Taking Nanna to Wimpole Hall

There is a beautiful National Trust home called "Wimpole Hall" that was open yesterday for a "Victorian Christmas." Volunteers dressed in Victorian garb (as servants) and showed us through the home. The dining room, for instance was decorated in a historically accurate model of what the meal was like when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited in 1843. The rage among the wealthy of the day was to grow pineapples in the family greenhouse, and so the large ones were on display in the dining room. Although we were not allowed to take pictures in this beautiful home, here is a shot of Nanna and her grandchildren at the front entryway~

We were able to sneak a picture in the servants' quarters down in the basement (where they had rooms set up for children to do crafts) and here is a typical ornament for Christmas made from greens on the estate.

The ladies here are holding clove-studded oranges which could be hung at Christmas time. Also, these were more often used in the families closets to compensate for lack of laundering. In fact, these ladies informed us that there were many outfits worn in that day that were never washed. We felt very clean in comparison!

This was a fun picture in the gift shop. A cat behind the register~


There were also roasted chestnuts for sale in the stable yard. Next to them, Jim and Andrew are talking to a reenactor dressed in the uniform of the West Norfolk 9th Regiment ~

Here are the chestnuts up close~ Snack anyone??


The Victorian Chestnut Roasters let us take a picture with them~ we felt like we had walked into a Jane Austen novel!


And then we headed to the chapel next door. It dates from Norman times (ie. William the Conqueror who invaded from Normandy in 1066) but the present building was built much later in 1748. It is the local parish church which still is running. You can see Wimpole in the background~

The tombstones you see here are people from the parish.

The family vaults are inside in their private chapel~


Here is Jim preaching to his favorite audience~


A fun morning~

You can see more pictures of Wimpole here.