Berrington Hall and Hereford

The arrangement was that after breakfast our driver would pick us up, having collected the other ladies from their B and B. We had a great breakfast, and lined up in readiness for the coach - which was a bit late as some people didn't perhaps realise the tight schedule we were on - it didn't happen again!

We drove through some lovely countryside, some of it Welsh, to my surprise - I really must have a look at the route that our driver took. We arrived at a narrow gateway, through which Jon, our driver threaded the coach with extreme skill, only to be met by a National Trust employee who said "That's not for coaches!" (There was no sign posting at all.) However, John managed to squeeze to coach up another track and into the coach park, whence we descended into a bitter wind - humph!

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-berringtonhall/

Berrington holds the "Snowshill" collection of costumes, some of which were drawn and patterned by Janet Arnold and Nancy Bradfield. We split into two groups, and while the other group visited the house, our group had first dibs on the wonderful collection of costumes that the curator, Althea Mackenzie, had got out for us. There were stays, dresses, including several patterned muslin "Regency" dresses - such a change - chemisettes by the pile, and for me, a special treat - a couple of quilted garments, one in trapunto , one just quilted. The quilted jacket and skirt that Janet Arnold and Norah Waugh both drew was absolutely fascinating - I came out drooling.

While some ladies visited the house, the other group met Althea, and others of "my" group looked around, I had a long discussion with the lady in the National Trust shop about the small books that Althea had written/complied which are no longer printed, and promised to write to the publishers, which I really must do, if I can find my notes!

It was a grey day, and the wind was bitterly cold, and I later sat outside, shivering. Having told everyone to wear layers because the weather was changeable, three guesses who didn't - aaw, you guessed! We then had lunch, before setting off to Hereford Museum, where we were to meet up again with Althea, who is also curator there.

It was a grey day, and the wind was bitterly cold, and I sat outside, shivering. Having told everyone to wear layers because the weather was changeable, three guesses who didn't - aaw, you guessed!