While we were away in England, we had the opportunity to visit The Vyne, an historic manor house located close to Basingstoke in Hampshire. Originally built between 1500 and 1520 for William Sandys, Henry VIII’s Lord Chamberlain, the house was later acquired in 1653 by Chaloner Chute, a successful barrister and remained in the Chute family until it was acquired by the National Trust. Over the years, the house has been progressively added onto and is a pastiche of various styles ranging from early Tudor through the 19th Century. One of the most interesting aspects is that the house contained a small chapel, complete with stained glass windows.  The day we visited, it was cold, windy, and overcast but that didn’t deter us any, we managed to get a number of very nice pictures.

First is the exterior:

This is the back side of the main house. To the left is an outbuilding.

The front of the house.

Here’s a better view of the house, courtesy of the National Trust.

And now some of the interior:

And now for us… 🙂

A little humor for the camera…my reaction after receiving the latest bill from Charles Worth.

Yes, it’s all mine (or so I’d like to believe)…

Karin modeling her latest creation- a late 1880s day dress.

Visiting The Vyne was one of the major high points of our visit to England and it was definitely worth braving the cold and damp. The estate provided a wonderful backdrop for picture-taking and we only wish that the weather had permitted us to get some more pictures of us outside. We would definitely love to visit again in the Spring when the all the plants are in full bloom. All in all, a special day. 🙂