This time we are in Essex for the History Roadshow today visiting Audley End House.
The first record of a building here dates back to 1136 when Geoffrey de Mandeville,
Earl of Essex founded a Priory. The monks being of the Benedictine Order.
When Henry VIII started the downfall of monasteries across the country,
Walden abbey as it was known succumbed to the same fate.
Thomas Audley who was Henry's Lord Chancellor was given the estate and upon
his death it had already been converted into a manor house the estate eventually
passed to Thomas Howard the 4th Duke of Norfolk reports suggested that Thomas
had spent a hundred thousand pounds but all documents had been destroyed. He was
accused of accepting bribes from Spain and rumours spread in the county that
Audley End was built from Spanish gold.
Lancelot 'capability' Brown was England's greatest designer of landscapes he
designed and transformed upwards of 250 gardens and parklands in England and
Wales from the 1740s until his death in 1783. And he's remembered for his
creation of informal landscapes. Brown's influence in taking away a formal garden
to create views across the parkland including a serpentine lake gives the
area a much more natural feel. This is a beautiful spot to stroll around and
enjoy the lush flowerbeds and water features.
Audley End House has much to offer and as you walk around you'll find other
captivating displays, shops where you can buy souvenirs or grab a bite to eat at
the Servants Hall Tea Room or for lighter snacks step into the Cart Yard cafe.
There's also a visitor center to guide you in the right direction.
In the laundry room you'll not see any modern-day machines as work was all done
by hand, a row of original sinks which were in use throughout the 1880s with
washboards and beaters to assist. The complicated pulley system can be seen in
the dry laundry with enough hanging space to easily contend with the
families and guests who would have been at the house.
Outside you can find a restored game larder.
before entering the service wing home to the famous modern-day cook Mrs Crocombe.
Now you can get close up and personal with the staff as the kitchen comes
alive to the taste of a Victorian era. Open ranges, copper pans and kitchenware
give a glimpse of life in the house in the 19th century. From the heat of the oven
to the delicate smells of food being prepared for banquets for the Lord and Lady of the manor.
The area around Audley is undulating rather than hilly and within the park
there were plenty of spaces to relax, you'll find shady groves and old trees
to sit by and enjoy a picnic or just a quiet haven to sit back and take it all in.
The Adam bridge dates to 1764
Along the river you'll see the obligatory swans, geese and ducks that
will welcome you to this picturesque scene.
The house of Audley End is one of the most opulent interiors to be found in the
country, created in the Jacobean period Audley house has many treasures on
display as you wander around the state rooms. From it's impressive Great
Hall to the dressing rooms and the library. High-quality decorated Jacobean
plaster ceilings still survive and the saloon originally the great or presence
chamber of the Kings apartment has the most notable example. This building also
features great works of art from the likes of Holbein other items of note
include a surviving eighteenth-century bed which was commissioned for a royal
visit in 1794. The natural history collection from Lord Braybrooke's time on the estate.
In the upper levels you'll find the coal gallery a place for Victorian servants
to ensure the household was kept warm throughout the winter months.
Also at this level is a restored 1830s Nursery wing where today children can play and
have fun with the Victorian toys and parents are able to see the historical
bedrooms and learn how life was for families back in that period of time.
Upon leaving the house take a walk over to the stable yard originally this
building was thought to be a meeting place for hospitality at the original
abbey. Today you can see the stable block and horses within, interactive displays
with much information and static carriages and implements from a bygone era.
The kitchen garden is a magnificent area of Audley to visit, with flowers flanking
the lengthy pathways this vibrant scene of colour creates a wonderful summer
display, but within the greenhouses plants are nurtured with regular crops
the gardens are a hive of activity all year round with the gardener's digging,
weeding, planting, harvesting and pruning. It's a 24/7 around-the-clock project
that delivers quality produce. All the organic food that is cultivated at Audley is
either used within the restaurant or sold to other restaurants and by the end
of the summer season preparation is well underway to lift and store the fruits
and vegetables from the yield that year. As autumn passes into winter it's not to
long before plans are underway for sowing new seeds and plants in the
coming spring months.
Thousands of people visit this place every year, wonderful gardens, inspiring
designs, great open spaces and a house that has become a national treasure a
masterpiece with a long and colourful history. Audley End will surprise,
enthral and fascinate you with its ability to bring the world from another
era back to life. So for a magnificent, enchanting day out, take a trip to Audley End House.