Kingston Lacy (back-blipped)

Between Salisbury and Corfe Castle we stopped off at Kingston Lacy which became the residence of the Bankes family after Corfe Castle was slighted following the civil war and the restoration of the monarchy. It is (as I seem to be telling myself often) not fair to judge the actions of the past against modern values, but apart from the consequences of picking the wrong side in the civil war, they look to have done ok for themselves.  There is much to admire about the vision and determination needed to build, furnish and decorate a house on this scale ... although I might have chosen some happier artworks :-)

The Philae obelisk was brought to this country by William John Bankes after the locals in Egypt had carelessly left it lying about unregarded. His sexual orientation was not viewed in a good light so I don't suppose his life was quite as easy as the scale of his family home might suggest.