Chatsworth

If Tim can be gross, then so can I. Before I went to the first aid course yesterday Toby was sick. He thought he was throwing up blood and I was most concerned having just learnt about the vomiting of blood being a sign of internal bleeding. Thankfully Andrew was able to work out that the red specks were, in fact, capsicum. He was fine after that and was able to go back to school today though he did try to convince me that he needed a day at home to play the wii.

I watched Spicks and Specks for the first time since we went away, how I love that show! Is it me or has Alan Brough lost weight? I also saw a Location Location Location that was searching for houses in North Yorkshire. I payed close attention even though Tim and I have decided that we are all moving to Stirling in Scotland.

For now, however, we are remembering Derbyshire. We had a brilliant day of sightseeing with Trish and Geoff beginning at Eyam, the plague village. The church was lovely and this is the tomb of the wife of the man who convinced the village to close itself off to prevent the spread of the plague.


They were doing a lot of work to the plague cottage so I just took a photo of the sign.


After Eyam we went to Bakewell which is not only the birthplace of the delicious Bakewell pudding, but is also a beautiful village. We had such a nice pub lunch there, I wish Australia had the same sort of pubs.


We took this from the bridge in Bakewell. We were most amused by the ducks trying to stand up or swim straight over the little waterfall.


And so, to Chatsworth. As I have said before, Chatsworth was the first thing I planned to visit. Like most women, I love Jane Austen and she went to Chatsworth and probably based Pemberley (Mr Darcy's house) on it. We, all of us, really loved it. This is the painted hall and I didn't remember at the time but this was featured in the latest movie of Pride and Prejudice.


I would so love to have a library in my house, maybe not quite so grand as this one.


This is the last room you come to in the tour of the house (there are many more than I have bored you with) and, as I am familiar with it from the movie, I was so excited to see it. It is called the sculpture gallery.


This is the veiled vestal virgin and I think she is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Imagine sculpting a veil out of marble - it is like you can really see through it.


There are two lion sculptures, the sleeping lion is my favourite.


I hadn't expected this to be there! They kept the marble bust of Mr Darcy from the movie. We spent some time taking black and white photos with Andrew's camera trying to make it look like I was standing next to the real Mr Darcy.....it had to be done.


I think ten photos is enough for one post, next we will do the gardens at Chatsworth, too beautiful!