One Great Day Out...Two Great Locations!

B and I had a fab day out in the Cotswolds...we started off at the wonderful Hidcote Manor, (near Chipping Camden) visiting this National Trust garden which as well as being beautiful has had a huge influence on many gardens around the world over the years  and of course has an excellent café!  (See extra photos)

Following a tasty lunch we then visited the excellent Upton House in Warwickshire.   The house is celebrating the part it played during WWII, when the Bearsted family moved out to enable the family's merchant bank, M.Samuel & Co. to move in for the duration of the war. This was to protect staff and assets from the threat of air raids in London. The house was transformed into a working bank to contribute to the war effort.  The bank was involved in funding all kinds of Government projects during the war, which included the supply of parachute silk and credits for purchasing eggs from Hungary.  Much of the house has been furnished as it would have been during this period and the photograph above shows one of the desks in a very grand room which became one of the banking offices.  It was a really interesting visit and I highly recommend it!