Croft Castle

Next up, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, was Croft Castle and Parkland, a 1660s vanity castle built by the Bishop of Hereford, who had apparently tired of his urban digs. The lands had already been in the Croft family for some ages. The decor is mixed--in a style future generations may come to call National Trustic--reflecting the many centuries of Croft habitation.

Approaching the castle and chapel

The castle; this was well into the Age of Artillery, and no one
would have regarded a castle as of much defensive use

The Bishop

He had Ties, since one of his ancestors had been
one of Her close officials from early on

Moving right along, Vicki checks out the library circulation
system

Others check out an 18th century pinball machine

Thus; sort of

While I check out the 20th century Victrola

Paul Robeson sings "Plantation Songs"; probably of greater
historical import than anything else in the room...

Another room; and...

Elizabeth Cowper, a cousin of the poet, married Sir Archer
Croft, 3rd Baronet, becoming Lady Elizabeth Croft; the
portrait by Gainsborough

Another drawing room

The dining hall set up for a 1930 Ludlow Hunt Club Ball;
notably, the 1925 Mouton Rothschild would have been way to
young to open...

The adjacent family chapel

Resting place of earlier Crofts

Part of the grounds not taken

Gardener's hut, astride the walled garden wall

We'll take it, assuming it includes the wisteria

We're seeing more and more bug hotels in
National Trust gardens

Of particular note is that the Croft walled garden contains the
only working vineyard in the National Trust's 500 different
sites; a promising, fruity white, reminiscent of some Marlborough
sauvignon blancs I have tried

A flink on the grounds

A proper and effective Ha Ha

In the children's area...the Trust's sites are always family-friendly