Position.

This morning we’ve visited Stourhead, a jewel in the Wiltshire landscape, the view above is one that begs to be photographed, whether or not you want to, it’s the ‘done thing’. A visit to Stourhead without a photograph of this scene is almost unimaginable I would imagine, it’s the vista that greets you and sets the scene for the rest of your visit.

Built on the back of banking, where else would one find the funds necessary to create such a setting, it’s origins began with the Stourton family who held the estate for over 500years before being sold to the Meres family and then the Hoare family, deposit bankers in London since 1672 and owners of the property here since 1717 until it was gifted to The National Trust in 1946. It has a certain pedigree.

Whatever it’s history and former owners a walk in the grounds, let alone a wander in the great house, is always a pleasure, I shall look forward to returning as the year progresses and the leaves turn, there are already some signs of colour forming in the acers and the beeches around the lake and in the parkland which will become a glorious riot of reds and yellows as time proceeds.