The Mansells

A Memory of Upper Minety.

1952 is apporoximate. I know I wasn't very old as I went to the village school (now converted to private dwellings) next to the little church. My mother was housekeeper to the ex Bishop of Malmesbury for about nine months and we lived in at the Mansells. The Bishop was confined to a wheelchair after what must have been a severe stroke. He had no speech or movement and was looked after by the gardener, a Mr Pearce I think. It was in their cottage next door that I saw my first television. It had a small screen which made everything look green. It was my job to feed the chickens, corn in the summer and sometimes hot mash in the winter. Being what we now call free range, they would lay their eggs all ever the place. The Bishop had a small alter in a tiny room upstairs and mother had to wash and starch the lace trimmed alter cloth every week. There is a room downstairs with a small window which I was told was where Oliver Cromwell was seen comming over the horizon after he had sacked Malmesbury Abbey. True? I don't know but I believed it and thought it very exciting. The fireplace in the dinning room had a massive fireplace and the table in there was so big it had been built in the room. The house had its own ghost, a cavalier, but I never saw him. As a beautiful grade two listed building I am surprised and saddened to see part of it offered for rent. The huge wall built in front of it was not there when I was either. Sadly I have no photos of those happy days but plenty of fond memories.

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