The Clock Tower Tearooms

in Coggleshall. Our first port of call after leaving the car park. Today it will be for morning coffee.

One can enter through the back entrance straight from the car park

We watch the passers by while drinking our coffee and enormous home made scones with jam and butter

The view from outside with the ancient clock tower

And the plaque over the door which says

Clockhouse 14th and 15th century

rooms were leased here 1787-1859

to educate children of the poor with money bequeathed by

Sir Robert Hitcham

Returning back out into the garden through the side entrance

As you may have realised by now

the back tea garden is also a small garden centre and this is where I bought my new rockery plants

A nice place to have coffee, lunch or tea

inside or out depending on the weather

Garden with a Difference

The Gibberd Garden.Four more days until Alan is admitted for further investigations and surgery. Decided last week whilst waiting, to have a trip out fairly locally and decided on this unusual garden. Not particularly pretty but interesting all the same.

Sir Frederick Gibberd prepared the master plan for Harlow New Town in 1946 then in 1957 he bought a property on the edge of town. From then on until his death in 1984 he created this unusual garden laying down much of the garden's hard landscaping himself. 

This is what he wrote about the garden: "Garden design is an art of space, like architecture and town design. The space, to be a recognisable design, must be contained and the plants and walls enclosing it then become part of the adjacent spaces. The garden has thus become a series of rooms each with it's own character, from small intimate spaces to large enclosed prospects" Into this setting some 80 items of sculpture, ceramic pots and architectural salvage were introduced. Just a few of them shown here.

The dreaded Japanese Knotweed below, that wants to take over our country!

50th Anniversary Continues.........

High Tea for Two. Wednesday we continued celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with high tea for two, a gift from a friend. We had waited until now to use our voucher at Mulberry House (a Christian Retreat and Conference Centre) so that we could also enjoy the grounds in the Springtime.


A Georgian House in beautiful grounds and only a 25 minute drive from home

The newly landscaped entrance

The back of the house with conservatory restaurant

The Pastoral Centre - front

And Back

Now come walk with me around the grounds - it is sunny but cool and Spring is sprouting everywhere

Almost Monet - except for the Water lillies

More lakes

Not seen chickens with 'pom poms' on their heads before!

There are a number of these 'quiet' cabins around the grounds where one can sit, pray, read, contemplate.

He was pleased to be there I assure you! First course sandwich fingers

Followed by Scones with Clotted cream and preserves, fresh strawberries and cakes and Assam tea.

Very pleasant and relaxing afternoon - Thank you Brian and Ann