Horningsham, Wiltshire

Sixties Longleat

Many fond memories of Longleat over the last 46 years: the freedom we all enjoyed as villagers to roam across the estate - the sixth Marquess was always very generous in this respect. The remains of the American hospital were still much in evidence then; dad would drive the car to one of the old stone ramps so that he could... [more]

Race you to the water

I am ordering a copy of this picture to send to my dear childhood friend, Peta Fenner. Peta celebrates her 50th birthday soon and it is quite possible that both her and I are in the photo. We would spend many days of our summer holidays playing in the paddling pool. The big pool was always cold and... [more]

Warminster is Home!

I was born in Warminster, in 1972, in what was known at the time as The Strawberry House! My Dad had painted it quite a deep pink, when he bought it.
44 Boreham Rd, that's where I was actually born, my lovely family home.
My Dad was a well known painter and decorator, Bob 'The Brush' Woollard, and my Mum, Peg,... [more]

The town park

As a child in the late 1950's and early 1960's, I and a whole bunch of mates used to go to the Regal cinema on Saturday mornings. We went through the town park as the most direct route and would often stop off on the way back to fish for minnows and sticklebacks in the lake.

During the winter of... [more]

Great Meal & lovely Landlord

The Tea Rooms are charming and re thatching has taken place (every 10 years), the food served by the charming lady was superb and affordable. I glanced into the lovers nook and it is very cosy, afterwards a pleasant walk around Shearwater which is but a few yards out of the front door.  Food for the soul and eye !!
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The Old Bell Hotel

Well not my memories exactly, but those from my father's diaries. He was John Welch and married a Peggie Richens who had grown up in Warminster. They married in the Minster Church and he left immediately for the war. When he came back he was stationed in Westbury for a while and wanted to make the area his home. He spoke... [more]

Crickets & Formaldehyde

My mother lived in Warminster as a child and had lots of friends in the area. One worked at Longleat and she lived in what was called 'The Inkwell House' in the grounds. We went for tea. There were lots of very strange things pickled in jars & they weren't onions! The long grass outside was full of crickets. What happened... [more]

Stourhead Gardens and The Bristol Cross

The Medieval Treasure Bristol Gave Away. The Bristol Cross is one of the smaller architectural treasures of Britain - but it's one which Bristol's worthies were only too glad to give away. Today the Cross has pride of place at Stourhead, the world-famous 18th-century pleasure gardens which the banker Henry Hoare built near Mere in Wiltshire. This medieval masterpiece was set up in... [more]