KEY POINTS:
If it was good enough for the late Queen Mum, it's good enough for us, I thought, as we arrived at Lawrence House for a week's holiday. You see, Lady Doris Vyner, her great friend, used to live here and the Queen Mother would visit her often. Although
it is a country house, this 18th century Georgian mansion carries a definite regal air about it. It's easy to imagine generations of gentry enjoying the good life here.
Our hosts, John and Harriet Highley, greeted us warmly and showed us to our room. You'd think we were overnight guests at the home of friends. The truth is we were paying guests at one of England's unique Wolsey Lodges, a sophisticated style of bed and breakfast, truly in a class of its own.
Lawrence House, in Yorkshire, is just one of 169 splendid private country houses which have opened their doors to overnight guests. Prompted by the rising costs of maintaining large historic properties, a small group of owners came together in 1981 and formed Wolsey Lodges, a non-profit association with properties in England, Scotland, Wales, and a handful on the Continent. Each member agrees to set aside at least two bedrooms for paying guests.
"The golden rule", says Bobby Llewellyn, Wolsey Lodge's chairman, "is that guests should be treated as family and friends". According to the association's guidelines the property owners are to provide "serenity in summer, warmth in winter, delicious home-cooked food, dinner party atmosphere, blissful bedrooms, pristine bathrooms, a comfortable sitting room and peaceful gardens in which to get away from it all".
By choosing the name Wolsey Lodges the association set high standards for itself. Cardinal Wolsey was King Henry XIII's Lord Chancellor, in which capacity he toured the realm extensively during the 16th century, requiring venerable country houses along the way to provide him a comfortable bed and bath, good food and drink, and generous hospitality.
When planning our two-week English holiday, we decided to forego the conventional hotel in favour of one of these refined historic properties. We decided to spend one week in Yorkshire and one week in Kent. Choosing the right Wolsey Lodge was uncomplicated thanks to their easy to use website.
During our Yorkshire week we wanted to explore the historic city of York as well as the villages of Skipton and Otley; visit the Bronte parsonage museum at Haworth; and tour Fountains Abbey, Castle Howard, Newby Hall and Harewood House. We also wanted to experience the Yorkshire Dales on foot, taking the 11.3km circular walk from Aysgarth Falls to Castle Bolton, and walking the parklands of Studley Royal.
There are 14 Wolsey properties in Yorkshire to choose from, including a medieval stone farmhouse, a Victorian vicarage, two former rectories, and quite a few 18th century Georgian mansions. We chose Lawrence House which adjoins the World Heritage Site of Studley Royal and Fountains Abbey, and is walking distance from the historic market town of Ripon.
Just the idea of being a guest in one of these impressive properties sold me. I have to admit, the image of the classical English country estate captures my ideal of ultimate domestic bliss. I confess to buying the occasional Country Life magazine just to peruse the estate sales ads, and dream of living the good life in one of these historic gems.
Of course, an impressive lodging property alone doesn't necessarily make a memorable stay. Hospitality and food service are critical. Commenting on the skills one needs to be a Wolsey Lodge host, John Highley maintains, "the trick is to get on with people and help them relax after stressful journeys [and lives]. It's important to know when visitors want our company or are [happy] to be left on their own." At times, during our week-long stay, our hosts joined us, poring over maps, discussing alternative daily itineraries or reviewing the highlights of the day. At other times they left us to enjoy our own space and time.
Some Wolsey hosts are qualified chefs and offer organically sourced products, often from their own garden or orchard. Most properties offer dinner as well as breakfast. Harriet's breakfast muesli was made from scratch. Her eggs came from Belgium Bantams which roam around her extensive garden. Her roast grouse was praised by a guest, an eminent television chef, as the best she had ever eaten. John worked for years in the wine trade. Their suggestions for restaurant dining were also spot on. Two of their recommendations were highlights of our trip (see the Checklist).
With one week finished we spent a tiring day motoring down the M1 to begin our week in Kent. Our main interest in this southeast area of England was to visit some of its leading attractions: Sissinghurst Gardens, Chartwell (Winston Churchill's home), Knole House, and Leeds Castle.
We also wanted to explore the historic towns of Royal Tunbridge Wells and Rye.
In addition, we wanted to fit in some countryside walks. Although we could have chosen a Regency country house, a medieval house complete with a moat, or a 17th century manor house, we chose Holly Hall, in East Sussex, an 1820s stone country house, which was centrally located for our itinerary, and adjacent to Ashdown Forest for walks.
Driving around London in bumper to bumper traffic, through commercial and industrial areas, I began to fear that Holly Hall may not be far enough away from all of this congestion and unsightliness. However, as soon as we travelled beyond the M25 beltway into East Sussex the "Jane Austen Country" images began to emerge: rolling pastoral scenes; narrow country lanes where trees formed a shady canopy over the road; glimpses of formidable estates tucked behind the hedgerows; venerable buildings and walls of field stone; and tiny villages dominated by ancient church towers.
While it is one of the smaller properties among the grand houses of the Wolsey collection, Holly Hall exudes romance. It is partially cloaked in wisteria and roses; built of thick golden stone; beset with a myriad of small mullioned windows; topped with chimney pots, surrounded with extensive lawns, a profusion of flowers, an idyllic pond and fountain; and set against a background of paddock and forest.
Our host, Jane Heming Johnson, is a master of detail. The fragrance of fresh-cut roses greeted us as we came and went from our room. The smooth, satiny feel of quality sheets and the weight of plush towels and bathrobes created a feeling of pure indulgence.
A trained cook, Jane's breakfast and dinner tables were tastefully set using fine china, silver and crystal. Each morning we were aroused from sleep with the gentle sounds; the of chirping of thrush and robins, the clinking of silverware and glassware being set on the garden patio table below our window. However, it took the aroma of country bacon and the prospect of fresh organic eggs cooked to perfection to draw us from our cozy room.
The historic house has a number of nooks ideal for reading, relaxing or for intimate conversation. Appropriately, the decor is traditional country cottage with antique accent pieces and fabrics whose patterns and colours mimic the blooms of the summer garden outside. Long wanders along adjacent country lanes lined with blackberry bushes, paddocks and forest; and atmospheric dinners at nearby country pub/restaurants completed our stay.
In spite of the modern, secular age in which we live, many of us feel nostalgia for a connection to the past. Travelling to jolly old England and lodging in historic country estates is a pleasant way to satisfy these longings.
WOLSEY LODGES
The organisation is based in Hadleigh, Ipswich, Suffolk. Its website is at www.wolseylodges.com.
* Lawrence House
Lawrence House is at Studley Roger, Ripon, North Yorkshire. It is on the web at www.lawrence-house.co.uk.
* Where To Eat
The Old Deanery, Minster Rd, Ripon, www.theoldeanery.co.uk. The Angel, Hetton, near Skipton, www.angelhetton.co.uk. Bettys Cafe and Tea Rooms, York, Harrogate and Ilkley, www.bettys.co.uk.
* Things To Do
For general information see Yorkshire Tourism's website at www.yorkshirevisitor.co.uk.
The Aysgarth Castle-Bolton walk is on the web at www.daleswalks.co.uk. Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal are at www.fountainsabbey.org.uk.
Newby Hall and Gardens is at www.newbyhall.com.
Castle Howard is at www.castlehoward.co.uk
The Bronte Museum is at www.bronte.info.
Harewood House is at www.harewood.org.uk.
* Holly Hall
Unfortunately, it seems Holly Hall is no longer part of Wolsey Lodges but there are five other lodges to choose from in southeast England.