Woolly says – It was an early start to the day and as we went over the border from Derbyshire into Staffordshire the grey clouds started to disperse and a weak sunshine and slightly blue haze started to arrive. We had decided to stop at a half way point on the journey back and that took us to the Trentham Estate on the southern fringe of the city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire.
The estate was first recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. At the time it was a royal manor, with a value of 115 shillings following a number of different owners the estate passed to John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower, who in 1730 erected a hall based on Buckingham House there. This was added to by Charles Barry in around 1833, sadly the hall itself is now derelict and the visitors that flock here come for the garden.
Having shown ours tickets we made our way over a bridge and into the first part of the large 300 acres (120 hectares) estate. The gardens were designed as a serpentine park by Capability Brown from 1758 onwards, overlying an earlier formal design attributed to Charles Bridgeman. And I’m sure he would have approved of the river of grass that we found ourselves in, lovely maroons and pinks and grass that swished in the gentle breeze.
As we turned towards the Italianate area, we came face to face with what was left of the hall itself, the church stood proud and still functions today but it was sad to see the functions empty windows and abandoned interiors. The view however over the formal gardens was wonderful. This area was one of yellows with huge purple thistles.
Serval fountains rose amongst them and I couldn’t resist the photo opportunity with the sign announcing where I was, neither could Alfie.
As we made our way towards the lake the planting became denser and large bushes of purples, pinks and yellows surrounded us.
A lovely fairy statue stood proudly at one end of the balustrade along the lakeside with an even bigger one of Perseus and Medusa took centre stage. Copied from the Italian Masterpiece by Cellini it was erected in 1853.
The lake looked lovely and calm although according to the information signs it was full of blue and green algae which was a shame for the wildlife there.
We made our way towards the woodland walk that surrounded the water pausing as we have to for people to ask what breed Alfie the Dog is, how old etc etc, the mutt loves the attention and will even roll over for belly rubs. Today was no exception and with Jo already having already given the spiel serval times I wondered if I should start selling pictures of the panting beast. A gent approached and asked the usual ‘What breed is he, he’s lovely’ with Jo giving the standard response, ‘Borgi, Corgi mixed with a Border Collie’, next came his age and his rescue story followed by ‘What’s his name?’ ‘Alfie’ Jo responded and the gent chuckled and said ‘That’s my name as well’ we parted company and continued through the shade of the trees alongside the lake.
Tall metal dandelions stood high above me looking almost real in their giant world, beds of wild flowers in lilac and white were covering the ground.
We wandered past rather a lot of tree roots and I was fascinated to find that they had been intentionally put there to form a stumpery, a Victorian concept where ferns are grown to form natural sculptures.
As the path dipped towards the lakeside a wonderful metal fairy sat watching the trees moving on the far bank.
Deer romped through the trees, beautifully formed out of metal whilst wooden toadstools lined the route.
Deciding to rest Jo left me in charge as she went for ice creams all round, I sat with Alfie the Dog in the shade and found my eyes drifting towards a poster advertising a concert tonight in the estate grounds. I looked closer, as Jo re-joined us, I pointed towards it ‘Isn’t that the bloke whose name was Alfie?’ I said, Jo started to laugh, ‘it is Wooll’s, it is, he’s someone called Alfie Boe according to the poster’. We looked at each other realising that to be in concert here tonight must mean he is famous but who the heck is he.
On our return we googled and found that Alfie, friend of Alfie the Dog is Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe OBE an English tenor and actor, performing in musical theatre. He is best known for his performances as Jean Valjean in the musical Les Misérables, which means Zoe would have probably known him by sight unlike myself.
As we wandered back towards the car passing flowers and sculptures at every point, I considered it to have been a good day, the sun was out and we had met someone famous and even Alfie the Dog was happy having walked and been fussed all day.