Unyielding

Stripped bare, still proudly standing

A fighter's spirit etched against the rolling countryside

Montisfont Abbey, Hampshire

Once a priory, this building is open to the public on the ground floor only, the key feature being the Whistler Room, with elaborate tromp'loeil murals painted by Rex Whistler.  The room looked enchanting in the warm yellow light, and the sparse furniture rendered space and elegance.

Exquisitely hand painted pelments and wall motifs

Murals in the chapel; the perspective is impressive

The Vyne, Basingstoke

Described as a Tudor 'power house' because it was visited by Henry VIII on at least three occasions, the place disappointed when power has long since evaporated, leaving the interior bolstered by the copywriter's imaginative use of the English language.  Still, on a cold September day, the exterior was mildly attractive.




One of the galleries boasting a harp and a grand piano



Detailed oak panelling throughout the house