Jul 27th - Old Sodbury to Cold Ashton

 Back to ‘normal’ again as the journey and landscape to Cold Ashton today was much improved on yesterday, plus we had the bonus of a break at the National Trust property of Dyrham Park. 

Dyrham Park, typical of a large number of National Trust properties, is a large stately home with formal gardens and surrounded by ancient parkland.  Built by the local MP in the late 1600’s, William Blathwayt, the Grade I listed building is home to art works and furniture from around the world, particularly Holland, and includes some magnificent tapestries.  This Blathwayt apparently made his fortune by both marriage and during his role as Minister for War for, according to Louis XIV of France, “the warmonger” King William III (‘William of Orange’).  So, not a lot has changed there then!😆

Top R: Leather ‘wallpaper’


We stopped again a little later when we came across this lovely Norman style church, Holy Trinity, in the tiny village of Cold Ashton.  Built in the 14th Century, it was substantially reconstructed in the mid 1500's, however, only the tower survives from the original.  This lovely church has also has a King James Bible on display from 1611, it’s magnificent!  

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