Was it a weekend trip to Australia? I wish! I have been to Melbourne in Australia but that was quite a few years ago now. This weekend, I went to Melbourne (in England). It was very interesting there, the history especially. The little lake behind the church was very beautiful and peaceful too.
The weather wasn’t that great, but we were fortunate it wasn’t raining. On a good summer day, it would be the perfect place for a picnic. Something I must remember next year!
We took a look inside the Parish Church. The building is absolutely exsquisite. It was built in the era of Henry 1 in around the 1100’s, sometime between 1136 and 1156. More details are located on the website for the Melbourne parish church. I could not believe just how much it costs to maintain the church though – somewhere in the region of £1,000 per week. For those interested in helping out with these costs, you can join the friendship society of the club, and membership forms are available from their website. Along with a regular newsletter you also receive tours and early notice of concerts and other events.
We wanted to go into Melbourne Hall and Gardens. Unfortunately we had missed the open season, so we just had a walk outside the premises. We will have to try again next year when it opens again to the public.
The shops at Melbourne Hall were open though, and we enjoyed looking through the gift shops. They had a beauty therapist there for a variety of wax and beauty treatments. A garden centre, a framer, a craft shop, and more. My favourite shop though was the little boutique for Helen Burrell. Helen is a fine jeweller who creates her own pieces in silver or gold, and she does commissions and special requests. Her portfolio is vast and spectacular. I definitely recommend you take a look. My favourite though, were the commissions she does, by converting various gold rings with gemstones, into a gorgeous gold necklace with gemstones set within the necklace. Helen’s designs are intricate and tell a lifestory, and there is a lot of symbolism. We also had the opportunity to admire the metal sculptures of her son. It is amazing how the creative talent has stayed in the family. Her son is just 19 years old but has already created two life size statues in metal. One is of a young man. The other statue is a head piece, a self portrait by the artist.
Eventually we ended up inside their tea rooms, which was a perfect ending to our trip. On a cold windy morning, there is nothing better than stopping inside for a hot cup of tea and a tart lemon cheesecake.
Alice Letts 