and Silbury the day before and the mild weather conditions throughout.

Lacock is a village in Wiltshire, 3 miles from the town of Chippenham. The village is owned almost in its entirety by the National Trust and attracts many visitors by virtue of its unspoiled appearance. Lacock is mentioned in the Domesday Book, with a population of 160–190; with two mills and a vineyard. Lacock Abbey was founded on the manorial lands by Ela, Countess of salisbury and established in 1232; and the village — with the manor — formed its endowment to "God and St Mary". Lacock was granted a market and developed a thriving wool industry during the Middle Ages. Reybridge, and a pack horse ford, remained the only crossing points of the River Avon until the 17th century. At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries between 1536 and 1541, the Abbey and estate, including the village were sold to William Sharington, later passing into the Talbot family by marriage. Most of the surviving houses are 18th century or earlier in construction. There is a 14th century tithe barn, a medieval church, and an inn dating from the 15th century and an 18th century lock-up, used for the temporary detention of people in rural parts of England. In 1916 Charles Henry Fox Talbot bequeathed the Lacock estate to his niece, Matilda Gilchrist-Clark, who took the name of Talbot. The estate was given to the National Trust in 1944 by Matilda Talbot – comprising 284 acres, the Abbey, and the village. The village has been used as a film and television set, notably for the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice, the 2007 BBC production of Cranford. It has also made brief appearances in the Harry Potter films Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The Abbey was one of two major locations for the 2008 film version of the historical novel The Other Boleyn Girl.