I couldn't let the birth of a future King of England pass without a little post! Also I am running a competition on Pinterest to guess the name of the Prince, the first person to name him correctly will win a piece of my handmade jewellery so just log in to Pinterest and place your bets. It's on my Everything British board.
Over the past week or two I have visited a couple of really fabulous historic places, Smallhythe Place in Kent and Eltham Palace in London. British history is a passion of mine so one of my birthday treats was a trip to the stunning Eltham Palace and lunch with my daughter Sophie, I have been before but I never tire of it, the house is an Art Deco gem built by the Courtauld family with an attached Medieval Hall where Henry VIII grew up. Beautiful gardens where you can enjoy a drink and something to eat or take a picnic and enjoy the playground of Orrible Enery!! I sneaked a couple of photos inside (you are not supposed to) but there was no one around to tell me off!
Eltham Palace history
The entrance to Eltham Palace
The Medieval Hall and superb ceiling (Sophie as well)
Crossing the Moat
Straight ahead the Medieval Hall which was the childhood home of Henry VIII
Smallhythe Place in Kent was the home of Shakespearean actress Ellen Terry, and in the 1500s the house was part of a shipyard which built many of King Henry VIII's warships including the Mary Rose, this was before the sea receded. The House is enchanting and left as it was in Ellen's days. Many artifacts of her theatrical days are on show. You can watch a play in the beautiful thatched theatre in the grounds, and the tea shop serves the best cup of tea I have had in many a day. Really like stepping back in time.