no time to hang around

...I found 30 minutes this morning to pop out and grab a shot of today's grand house. Fortunately, as we walk past this beautiful manor quite often, I knew that, apart from parked cars, it would be a quick and easy capture. As usual, there were a couple of vehicles parked in the front garden but, by choosing the right position, I have managed to hide them behind each of the two gate pillars.

This is one of those properties that, when viewed as I have presented it here, you might be forgiven for thinking is nicely proportioned and fairly modestly sized family home. You would easily be forgiven for thinking it is much younger than its 400 years. However, if you view it from the north, you get an entirely different picture. Then there is another 30% that I haven't even shown you!

Afflington is another of the original Saxon estates. The Domesday Book mentions it as the Manor of Alvronestone, held by Aelfrun. Near the existing farm, there are the remains of a considerably larger settlement and we know that Henry III granted it a fair and market in 1270. The current building was constructed in 1620 and it underwent 19th century modifications. These were made when it became part of the huge Encombe estate of the Scott family. In 2004, Rupert Scott put Afflington Manor on the market for £2.25million. The current owners are a lovely farming family who bolster their income through tourism by renting out a delightful cottage and with camping and caravan pitches during the summer season. The ponds and fields around the main buildings have plenty of ducks, geese, black swans, and alpacas to delight the children.

The manor is found south of Corfe Castle on the present Swanage road. It may be of interest to those who are familiar with the A351 to know that the section between Corfe and Langton Matravers is 'relatively new'. It was originally built as a turnpike to avoid the steep hill up to Kingston. The community of Harmans Cross didn't exist one hundred years ago and has sprung up as a direct result of the road. This raises the question of its name. Usually, a 'cross' refers to some physical cross or some important crossroads. The exact story in this case seems to have been lost, but a man with the surname Harman was either hanged or hanged himself on this spot...