Snowshill Manor- the Collection

Hello everyone, welcome to 'Back2OurSmallCorner' and thank you for taking the time to visit.

Last Monday was the final bank holiday in August for all of the UK except Scotland. The forecast had been for showers, but we decided to go out anyway and hopefully dodge any showers. We headed out to Snowshill Manor and gardens, which is in Gloucestershire. The property is now owned and maintained by the National Trust, which meant free entry for both hubby and myself.

The main building is typical of Cotswold properties, and although it dates back to the 16th century, its most famous owner was Charles Paget Wade, who owned it in the early and mid 20th century. Wade can only be described as an eccentric who liked to collect a vast amount of items that interested him. 

Wade restored the property as he was an architect himself, but he never lived in the manor. Instead, he lived in a small priest's cottage in the garden and used the manor to display his vast collection. However, Wade did not want it to be set up as a museum, and his eclectic style is evident in every room. His motto was " Let nothing perish". 

Here are just a few glimpses of Charles Wade's vast collection.

While we were inside, the promised rain arrived, but very kindly stopped when we wandered around the gardens. These are laid out as a series of outside rooms and also include a dovecote, the model village (photos below), a kitchen garden, an orchard, and a small sheep field. 

Back home, I have been working on another project that has been collecting dust in my craft room. I bought the piece of slate about 5 or 6 years ago, intending to make it into a useful kitchen item. I really love the artwork on the narrowboats I have seen on the canals during our travels, and I wanted to include something similar in this project. I didn’t feel confident in my painting skills, so I decided to use some wonderful self-adhesive stickers instead. After applying the stickers, I added a spare white kitchen tile. We also varnished the slate, and now I have a brand new cheeseboard!

And so a new week begins. Whether you are due for sunshine or showers, take care, everyone, and have a great week.

B x