Broughton Castle

We took a trip to Banbury and enjoyed a tour around the elegant and charming family home of Lord and Lady Saye and Sele (pronounced 'Seal').

It's a most magnificent medieval manor house (too much alliteration?) later transformed into a Tudor mansion, surrounded by a wide moat and parkland.
Many films (including Shakespeare in Love) have been filmed here.

This is a view of the tea room, church and a teeny bit of moat, from the leaded (and SO-hot-under-foot) roof. (Hops from foot to foot hot, Hot, HOT!)

We had a lovely time (we were not personal guests, I hasten to add!).

I was spolit for choice for blips today. There were butterflies this morning, and a HUGE (obviously) unidentified hoverfly (even despite having been recommended to specific hoverfly id sites (thank you by the way!) I still find I have to know what I'm seeking before I can find it. I need tuition!

I'd love to share more of the inside of the house too, perhaps I'll pop them on blipfolio soon. I'm also most tempted to read more about the house in a novel by William Fiennes called 'The Music Room', which has received lovely reviews. Broughton was William's family home and he writes about it, and his family, with warmth and sensitivity. (Yes, Fiennes is the family name and they are related to the actors).