Matilda Blanche

Today's planned visit to Tyntesfield House in North Somerset went ahead, though there were only two of us as dead certs. Not much of a group outing, then! But a Grand Day Out on all levels.

The house has been in the hands of the National Trust since 2002. I think the last Lord Wraxall has just died. It's a Victorian Gothic revival house in extensive grounds, with a magnificent chapel attached to the house.

The Gibbs family, who lived there for 200 years, made their living from import-export business, but their fortune from the Guano trade. Guano, in case you didn't know, is bird poo from Peru, which made excellent fertilizer. It had to be 'mined' in horrendous conditions, and the Peruvians employed indentured Chinese labourers for this task. Ten per cent of them died on the voyage, before they even saw land. The Gibbs were only involved in the trade for just over twenty years, but as they had the only licence to import Guano to the UK, it was enough for them to extend their  house to the size that it is today.

I can't tell you all about it. There is too much to say! Anthony, the son of the Guano millionaire, was not greatly involved in the family business, but was great collector of art, and a can't man, father to ten children. Sadly, several of them died of TB, which was prevalent at the time. Anthony's mother Matilda Blanche is shown in the portrait above, which  I have chosen because of its informal pose. A Victorian woman with her hair down, wearing a simple shift or nightdress: that's highly unusual, but all the more interesting for it.

I can't make out the artist's name, but we did see an exhibition of Anthony's treasures, which included many paintings, some from the Dutch masters, and many with a nautical theme. Rosie, Steve's sister, particularly liked one of the ornate clocks, which did not resemble any clock I've ever seen, having no face at all...

Do go there if you get the chance. I'll be returning. There's a  minibus that takes you round the estate if you're tired of walking, and I haven't even mentioned the rose garden!