Bateman's NT, Burwash

For the second day with my hosts, we all drove over to the home of Rudyard Kipling, now owned by the National Trust. He had moved into Bateman's with his family in 1902 at the age of 36, when he was earning over 62 times as much as a secretary of the time, thanks to his successful series of books. The estate came with 33 acres (he acquired nine times as much whilst there) and cost him £9,300, just two year's earnings.

It was a fine day and we sauntered through the gardens and down to the mill pond, mill and oast house. I had a quick look around the house, which was quite crowded and rather dark. The NT restaurant menu appeared to be entirely vegetarian and I wondered if this was in keeping with Kipling's ethos, but this theory was somewhat challenged by a snarling bearskin rug in his study.

We didn't go into the village of Burwash, where Kipling had stayed at The Bear before moving in, but stopped off for lunch at the White Hart in Netherfield on the way back to Battle. There was an air display happening at nearby Eastbourne, and a possibility of seeing the Red Arrows. Later in the afternoon a Spitfire flew over the back garden, and later still after the rain a beautiful rainbow formed.

L.
3.9.2014

Alternatives:
Cosmos
Bateman's Gardens
Bateman's House
Bridge
Chicken

Bateman's NT, Burwash, East Sussex, 15 August 2014 (Flickr album)

Lenses: Pentax 17-70 mm, Pentax 55-300 mm

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Gillian Welch - Paper Wings (2012)