GREYS COURT

Off to Grey's Court today! A National Trust property, and for now at least, there's some sun.

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There's no denying a Roman road when you're on one. The A30 is a major road that follows the line of the Fosse Way, a Roman route, that ran south-west from London to Lands End in Cornwall. It's 284 miles long. It is remarkable for its extremely direct route it is never more than 6 miles  from a straight line.
Oh those crafty Romans! 

 Roman roads are relaxing to drive on and make a change from the winding narrow single tracks. It's usually a chance for some to step on the gas. 


A little known Tudor bread crumb, Greys Court lies nestled in the lush rolling hills of the Chilterns in the Oxfordshire countryside. This picturesque home spent most of the last nine centuries under private ownership until 1969 when Sir Felix and Lady Brunner gifted the buildings and 280 acres to the National Trust. She was allowed to live here until her death. Though reconstructed there are parts of it that retain it's Tudor history. The kitchen is the best, and the original part. 

 Greys Court  stayed in the Grey family for several centuries. Walter de Grey, the Archbishop of York during the reign of King John and his son, Henry III, bought the land around 1239 and gave it to his brother, Robert. A beloved courtier to King John, Walter was present at the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215.

Greys Court changed hands a few times until it wound up  belonging to Francis Knolly and Catherine Carey. Catherine was the daughter of William Carey and Mary Boleyn.

Records state Greys Court came into the possession of the Knollys family in 1514 when Robert Knollys was granted the estate for the annual rent of one red rose at Midsummer by the newly ascended King Henry VIII.

The gardens are an inspiration. Lady Brunner worked on them herself and the present staff seem to have a true love for them as well as the talent. These aren't landscapers doing a job, they're true gardeners. I could have stayed here all day! 

What a difference between the over the top Tylney and these accessible garden rooms.  Lady Brunner liked secret places so there are doors and gates leading to surprizing spaces of flowers, herbs, structures and a 120 year old wisteria. The fragrance was intoxicating. I kept smelling the roses.

The Redder Turret Section is the Oldest

The Lavender Walk

The Vegetable and Berry Garden

With the charming and calm gardens in my head, ideas for my own projects, the happy feeling from the Brunner household and most of all the afternoon downpour past, I give Rotherwick another chance to redeem itself. The sun came out, people were gardening, talking, walking dogs, sitting outside the pub. It seemed the down-at-its-heels attitude was gone. 

In the eye of the beholder.