点评:As far as National Trust properties go (and I have been to quite a few) this has to be one of my favourites. It has 100% WOW factor!
A bit of a walk from the car park but that is often the case in these old estates so I wasn’t surprised by that. (There is a buggy that will take you back and forth if you have mobility issues). I hadn’t however realised that the ruins of Hardwick Old Hall (owned by English Heritage but managed by the NT) were quite so close so got two halls for the price of one today!
In the house entrance hall, I had a lovely chat to an aging volunteer who was very knowledgable and very engaging so I tarried a while.
No sooner had I ventured from the entrance hall, my jaw dropped. I can honestly say, I’ve never seen anything like it. Room after room of the most spectacular textiles which I now know are widely considered to be the best and most historically important collection in the World. The Hall itself was impressive but it played second fiddle to the tapestries and embroideries.
I was sorry I didn’t have longer to spend here today but I was journeying to visit a friend in Sheffield. So with time restrictions, I didn’t visit the cafe but the loos were up to the expected NT standard.
翻译:就我参观过的国民信托旗下的房产而言(而且我去过不少),这绝对是我最喜欢的之一。它简直令人叹为观止!
从停车场走到这里有点远,不过这些古老的庄园通常都是这样,所以我并不感到意外。(如果您行动不便,这里有电推车可以接送您往返。)然而,我之前并不知道哈德威克老宅遗址(归英国遗产委员会所有,但由国民信托管理)离这里这么近,所以今天相当于花一份钱参观了两座庄园!
在庄园的入口大厅,我和一位知识渊博、热情好客的老志愿者聊了一会儿,于是我便在那里逗留了一会儿。
刚走出入口大厅,我就被眼前的景象惊呆了。我可以毫不夸张地说,我从未见过如此景象。一间又一间的房间里陈列着令人叹为观止的纺织品,我现在才知道,这些纺织品被广泛认为是世界上最精美、最具历史意义的收藏。大厅本身令人印象深刻,但与那些挂毯和刺绣相比,却略显逊色。
我很遗憾今天没能在这里多待一会儿,因为我还要赶去谢菲尔德拜访一位朋友。所以由于时间有限,我没能去咖啡馆,不过洗手间符合国家名胜古迹信托基金会一贯的高标准。