Far From the Maddening Crowds

Today we were going to go to Plymouth but it was a rather overcast morning and we changed plans and decided on Mapperton since it wasn't open the first time we passed by.  It is in the village of Beaminster which is also where Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) lives on a farm and Thomas Hardy, the writer wrote Far from the Maddening Crowd.  It is a very picturesque part of Dorset as at the top you can see all the way to the sea at West Bay where Broadchurch is filmed.

There weren't many people there when we arrived.  The house is only accessible with a guided tour so we signed up for the next one and walked to the gardens.  If the British excel at many things, gardening may be at the top of the list and formal gardens are a specialty.  Pools, water features, statues and trimmed hedges abound.  This property is lived in and owned by the 8th Earl of Sandwich.  He didn't particularly like the title (the original Earl), but the one he wanted was already taken so he settled.  He fancied (new word for you Carol) a snack of meat between two slices of bread.  When one of his guests was asked what he would like to eat, he said he would have what Sandwich was having....and so the sandwich was born here at this very place.  Unbeknownst to us that this one estate in the middle of nowhere would have such a huge influence on the world...wait, there is more.  The 4th Earl of Sandwich brought hot chocolate to England from Spain and then brought ice cream.  One of their wives was the first to bring tea time as well, having it first for herself then later deciding it was a nice social to have tea and cakes in the afternoon and so it continues.  The house itself was old and musty smelling as well as dark in most of the rooms.  We have been in some in worse shape but I don't think I could live with that smell.

We saw this vehicle coming and pulled over...
thought it was two people but it was his dog!

No pictures inside the house

When we finished our tour we went to the Tea Shop on the property and had a wonderful lunch.  The lady running the shop was from New York.  Kay and I both thought it was the best food we had at any of the Tea Shops on properties we had visited.  Must be the New York influence with those fresh country ingredients!  The only downside was the young girl serving Kay's tea spilled the pot in my bag.  Now everything is wet and tea stained.  I have most of it cleaned up now.

We did carpool karaoke on the way home until Kay found a Winery sign we had passed several times.  I did not see any vineyards so I don't know if they were there or not.  Kay sampled a couple and bought two.  I didn't try them as I still had a headache from the musty/mildew smell from the house.  On the way we went through the village of Shute.  We liked this name.....this village has a Shute Barton....we don't know exactly what a Barton is but it appears to be a majestic entrance leading to nothing...ok then.

Shute Barton

Another day in the books....well done us!